Are K-Pop Idols Really Getting Younger? A Look At The Average Debut Ages Of Idols Over The Last 15 Years

Over the last year or two, there has been an increase in K-Pop fans discussing the topic of what is an appropriate age for idols to debut. With groups like NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and NMIXX debuting idols as young as 14 or 15, fans are concerned that the age that idols are starting their careers are just going to continue to get younger. But is this a new trend, or has it been happening for longer than fans realize?

Here’s a look at the debut ages and average debut ages of K-Pop idols and their respective groups over the last 16 years, from 2008 until now, to see if there is any kind of trend. Each year is ranked from youngest to oldest average debut age.

1. 2008

1. SHINee

Member ages at debut:

• Onew: 18
• Jonghyun: 18
• Key: 16
• Minho: 16
• Taemin: 14

Average debut age: 16.4

2. 2PM

Member ages at debut:

• Jay Park: 21
• Jun. K: 20
• Nichkhun: 20
• Taecyeon: 19
• Wooyoung: 19
• Junho: 18
• Chansung: 18

Average debut age: 19.3

2. 2009

1. f(x)

Member ages at debut:

• Victoria: 22
• Amber: 16
• Luna: 16
• Sulli: 15
• Krystal: 14

Group average debut age: 16.6

2. 4MINUTE

Member ages at debut:

• Jihyun: 19
• Gayoon: 19
• Jiyoon: 18
• HyunA: 17
• Sohyun: 14

Average debut age: 17.4

3. BEAST

Member ages at debut:

• Doojoon: 20
• Hyunseung: 20
• Junhyung: 19
• Yoseob: 19
• Gikwang: 19
• Dongwoon: 18

Average debut age: 19.2

4. T-ara

Member ages at debut:

• Boram: 23
• Qri: 22
• Soyeon: 21
• Eunjung: 20
• Hyomin: 20
• Jiyeon: 16

Average debut age: 20.3

5. 2NE1

Member ages at debut:

• Park Bom: 25
• Dara: 24
• CL: 18
• Minzy: 15

Average debut age: 20.5

3. 2010

1. SISTAR

Member ages at debut:

• Bora: 20
• Hyolyn: 19
• Soyou: 18
• Dasom: 17

Average debut age: 18.5

2. INFINITE

Member ages at debut:

• Sunggyu: 21
• Dongwoo: 19
• Woohyun: 19
• Hoya: 19
• Sungyeol: 18
• L: 18
• Sungjong: 16

Average debut age: 18.6

3. Miss A

Member ages at debut:

• Fei: 23
• Jia: 21
• Min: 19
• Suzy: 15

Average debut age: 19.5

4. Girl’s Day

Member ages at debut:

• Sojin: 24
• Jihae: 21
• Jisun: 20
• Jiin: 18
• Minah: 17

Average debut age: 20

4. 2011

1. Apink

Member ages at debut:

• Chorong: 20
• Bomi: 17
• Eunji: 17
• Naeun: 17
• Yookyung: 16
• Namjoo: 15
• Hayoung: 14

Group average debut age: 16.6

2. Block B

Member ages at debut:

• Taeil: 20
• B-Bomb: 20
• Jaehyo: 20
• U-Kwon: 19
• Kyung: 19
• Zico: 19
• P.O: 18

Average debut age: 19.3

5. 2012

1. NU’EST

Member ages at debut:

• Aron: 18
• JR: 16
• Baekho: 16
• Minhyun: 16
• Ren: 16

Group average debut age: 16.4

2. B.A.P

Member ages at debut:

• Yongguk: 21
• Himchan: 21
• Daehyun: 18
• Youngjae: 18
• Jongup: 16
• Zelo: 15

Average debut age: 18.2

3. AOA

Member ages at debut:

• Choa: 22
• Jimin: 21
• Yuna: 19
• Hyejeong: 19
• Youkyung: 19
• Mina: 18
• Seolhyun: 17
• Dohwa: 16

Average debut age: 18.9

4. EXID

Member ages at debut:

• Solji: 23
• Elly: 20
• Hani: 19
• Hyerin: 18
• Jeonghwa: 16

Average debut age: 19.2

5. VIXX

Member ages at debut:

• N: 21
• Leo: 21
• Ken: 20
• Ravi: 19
• Hongbin: 18
• Hyuk: 16

Average debut age: 19.2

6. BTOB

Member ages at debut:

• Eunkwang: 21
• Minhyuk: 21
• Changsub: 21
• Hyunsik: 20
• Peniel: 19
• Ilhoon: 17
• Sungjae: 16

Average debut age: 19.3

7. EXO

Member ages at debut:

• Xiumin: 22
• Luhan: 21
• Kris: 21
• Suho: 21
• Lay: 20
• Baekhyun: 19
• Chen: 19
• Chanyeol: 19
• D.O.: 19
• Tao: 18
• Kai: 18
• Sehun: 17

