The first thing that comes to mind when we think of NCT/WayV's Kun is that we're blessed to be living in the same timeline as him. Besides being one of the finest idols the K-pop industry has to offer, Kun is an angel of a man, with the most sincere, wholesome, and radiant personality who wants nothing but to share his art with the world and his life with his loved ones.

Over the years, Kun has proved to be an incredible inspiration to millions who look up to him and continues to be a positive influence on the world, not just in terms of the entertainment industry but also otherwise. In addition, when it comes to cultural impact, few can boast of the significance and attention Kun has brought to his own heritage on the global stage. The K in Kun stands for "King of the World" and in this article, we're bowing down to his royal charms.

Before we move on, we'd love your opinion!

To participate in choosing the artist who will be featured in our next "Bias Duality" article, you can vote for your favourite idol/actor below! If you would like to see a different idol/actor (one who is not mentioned in the poll) featured in the series, please leave their name in the comments section, and we will add them to the vote lineup next time!

Now onto our bias!

How Genius Is Created: Kun's Personal Duality & Evolution

Born on January 1, Qian Kun was destined to be the best of the best. Idol, singer-songwriter, producer, arranger, composer, pianist, choreographer, variety icon, college graduate, magician, star chef, video editor, makeup artist, can fly a plane, and has 2 driver's licenses (Korean and Chinese) - the list of Kun's titles is endless but just as much as he is loved for his expansive, incomparable talents, Kun is also admired for the individual that he is - evoking the highest degree of love and respect from fans all over the world. 

One of the many reasons why Kun has been able to establish such a well-rounded, multidimensional prestige for himself is because he has mastered the delicate balance of duality. This is to say that the man knows how to strike the perfect harmony between unparalleled perfection in the work that he does and an unbelievably endearing and, most importantly, genuine personality. Even within these broad spheres, there are countless binaries that find their complete expression in Kun’s being, but before we dive into them, let’s take a quick look at his journey so far.

From a very young age, Kun has had a prodigious knack for music and the arts. With unchanging support from his parents, he could pursue his artistic goals with conviction and focus. At only 15, he became a self-taught composer and his extraordinary talent started to draw attention from industry professionals. 

Many fans might not know that Kun was selected to be a part of the Chinese group CHANGE (Tiger Boys 2.0) but he gave up training to focus on his studies. In 2015, he enrolled in Beijing Contemporary Music Academy in the School of Pop Vocal Performance (which he later graduated from, with Honors). In the same year, Kun joined SM Entertainment and the rest is history. 

Early in 2016, he was introduced as a member of SM Rookies, immediately causing a buzz among fans who could not wait to see this princely new face debut. He started promoting alongside NCT for activities such as the “16th Annual Music Awards” with NCT U, and his soulful voice as he sang ‘Without U’ enchanted audiences at once, raising anticipation for his debut. It finally (officially) happened in 2018 with NCT 2018, and soon after, he was revealed as the main vocalist and leader of the NCT subunit WayV. 

Today, Kun is one of the most highly revered and competent leaders in K-Pop (or, C-Pop to be more precise) and is widely lauded as a golden-voiced crooner whose talent knows no bounds. As Kun continues to explore newer avenues of creative expression, we have no doubt that he will emerge as a transcendent artist, representative of a whole generation.

Now, in terms of personality, we all know that Kun is an ever-evolving, dynamic figure of excellence and warmth. On the one hand, he is an ace, not just on stage but in life, especially with hobbies like paragliding and sky diving (watch "KUN's Cloud"), and on the other, he is the kindest older brother holding his little ones together.

Kun is known for his laser-sharp concentration, gravity, determination, and diligence just as much as he is for his patience, maturity, wisdom, and reliability. He is calm in chaos, selfless but with a strong sense of self-worth, endlessly giving but also demands being showered with affection, and highly accomplished but humble. Be it WayV, NCT DREAM, or any other member of NCT, Kun is unequivocally adored by all. He is deeply empathetic with his members, who also find themselves naturally leaning on him. 

In his own words, Kun feels that maturity is a trait that he should possess because his younger brothers - his members, are young and naive and as such, rely on him.  At the same time, Kun is also wonderfully self-aware of his own innocence and he holds on to it with pride, playing around with his members and letting his inner child thrive. With such depth of character, it is no surprise that his music is also profound and universally resonant.

