Karina of aespa, Hyunjin and Felix of Stray Kids, Yeji of ITZY, Soobin of TXT — all four turn 26 in 2026, part of a wave of idols born in the year 2000 who now anchor some of K-pop’s biggest groups. Getting a fellow 2000-liner’s exact birthdate wrong is one of the fastest ways to lose a fandom’s trust, so every entry below is cross-checked against at least two independent sources.
This list covers 25 confirmed idols born between January 1 and December 31, 2000, sorted chronologically by birthday. A few names fans often assume belong here — Yeonjun, Wooyoung, Dino, Sakura — actually don’t, and we’ll clear that up too.
Key Takeaways
- 25 currently active or recently active idols are confirmed born in 2000, spanning JYP, SM, YG, HYBE, and nine independent/mid-size labels.
- January is the most common birth month in this group, with four confirmed idols (Shuhua, Xion, Suhyeon, and Y:SY).
- Commonly assumed “class of 2000” idols like Yeonjun (1999) and Sakura (1998) are actually from adjacent years — a mix-up that trips up even longtime fans.
- Stray Kids alone has three members born in 2000: Hyunjin, Han, and Felix.
How We Verified This List
Birth-year mix-ups are the most common error in this kind of post, usually because Korean age conventions and inconsistent fan-wiki edits let wrong years slip through. To avoid that, every idol below had to clear two independent sources — typically an official agency profile combined with Wikipedia or Generasia — before making the cut.
During research for this list, several widely assumed “2000-liners” didn’t survive that check. Yeonjun, Wooyoung, Dino, Sakura, Yeri, and Chuu are all commonly grouped with this birth year online, and all six turned out to be from 1998 or 1999 once we checked two sources instead of one. We’ve listed them separately below so you don’t run into the same mix-up.
How Many Idols Born in 2000 Are There, by Month?
Among the 25 confirmed idols on this list, January produced the most, with four birthdays in the first three weeks of the month alone. June, July, and December each produced only one confirmed idol, making late-year 2000 birthdays comparatively rare among today’s active roster.
Idols Born in January–March 2000
The year opens strong: four of the 25 idols on this list were born within three weeks of each other in January alone.
Shuhua ((G)I-DLE, Cube Entertainment) — January 6. The group’s Taiwanese member, who joined through a global audition process.
Xion (ONEUS, RBW) — January 10. Twin brother of ONEWE’s Dongmyeong.
Suhyeon (Billlie, Mystic Story) — January 15. Vocalist and rapper.
Y:SY (Lee Seo-yeon) — January 22. Formerly of fromis_9 under Pledis; her contract expired December 31, 2024, and she signed with H1GHR Music in mid-2025 for a solo career.
Jihoon (TREASURE, YG Entertainment) — March 14. A former Produce X 101/X1 contestant before joining TREASURE.
Hyunjin (Stray Kids, JYP Entertainment) — March 20. Lead dancer and the group’s most frequently booked model.
Renjun (NCT Dream/NCT, SM Entertainment) — March 23. The group’s Chinese member, active in NCT Dream’s visual and design-adjacent projects.
Idols Born in April–June 2000
Spring 2000 gave K-pop two group leaders and one of its most recognizable rap voices.
Karina (aespa, SM Entertainment) — April 11. Leader and main dancer of aespa.
Sunwoo (THE BOYZ, IST Entertainment) — April 12. Main rapper and vocalist.
Jeno (NCT Dream/NCT, SM Entertainment) — April 23. Lead dancer of NCT Dream.
Bae Jin-young (CIX, C9 Entertainment) — May 10. A former Wanna One member before joining CIX.
Yoshi (TREASURE, YG Entertainment) — May 15. The group’s Japanese member and main vocalist.
Yeji (ITZY, JYP Entertainment) — May 26. Leader of ITZY.
Haechan (NCT Dream/NCT, SM Entertainment) — June 6. Main vocalist, known for his live-stage stamina.
Idols Born in July–September 2000
This is the densest stretch on the list — seven idols across three months, including three members of the same group born within eight days of each other.
