5 unexpected K-pop friendships that turned out to be iconic

In the sea of K-pop groups, one thing that always shocks fans is the number of unexpected K-pop friendships.

Popping up at music festivals, award shows, interviews, and off-camera interactions, the K-pop industry boasts a number of unexpected friendships that fans couldn't have seen coming. While it's quite surprising for them to see such interactions, fans are always rejoicing at the prospect of members coming together from different K-pop groups.

Every year, many idols reveal the sweet friendships they share with one another. With more interactions coming to light in the past few years, here's a short list of unexpected K-pop friendships that fans have witnessed, featuring BTS Jungkook, Stray Kids Felix, BLACKPINK Jennie, Red Velvet Irene, and many other popular faces in the K-pop industry.

5 unexpected K-pop friendships that threw fans into a frenzy

1) GOT 7 BamBam & Red Velvet Seulgi

The collaborators of the song, Who Are You, BamBam and Seulgi, belong to the group of unexpected K-pop friendships that dominated the internet. In December of last year, the two idols came together to work on a song, which was a part of BamBam's mini-album, B. Their mesmerizing vocals, along with the show-stopping music video, had fans going crazy over the duo.

As the two continued to appear on many radio interviews and variety shows for the promotions, fans rejoiced at the adorable friendship that grew between the two. While many friendships are often scrutinized in the industry, BamBam and Seulgi have a soft spot in their fans' hearts.

BamBam also later revealed that though he had several artists in mind to collaborate with for the song, meeting Seulgi during her radio show, Seulgi.zip, fixed his mind that she was the perfect artist for the track.

2) The '97 liners

One of the unexpected K-pop friendships that fans still can't wrap their heads around is the lineup of the '97 liners, which saw idols across many famous groups coming together. The huge squad of friends is one of the most famous and iconic friendships that's consistently been the talk of the town.

Bringing together BTS' Jungkook, Stray Kids' Bang Chan, SEVENTEEN's The8, Mingyu, and DK, ASTRO's Cha Eun Woo, NCT's Jaehyun, along with GOT 7's Yugeom and BamBam, the unexpected friendship between the idols delighted their fans.

While the groups' friendship has been going strong for years, the news of Bang Chan, Cha Eun Woo, and Jungkook sharing a meal together surpised many.

3) TXT Yeonjun and Soobin & Jessi

Another random interaction in the list of unexpected K-pop friendships is between the fourth-gen boy group, TXT, and the second-gen soloist, Jessi. During the simultaneous release of the songs of TXT's Good Boy Gone Bad and Jessi's ZOOM, the two artists came together for a classic TikTok challenge of each other's songs.

TXT and Jessi first met each other during Showterview with Jessi in August last year, and fans were witness to many iconic moments from the interview, given how well they clicked with each other. Following the interaction, the two are back to serve more content in 2022.

Soobin and Yeonjun from TXT cheerfully danced with Jessi for the two song challenges, showcasing the adorable bond that the three shared. If that wasn't enough to freak out fans, the three idols also shared cute selcas that fans couldn't stop talking about.

4) Stray Kids and NCT 127

Out of the many iconic interactions that the 2022 SBS Gayo Daejeon saw on December 24, the one between Stray Kids and NCT 127 was the highlight of the festival. While all the artists were on stage to wrap up the night, eagle-eyed fans found NCT 127 Yuta and Doyoung engaging in a casual conversation with Stray Kids Felix and Lee Know. Fans were pleasantly surprised to learn that the idols knew each other.

As the two groups passed each other on stage, Felix, without any hesitation, went in for a hug with Yuta, and Lee Know joined the two soon after. Later, Felix spotted Doyoung and also pulled him in for a hug as the two made small talk with each other.

While both Stray Kids and NCT 127 are from the fourth generation, there has been no mention of their interactions with each other before. As a result, for many, they really top the list of unexpected K-pop friendships.

5) BLACKPINK Jennie and Red Velvet Irene

To wrap up the list of unexpected K-pop friendships, BLACKPINK Jennie and Red Velvet are here to melt fans with the sweet bond that they share. Irene and Jennie are often brought up while talking about iconic friendships, and their unique bond has often been revealed in several instances.

Their sweet hug during the 8th Gaon Chart Music Awards, fight over who would pay the bill during their L.A. trip together, support for each other's solo careers, and their love for each other make their friendship truly iconic. Several interactions between Irene and Jennie proved their bond to be one of the best friendships in the K-pop industry, and fans continue to stand by this statement.

As the K-pop industry kickstarts its schedule for next year 2023, fans can't wait to witness more unexpected K-pop friendships.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Susrita Das