Many of the K-Pop Idols are multi-talented. They also have expertise in areas other than singing, dancing, and song production. It could be in arts, sports, unique talents, etc. According to research, athletes have more energy when compared to others. Some K-Pop idols excel in a variety of sports. They exhibit their skills when it comes to shows involving their sports or ISAC competitions (The Idol Star Athletics Championships). ISAC hosts several sports activities for idols to participate in and win prizes. They have been conducting it since 2010. Here is a list of the top ten K-idols who have been athletes before pursuing as idols and some who excel in them.
1. Jackson Wang
Jackson is a Chinese member of GOT7, previously under JYP Entertainment. Jackson used to be a fencer. He participated in national and international competitions. Jackson was trained to do fencing in his teenage and won gold medals at sixteen. He was on the official Hong Kong junior team for fencing. His skills are said to be of Olympic level. Jackson's parents were also athletes at the Olympics.
2. Yohan
Kim Yohan was formerly a member of X1 and is currently a member of the boy band Wei. Yohan is a Taekwondo athlete. He won medals at national levels before he pursued his carrier as an idol. The multi-talented Yohan is also an actor and television celebrity. He hosts radio shows and MCs in several TV shows. Yohan was famous for his appearance in "Chick High Kick," a TV show in which idols taught Taekwondo to kids.
3. Sunghoon
Sunghoon is fondly called the "Ice Prince" by his fans. Sunghoon from Enhypen is a figure skater. He had been parallelly working on figure skating and his training for being an idol. He started practicing figure skating in 2010. Sunghoon thought dancing might help him better at skating, so he trained to debut as an idol. During Enhypen's variety show, where Enhypen goes for ice skating, Sughoon was seen as more energetic and taught his members well.
4. Key
Kibum from Shinee is a well-known water-skiing athlete. He has topped the national lists of water skiing continuously in the years 2006 and 2007. He even represented his city in his competitions. Kibum is a talented rapper and also appears in TV Shows. Recently his album Gasoline was a big hit.
5. Yujin
Yujin, nicknamed "Uee," is a former member of the girl group, After School under Pledis Entertainment. The idol is also an actress who has acted out in many dramas. Yujin was an excellent swimmer in her high school days. She said that she would practice hard to become a good swimmer. But later, she decided to join the idol industry.
6. Hoshi
The Performance leader of Seventeen, Hoshi, is a Taekwondo athlete. He has four degrees of black belt in Taekwondo. Hoshi gave his athletic career when he learned that Taekwondo athletes have to cut their hair short. He took training for an idol and is now a successful dancer in the industry. Hoshi and his sister were wearing a Taekwondo uniform in the childhood pics.
7. Bang Chan
Bang Chan, the leader of "Stray Kids," is a swimmer. During ISAC, held in 2020, Chan excelled in almost all sports. Chan's dad owns a swimming club in Australia. He has received more than eighty medals in swimming and other sports since 2008. Chan once stated that his favorite subject in school would be P.E. Felix, his fellow member is also an excellent swimmer. He was in the top three winners of the Swimming Carnival in 2015.
8. Yuta
One of NCT's Japanese members, Yuta, was previously a soccer player before he debuted as an idol. He said in an interview that he played soccer from five to sixteen. Yuta also excels in basketball and fencing. When he saw TVXQ on television, Yuta decided to become an idol. He has exhibited his impressive soccer skills in ISAC.
9. Cheng Xiao
Xiao is the leading dancer of WJSN. The Chinese member is also known as WJSN's Barbie. She learned martial arts before debuting as an idol. Her members stated that she has a superior body with remarkable flexibility. Xiao gained popularity when she got first place in ISAC's gymnastic competition held in 2016.
10. Seungyoon
The 28-year-old Seungyoon is a singer, actor, songwriter, and leader of WINNER. He debuted in 2010. Before he decided to become an idol, Seungyoon was a Billiard player. There are many pre-debut photos of him playing billiards. He made a cameo in Oppa Saenggak, a TV show, where he exhibited his billiard skills.