While his members never leave a chance to tease him, they also cannot go a day without gushing over their Kun-ge, who takes care of them like a real brother. It is always Kun that they go to for any kind of advice, whether that be professional or personal, knowing that their concerns will be resolved. They gravitate to him for reassurance and direction, and Kun goes above and beyond to make sure their needs are met. However, he is not just their safe space. Kun is the comfort idol of millions, whose lives have changed simply by virtue of his existence alone! Such is the healing aura of Kun, so how can we not wax lyrical about him all day?

If words could describe how precious Kun is, we’d have written a whole dictionary by now but since language of that caliber has not been invented yet, we’ll just count on our sincerity to convey the message.

The Muse Of Music: Kun's Vocal Duality

When it comes to artistry, Kun is one of those musicians who cannot be contained by labels. A balladeer, a rocker, a pop star, and even a rapper if the stage calls for it - Kun’s range is out of this world. With limitless potential, he is unpredictable in the most brilliant way possible, and his versatility can only be compared to a magician’s bottomless hat (how apt!) because we never know what’s coming next. 

Over the years, Kun has dedicated himself to constantly evolving as an artist, using his own progress as a touchstone for an infinite cycle of improvement and growth. He’s always challenging himself to newer feats, and needless to say, he outdoes himself and the industry each time. 

With years of experience under his belt, it isn’t surprising that Kun is acknowledged as a musical genius today who can not only sing like a maestro but also produce, compose, arrange, mix, and much more! Besides his highly successful (booked and busy) idol career, Kun makes it a priority to also update his SoundCloud with his own music, remixes and covers, sometimes even featuring his members! 

The best place to truly study Kun’s vocal tone, besides, of course, his official discography with NCT and WayV, is his numerous covers, where he is usually not only the one singing but also mixing, arranging, and recording the piece. In his cover of Sam Smith’s ‘How Do You Sleep?’, Kun’s voice is tender yet pained like a sore spot that hurts every time you think of it. Given the lyrics of the song, this is the perfect mood for it, which amplifies the listening experience even more. 

At the same time, in his cover of ‘free love’ by HONNE with Chenle, his vocal color is much brighter, fitting the wholesome vibe of the song. Kun imparts a wispy, ethereal tone to the song that is not only dreamy but also makes you want to close your eyes and smile. In case you didn’t know, Kun arranged this cover too, including arranging the strings and co-arranging the piano.

Next, to exemplify the warmth in Kun’s voice, listen to his cover of Khalil Fong’s ‘Red Bean’ with XiaoJun. The rich depth of Kun’s voice is complemented by a sense of longing and poignance that is as poetic as the song itself. Combined with XiaoJun’s magical vocals, this must be what pure tranquility sounds like.

Now, being the prodigy that Kun is, it is no surprise that his live and acapella vocals are just as impeccable as studio versions. We can never forget the goosebumps we got when Kun covered ‘Beautiful’ by Crush, a song that many of us love and remember as the OST of “Goblin”. The serenity in Kun’s voice, matched with XiaoJun's baritone, evoked our memories of the drama effortlessly, allowing us to go through the same emotions with just as much potency. This subunit is a match made in musical heaven and we can never have enough of it. 

Now, besides covers, Kun’s vocal versatility manifests itself to the fullest in NCT & WayV’s discography, with songs like NCT U’s ‘Light Bulb’ where we get his lower register at its finest, and WayV’s ‘Kick Back’ & ‘Love Talk’ or NCT U’s ‘From Home’ on the other hand, that allows his head voice to shine. A perfect middle ground can be found in KUN&XIAOJUN’s ‘Back To You’ as well as WayV’s ‘Turn Back Time’ which feature the most gorgeous duality of Kun’s velvety deep voice and airy falsettos. For more of where this came from, check out WayV’s ‘Phantom’, ‘Moonwalk’, ‘Nectar’ and most recently, NCT U’s ‘Rain Day’!

A Symphony Of Grace & Power - Kun's Stage Duality

Oozing with star quality, when Kun performs, the world stops and stares. Whether it be a bright concept or one with smoldering intensity, Kun has a penchant for hypnotising his audience, whether that be on stage or through the camera. There’s something in the way his gaze conveys a sweetness like no other but, in another instant, can turn dark with charisma, that makes even the smallest gestures appear grand. 

