Top 10 Lovable Korean Boy Group Maknaes (Personal Picks)

For those of you who are new to K-pop, maknae (막내) is a Korean word used to describe the youngest member in a group. If two or more members were born in the same year, the maknae is simply the one born last.

A maknae is usually expected to be the cutest one. Adorable, charming, and full of personality. But let’s be honest, they’re not just cute. Most maknaes are incredibly talented. They can be childish, playful, and sometimes.. a little evil 😏 Still, they always have that innocent side that makes them impossible to dislike.

Honestly, I believe the real job of a maknae is to make noonas fall for them ㅋㅋㅋ And it’s kind of true, when a group has a popular maknae, the whole group shines even more. No wonder so many people end up biasing the maknae. They have a special talent for ruining bias lists, including mine. If you’ve ever had your bias list completely ruined by a maknae, welcome. You’re not alone.

Here are 10 maknaes from 10 Korean boy groups (in no particular order). This list is purely my personal opinion, so please don’t take it too seriously. If your favorite isn’t here.. well, you can always make your own list 😉 Trust me, choosing only ten was hard.

1. Sehun - EXO (1994)

We don’t really need a reason to love Sehun. He’s known for his poker face, but when he smiles.. the sun shines ☺ Naturally handsome with perfect facial features, Sehun may look cold and shy, but he’s actually a cute maknae with plenty of aegyo.

Let’s be honest, he might not be the best rapper or vocalist in EXO. Even though he’s a pretty good dancer, I think his true specialty is attracting noonas. Effortlessly sexy, broad shoulders, and visuals that work with any hairstyle, especially the rainbow hair. Yehet!

2. Taemin - SHINee (1993)

SHINee’s adorable dancing-machine maknae. Taemin was the one who got me into K-pop in the first place, thanks to his outstanding dancing skills. It’s no surprise he’s often mentioned as one of the best dancers in K-pop.

He’s always smiling, no matter what. Watching Taemin grow from a young boy into a more mature and masculine performer has been amazing. His singing and dancing just keep improving with every comeback.

Sometimes I still miss the mushroom hair, angelic smile, innocent face, and that blinking habit when he gets nervous 😭

Even so, he’s still the sweet Taeminnie we all love :’)

3. Jungkook - BTS (1997)

BTS’s Golden Maknae, Jungkook. Young, talented, and good at everything. Besides being the maknae, he’s also a vocalist, main dancer, visual. And yes, he can rap too. A complete package.

Have you ever seen sleeping Jungkook? Absolutely adorable, like a baby. But when he talks, he’s surprisingly mature for his age. And once you watch Bangtan Bomb.. yeah, it’s over. A true bias-list wrecker.

4. Kyuhyun - Super Junior (1988)

The legendary Evil Maknae. Whenever I hear that phrase, Kyuhyun instantly comes to mind, especially with those puppy eyes!

Known as the “Prince of Ballad” and one of Super Junior’s main vocalists, Kyuhyun has a gentle yet powerful voice that makes every song sound beautiful. One of the best vocalists in K-pop, in my opinion. He’s great on variety shows too! Dancing isn’t his strongest point, but he’s become much more confident over time.

Despite his evil reputation and habit of teasing his hyungs, he actually respects them a lot ☺ And yes, he still looks cute.

5. Chansung - 2PM (1990)

The mature “Old Italian” maknae of 2PM. Seriously, who would believe he’s the maknae? He looks older than everyone else.

Chansung loves bananas.. so much that the members nicknamed him “Chanana.” He actually debuted as an actor before joining 2PM. Tall, well-built, handsome, with a great smile and six-pack abs. Yup, the definition of an ideal namja! His cat is almost as famous as he is.

Serious, hardworking, and unexpectedly adorable when he laughs.

(●´艸｀)ヾ Oppa~~~

6. Seungri - Big Bang (1990)

Big Bang’s Baby Panda. At first glance, Seungri doesn’t look like the maknae, he looks more mature than the others. But once you get to know him, his playful and funny side really stands out.

He’s often teased by his hyungs, but he enjoys it and clearly loves them. Known mainly for his dancing, he also has a surprisingly nice voice. He once said he didn’t want to stay as Big Bang’s cute maknae.. but sorry, Seungri. You’ll always be our manly maknae.

7. Sungjae - BtoB (1995)

Sungjae is a funny and dorky maknae. If you’re a Melody, you probably remember the legendary watermelon-breaking incident, hence the nickname Master of Hitting Watermelon.

Extremely talented, a little crazy, but also well-mannered. That combination makes him even more lovable ☺ He’s still my personal favorite among all the maknaes.

8. Changmin - TVXQ (1988)

The most charismatic maknae? Of course, Lord Voldemin.

Changmin debuted with DBSK at just 14 years old. Ten years later, he’s grown into a tall, handsome, and powerful vocalist. TVXQ wouldn’t be TVXQ without his high notes and screams. Over the years, he’s become more mature and charismatic, and as a duo with Yunho, their performances are always solid.

9. Zelo - B.A.P (1996)

A ’96-liner and the Giant Baby. Zelo is known for his rapid-fire rapping skills at such a young age, 16 syllables per second!

Despite being the maknae, he’s the tallest member of B.A.P. His ramen hair era was probably his cutest look ever. Pinchable cheeks, playful expressions, and endless baby energy. Cherry tomato.. naekkeoya! 😆

10. Mir - Mblaq (1991)

Maknae rapper. Loud? Hyper? Absolutely. Mir is childish, energetic, and endlessly funny.

As the group’s mood maker, he knows exactly how to entertain people. Always joking, teasing his hyungs, and causing chaos. People often say Thunder is the maknae.. but honestly, Mir’s behavior says it all. He’s the real wild maknae.

K-pop dictionary:

• Bias: The member who completely owns your heart
• Aegyo (애교): Acting cute (sometimes dangerously so)
• Hyung (형): Older brother (male → male).
• Oppa (오빠): Older brother (female → male)
• Naekkeoya (내꺼야): “It’s mine”
• Namja (남자): Man / guy
• Noona (누나): Older sister (male → female). Since I’m older than Sehun, Zelo, Jungkook, and Sungjae… they should call me Noona. Just saying 😌

Maknae really have a special power. They sneak into your heart quietly, mess up your bias list without warning, and somehow stay there. Whether they’re charming, evil, awkward, or way too mature for their age, one thing is certain: life as a K-pop fan is never safe when a maknae exists.

So here’s my list. Loud, biased, and completely unapologetic. Because in the end, loving maknae is part of the fun!