Hwang Hyun-jin: The Versatile Virtuoso

Written and Edited by: Bagmita Gogoi, Tinsukia, Assam

Discover the captivating world of Stray Kids’ Hyunjin—his talent, passion, and artistic expression.

Hyunjin of Straykids, the Versace Prince, is more than just a pretty face. The 24-year-old global ambassador of the luxury brand Versace has garnered much attention for his delicate yet intimidating aura. His beauty is immaculate — a prince in all its essence and glory, a true Versace embodiment.

_{Picture credits: @hynjinn/Instagram}

Member of the South Korean boyband Straykids, Hwang Hyun-jin (Stage name Hyunjin) debuted as an idol in 2018. Placed in the group as a dancer and rapper, he often found himself surrounded by criticism targeting his skills and marking him only as a visual of the group. However, his dedication to his craft shone through. He actively expanded his skillset by learning contemporary and jazz dance styles to enhance his flexibility. This helped him add more drama to his moves.

Creating Choreographic Masterpieces

His first self-created choreography is reflected in his cover of Billie Eilish’s “When the Party is Over.” With much fluidity and elegance, he showcased a strong command over his skills — a depiction that is indeed poetry in performance.

He came up with yet another self-choreographed masterpiece, “Play with Fire” by Sam Tinnesz. He pulls off an intense and impactful performance, showcasing a vintage-era concept with a touch of royalty. He not only chose the song, the outfit, and the set but also the concept for the shoot himself.

Right from the first popping move, the viewers were hooked. The iconic maniacal smile is the cherry on top of the incredible aura that he creates. And when I say he never misses a beat, he definitely never misses a beat — his reflexes are on point. Incredulous control over his movements.

Bursting with charisma and effortless execution, his movements are both powerful and composed. He captivates the audience with his enchanting spell from beginning to end.

A Stellar Studio Choom Performance

For Studio Choom Artist of the Month, he dedicatedly prepared himself for this powerful and energetic enigmatic performance, which has surpassed 45 million views. Describing the choreography, he stated that it was a test of his endurance, as it was filled with draining moves and aimed to intrigue the audience’s minds. It started with a bang, and there was not a minute of calm throughout the entire performance.

He went out of his comfort zone for this particular routine. He tried out synchronised dancing with a Mafia concept. His main goal was to depict his toughness and less of the youthful, playful image that he often portrayed. The movements are very powerful, and yet again, he has terrific control over his body. Catching every beat with immense control and refined technicalities. And also, his lethal facial expressions — the sly smile and smirks—will make your heart swoon, give you butterflies, and leave you smitten.

When asked what dance means to him, he said, “It’s the time to express myself solely, conveying thoughts without uttering a word. It’s another language for me to communicate and express.”

More Than Just Moves

Over the years, he has chiselled his dancing and upped his game in rapping. He has branched out into penning lyrics and crafting tunes for their band’s recent releases. Plus, he has been concentrating on his vocals as well. Not long ago, he had his first solo collaboration with Troye Sivan for the remix of his song “Rush.”

“4419”, “Wow”, “Miss You”, “#lovestay”, “Red Lights”, “Taste”, “Ice Cream”, “Love Untold”, “Muddy Water”, “DLMLU”, “Contradicting”, “Cover Me”, “Mic and Brush” are some of his works wherein not only he gave them voice, but also, he actively contributed to writing the lyrics and participated in the composition.

Brushstrokes Beyond Beats

Apart from idol activities, Hyunjin likes to paint. He often showcases his painting and sketching skills to his fans through Instagram and Bubble. He finds it relaxing and a mode of healing and clearing his mind. Have a look at some of his works:

_{Picture credits: @realstraykids/Instagram}

Hyunjin is very sensitive to his surroundings, and he tries to portray them through his artwork. Often, the compositions reflect heightened emotions and depth.

Peace with perfection

In the 8-page interview with Harper’s Bazaar Korea — “Rock and Royalty,” he mentions that contrary to the past, he no longer gets upset if he is mentioned as handsome. Previously, he used to think it shadowed his abilities and efforts. But now he has made peace with his appearance and would rather appreciate it.

Just take a moment to admire this beauty.

Rolling Stone UK, in their December 2023 issue, mentioned Hyunjin as the Prince of Versace in their exclusive 8-page interview.

His features hold a captivating duality — a blend of strength and grace. With oceanic eyes and a captivating gaze, he beholds a power that will leave an everlasting impression on your mind. He is not only an amazing technical dancer with incredible versatility, but he is also an intelligent storyteller, talented actor, and performer. His game is top-notch. Watching him perform is a very Zen experience; even his mere presence exudes an angelic aura.

Hall of Fame

Straykids becomes the highest-ranking K-pop act on the Billboard end-year charts (2023). They performed and won their first-ever BBMA in 2023 for the Top K-pop album (5-Star). Straykids won their first-ever VMA for Best K-pop Video (“S-Class” from their album 5-Star). Their last album, Rockstar, caused immense buzz in the hearts of fans and also on the charts, breaking records at large.

Hyunjin has taken the netizens by storm with his incredible stage presence and alluring appearances during these shows, where he was donning Versace at its finest. We get a glimpse of quite a sculpted Hyunjin physique; it seems that the influence of his band members, Bangchan and Changbin, has brought out the best in him.

Hyunjin is slaying the stage and rocking those Versace looks! Tell us how he captivated and moved your heart. Share your dream collaborations.