How to pronounce Kpop stage names?

A lot of these Answers are not really accurate, or are giving you the easy key to pronunciation, which is not the really correct one.

It's possible to learn how to pronounce these names from watching interviews where the idols say their own names or their friends/group members do. However, don't go by the pronunciations of non-Korean emcees, though, since they often can't speak them in a Korean accent (one MC from Southeast Asia actually kept calling Jajeoong just by "Kim"!)

some errors in these Answers:

1 - "Min" for instance is pronounced less like "fin" and more like "meen" but keeping the "ee" very short.

2 - Some ㅎ/H's, as in Jonghyun are softly pronounced, sometimes English ears cannot hear them at all.

3 - the vowels "eo" and "yeo" are said by some of these Answers to be pronounced like a long O and in others as an U ("uh") sound - Neither is correct. It's pronounced with the ㅓ (or ㅕ if it's "yeo") "eo" sound, which is a Korean vowel sound that doesn't exist in English. If you'll settle for "close

but inaccurate" then some of these Answers are okay.

my Answer:

To get a correct pronounciation, listen to Google Translate say them.

Select Korean as the language being translated from, paste the Hangeul into the translation box - one name at a time - and press the Audio (a little speaker icon) to hear a pronunciation. Here are the Hangeul of all their names (using romanization that is technically more correct but not usually used for their names in English-language articles.)

Yoseob - 요섭

Myeongsu - 명수

Taemin - 태민

Jonghyeon - 종현

Jonghyeon - 종현 (confirmed - they are the same name in Hangeul, though if (as is likely) their names come from Chinese/Hanja characters/ideograms, they CAN have different ideograms!)

Takuya - 타쿠야 - the name is Japanese, Terada Takuya, 寺田拓哉, so the Hangeul form of his name is a transliteration from Japanese.

Lu Han - 루한 - the name is Chinese, 鹿晗, so the Hangeul form of his name is a transliteration from Chinese.

Baekhyeon - 백현

Chanyeol - 찬열

Tao - the name is Chinese, originally Zi Tao, 子韜, so the Hangeul form of his name is a transliteration from Chinese.

XIA - 시아 - This is a stage name made from the Korean word for Asia, but with the "A-" dropped off of the front. The word "Asia" transliterated into Korean is 아시아. After debuting with TVXQ, it was spelled XIAH, but with Junsu's solo album & Tour this year he is now using is without the final H in the romanization, since it was never there in the Korean -- it was always spelled 시아 in Hangeul.

Mir - 미르 - This is a stage name, but it transliterates into Korean with an extra vowel:

미(mi)르(reu)

Jeongmin - 정민

Yeongmin - 영민

Kwangmin - 광민

Minwoo - 민우

Hongki - 홍기

CNU - 신우 - This is a stage name, so he can pronounce it however he'd like, but this is how he spells it. If it were pronounced like a Korean word, it would be something like "shin-oo" - YMMV.

Sandeul - 산들

Gongchan - 공찬

ZICO - 지코 - it's a stage name, so this is a transliteration, not a natural Korean name.

HyunA - 현아

Hyoyeon - 효연

Tried to make it as easy as possible :

Yoseob (You-sub)

Myungsoo (Mung-soo)

Taemin (Tay - Min )

Jonghyun ( Jong - hung)

Jonghyun cnblue ( same as 4 ^)

Takuya ( Tack - kuya)

Luhan ( Loo Han)

Baekhyun ( Bacon ..) LOL

Chanyeol (Chan - yo)

Hongki (Hong Key)

cnu (cee nu)

Sandeul (San- doll)

Gongchan (Gong-Chang)

Zico (zi co)

Hyuna (h-you na)

Hyoyeon (hoy-yon)

Tao (Towel)

Xiah (See ah)

Mir (Mir- reu)

Jeongmin ( Jong-min)

Youngmin (Young-min)

Kwangmin (Kwang-min)

Minwoo (Min Woo)

