{"id":27355,"date":"2025-09-17T07:51:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T07:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/27355\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T07:51:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T07:51:13","slug":"these-k-pop-idols-are-changing-the-game-as-producers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/27355\/","title":{"rendered":"These K-pop idols are changing the game as producers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unlike the Western pop market where artists are generally expected to write and shape their own music, the K-pop industry has traditionally developed as a performance-driven, high-gloss industry built on tightly managed systems of production. <\/p>\n

Here, most idols active in groups usually spend their careers performing songs created by professional composers and refined by agency’s artist and repertoire (A&R) teams, with their vocals laid over tracks either purchased externally or crafted by in-house producers who guide the group’s sound and style. <\/p>\n

But a new generation is pushing beyond those boundaries. <\/p>\n

A growing number of K-pop idols has begun to elevate their game, stepping up not just as performers but as self-producing artists. Not only do these acts deliver onstage, they also shape their music in the studio \u2014 a rarity that is redefining what it means to be an idol in today’s K-pop. <\/p>\n

The following list focuses on idols currently shaping their groups from within, excluding globally established acts who have built successful solo careers.<\/p>\n

\"Woozi<\/p>\n

Woozi of K-pop boy band Seventeen, third from top left, is the main producer behind many of the group\u2019s hits. Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment <\/p>\n

One of the clearest examples is Woozi of K-pop boy band Seventeen. Since the group’s 2015 debut, Woozi shouldered most of Seventeen’s well-known discography, shaping the group’s identity as one of K-pop’s most self-sufficient acts.<\/p>\n

Ranging from beat-heavy dance tracks to emotive ballads, his work has helped the 13-member group maintain a distinctive style. His credits span debut single “Adore U” (2015), “Clap” (2017), the Japanese release “Not Alone” (2021) and more recent hits including “God of Music” (2023) and “Thunder” (2025).<\/p>\n

Another powerful force in the current generation is 3RACHA, K-pop juggernaut Stray Kids’ production unit formed by Bang Chan, Changbin and Han. <\/p>\n

From the group’s earliest days, the trio has overseen the creation of nearly every track in Stray Kids’ catalogue, including “God’s Menu” (2020) and “Back Door” (2020) and more recent global hits like “Maniac” (2022), “S-Class” (2023) and “KARMA” (2025). Their songs, often marked by aggressive beats and unconventional structures, have become a hallmark of the group’s worldwide appeal.<\/p>\n

\"Third<\/p>\n

Third from left is Soyeon, leader and main producer of K-pop girl group i-dle. Courtesy of Cube Entertainment<\/p>\n

Girl group i-dle’s leader Soyeon has similarly steered her group’s trajectory with hands-on production. Known for her blunt lyrics and bold approach to genre, she has written and produced most of the group’s well-known hits, including its early tracks like “Latata” (2018) and “HWAA” (2021), as well as major hits like “Tomboy” (2022), “Nxde” (2022) and “Queencard” (2023). <\/p>\n

Beyond her own team, Soyeon has also ventured into production for other artists, most notably helping shape rookie girl group Baby DONT Cry under K-pop label P Nation. She contributed to its June debut album “F Girl” and pre-debut track “Bet You’ll Regret It,” highlighting her influence in guiding K-pop’s next generation. <\/p>\n

Boy band ATEEZ’s frontman Hongjoong has likewise become inseparable from his group’s identity. Serving as the main creative engine, he has been credited on nearly every release since debut, weaving ATEEZ’s wild concepts into music that complements its stage presence. <\/p>\n

Tracks like “Say My Name” (2019), “Wonderland” (2019), “Guerrilla” (2022) and “Crazy Form” (2023) are some examples of Hongjoong’s role in ensuring the group’s discography maintains cohesion, turning the group’s global ambition into sound.<\/p>\n

\"Huh<\/p>\n

Huh Yun-jin of K-pop girl group Le Sserafim \/ Courtesy of Source Music<\/p>\n

Since debuting as a member of five-piece girl group Le Sserafim in 2022, Huh Yun-jin also steadily expanded her role beyond performance. Huh co-wrote songs such as “Impurities” (2022) and “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife” (2023), bringing a distinctive lyrical voice to the group’s catalog. <\/p>\n

Among newer acts, BOYNEXTDOOR members Myung Jae-hyun, Taesan and Woonhak have also drawn attention for their sprawling creativity. <\/p>\n

Since the group’s debut under HYBE Label’s KOZ Entertainment in 2023, the trio have held credits on releases like debut single “One and Only,” follow-up tracks like “Serenade” and “But I Like You” and more recent title songs such as “Earth, Wind & Fire” (2024). <\/p>\n

\"K-pop<\/p>\n

K-pop boy band BOYNEXTDOOR performs during their set on the Lakeshore Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago in Grant Park, Aug. 3. Courtesy of KOZ Entertainment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Unlike the Western pop market where artists are generally expected to write and shape their own music, the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27356,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[156,157,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-27355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}