The series explores some of the idols who have so much modeling potential that people who see them for the first time might confuse them with models instead of K-Pop idols. Here are the K-Pop idols that we have featured in our series so far. The series covers a wide range of modeling types. Some of the idols are full-blown fashion brand ambassadors and some have the potential to make it big in modeling. Others look like high-fashion models or runway models, whilst some have a quirky model appeal. If you want to know more about what makes them seem like models, make sure to read their individual articles. Note: This is not a ranking. This list is in order of the series. After the first article, the order was determined by a poll within each article. The series is still ongoing so keep an eye out for updates on this list.
1. EXO’s Kai
Model charm/potential: luxury brand ambassador, muse, concept photo king, serving visuals Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: EXO’s Kai As A Luxury Brand Model KPOP STORIES|Sep 8, 2021
2. SF9’s Yoo TaeYang
Model charm/potential: androgynous fashion, abs, bold fashion choices, cheekbones Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SF9’s Yoo TaeYang Is Killing It With His Proportions KPOP STORIES|Sep 15, 2021
3. CIX’s Bae JinYoung
Model charm/potential: body proportions, fashion duality, living halo, experimental fashion Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: CIX’s Bae JinYoung Leaves Us Speechless With His Visuals KPOP STORIES|Sep 22, 2021
4. ASTRO’s Cha EunWoo
Model charm/potential: face genius, androgynous fashion, luxury brand ambassador, accessory modeling king Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: ASTRO’s Cha EunWoo Proves That He Can Pull Off Any Look KPOP STORIES|Sep 29, 2021
5. Weki Meki’s Kim DoYeon
Model charm/potential: angelic visuals, cosmetics queen, hair blowing in the wind, long legs Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: Weki Meki’s Kim DoYeon Stuns Us With Her Angelic Visuals KPOP STORIES|Oct 6, 2021
6. BLACKPINK’s Rosé
Model charm/potential: trendsetter, luxury brand ambassador, bold fashion choices, high-fashion poses Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: BLACKPINK Rosé’s Gorgeous Visuals And Trendsetting Are Unmatched KPOP STORIES|Oct 15, 2021
7. BTS’s V
Model charm/potential: timeless aesthetic, suits any outfit, hair color king, muscular arms Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: BTS’s V Makes Us Question How Someone Can Be So Handsome KPOP STORIES|Oct 22, 2021
8. NCT’s JaeHyun
Model charm/potential: prince-like visuals, luxury brand one pick, suits any concept, charming dimples Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: NCT JaeHyun’s Prince And Model-Like Visuals Always Take Our Breath Away KPOP STORIES|Oct 29, 2021
9. MONSTA X’s HyungWon
Model charm/potential: manhwa character visuals, a tall king, effortless posing, model duality Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: MONSTA X HyungWon’s Visuals Blow Us Away Each Time KPOP STORIES|Nov 5, 2021
10. EXO’s SeHun
Model charm/potential: luxury brand face, piercing gaze, iconic eyebrows, captivating visuals Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: EXO SeHun’s Handsome Visuals Make It Hard To Look Away KPOP STORIES|Nov 12, 2021
11. Girls’ Generation’s YoonA
Model charm/potential: all-round ambassador, soft features, an air of sophistication, flower-like beauty Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: Girls’ Generation’s YoonA Proves Her Timeless Beauty KPOP STORIES|Nov 19, 2021
12. Red Velvet’s Joy
Model charm/potential: brand ambassador, natural glowing beauty, athletic chic, glam queen Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: Red Velvet’s Joy Is A Vision With Her Glowing Beauty KPOP STORIES|Nov 26, 2021
13. SunMi
Model charm/potential: styling versatility, creative poses, queen of aesthetics, experimental hairstyles Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: SunMi’s Versatility Verifies Her Goddess-like Visuals KPOP STORIES|Dec 3, 2021
14. HyunA
Model charm/potential: editorial passport photo, artistic knack for posing, statement fashion looks Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: HyunA, The Ultimate Model As The Queen Of Any Aesthetic KPOP STORIES|Dec 10, 2021
15. SF9’s RoWoon
Model charm/potential: all-rounder brand ambassador, fluttering height difference king, gentlemanly handsomeness Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SF9 RoWoon’s Adonis-Like Visuals Make The World His Runway KPOP STORIES|Dec 17, 2021
16. SF9’s ZuHo
Model charm/potential: model stature, deep gaze, luxurious fashion blueprint Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SF9 ZuHo’s Proportions Make Him A Blueprint For Modeling KPOP STORIES|Dec 24, 2021
17. SEVENTEEN’s MinGyu
Model charm/potential: multiple screens of gorgeous, handsome side profile, soul-piercing gaze Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SEVENTEEN’s MinGyu Is Nothing Short Of Gorgeous With His Model Visuals KPOP STORIES|Dec 31, 2021
18. Apink’s Son NaEun
Model charm/potential: fresh-faced, handbag modeling expert, soft and lovely visuals Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: Apink’s Son NaEun Proves Time And Time Again That Her Visuals Are Top Tier KPOP STORIES|Jan 7, 2022
19. GOT7’s Mark Tuan
