
K-Netizens Choose Foreign K-Pop Idols Who Speak Korean Fluently Like Locals
Korean netizens recently sparked a lively debate online about which foreign K-pop idols speak Korean most fluently—enough to sound like natives. A popular post on the community site Instiz asked, “Is there a foreign member who speaks Korean like a native?” It made it clear to exclude anyone who is half-Korean or Korean by immigrant background, focusing wholly on non-Korean idols who’ve mastered the language perfectly.
The responses flooded in, naming idols known for their excellent Korean skills. Among the top picks were Sana from TWICE (Japan), Renjun from NCT (China), Minnie (Thailand) and Yuqi (China) from (G)I-DLE, Shotaro from RIIZE (Japan), Haruto from TREASURE (Japan), Lisa from BLACKPINK (Thailand), and Ni-Ki from ENHYPEN. A lot of fans and netizens especially pointed to Yuqi, praising her as sounding almost indistinguishable from a native Korean speaker. Many mentioned her fluency and natural expressions set her apart.
One interesting surprise was how many were unaware that TREASURE’s Haruto isn’t Korean, thanks to his flawless pronunciation and natural tone. Some commented they even thought he was from a specific Korean region because his Korean sounded so warm and local.
Users shared a range of opinions, with some expressing that while many idols speak well, very few hit true native-level fluency. Here’s what they had to say:
"Sana."
"Yuqi, Minnie. Yuqi really has the Korean vibes."
"Honestly, I don’t think anyone is that fluent."
"Shotaro and Haruto. Haruto saying ‘Nihonjin da yo (I’m Japanese)’ was hilarious."
"Yuqi."
"Yuqi even understands the subtle underlying tones of the conversation."
"I’m a fan of another group, but I agree about Yuqi. She seems to be good at other foreign languages too."
"Lisa."
"Sana and Yuqi."
"Sana and Yuqi? Sana even has pretty Korean handwriting."
"I honestly thought Haruto wasn’t just Korean, but specifically from the Jeolla region. His tone is so warm and local."
"With other idols, even when they speak well, it’s like, ‘Wow, they speak really good Korean!’ But with Haruto, I didn’t even think that. I just assumed he was Korean."
"Renjun. He’s been speaking Korean since he was little, so he’s basically native."
"Shotaro."
"Niki (ENHYPEN) speaks really well."
"Niki even has a native-like intonation."
"Renjun’s pronunciation is so Korean-like, LOL."
"Moka from ILLIT is actually pretty good."
"Mashiro from Kep1er, Haruto, and Yuqi."
"Sana."
"Some of the idols mentioned here still have strong accents, don’t they? But wow, I looked up Haruto, and he’s really good."
"Yuqi, Sana."
"Renjun from NCT Dream…?"
"TREASURE’s Haruto!!!!! Also Ningning."
"Every time I see Haruto retweeting in Korean, I feel like he speaks Korean better than me. It’s hilarious."
"I didn’t think anyone qualified, but yeah, I agree with Haruto. Sana comes to mind. Her handwriting is better than most Koreans’. I was shocked when I saw a poem she wrote. Haruto is seriously legendary. It’s honestly amazing that he’s not Korean. I was even more shocked after watching video clips."
To see these idols in action, here are some videos highlighting their Korean speaking skills:
Lisa
Sana
Renjun
Ningning
Shotaro
Yuqi
Haruto
The debate continues, and it’s clear that amongst foreign K-pop idols, there are several who impress fans and Koreans alike with their Korean language skills. Obviously, the ability to speak Korean well is a big plus in the industry, but mastering it completely like a native is still rare and highly admired.