They are all there.. I just mucked the order up a bit. Hope I helped! ^^

Yeseob(yo-sub)

Myungsoo(Myung-su)

Taemin(Tay-min)

Jonghyun(Jong-hyuhn)

Jonghyun(same as the other one)

Takuya(Taku-ya)

Luhan(Lu-hahn)

Baekhyun(Bayk-hyuhn)

Chanyeol(Chan-yuhl)

Tao(Taw-as is like towel, yeah)

Xiah(Shee-ah)

Mir(meehr)

Jeongmin(Jung-min)

Youngmin(yung-min)

Kwangmin(Ku-wang-min)

Minwoo(min-wu)

Hongki(Hong-kee)

CNU(Shin-U, it's a stage name for Shinwoo, but it's Shin-U)

Sandeul(san-dool)

Gongchan(Gong-chahn)

Zico(zee-kho)

Hyuna(Hyuu-na)

Hyoyeon(Hyo-yuhn)

Here are what IIII think they sound like too... XD

Yoseob: Yo(yoyo) Sob(like crying)

Myungsoo: Myung(Idk lol) Soo(like in Suit)

Taemin: Tae(like Taeyeon lol) Min(like minute or Kang Minhyuk keke ♥)

Jonghyun: Jong(like sONG) Hyun(idk)

Jonghyun: same as above lol

Takuya: I don't even know o.O

Luhan: Loo(like in Lose) Han(Like the Han river lol.or like in Hand)

Baekhyun: Beck(like Peck or Neck) Hyun(still idk.)

Chanyeol: Chan(Jackie Chan :D) Yee(Like in Yesung) Ol(like in Old)

Tao: Tow(like in Tower)

Xiah: I have no idea either o.O

Mir: Mer(like in Mermaid) or Mir(like Mere)

Jeongmin: Ya I still don't know...

Youngmin: Young(opposite of old) Min(Kang Minhyuk again lol ♥)

Kwangmin: Kwuh + Ang(Kwang) Min(Kang Minhyuk XD)

Minwoo: Min(you know what i was gonna say XD) Woo (like Kevin Woo)

Hongki: Hong(like Hong Kong) Ki(like in Kibum)

CNU: C N U or C N you or C N oo

Sandeul: Sand/San + Dal/Dul/Dol

Gongchan: Simple as that, gongchan. Gong + Chan(Jackie Chan)

Zico: Seriously how do you not know these... o.O Zi/Z + Co/Ko

Hyuna: Hi-Yun-Ah

Hyoyeon: Hi-O-Yi-On

...

Beast/B2ST

Yoseob - Yo, Sobe (As in sober)

Infinite:

Myungsoo - Myung ( But a my sound in from of yung [yung like dung]) Soo - Like Soo in soot.

SHINee:

Taemin - Tae [Tay (pay)] Min {MINute}

Jonghyun - Jong (like gong) hyun (like hun)

Cn Blue:

Jonghyun, Yes it is the same xD

Cross Gene:

Takuya - Tai - Kui - Ya

EXO

Lu Han - Correct

Baekhyun - Like Bacon, with a khy sound

Chanyeol - Chan ( Ch- Ahn (like un in sun) Yeol (Yuh-ol)

Tao - Corect

TVXQ/DBSK/JYJ

Xiah - Zy - (like Zi on) Ah - uh

MBLAQ:

Mir - Correct

Boyfriend:

Jeongmin- Like Jong- Then Min ( fin)

Youngmin- young min (like fin)

Kwangmin - Kwang (kw- ang [like han dynasty] min (like fin))

Minwoo- Min (like fin) Woo (like wooing someone)

FT. ISLAND:

Hongki - Yes it is correct

B1A4"

Cnu - Yes it is correct

Sandeul - San (like san in japanese) Deul - duel

Gongchan- Gong (like a gong) Chan (like chan in japanese)

BLOCK B :

Zico - Zee- ko (like the ck in track, then o in so)

