3 K-Pop Groups Who Replaced Missing Members With “Random” People In Their Live Performances

When it comes to live performances, not all K-Pop groups can be complete 100% of the time. Some members leave in the middle of promotions, get sick unexpectedly, or other unexpected issues.

Though most groups simply rearrange positions and parts, a few had a unique choice to find new people to replace them.

1. (G)I-DLE

First up, (G)I-DLE was the most recent group to pull off a sudden member change.

They went viral last April 21 when they arranged for a lookalike of maknae Yuqi to perform with them in Belgium after she could not make it due to scheduling conflicts.

(G)I-DLE performs with a Yuqi 'lookalike'.pic.twitter.com/YM0ec1Khg0

— About Music (@AboutMusicYT) April 20, 2024

The Music Bank stage was filled with the four members plus the stand-in dancer wearing a bandana over her mouth.

[Video could not be displayed]

Though she was representing another idol, the lookalike even had the opportunity to interact with fans in the audience just like a true K-Pop idol.

YUQI's lookalike greeting fans during Music Bank in Antwerp #GIDLE #여자아이들pic.twitter.com/TGpY6fdwBf

— (G)I-DLE Charts (@idlecharts) April 22, 2024

2. Real Girls Project

Another girl group who did the same was Real Girls Project, a ten-member project group under Interactive Media Mix. One member left the group in the middle of promotions for their 2016 song “Dream.”

They chose their manager to perform with them on their Inkigayo stage!

real girls project randomly adding their manager (the one singing the highnote) that one time bc one left mid-promotionpic.twitter.com/3XV5z6hMiD https://t.co/TiXFvNvoL1

— (@chaeyebin) April 21, 2024

3. SHINee

Last but certainly not the least, SHINee also fit the bill when Jonghyun could not join them for “Ring Ding Dong” promotions after falling sick. Though the SM Entertainment group lacked their main vocalist, they did not have a hard time on stage—they simply asked Yesung, one of the main vocalists of their senior group Super Junior—to join them on stage.

They were likely the first group to pull off a member replacement such as this one.

Read more about it below!

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