Kun might be the main vocalist of his group but there’s no denying that he is also a fantastic and versatile dancer. The fluidity in his movements, the finesse in his execution, and the stateliness in his dance lines are breathtaking, to say the least. Most importantly, Kun’s unique way of capturing our attention while also maneuvering the stage such that the spotlight is shared equally by the members is the quality of a true leader.

Not only is Kun an incredible dancer across a range of genres, but it is his knack for turning a performance into a complex mix of acting, dancing, emoting, and communicating with the viewers that gives him such a magnetic presence. His facial expressions, as he goes from the male lead of a romance drama to the mysterious protagonist of a noir film, are truly a thing of wonder and despite how natural and seamless it looks, we can only imagine how much discipline and practice went into perfecting this flair. 

Kun commands awe and respect effortlessly and he looks majestic doing it. The passion Kun has for his art, the hours of committed, unstilted hard work he has poured into perfecting it, shows in the poise with which he owns the stage. 

To further illustrate Kun’s stage duality, let’s take a look at 3 of his finest fancams, starting with WayV’s performance of ‘Bad Alive’ at “Music Bank”. Amazingly juxtaposing dynamic explosiveness with smug panache and sprinkling in the most dazzling dimpled smiles once in a while, this stage is unforgettable. 

On the other hand, in WayV’s performance of ‘Phantom’ at “M COUNTDOWN”, Kun maintains a sense of regality that perfectly fits the enigmatic tone of the song. We’re blinded by his charisma but we’re certainly not complaining!

If you’re looking for the Kun fancam that should be certified “fatal” at this point, look no further than ‘Turn Back Time’ performed at “Show Champion”. The main dancer in him really jumped out with this one. Kun’s charms, which are nothing if not addictive, seem to get even more captivating when he’s singing while dancing. Now, this is what we call a complete artist - where one talent complements and enhances another. Could this man get any more perfect?

Some more fancams/videos we highly recommend include WayV’s ‘Action Figure’ Performance Video, WayV’s stage of ‘Kick Back’ (Korean version) at “M COUNTDOWN”, WayV’s dance practice video of ‘Moonwalk’ and the must-watch 2019 MAMA stage of WayV. Enjoy!

An Electric Paradox - Kun's Aesthetic Duality

Kun's Instagram / Kpopmap

If flawless vocals and exquisite dancing weren’t alluring enough, Kun is also blessed with the most pristine, sculpted visuals, which he refines even more with his unique style. Rather than chasing trends, Kun prefers to set his own, carrying himself with the utmost elegance at any given time of day. 

Kun’s fashion reflects his worldview and personal expression, so it mirrors his confidence, vibrance, and timelessness. He seems to be quite fond of casual and streetwear with pops of color but he rocks monochrome just as well. Be it button-downs or tees, cardigans, oversized hoodies, or chic jackets, Kun prefers to stick to one material: husband material. 

On stage, with WayV’s diverse aesthetic, we’re able to see Kun in a wide range of fits - some of the most memorable ones being the pilot uniform and the Victorian Vampire Prince from WayV’s ‘Phantom’ promotions. Even when there are contrasting concepts in one look - such as the rock athlete, Kun pulls it off without a sweat. 

Kun's Instagram / WayV's Twitter

Naturally, therefore, regardless of the visual concept, Kun presents himself impeccably, expressing even the slightest shades of nuance with great detail. So, if one moment you see Kun channeling an adorable “Little Prince” energy and the next, he looks like an influential CEO, do not be alarmed. It’s just Qian Kun being Qian Kun!

If, like us, you also want to be lost in Kun’s world, follow the idol on his Instagram (@kun11xd) and join the 7.2 million people who are head over heels for him already. In addition, it is also the best place to explore Kun’s aesthetic duality as he shares OOTDs, behind-the-scenes pictures, pet papa snaps, and more. You’ll often see him going about his daily life looking like an off-duty model and just as you get used to it, he will hit you with a photoshoot that sweeps you off your feet. Be prepared for new surprises every time Kun posts and before you know it, you will be hooked to his charms. 

At the end of the day, whether we’re talking about his artistic talents or his visual wonders, Kun is an authentic, inspiring, and delightful human being who makes us want to be better people. The endless gratitude Kun has for his fans is reciprocated manifold by their overwhelming support for him and he never misses a chance to give back to the community. Perhaps that’s why, he is not just family to his members to also to NCTzen, who will always be by his side.

What is your favorite thing about Kun's duality? Tell us in the comments section down below!

If you're looking for more content about NCT on Kpopmap, here are some articles you might enjoy!