K-Pop Fans Discussed 9 Of The Most Confusing K-Pop Group Names To Pronounce, Based On Unusual Spelling

Some K-Pop group names are easy to pronounce correctly: BTS, SEVENTEEN, TWICE, Red Velvet… And many more. Others, however, either have odd spelling or grammar in the name, or include other symbols like numbers and punctuation that make them much more confusing! While most of these names do make a lot more sense if you read them in Hangul, K-Pop fans on Reddit recently discussed some of the group names that they had the hardest time learning how to say. Here are 9 of them!

1. (G)I-DLE

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(G)I-DLE is arguably one of the most confusing names for a K-Pop group these days! Not only does it have confusing punctuation, but it actually can be pronounced different ways depending on what language you’re speaking. The members themselves pronounce it as “gee-idol” when speaking English, but only pronounce it as “idol” when speaking Korean! In Korean, the name is (여자)아이들, or “yeoja aideul”, which translates to “girl idol”.

2. IZ*ONE

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Another group with punctuation that makes the name confusing, IZ*ONE has perplexed many fans with how their name is supposed to be pronounced! This is definitely easier to read in Hangul: 아이즈원, or “ah-i-jeu-won”, but for most English-speakers, the correct way to say it is “eyes-won”. Not “eye-zone” or “iz-won!”

3. EXID

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While EXID may seem straightforward — said like “exit” with a “d” instead of a “t” — this actually isn’t the case! The Hangul for their name is 이엑스아이디, pronounced “i-eg-seu-ah-i-dee” — or, to make it simpler, you just spell at the letters in the name, E.X.I.D.

4. 3YE

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Three-ye? Eye? You probably wouldn’t be able to guess how this group’s name is pronounced unless you looked it up! It’s actually spoken as “third eye”, which is easier to realize if you can read the Hangul: 써드아이, pronounced “ssuh-deu-ah-ee”.

5. B2ST

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Though B2ST (or BEAST, as they’re also known) is now under a different company with the name HIGHLIGHT, their past name continues to confuse people! Instead of “ba-toost”, it’s pronounced “beast” no matter how it’s spelled, because the number 2 can be pronounced as “ee” in Korean!

6. UP10TION

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UP10TION’s name may, at first glance, look a little intimidating, it’s actually pretty simple! Some fans on Reddit said they read it as “up-lotion”, but then number “10” (for their ten members) in the name is said as the number! Therefore, their name is pronounced “up-tension”, which makes sense with their catchphrase, which is “tension up”.

7. T1419

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The easiest way to say this group’s name is “tee-fourteen-nineteen”, which is what many English speakers have used — but based on the Hangul, this is incorrect! It’s spelled 티일사일구, or “tee-il-sa-il-gu”, which translates to T-one-four-one-nine… And so, every number in their name is spoken.

8. D1CE

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D1CE’s name looks simple, right? Like it should just be “dice”? If you think this, you’d actually be wrong! It’s pronounced “dee-once”, as proven by the Hangul for their name: 디원스, or “dee-won-seu”.

9. Weki Meki

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And finally, Weki Meki is another group name that looks deceptively easy. While most English-speaking fans would likely automatically read their name as “weh-ki meh-ki”, they would be incorrect! The “we” and “me” in the name are pronounced just like those two words are spoken by themselves, making it closer to “wee-ki mee-ki”. The Hangul confirms this: 위키미키, or “wi-ki mi-ki”!