Model charm/potential: fashion industry wave-maker, mesmerizing aura, androgynous fashion Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: GOT7’s Mark Tuan Is Making Waves In The Fashion World With His Handsome Visuals KPOP STORIES|Jan 14, 2022
20. SEVENTEEN’s Jun
Model charm/potential: dapper side profile, pretty eye shape, visual selling power Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SEVENTEEN Jun’s Striking Gaze And Visuals Belong On Magazine Covers KPOP STORIES|Jan 21, 2022
21. THE BOYZ’s HyunJae
Model charm/potential: facial proportion king, body fit for Men’s Health cover, wide styling range Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: THE BOYZ’s HyunJae Can Pull Off Any Styling With His Handsome Looks KPOP STORIES|Jan 28, 2022
22. WEi’s Kim YoHan
Model charm/potential: in demand for brand deals, visuals that outshine shadows, potential to take over the modeling industry Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: WEi Kim YoHan’s Visuals Are So Handsome That He Seems Like An “Illusion” Himself KPOP STORIES|Feb 4, 2022
23. THE BOYZ’s JuYeon
Model charm/potential: high fashion concept king, handsome even when blurred, magazine pictorial king Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: THE BOYZ’s JuYeon Is The King Of Magazine Pictorials With His Handsome Looks KPOP STORIES|Feb 11, 2022
24. THE BOYZ’s YoungHoon
Model charm/potential: ethereal beauty, effortless aesthetic, prince-like facial proportions Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: THE BOYZ YoungHoon’s Ethereal Visuals Know No Bounds KPOP STORIES|Feb 18, 2022
25. THE BOYZ’s SunWoo
Model charm/potential: prince-like facial proportions, flexible concepts, luxury brand modeling potential Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: We Want To See THE BOYZ SunWoo’s Prince-Like Visuals In Some Brand Campaigns ASAP KPOP STORIES|Feb 25, 2022
26. SF9’s HwiYoung
Model charm/potential: high cheekbones, fit physique, behind-the-scenes perfect Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: SF9’s HwiYoung Proves To Be Unstoppable As His Pictorials Continuously Steal Our Hearts KPOP STORIES|Mar 4, 2022
27. NCT’s JungWoo
Model charm/potential: equally beautiful and handsome, hair color king, concept photo elevation Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: Proof That NCT JungWoo’s Visuals Belong In Pictorials For Every Magazine KPOP STORIES|Mar 11, 2022
28. Stray Kids’ HyunJin
Model charm/potential: out of this galaxy visuals, glowing facial features, fashion risk-taker Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: Stray Kids’ HyunJin Is Quite The Charmer With His Ethereal Visuals KPOP STORIES|Mar 18, 2022
29. TWICE’s Mina
Model charm/potential: brand acknowledge visuals, head-to-toe modeling, unreal beauty Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: TWICE Mina’s Beauty Is Unmatched From Every Single Angle KPOP STORIES|Mar 25, 2022
30. EVERGLOW’s YiRen
Model charm/potential: versatile beauty, magazine concept photos, shines in any outfit Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: EVERGLOW YiRen’s Gorgeous Visuals Are Nothing Short Of Model Material KPOP STORIES|Apr 1, 2022
31. Stray Kids’ Felix
Model charm/potential: camera angle king, mystical visuals, freckles Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: Stray Kids’ Felix Is The King Of The Camera Angle With His Mystical Visuals KPOP STORIES|Apr 8, 2022
32. BTS’s JungKook
Model charm/potential: edgy aesthetic, facial composition speaks for itself, fit body Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: We Don’t Just Call BTS’ JungKook ‘Idol’ We Call Him ‘Model’ Too KPOP STORIES|Apr 15, 2022
33. TXT’s YeonJun
Model charm/potential: natural-born fashionista, king of aesthetics, androgynous fashion Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: TXT’s YeonJun Is The Living Definition Of A Style Icon KPOP STORIES|Apr 22, 2022
34. (G)I-DLE’s Minnie
Model charm/potential: magnetic eyes, high fashion model potential, fashion it girl Read all about her here: Idol vs. Model: Here’s Why (G)I-DLE Minnie’s Hauntingly Beautiful Visuals Deserve All Of The Recognition KPOP STORIES|Apr 29, 2022
35. MONSTA X’s MinHyuk
Model charm/potential: visual that outshines visuals, athleisure king, fashion switch-up Read all about him here: Idol vs. Model: MONSTA X’s MinHyuk Is Both Our Visual And Fashion Muse KPOP STORIES|May 6, 2022
36. BTOB’s MinHyuk
Model charm/potential: trending visuals, ripped body, ability to pull off any costume/outfit Read all about him here. Idol vs. Model: BTOB MinHyuk’s Striking Looks Belong In A Visual Hall Of Fame KPOP STORIES|May 13, 2022
37. VIXX’s N
Model charm/potential: ethereal even behind the camera, suited to high fashion, sunkissed icon Read all about him here. Idol vs. Model: VIXX’s N, The Epitome Of Graceful Visuals That We’re Obsessed With KPOP STORIES|May 20, 2022
38. B.I
Model charm/potential: poetic visuals, experimental fashion looks, classy hip fashion Read all about him here. Idol vs. Model: B.I Is A Visual Muse With His Artistic Style And Good Looks KPOP STORIES|May 27, 2022
- to be updated - The “Idol vs. Model” series is posted every Friday. Make sure to stay tuned to this list and to the series for future articles. Make sure to vote for which article you want to see next in the poll at the bottom of each feature. You can also leave suggestions in the comment section below or on each article. 61 Female K-Pop Idols And Korean Actresses That You Should Have A Girl Crush On KPOP STORIES|Nov 4, 2022