Meet the Southeast Asian K-Idols Who Are Repping The Region

From Blackpink's Lisa, to I-dle's Minnie, K-Pop is debuting more idols from Southeast Asia. As the industry moves into its fifth generation, big-wigs like Hybe Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment are now looking at Southeast Asian for talent. With the number of K-Pop auditions being held in the region, and SM Entertainment's plans to launch a training academy in Singapore (the company's first in the region), it seems that this will only become more frequent. Here are the 5th gen idols to watch who are repping the region.

CARMEN FROM HEARTS2HEARTS

Nationality: Indonesian

Star sign: Pisces

Debuted on: February 24, 2025

The first Indonesian idol to debut under major K-Pop music label SM Entertainment, Nyoman Ayo Carmenita (known as Carmen) was born in Bali, Indonesia on March 28 2006. While she's not the first Southeast Asian idol to debut under SM Entertainment (the first being NCT's Ten), her Indonesian heritage is a rarity in K-Pop, sparking much excitement upon her debut. Debuting as Hearts2Hearts' eldest member, Carmen caught fans' attention with her cute visuals and sweet voice. She's also tri-lingual, speaking Bahasa Indonesia, Korean and English.

MEGAN FROM KATSEYE

Nationality: Half American and Half Singaporean-Chinese

Star sign: Aquarius

Debuted on: June 28, 2024

Full name Megan Meiyok Skiendiel, Megan is part of Katseye, one of the hottest girl groups that debuted in 2025. Born on February 10 2006, Skiendiel was born in Hawaii to a Singaporean-Chinese mother and American father, making her half Singaporean-Chinese and half American. In the Netflix documentary, Pop Star Academy: Katseye, Skiendiel expressed her connection with her Singaporean roots, and has even been spotted around Singapore by fans while spending time with her family.

Known for her dancing and stage presence, Skiendiel debuted in Katseye through a survival show by Hybe Entertainment and Geffen Records. While Katseye's status as a K-Pop group is debatable, the group was shown on their Netflix documentary to have undergone the K-Pop training method under Hybe Entertainment.

SOPHIA FROM KATSEYE

Nationality: Filipina

Star sign: Capricorn

Debuted on: June 28, 2024

Born on December 31 2002, Katseye's leader, Sophia LaForteza, was born in Queens, New York and was raised in Manila, the Philippines. LaForteza is known for her singing and expressive stage presence, and displayed her talent in the group's Netflix documentary, Pop Star Academy: Katseye. It seems like star power runs in the LaForteza family, as she comes from a family of entertainers. Her mother is a musical theatre actress and singer in the Philippines, while her father is a former dancer and celebrity chef.

SULLIN FROM TRIPLES

Nationality: Thai

Star sign: Sagittarius

Debuted on: June 21, 2024

Born on November 30 2006 in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, Pirada Bunraksa (known as Sullin) is tripleS' 22nd member. Triple S is one of the biggest groups in K-Pop, with 24 members. It's the first of its kind, aiming to be K-Pop's first decentralised group where members rotate between the main group, sub-units and solos, as decided by fans.

While the group made its debut on February 13, 2023, Sullin was revealed as the group's 22nd member on April 4, 2024 and a member of the four-piece sub-unit, Glow. On June 21, 2024, Glow released its first single, Inner Dance. Finally, on May 8, 2024, she made her official debut as a tripleS member through the album Assemble24.

GEHLEE FROM UNIS

Nationality: Filipina

Star sign: Leo

Debuted on: March 27, 2024

Born in Pasig, the Philippines on August 19 2007, Gehlee Dangca is one of Unis' international members. The group was formed through the survival show Universe Ticket where she secured her spot in the group after coming in fourth out of 82 contestants. She caught fans' attention with her stage presence and confident personality, with her cover of Kara's Pretty Girl amassing more than 10 million views on TikTok.

Before starting her career as a K-Pop idol, Dangca was active in the Philippines' pageantry circuit. During her career, she earned titles like Miss Teen Stellar Universe 2021 and Miss Charity Queen International 2022, and even modelled for various fashion magazines. Within the group, she is one of three Filipina members.

