Onew: SHINee and Solo

There’s much to learn about SHINee’s legendary leader Onew. 

SHINee

Onew has been a talented vocalist since a young age, and was urged by friends and family to pursue singing professionally. He eventually gave in and joined SM Academy, an entertainment academy that has made many SM artists the well-rounded entertainers they are today. In 2006, Onew attended a Girls’ Generation showcase where Lee Sooman noticed him and asked Onew to audition. He did so on the spot and signed a contract with SM Entertainment the following day, beginning his trainee life.

On May 25, 2008, Onew debuted as the eldest, main vocalist, and leader of the five member boy group SHINee. He co-wrote his first SHINee song in 2010, “Your Name” alongside member Minho. He is known for his unique voice and gentle demeanor that he brings to the group. 

Acting

Onew made his musical theater debut in 2010 in Brothers Were Brave. He has starred in a total of five musicals over the years, all of which he had either lead or main roles in. Onew made his television debut in 2010 as well, with a guest role on the medical romance drama Dr. Champ. In 2016, Onew won the “Newcomer Scene Stealer Award (Male)” at the Scene Stealer Festival for his supporting role in Descendents of the Sun. 

Solo

Onew made his solo debut on December 5, 2018 with the mini-album VOICE. Five days later, he enlisted in the military, halting all group and solo activities. A year after his military release, Onew released his second EP DICE. This time around, he was able to promote it and perform on multiple music programs, something that he previously had not done outside of a group setting.

Onew finally was able to have his first solo concert in Korea in March 2023, two days before the release of his most recent album Circle. The album was ranked at No. 1 on Billboard’s list of “The 25 Best K-pop Albums of 2023.”

Current

On June 9 2023, it was announced that Onew would be going on hiatus to prioritize his health. No further updates were given by SM, but Onew returned to social media for the first time since the beginning of his hiatus, on December 15 to thank fans for their birthday wishes. In March 2024, rumors began circulating that Onew and SHINee’s maknae Taemin would no longer be signed to SM Entertainment as solo artists. This was confirmed on March 25, 2024 by SM Entertainment via Lysn Bubble. After 300 days on hiatus, Onew returned to the public eye on April 3, 2024 announcing that he has now signed a contract with recently formed company GRIFFIN Entertainment, where he is their first and only artist. Onew shared a post by GRIFFIN Entertainment on his Instagram story with the caption “큰거 온다..?” which translates to “Something big is coming..?” leaving fans excited for what the singer's next move will be.

Edited by Lacey Diluvio