It should come as a surprise that one of the most-searched topics concerning the universal language of K-pop is “tallest K-pop idols,” but honestly, it really doesn’t. There’s no doubt that Korean males have a certain je ne sais quoi that makes them utterly irresistible. They’re talented, they’re attractive and in some cases, they’re rather slender. According to Hankyoreh, a Size Korea body index survey indicated that “adult Korean men had an average height of 172.5 cm, and adult Korean women had an average height of 159.6 cm.”
Considering that some of the K-pop idols out there are touching the 190s, it’s safe to say that these singer-songwriters are breaking the norm as far as height is concerned. Since it’s a scientific fact that males are typically taller than females, this list only includes male Korean singers. O21’s Lina (Myoui Rina) stands as the tallest female K-pop idol at 178cm (5’10”), but even that impressive height is voided by the incomparable height of her male counterparts. For anyone who’s ever wondered, these are the tallest K-pop idols in ascending order.
1. Jung Woo-seok (188 cm / 6’2″)
South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and model Woo-seok He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group Pentagon in October 2016 (comprising Jinho, Hui, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Yan An, Yuto, Kino), then formed a duo with Lai Kuan-lin as Wooseok X Kuanlin in March 2019. He last featured in “How Can I Do,” along with Hui and Jinho, on the OST for the Korean television series Welcome to Waikiki 2 Part 4. He’s 24 years old, born on Jan. 31, 1998.
2. Cheon Seung Ho (189 cm / 6’2″)
Seung Ho, as he’s affectionately known, joined THE MAN BLK in 2019, but has remained inactive since the group’s last mini-album titled Shadow, which released in 2021. In addition to making music, Seong Ho has appeared in several web dramas in the last few years, including Episode 6 of Ga Doo Ri’s Sushi Restaurant (2020) and Mr. Heart (2021). He’s 26 years old, born on Oct. 14, 1996.
3. Jung Hyun (189 cm / 6’2″)
Junghyun is the bassist for Korean group 2Z, belonging to GOGO2020. Other members include Hojin, Jiseob, Bumjun, and ZUNON. 2Z made their debut on Jan. 14, 2020 with their first EP We Tuzi: and “My 1st Hero” as the title track. Furthermore, on Dec. 3, 2022, 2Z announced they would be making their comeback with the fourth EP Reason on Dec. 8, 2022. Junghyun 20 years old, born on May 20, 2002.
4. Lou (190 cm / 6’2″)
Rapper-songwriter Lou is an inactive member of the Korean boy group VAV, which consists of St.Van, BaRon, Jacob, Ayno and fellow inactive members Ace and Ziu. They debuted on Oct. 31, 2015 with their mini-album Under the Moonlight, but it wasn’t until February 2017 that Lou, Ace and Ziu joined. On July 2, 2021, it was announced by A team Entertainment that that Lou, along with Ziu, would be enlisting as active duty military soldiers on July 12. He’s 25 years old, born on Dec. 21, 1996.
5. James Lee (190 cm / 6’2″)
Korean-American singer and songwriter James Lee is the former bassist of Royal Pirates, the Korean rock band which debuted in 2013 with their digital single “Shout Out.” Tragically, a few years after joining Royal Pirates, Lee suffered a career-ending accident that severed his hand. After a long recovery, James returned to music with the EP “The Light,” which was crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign. He’s 34 years old, born on June 8, 1988.
6. Park Seo-ham (190 cm / 6’2″)
Born Park Gyeong-bok, South Korean actor, singer, and rapper Park Seo-ham is a former member of the South Korean boyband KNK, who released their debut single album Knock on March 3, 2016. Seoham departed from the group on Sept. 30, 2021. Seo-ham’s talent knows no bounds, as he’s also known for his acting prowess, namely the role of Jang Jae-young in BL drama Semantic Error. He’s 29 years old, born on Oct. 28, 1993.
7. Hwalchan (190 cm / 6’2″)
Member of the Korean boy group GreatGuys, along with Ho Ryeong, Han Eul, Da Un, Dong In, Ui Yeon (we’ll get to him later) and Baek Gyeol. Under DNA Entertainment and PLUSWIN Entertainment, GreatGuys debuted on August 25, 2017 with their first digital single “Last Men.” Hwalchan is a sub-vocalist with Ho Ryeong and Han Eul. In October 2021, Hwalchan appeared with GreatGuys as a contestant on the SBS competitive survival show, Kookmin Singer. He’s 26 years old, born on Sept. 18, 1996.
8. Kim Tae-woo (190 cm / 6’2″)
The oldest singer on the list, Kim Tae-woo is the lead vocalist of boy band g.o.d., who debuted in 1999 and became one of the most popular boy bands of their time in South Korea. On Sept. 30, 2022, it was announced that g.o.d would hold a year-end concert at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in Seoul from Dec. 9 to 11, which would mark their first performance in four years. When g.o.d. went on hiatus in 2006, Tae-woo released his first solo album Solo Special, which sold over 100,000 copies in one month. He’s 41 years old, born on May 12, 1981.
9. Kim Seok-woo / Rowoon (190.5 cm / 6’2.5″)
Kim Seok-woo, known as Rowoon, is the lead vocalist of the K-pop boy band SF9 with Youngbin, Inseong, Jaeyoon, Dawon, Zuho, Yoo Taeyang, Hwiyoung and Chani. SF9 debuted on Oct. 5, 2016 with the release of their first single album, Feeling Sensation. Rowoon is also an actor, known for roles in television series Extraordinary You (2019), She Would Never Know (2021), The King’s Affection (2021), and Tomorrow (2022). He’s 26 years old, born on August 7, 1996.
10. Uiyeon (192 cm / 6’3.5″)
Joining Hwalchan as a member of GreatGuys, Uiyeon is one of the main rappers alongside Dong In. Uiyeon debuted as a member of GreatGuys in August 2017. Just like Hwalchan, Uiyeon also appeared on Kookmin Singer as part of GreatGuys’ group participation. He also happens to be the tallest K-pop idol to date, clocking in at 192cm (6’3.5″). He’s 26 years old, born on Oct. 23, 1996.