BOYNEXTDOOR’s JAEHYUN, who started dreaming of becoming “the leader of the coolest team in the world” after meeting SUNGHO, RIWOO, TAESAN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK, and TWS’ SHINYU, who vowed never to be “an embarrassing older brother” the moment he took on the role of leader, are approaching their 500th and 300th days since debut. They are the “leaders,” who always lead the group greeting. It’s now hard to imagine BOYNEXTDOOR and TWS without “Leader JAEHYUN” and the “Leader Puppy,” but being a leader wasn’t something they were familiar with from the start. When asked how they felt upon being appointed, JAEHYUN smiled and admitted, “It was quite overwhelming,” while SHINYU said, “I was worried whether I could do well.” Neither of them chose to be leaders—rather, they were chosen for the role. Their innate qualities made them clear choices for leadership. And these “qualities” are precisely why JAEHYUN and SHINYU stand as the undisputed leaders of their respective team today.
Quality of a leader 1. Dependability
Among many qualities that make a great leader, the one that JAEHYUN and SHINYU have demonstrated most clearly is dependability. When asked what kind of leader he wants to be, JAEHYUN said that he hopes to be “someone you can trust.” He elaborated, “I want to be a helper for the members. I hope that when something bad happens, they’ll think, ‘Maybe JAEHYUN can help us solve this.’” SHINYU also spoke about how he, knowing that the members rely on him, tries to care for them as much as possible, even in moments of tension. He said, “I always keep a keen eye on the members, trying to quickly understand what they need. I feel that my role is to make things as comfortable as possible for them.”
Both admitted that becoming a dependable leader wasn’t easy. JAEHYUN confessed, “We fought a lot. But I know that even in relationships that feel like family, it’s hard to maintain them if you don’t make an effort.” He acknowledged that through conflicts, they were able to become more honest with each other. He mentioned that he always takes the lead in bringing up the “embarrassing topics.” “When there’s something I want the members to improve on, I first think about whether I’ve done my part first. Then I talk about the mistakes I’ve made in the past, which is quite difficult. It certainly takes a lot of effort. (laughs) But I believe that this process is necessary to make the members feel comfortable speaking up.” SHINYU, true to his role as the leader of a team where all members were known to have an MBTI type “I(introversion)” even before debut, mentioned that it took “studying” to truly understand their thoughts. “I built a connection by figuring out what the members liked,” he said, and added “By aligning with their interests, I got them to open up. With DOHOON, it was through working out; with YOUNGJAE, it was reading and music; with JIHOON, it was dance and concerns about the team. KYUNGMIN and I grew close easily, even without much in common. With HANJIN, who came from a foreign country, I focused on making sure he didn’t feel lonely.” SHINYU learned how to communicate in a way that suited TWS, allowing him to harmonize with the introverted members. Despite the similarities in age and timing of their debuts, the leadership styles of these two teams, which emerged through a complex process, are unique and original.
Quality of a leader 2. Ability to unify the members
JAEHYUN, the dedicated leader of BOYNEXTDOOR, mentioned that he can now tell what his members are thinking just by looking at the way their eyes move. From how their physical condition fluctuates based on how much sleep they had, to how to lift their spirits, he explained matter-of-factly that “it’s something [he has] acquired naturally after spending so much time together.” SHINYU shared a similar experience. “After the debut, I started to see how I should take care of the members. If someone seems even a little tired, I make sure to go over and encourage them.” Their keen observation skills are especially evident in how they draw out opinions from their members. JAEHYUN described his role as being more like a “reminder” than a “homeroom teacher” and elaborated by saying, “With BOYNEXTDOOR, charisma alone won’t work. It’s more important to make them think for themselves. For example, instead of saying, ‘Gather around,’ it’s faster to say something like, ‘Wasn’t there something we needed to work on together?’ They’re the type to work super hard on whatever they put their minds to, so my job is to simply remind them of what they should be focusing on.” SHINYU mentioned that his role in TWS is to compile everyone’s opinions. “One of the most important tasks I had when I was a temporary leader was choosing dinner menus. I believed it wasn’t necessary to settle on just one menu. I made sure to listen to everyone’s preferences and respect their individual choices. While it may seem like a small matter, it was an important part of fulfilling my role as a leader.” There is no right or wrong in the methods JAEHYUN and SHINYU chose to unify their teams. What truly matters is that they found the answers that best suited their teams, bringing together members who once lived in different worlds and building a new world with them.
Quality of a leader 3. Team, team, and team
A leader is someone who must listen and speak more than anybody else, constantly balancing different opinions and creating a better working environment. This process, which consumes both time and emotional capacity, is important because it’s for the team, not a specific individual. It’s no easy task to always observe others. Yet, JAEHYUN and SHINYU are accomplishing this challenging feat. JAEHYUN divides his life into before and after meeting BOYNEXTDOOR. “Recently, I listened to a song I wrote during my trainee days from start to finish. It’s so different from the music I make now. Listening to it made me realize once again how much this team has changed me. They were just being themselves but I’ve come to truly appreciate the power of the energy people give you. That’s why I can’t help thinking about the members wherever I go.” SHINYU also expressed his affection for DOHOON, YOUNGJAE, HANJIN, JIHOON, and KYUNGMIN by referring to them as his “Bungbang Puppies.” He said, “There are many times when the members remind me of cute puppies running around everywhere (laughs). That’s why I gave them that nickname. It just suits TWS perfectly.”
Just as leaders love their members, members naturally have come to love their leaders as well. JAEHYUN mentioned that SUNGHO, RIWOO, TAESAN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK also check on him constantly. “I think WOONHAK notices things about me even faster than I do. There are times when he asks if I’m okay, even when I don’t feel tired. Every time, I respond, ‘I’m fine,’ but when I look back, I realize I was actually exhausted.” SHINYU also shared that when he used to question his ability as a leader, he drew significant strength from JIHOON’s encouragement, who said, “The reason TWS has come this far is thanks to you, Jeonghwan.” Such mutual support and affection have created a positive feedback loop, making the leaders love their respective team even more.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of who should be the leader of a K-pop idol group. Each team has its own distinct energy and direction, all of which shape the leadership it needs. However, one thing is clear: a great team always has a great leader. For BOYNEXTDOOR, that is JAEHYUN, and for TWS, it’s SHINYU. They became indispensable leaders by acquiring those essential qualities often without even realizing it. Although both still feel they have plenty of room to grow, they express a desire to continue working hard and staying with their teams for a long time. When asked about the goals they wish to achieve with their teams, JAEHYUN said “I want to feel like our days as BOYNEXTDOOR will continue for a very long time. I hope that, no matter how many years pass, this team will last forever” SHINYU responded, “I hope that TWS members can always be there for one another. So that even if we see each other for a lifetime, we will never get tired of each other’s company.” This is why BOYNEXTDOOR’s promise of “400 years” and TWS’s unwavering commitment to “tomorrow” feel so genuine.