4MINUTE:

Hyuna- Hy- un (like sun)- Ah

SNSD:

Hyoyeon- (Hyo- Yun)

c:

Yoseob (Yo-sob)

Myungsoo (Mee-yuh-ng-soo)

Taemin (You have Taemin right)

Jonghyun (Jah-ng-hee-yuhn)

Takuya (I think he sounds Japanese so I'll guess: Tah-kew-yah)

Luhan (Lew-han like Han Solo)

Baehyun (sounds similar to bacon XD Bay-hee-yuhn)

Chanyeol (you have him right)

Tao (correct)

Xiah (I'm not good with Chinese so I'll say she-ah

Mir (correct)

Jeongmin (Jah-ng-men)

Youngmin (young men)

Kwangmin (kwah-ng-men)

Minwoo (men-woo)

Hongki (correct)

CNU (said like spelled. His real name is Shinwoo)

Sandeul (correct)

Gongchan (gah-ng-chan)

Zico (z-coh)

Hyuna (hee-yuhn-ah)

Hyoyeon (hee-yo-yohn)

When it comes to hee-yuhn's or hee-yo, you need to say it together quickly.

Note: (____)+(____) means you say them together.

For example, in Myungsoo, you put mee+yung together.

And assuming that you want the Korean version of all the names, such as Zico.

B2ST/BEAST:

Yoseob: yoh-seop

(The "p" actually sounds between a "b" and a "p". I've seen it spelled both ways so you can use either YOSEOB or YOSEOP. The Korean is the same for both pronunciations. And YO as in, "Yo! What's up?" Of course, without the extra "oh!" emphasis.)

INFINITE:

Myungsoo: mee-yung-soo

(SOO as in "sue")

(mee-yung as actually just MYUNG. MEE is pronounced like the English word, me)

SHINee:

Taemin: ta-eh-min/teh-min

(You might hear that idols will say AE's as "eh" because that's said quickly. The ta-eh is just each part of the Korean symbols.)

Jonghyun: johng-hyuhn

CNBLUE:

Jonghyun: johng-hyuhn

(Same as SHINee's Jonghyun)

CROSS GENE

Takuya: tah-koo-yah

(KOO as in "woo" with a K sound)

EXO M/EXO K:

Luhan: loo-hah+n

(LOO as in "woo" with an L sound)

Baekhyun: ba+ehyk-hyuhn

(Sounds like "bake" except with an "eh" added. BEHY-K much? Sometimes sounds like "ba+ehy-kyuhn")

Chanyeol: chahn-yeh+ohl

(OHL as in the word "ol")

Tao: tah-ow/tow

(Kind of like towel, except no "w" or "l". In Chinese, it's just like the English word "tow")

JYJ:

Xiah: she-yah

MBLAQ:

Mir: mi-loo

BOYFRIEND:

Jeongmin: juhng-meen

Youngmin: young-meen

(Yes, YOUNG)

Kwangmin: koo-ahng-meen

Minwoo: meen-oo

(The "w" isn't really pronounced)

FT ISLAND:

Hongki: hohng-ki

(KI can be GI too...same character for both sounds)

B1A4:

CNU: she-ehn-oo

Sandeul: sahn-duhl

(SAHN is like SAN in Japanese (i.e. Sandeul-san...although it's supposed to be kun))

(DUHL, sounding like the English word "dull")

Gongchan: gohng-chahn

Block B:

Zico: see-co

4minute:

HyunA: hee-yuhn-ah

SNSD:

Hyoyeon: hee+yoh-yeh+on

(ON as in the English word online)

I'll only correct the ones you got wrong:

-Myunsoo (M-yung-soo/su)

-Jonghyun (JOHNG-H-YUN)

-Baekhyun (BAE as in BAby-KH-YUN)

-Gonchan (GOHNG-CHAHN)

its not that hard >< would be easier if u learn hangul and read with korean letters!:)