Average debut age: 19.5

6. 2013

1. BTS

Member ages at debut:

• Jin: 21
• Suga: 20
• J-Hope: 19
• RM: 19
• Jimin: 18
• V: 18
• Jungkook: 16

Average debut age: 18.7

7. 2014

2. GOT7

Member ages at debut:

• Mark: 20
• Jay B: 20
• Jackson: 19
• Jinyoung: 19
• Youngjae: 17
• BamBam: 16
• Yugyeom: 16

Average debut age: 18.1

1. Red Velvet

Member ages at debut:

• Irene: 23
• Seulgi: 20
• Wendy: 20
• Joy: 17

Average debut age: 20

3. MAMAMOO

Member ages at debut:

• Solar: 23
• Moonbyul: 21
• Wheein: 19
• Hwasa: 18

Group average debut age: 20.3

4. WINNER

Member ages at debut:

• Jinu: 22
• Hoony: 22
• Mino: 21
• Yoon: 20
• Taehyun: 20

Group average debut age: 21

8. 2015

1. GFRIEND

Member ages at debut:

• Sowon: 19
• Yerin: 18
• Eunha: 17
• Yuju: 17
• SinB: 16
• Umji: 16

Average debut age: 17.2

2. TWICE

Member ages at debut:

• Nayeon: 20
• Jeongyeon: 18
• Momo: 18
• Sana: 18
• Jihyo: 18
• Mina: 18
• Dahyun: 17
• Chaeyoung: 16
• Tzuyu: 16

Average debut age: 17.7

3. SEVENTEEN

Member ages at debut:

• S.Coups: 19
• Jeonghan: 19
• Joshua: 19
• Jun: 18
• Hoshi: 18
• Wonwoo: 18
• Woozi: 18
• DK: 18
• Mingyu: 18
• The8: 17
• Seungkwan: 17
• Vernon: 17
• Dino: 16

Average debut age: 17.8

4. CLC

Member ages at debut:

• Seunghee: 19
• Yujin: 18
• Seungyeon: 18
• Sorn: 18
• Yeeun: 16

Average debut age: 17.8

5. OH MY GIRL

Member ages at debut:

• Hyojung: 20
• JinE: 20
• Mimi: 19
• YooA: 19
• Seunghee: 19
• Jiho: 18
• Binnie: 17
• Arin: 15

Average debut age: 18.4

6. iKON

Member ages at debut:

• Jay: 21
• Song: 20
• Bobby: 19
• B.I: 18
• DK: 18
• Ju-ne: 18
• Chan: 17

Average debut age: 18.7

7. MONSTA X

Member ages at debut:

• Shownu: 22
• Wonho: 22
• Minhyuk: 21
• Kihyun: 21
• Hyungwon: 21
• Joohoney: 20
• I.M: 19

Group average debut age: 20.9

8. DAY6

Member ages at debut:

• Jae: 22
• Sungjin: 22
• Junhyeok: 22
• Young K: 21
• Wonpil: 21
• Dowoon: 20

Average debut age: 21.3

9. 2016

1. NCT DREAM

Member ages at debut:

• Mark: 17
• Renjun: 16
• Jeno: 16
• Haechan: 16
• Jaemin: 16
• Chenle: 14
• Jisung: 14

Group average debut age: 15.6

2. ASTRO

Member ages at debut:

• JinJin: 19
• Moonbin: 18
• Eunwoo: 18
• MJ: 18
• Rocky: 16
• Sanha: 15

Average debut age: 17.3

3. MOMOLAND

Member ages at debut:

• Hyebin: 20
• Yeonwoo: 20
• Jane: 18
• Taeha: 18
• Nayun: 18
• Daisy: 17
• JooE: 17
• Ahin: 17
• Nancy: 16

Average debut age: 17.9

4. Cosmic Girls/WJSN

Member ages at debut:

• SeolA: 21
• Xuan Yi: 21
• Bona: 20
• EXY: 20
• Soobin: 19
• Luda: 18
• Dawon: 18
• Eunseo: 17
• Cheng Xiao: 17
• Mei Qi: 17
• Yeoreum: 17
• Dayoung: 16

Average debut age: 18.4

5. NCT 127

Member ages at debut:

• Taeil: 22
• Johnny: 21
• Taeyong: 21
• Yuta: 20
• Doyoung: 20
• Jaehyun: 19
• WinWin: 18
• Jungwoo: 18
• Mark: 16
• Haechan: 16

Average debut age: 19.1

6. BLACKPINK

Member ages at debut:

• Jisoo: 21
• Jennie: 20
• Rosé: 19
• Lisa: 19

Average debut age: 19.8

7. SF9

Member ages at debut:

• Inseong: 23
• Youngbin: 22
• Jaeyoon: 22
• Dawon: 21
• Zuho: 20
• Rowoon: 20
• Taeyang: 19
• Hwiyoung: 17
• Chani: 16

Group average debut age: 20

8. PENTAGON

Member ages at debut:

• Jinho: 24
• Hui: 23
• Hongseok: 22
• E’Dawn: 22
• Shinwon: 20
• Yeo One: 20
• Yanan: 19
• Yuto: 18
• Kino: 18
• Wooseok: 18

Average debut age: 20.4

10. 2017

1. Weki Meki

Member ages at debut:

• Suyeon: 20
• Elly: 19
• Yoojung: 17
• Doyeon: 17
• Sei: 17
• Lua: 16
• Rina: 15
• Lucy: 14

Group average debut age: 16.9

2. THE BOYZ

Member ages at debut:

• Sangyeon: 20
• Jacob: 20
• Younghoon: 20
• Hyunjae: 20
• Juyeon: 19
• Kevin: 19
• New: 19
• Q: 18
• Juhaknyeon: 18
• Hwall: 17
• Sunwoo: 17
• Eric: 16

Average debut age: 18.6

3. Golden Child

Member ages at debut:

• Daeyeol: 24
• Y: 22
• Jaeseok: 21
• Jangjun: 20
• Tag: 19
• Seungmin: 18
• Jaehyun: 18
• Jibeom: 18
• Donghyun: 18
• Joochan: 18
• Bomin: 17

Average debut age: 19.4

4. Dreamcatcher

Member ages at debut:

• JiU: 22
• SuA: 22
• Siyeon: 21
• Handong: 20
• Yoohyeon: 20
• Dami: 19
• Gahyeon: 17

Average debut age: 20.1

11. 2018

1. Stray Kids

Member ages at debut:

• Woojin: 20
• Bang Chan: 20
• Lee Know: 19
• Changbin: 18
• Hyunjin: 18
• Han: 17
• Felix: 17
• Seungmin: 17
• I.N: 17

Average debut age: 18.1

2. LOONA

Member ages at debut:

• Haseul: 21
• Vivi: 21
• Yves: 21
• JinSoul: 21
• Kim Lip: 19
• Chuu: 18
• Heejin: 17
• Hyunjin: 17
• Gowon: 17
• Choerry: 17
• Olivia Hye: 16
• Yeojin: 15

Average debut age: 18.3

3. fromis_9

Member ages at debut:

• Saerom: 21
• Hayoung: 20
• Gyuri: 20
• Jiwon: 19
• Jisun: 19
• Seoyeon: 18
• Chaeyoung: 17
• Nagyung: 17
• Jiheon: 14

Average debut age: 18.3

4. ATEEZ

Member ages at debut:

• Seonghwa: 20
• Hongjoong: 19
• Yunho: 19
• Yeosang: 19
• San: 19
• Mingi: 19
• Wooyoung: 18
• Jongho: 18

Average debut age: 18.9

5. (G)I-DLE

Member ages at debut:

• Miyeon: 21
• Minnie: 20
• Soojin: 20
• Soyeon: 19
• Yuqi: 18
• Shuhua: 18

Average debut age: 19.3

12. 2019

1. ITZY

Member ages at debut:

• Yeji: 18
• Lia: 18
• Ryujin: 17
• Chaeryeong: 17
• Yuna: 15

Average debut age: 17

2. Rocket Punch

Member ages at debut:

• Juri: 21
• Yeonhee: 18
• Suyun: 18
• Yunkyoung: 17
• Sohee: 15
• Dahyun: 14

Average debut age: 17.2

3. TXT

Member ages at debut:

• Yeonjun: 19
• Soobin: 18
• Taehyun: 17
• Beomgyu: 17
• Huening Kai: 16

Average debut age: 17.4

4. Cherry Bullet

Member ages at debut:

• Haeyoon: 23
• Yuju: 21
• Bora: 19
• Jiwon: 18
• Remi: 17
• Chaerin: 16
• May: 14

Average debut age: 18.3

5. EVERGLOW

Member ages at debut:

• E:U: 20
• Sihyeon: 19
• Mia: 19
• Onda: 18
• Aisha: 18
• Yiren: 18

Average debut age: 18.7

6. WayV

Member ages at debut:

• Kun: 23
• Ten: 22
• WinWin: 21
• Lucas: 19
• Xiaojun: 19
• Hendery: 19
• YangYang: 18

Group average debut age: 20.1

7. ONEUS

Member ages at debut:

• Ravn: 23
• Seoho: 22
• Leedo: 21
• Keonhee: 20
• Hwanwoong: 20
• Xion: 18

Group average debut age: 20.7

13. 2020

1. Weeekly

Member ages at debut:

