HYBE is never satisfied to produce groups that are only popular domestically in South Korea. It wants to create K-pop groups that are beloved around the world. And since English is the most spoken language globally, it’s always a good idea if a K-pop group has at least some English-speaking ability. Boynextdoor from Zico’s KOZ Entertainment and HYBE has indeed demonstrated some English skill, so based off the examples available to date, here is who can speak English in Boynextdoor among Sungho, Riwoo, Jaehyun, Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak.
Jaehyun Speaks English in Boynextdoor
Boynextdoor debuted on May 30, 2023, and while there are not a tremendous number of examples of what languages the group speaks, there are enough for discussion. Jaehyun can speak modestly fluent English and is the apparent English-speaking representative for Boynextdoor. Since he is also the leader of the group, this is rather fitting.
Jaehyun first demonstrated his English-speaking ability during the group’s special debut showcase, BOYNEXTDOOR TONIGHT, which was stylized like a late-night talk show and hosted by Jaehyun. The show included a prerecorded outdoor segment that involved a prank played on Boynextdoor by its label, KOZ. The prank featured an English-speaking fake reporter asking the members for an interview for British television and seeing how the members reacted. The prank was played three separate times, each time on a different duo of members: Jaehyun and Woonhak, Sungho and Riwoo, and Taesan and Leehan.
Most of the members of the group did not seem to understand much that the “reporter” spoke in English, (However, he also purposely spoke with some complex language, for the sake of the prank.) and Leehan wisely and explicitly asked his company for help with English translation. Although, the members were able to speak and understand some English during the interview, and Sungho and Woonhak seemed to speak and understand a bit more English than Riwoo, Taesan, and Leehan.
However, Jaehyun was able to speak confidently in English to the “reporter” with great pronunciation and good grammar, and on-screen text in the video jokingly described him as “in charge of long English sentences” for Boynextdoor. In English, he described his hobby (producing music) and introduced their “One and Only” dance choreography, among other things. In a separate video, Jaehyun has mentioned that he learned English at a hagwon (a paid afterschool academy), which is a common way to learn English at a high level in South Korea.
Another example of Boynextdoor speaking English arrived in an “Ask Anything Chat” video published on September 9, 2023. Jaehyun read questions submitted by fans in English, and then the group answered them. Sungho, Riwoo, Jaehyun, and Taesan were able to individually introduce themselves in English, but Leehan and Woonhak chose to introduce themselves in Korean. Jaehyun’s English when reading questions was noticeably more accented than in BOYNEXTDOOR TONIGHT, and he chose to answer questions in Korean like the other five members did. However, this is not necessarily to be measured as a detriment to Jaehyun’s English fluency; it could easily be that he just feels a bit more articulate in Korean, and/or he wanted his members to understand his answers.
It is also noteworthy that Sungho, Woonhak, and Taesan seemed to understand a silly question about taking free stuff from dressing rooms before Jaehyun had finished reading it, because they each had big grins on their faces. It is uncertain if there was a Korean translation for them off screen, but if there wasn’t, It would again indicate that these members do understand a degree of English, even if they are not confidently speaking it.
Meanwhile, at the Asia Artist Awards 2023, on December 14, 2023, Jaehyun delivered an English-language award acceptance speech, in which he expressed thanks with a degree of wit. His English is still notably accented there, and his grammar isn’t quite perfect — but it’s still enough to confidently describe Jaehyun as an English speaker.
This space is being fully updated as new examples of Boynextdoor’s language fluency become available, whether for English or another language. For instance, Woonhak has actually described Sungho as “good at English,” but we don’t have terrific examples to illustrate that yet. So for now, in summary, it is Jaehyun who can speak modestly fluent English in Boynextdoor.
For more about the group, check out how old the Boynextdoor members are, what their MBTIs are, our archive of all of the Boynextdoor music videos, or our comprehensive Boynextdoor members profile page that is packed with fact-checked trivia for all six members. Alternatively, for more K-pop groups who can speak English, check out who can speak English in Fifty Fifty, Itzy, or BabyMonster.
