Explainer / K-pop’s ‘magic formula’ explained: idol groups like BTS, Blackpink, Twice and Exo all have a leader, maknae and ‘visual’ – so who does what and what do these roles really mean?

If you’re new to the global musical juggernaut that is K-pop, you might have clocked that the industry and its diehard fan culture comes with its own language, with insiders’ terms like maknae and “visual of the group” regularly being thrown around. But what do all these words mean exactly?

South Korea’s entertainment companies realised long ago that there’s a “magic formula” for idol groups, ensuring a good mix of individuals with different characteristics, strengths and fan appeal. Although members of some groups might wear several hats, most bands are composed of the same roles. Here’s a look at the most common.

This one is simple: the leader is usually the oldest member of the group, or the member who has trained with the entertainment company for the longest. Typically selected by the agency or the rest of the group, the leader is supposed to motivate the other members – like Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, Twice’s Jihyo and BTS’ RM.

The “visual” is the member who is considered to have the most attractive or interesting looks, and is likely to get the most endorsements and get positioned in the middle of group photos. Yoona is Girls’ Generation’s “visual”.