• Soojin: 18
• Jiyoon: 18
• Monday: 18
• Soeun: 17
• Jaehee: 16
• Jihan: 15
• Zoa: 15

Average debut age: 16.7

2. ENHYPEN

Member ages at debut:

• Heeseung: 19
• Jay: 18
• Jake: 18
• Sunghoon: 17
• Sunoo: 17
• Jungwon: 16
• Ni-ki: 14

Average debut age: 17

3. STAYC

Member ages at debut:

• Sumin: 19
• Sieun: 19
• Isa: 18
• Seeun: 17
• Yoon: 16
• J: 15

Average debut age: 17.3

4. TREASURE

Member ages at debut:

• Hyunsuk: 21
• Jihoon: 20
• Yoshi: 20
• Junkyu: 19
• Mashiho: 19
• Jaehyuk: 19
• Asahi: 18
• Yedam: 18
• Doyoung: 16
• Haruto: 16
• Jeongwoo: 15
• Junghwan: 15

Average debut age: 18

5. CRAVITY

Member ages at debut:

• Serim: 21
• Allen: 20
• Jungmo: 20
• Woobin: 19
• Wonjin: 19
• Minhee: 17
• Hyeongjun: 17
• Taeyoung: 17
• Seongmin: 16

Average debut age: 18.4

6. aespa

Member ages at debut:

• Karina: 20
• Giselle: 20
• Winter: 19
• NingNing: 18

Average debut age: 19.3

7. Secret Number

Member ages at debut:

• Léa: 24
• Dita: 23
• Jinny: 22
• Minji: 21
• Soodam: 20
• Zuu: 20

Average debut age: 21.7

14. 2021

1. EPEX

Member ages at debut:

• Wish: 19
• Keum: 18
• Mu: 17
• A-Min: 17
• Baekseung: 16
• Ayden: 16
• Yewang: 16
• Jeff: 16

Average debut age: 16.9

2. IVE

Member ages at debut:

• Gaeul: 19
• Yujin: 18
• Rei: 17
• Wonyoung: 17
• Liz: 17
• Leeseo: 14

Average debut age: 17

3. TRI.BE

Member ages at debut:

• Songsun: 23
• Kelly: 19
• Jinha: 17
• Hyunbin: 16
• Jia: 15
• Soeun: 15
• Mire: 14

Average debut age: 17

4. Billlie

Member ages at debut:

• Moon Sua: 22
• Suhyeon: 21
• Haram: 20
• Tsuki: 19
• Sheon: 18
• Siyoon: 16
• Haruna: 15

Average debut age: 18.7

5. PURPLE KISS

Member ages at debut:

• Jieun: 23
• Goeun: 21
• Dosie: 21
• Ireh: 18
• Yuki: 18
• Chaein: 18
• Swan: 17

Average debut age: 19.4

15. 2022

1. NewJeans

Member ages at debut:

• Minji: 18
• Hanni: 17
• Danielle: 17
• Haerin: 16
• Hyein: 14

Average debut age: 16.4

2. NMIXX

Member ages at debut:

• Lily: 19
• Haewon: 18
• Sullyoon: 18
• Jinni: 17
• Bae: 17
• Jiwoo: 16
• Kyujin: 15

Average debut age: 17.1

3. LE SSERAFIM

Member ages at debut:

• Sakura: 24
• Chaewon: 21
• Yunjin: 20
• Kazuha: 18
• Garam: 16
• Eunchae: 15

Average debut age: 19

16. 2023

1. xikers

Member ages at debut:

• Minjae: 19
• Junmin: 19
• Sumin: 18
• Jinsik: 18
• Hyunwoo: 18
• Junghoon: 17
• Seeun: 17
• Hunter: 17
• Yujun: 17
• Yechan: 17

Average debut age: 17.7

2. BOYNEXTDOOR

Member ages at debut:

• Sungho: 19
• Riwoo: 19
• Jaehyun: 19
• Taesan: 18
• Leehan: 18
• Woonhak: 16

Average debut age: 18.2

3. 8TURN

Member ages at debut:

• Myungho: 21
• Jaeyun: 20
• Minho: 19
• Yoonsung: 19
• Haemin: 18
• Kyungmin: 18
• Yungyu: 17
• Seungheon: 15

Average debut age: 18.4

4. LUN8

Member ages at debut:

• Chael: 21
• Jinsu: 20
• Takuma: 19
• Junwoo: 19
• Dohyun: 19
• Ian: 19
• Ji Eunho: 17
• Eunseop: 16

Average debut age: 18.8

5. KISS OF LIFE

Member ages at debut:

• Julie: 23
• Natty: 21
• Belle: 19
• Haneul: 18

Average debut age: 20.3