Lia (ITZY, JYP Entertainment) — July 21. Main vocalist.
Kim Chaewon (LE SSERAFIM, HYBE/Source Music) — August 1. Leader, and a former IZ*ONE member.
Jaemin (NCT Dream/NCT, SM Entertainment) — August 13. Lead dancer and vocalist.
Bomin — August 24. Formerly of Golden Child under Woollim; left the group in August 2024 and now works in acting under Look Media.
Han (Stray Kids, JYP Entertainment) — September 14. Main rapper and a producer within the group’s in-house unit, 3RACHA.
Felix (Stray Kids, JYP Entertainment) — September 15. The group’s Australian member, widely recognized for his unusually deep speaking voice.
Seungmin (Stray Kids, JYP Entertainment) — September 22. Main vocalist.
Idols Born in October–December 2000
The year closes with three idols in mid-to-late October and one December birthday to round out the list.
Jongho (ATEEZ, KQ Entertainment) — October 12. Main vocalist, known for his vocal power on high notes.
HeeJin (ARTMS, Modhaus; formerly LOONA) — October 19. Leader, and the first LOONA member ever revealed to the public back in 2016.
Giselle (aespa, SM Entertainment) — October 30. Main rapper and the group’s Japanese-American member.
Soobin (TXT, HYBE/Big Hit Music) — December 5. Leader of TXT.
Which Companies Have the Most 2000-Born Idols?
SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment are tied for the most confirmed 2000-born idols on this list, with six each, while nine idols come from independent or mid-size labels — a reminder that this birth-year class isn’t concentrated in just the “Big 4” companies.
Idols Fans Often Mistake for the 2000 Class
A few names get lumped in with this birth year constantly, and every single one of them is actually from a different year. Worth clearing up, since the mix-up usually comes from Korean age conventions rather than bad research.
- Yeonjun (TXT) — actually born September 13, 1999, not 2000.
- Wooyoung (ATEEZ) — born November 26, 1999.
- Dino (SEVENTEEN) — born February 11, 1999.
- Sakura (LE SSERAFIM) — born 1998, two years off from the group’s other 2000-born member, Chaewon.
- Yeri (Red Velvet) — born March 5, 1999.
- Chuu (formerly LOONA) — born October 20, 1999.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which K-pop group has the most members born in 2000?
NCT Dream has the most, with four confirmed 2000-born members: Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, and Jaemin. Stray Kids is close behind with three — Hyunjin, Han, and Felix — the most of any group outside the NCT umbrella.
How old are idols born in 2000 in 2026?
Idols born in 2000 turn 26 in 2026 by international age reckoning, once their 2026 birthday has passed. Someone born in December 2000, like Soobin, is still 25 for most of the year and only turns 26 in December.
Why do so many sources disagree on idol birth years?
Korean age conventions historically counted age differently than the international system, and older fan-wiki entries sometimes never got corrected after South Korea standardized to international age in 2023. That’s exactly why this list cross-checks every entry against at least two sources.
Is Karina from aespa really born in 2000?
Yes — Karina’s April 11, 2000 birthdate is confirmed on both her official SM Entertainment profile history and Wikipedia, making her one of the more well-documented entries on this list.
Are any 2000-born idols no longer with their original group?
Yes, two on this list. Y:SY left fromis_9 when her Pledis contract ended in December 2024 and now performs solo under H1GHR Music. Bomin left Golden Child in August 2024 and has since moved into acting.
What does “2000-liner” mean?
It’s fandom shorthand for anyone born in the year 2000, regardless of group or company — the same way “’99-liner” or “’02-liner” groups idols by birth year rather than by group. It’s a common way fans track which idols are the same age.
Will more idols get added to this list over time?
Possibly. New idols from this birth year occasionally debut in rookie groups, but each one would need to clear the same two-source verification standard used throughout this list before being added.
The Full Picture
Twenty-five confirmed idols, ten different companies, and birthdays spread across ten months — the 2000-born class turns out to be one of K-pop’s more spread-out generations rather than concentrated in one or two flagship groups. If your bias is on this list, you’re in good company turning 26 alongside some of the genre’s current leaders.