ELISIA FROM UNIS

Nationality: Filipina

Star sign: Aries

Debuted on: March 27, 2024

Elisia Parmisano is Unis' main vocal, and was born on April 18 2009 in Bataan in the Philippines. Before moving to South Korea to start her career as a K-Pop idol, she was actually a child actress in the Philippines. Then ten years old, she starred in soap opera Nang Ngumiti ang Langit (also known as Michaela internationally) alongside industry veterans Cristine Reyes, RK Bagatsing and Shaina Magdayao. Through the survival show Universe Ticket, Parmisano caught fans' attention with her powerful vocals and stage presence. By the end of the show, she earned her spot in Unis after clinching first place out of 82 contestants.

HYEONJU FROM UNIS

Nationality: Half Filipina and Half South Korean

Star sign: Scorpio

Debuted on: March 27, 2024

Unis' leader and eldest member, Jin Hyeonju, was born on November 3 2001 in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. With a South Korean father and Filipina mother, Jin is half South Korean and half Filipina. Through Universe Ticket, she earned her spot in the group after coming in sixth out of 82 contestants. Through the show, Jin gained recognition for her reliability and maturity.

Before Unis, Jin began her career in 2017 as Lucky in the now-disbanded group Good Day. Later, she participated in survival show The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project but was eliminated in the third round. In 2020, she re-debuted as the leader of the now disbanded group Cignature as Belle. Finally, in 2023, she participated in Universe Ticket where she re-debuted under her given name as Unis' leader.

PHARITA FROM BABYMONSTER

Nationality: Thai

Star sign: Virgo

Debuted on: November 27, 2023

Born on August 26 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand, Pharita Chaikong (known as Pharita) is Baby Monster's lead vocal and visual member. She first caught fans' attention in YG Entertainment's YouTube survival series, Last Evaluation, the show that assembled Baby Monster. Pharita showed off her skills as a vocalist with her unique vocal tone, and was described to look like "she came out of a Disney movie" by Yang Hyun-suk, the company's founder.

Baby Monster is the first girl group to debut under YG Entertainment after Blackpink. Other than Blackpink's Lisa and bandmate Chiquita, Pharita is one of the company's only Southeast Asian idols. Currently, she's fluent in Thai, English and Korean.

CHIQUITA FROM BABYMONSTER

Nationality: Thai

Star sign: Aquarius

Debuted on: November 27, 2023

Riracha Phondechaphiphat, known as Chiquita, was born on February 17 2009 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The youngest member of Baby Monster, Chiquita is described as an all-rounder, holding positions as the group's lead vocalist, lead dancer and sub-rapper. Through the series Last Evaluation, fans fell in love with her bright and bubbly personality. Like bandmate Pharita, Chiquita is one of YG Entertainment's only Southeast Asian K-pop idols. She speaks four languages: Thai, Korean, English and Japanese.

NIEN FROM TRIPLES

Nationality: Half Vietnamese and Half Taiwanese

Star sign: Gemini

Debuted on: August 17, 2023

Hsu Nien-tzu, (known as Nien), was born on June 2, 2003 in Taipai, Taiwan and is tripleS' 13th member. With a Taiwanese father and Vietnamese mother, Hsu is half Taiwanse and half Vietnamese. Before debuting in tripleS, Hsu participated in the survival show Girls Planet 999 which created the group Kep1er. After eight episodes, she was eliminated a 61st place out of 99 contestants.

While tripleS made its debuted on February 23, 2023, Nien was announced as the group's 13th member on August 17, 2023 under the sub-unit LOVElution with the mini-album Muhan. Like bandmate Sullin, she officially debuted with the rest of group on May 8, 2024 with the album Assemble24. Due to her mixed heritage, she speaks multiple languages: Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese and English.

NATTY FROM KISS OF LIFE

Nationality: Thai

Star sign: Gemini

Debuted on: July 5, 2023

Anatchaya Suputhipong, known as Natty, was born on May 30 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. As Kiss of Life's main dancer, Natty is known for her versatility as a dancer and her unique, sultry voice. She first stepped onto the scene in 2015 as the youngest contestant of JYP Entertainment's survival show Sixteen (which created Twice) at 13 years old. After the show ended, she tried her hand at another survival show Idol School in 2017 (which created Fromis_9). Three years later, she released a solo album titled NineTeen under S2 Entertainment. Finally, three years later, she debuted in the four-piece group Kiss of Life.