A distinctive and striking idol that has paved the way for many, EXO Kai is an irreplaceable asset in K-Pop. Not only does he possess uniqueness, nerve and talent, he also makes full use of his skills to heighten the impact of his artistry. Kai is also a trendsetter through his authentic dance performances that seem to consume us with satisfaction and adoration for him.

To summarise his artistry or genre in one sentence would be a futile deliverance. Making his debut in 2012 as a member of the noteworthy and skilful EXO, Kai’s stage name was originally derived from the Mandarin word “开“, which can be roughly translated to “start” or “open“. The name proves to be extremely fitting in his circumstance, as EXO, indeed was the start of something great, and reign as one of the biggest and most capable boy groups in K-Pop.

As an individual, Kai was able to live up to his stage name. Known as the centre of his group, Kai was given opportunities to be the opening act for many EXO performances, and always executed his role as the centre marvellously.

Due to his immense ability and expertise, his journey as a soloist will soon begin, allowing for a new era to open up. Debuting with a mini album, KAI The 1st Mini Album [KAI (开)] is slated to be released on November 30. High anticipation from both EXO-Ls and K-Pop fans have generated much buzz and excitement prior to his debut as a solo artist.

1. Getting Addicted To Deep Breath

To those who became EXO-Ls in EXO’s early years as a group, Deep Breath is a performance that you’re probably familiar with.

Deep Breath is one of Kai’s earlier solo stages, and this is the first time we see him dabbling with the lunatic, obsessive concept, that will become a recurring theme in his later solo stages. Although the backdrop of Kai’s solo stage is initially laced with a mere narration of his addiction towards the love of his life, his hand movements and intricate actions relay his “secrets” in the form of a Pandora’s box. Layer by layer, he slowly influences his object of interest to form an obsession towards him.

This is definitely more than just marginal — his dance performance is excellent, but in everything that Kai does, you can see his determination and effort in relaying a story. In this specific circumstance, Kai’s role as an obsessive, maniac lover is displayed in its full form.

After watching this performance, many have become successfully addicted to Kai. Perhaps, the narration of his story isn’t just a tale, but a meta narrative that happens to all who watches this performance. Something to think about!

2. Searching The Lost Soul in I See You

To be extremely honest, I have to admit that I See You is my personal favourite out of all of Kai’s original solo performances. There is an element of mysteriousness that he portrays here — his eagerness to run away from the omnipresent figure that he is struggling to “unsee” keeps him hallucinated and possessed. And yet, this form of possession is vigorously and dynamically elaborated through the fluidity of his dance moves with an exquisite incorporation of both contemporary and ballet moves.

Now that we have mentioned his dance, can we focus on his vocals on the track? Gosh, I’m not sure if I have the adjectives to describe how smooth yet crisp he sounds, with a sense of assertiveness and dominance in its representation. His flair for singing is best showcased in this song, with great usage of both his head voice and falsettos. He can serenade me any day.

Aside from being basically perfect at his craft, the entire aesthetics of I See You is pleasing to both the ears and the eyes, as we gain insight to a climax near the end of the solo, where the increasingly fast paced beats of the song ultimately allows him to become conscious and aware of his hallucination.

In the original solo performed at EXO Planet #4 – The Elyxion, Kai enters a door, a gateway, into the unknown. An invigorating performance that tells a narrative through lyrics, dance, and facial expressions, no one can pull off I See You like Kim Kai does.

And that is why, all I See is You, Kai.

3. Becoming The Nation’s Pick at PyeongChang 2018

The term “Nation’s Pick” was popularised after EXO’s performance at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics Games, where they were chosen as one of the only two acts to be given the opportunity to showcase their performances on the worldwide stage.

Opening the performance with a solo, Kai dances to the beats of a Korean cymbal. His moves unravel as each note rings into the air, and the entire stadium is captivated by his agile and graceful movements. Korean folk music is then added to the list of genres that Kai can dance to, and this ever-growing list showcases his versatility as an artist — an individual that is one with the music and has the rare ability of creating art with carefully planned movements.

The star later revealed that he was injured and was suffering from plantar fasciitis (a type of heel pain) before the performance, and could not walk properly that day. However, he felt a sense of achievement after performing the solo, and he relished in relief and satisfaction. He even calls this stage one that he will “remember for life”.

After reading his anecdote, I can only come to the conclusion that his hard work and dedication towards his artistry is what brought him here today. Not to discount his immense talent that is exemplified in every performance, but my admiration for his perseverance and consistency in all that he does just skyrocketed through the roof after this performance.

After all, no one could tell that Kai was injured during the performance, and he did not allow his injury to serve as his Achilles’ heel.

4. Shooting Hearts with Love Shot

Known as one of EXO Kai’s most iconic and legendary solos ever, the exquisite and noteworthy Kim Kai shook up the SBS 2018 Gayo Daejun with a splendid twist on the sexy and elusive Love Shot, performing a short, yet powerful dance solo that no one would dare recreate (because let’s be honest, no one can do Love Shot like Kai does).

Donned in an unbuttoned black blazer with his full chest on display, Kai commanded the stage with his Love Shot dance solo that made him the talk of the town and main character of the whole music show (mind you, we’re talking about 10-20 other groups who performed on the same day). Trending worldwide on Twitter within minutes of his performance, his solo gained recognition for its seductiveness and evident talent that Kai possesses.

To truly understand the essence of his artistry, one must watch the video to understand why EXO-Ls, or more so, the entire K-Pop fandom were blown away by his performance.

5. Illustrating his Artistry in Advertisements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T8ziwXO37k&ab_channel=HyundaiWorldwide

Opening the car door and breaking out in song is the most Kai thing I can think of. Although the track is of typical hip-hop genre, he is still able to command the stage and own his moves with force and competence.

Other than his dancing skills and stage presence, Kai has built up quite an expansive and impressive portfolio, having garnered collaborations with many big brands belonging to fashion, cosmetics and even car industries! While doing so, he has always managed to return to his artistic roots by integrating his dancing skills in promotion videos. This is not his first stint — he has done so for renown brands such as GUCCI and LEVI’s before.

Although this whole article sounds like an essay meant to glorify Kai, we need to give credit when credits’ due, especially when it comes to an all-encompassing artist that has innate stupendous talent accompanied with extreme levels of dedication and perseverance. This man can single-handedly dance for a mere 30 seconds, yet make it look like a show-stopping production.

Although it is said that Kai’s debut song will be an R&B tune, it is hard to predict the dance genre that comes along with it. For all we know, Kai might actually put his spin on ballet as a dance accompaniment to his solo debut track, and even if he did, he would be the only K-Pop artist capable of aceing such a concept.

Kai is truly a one-of-a-kind K-Pop artist, and will continue to pave the way for many others.

Share with us your favourite stage performance by Kai!

Stay connected with EXO and KAI:

EXO Twitter | EXO Instagram | KAI Instagram | EXO YouTube Channel

Written by: Evi and Winnie
Image by: Agnes

Established in 2011, The Seoul Story is a Southeast Asia-based Korean Events, Entertainment & Lifestyle News Site On The Go

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