Taemin

About

Name origin

He performs under his birth name Taemin (태민, Lee Tae-min) — unlike many idols, he never adopted a separate stage name for his solo career.

Formation

Taemin debuted at age 14 as the main dancer and maknae of SHINee on May 25, 2008 with 'Replay' under SM Entertainment. He became the first SHINee member to go solo, debuting on August 18, 2014 with the mini album ACE and its title track 'Danger.' He later joined the supergroup SuperM (debut October 4, 2019). After 16 years with SM, he moved his solo activities to Big Planet Made Entertainment in April 2024, then ended that contract in February 2026 and signed with Galaxy Corporation (home to G-Dragon) on March 11, 2026. He continues SHINee group activities under SM Entertainment.

Why fans love them

Known as the 'IDOL'S IDOL,' Taemin is cited as a role model by BTS's Jimin, EXO's Kai, NCT's Mark and others. His 2017 hit 'Move' became iconic for its genderless choreography, and his catalog — 'Danger,' 'Want,' 'Criminal,' 'Guilty,' 'Advice' — defined a generation of male solo performance in K-pop. He performed at Coachella in April 2026 and is touring the 2026-27 WORLD TOUR <LiMiNaL>. His official solo fandom name is TAEMate (탬메이트), announced May 8, 2024.

Artist

TaeminLee Tae-minBorn 07-18-1993Seoul, South Korea

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)