Why Shinee are still the ‘Princes of K-pop’ 13 years later – from the boy band’s award-sweeping debut to its iTunes chart-topping new album, ‘Don’t Call Me’
- Shinee bagged all the rookie awards in 2008, were once compared to The Beatles and were the first K-pop group to play a concert in London
- Taemin, Minho, Onew and Key stayed together after the sudden death of member Jonghyun, and are also known for their colourful fashion sense
With Key dropping a teaser for his new solo album, Minho soon to appear in a highly anticipated new K-drama, and photos of Taemin’s military service going viral on the internet, Shinee clearly continues to capture fans’ attention across the globe after over a decade in the industry.
It has been 13 years since their debut, but the group continues to stay relevant, thanks in no small part to their peppy music and flashy personal styles. The group’s latest album “Don’t Call Me”, released earlier this year, even peaked at No 1 on iTunes in 46 countries – a true testament that the group is still going strong.
Here’s how they’ve managed to stay legends.
Musical style and group image
Shinee started off as something of an experiment for SM Entertainment, and the company didn’t expect much out of them, according to KpopStarz. But the members’ developing talent in vocals and dance earned them their reputation.
When the group debuted in 2008, it was pegged as a contemporary R&B act and, while they’ve certainly won that genre, they’ve proven themselves to be versatile by branching into several others besides.
