%20Facts%20%E2%80%93%20EXO%E2%80%99s%20Dance%20Icon%20and%20Hidden%20Creative%20Force.jpg "Kai (Kim Jong-in) Facts – EXO’s Dance Icon and Hidden Creative Force")
The Real Founding Role on the Dance Stage
%20Facts%20%E2%80%93%20EXO%E2%80%99s%20Dance%20Icon%20and%20Hidden%20Creative%20Force.jpg "Kai (Kim Jong-in) Facts – EXO’s Dance Icon and Hidden Creative Force")
Kai is recognized as the person who laid the foundation for the group's choreography aesthetic, going far beyond his role as EXO's dance leader. During the rehearsal process for the performance of “Love Shot,” he reimagined several transition steps independently of the original choreography. This adjustment not only made the performance more fluid, but also increased the visual tempo on stage. This move was later made permanent by SM choreographers.
Body Memory and Camera Angle Synchronization
Kai's intuitive connection with the stage cameras while dancing caught the attention of many directors. During the filming of “Obsession,” he adjusted his position by millimeters according to the angles given by the directors, requiring almost no editing in post-production. This led camera operators to refer to him as the “dancer with live steadicam harmony.”
Real-Time Style Consultancy with Gucci
Kai's collaboration with Gucci was not just a brand ambassador agreement. In 2021, during the brand's digital collection presentations, Kai provided direct design consultancy, and two pieces were added to the runway based on his suggestions, as documented in Gucci's internal communications. Notably, the oversized bomber jacket featured in the “Kai Capsule Collection” was inspired by a garment from Kai's personal archive.
Art Collector Off Stage
The paintings in Kai's home are not just decorative elements. In 2022, it was revealed that he had specially commissioned two works by rising Japanese artist Yusuke Hanai at a contemporary art fair in South Korea. It is also known that he sends some of his drawings to artists and asks them for special versions. In this respect, he is also known as an art enthusiast independent of his idol identity.
He Even Incorporates Stage Fright into His Choreography
Kai has repeatedly mentioned that he experiences tremors before going on stage, but instead of suppressing this feeling, he incorporates it into his dance. It has been noticed that he consciously transforms the trembling of his left leg into a “shiver move” in his choreography and has done this several times in his “Tempo” performances. This micro gesture has been studied in detail by dance authorities in choreography analyses.
He Sends Secret Letters to Fans
A well-known tradition within the EXO-L community: Kai's Instagram posts sometimes contain coded messages. On one occasion, the first letters of the poetic text he shared spelled out the phrase “Thank you for waiting.” This message was shared shortly before he enlisted in the military and had a profound emotional impact on fans.
Cinema References in Solo Stage Designs
The red curtain backdrop and slow walking sequences used in Kai's “Peaches” stage design are a deliberate reference to Wong Kar-wai's film In the Mood for Love. This detail reveals that his performances aim not only at dance but also at cinematic storytelling. The production team later confirmed this reference.
Visual References in Music Recording
Kai uses visual images to capture the emotion of the notes during vocal recordings. One of the producers explained that during the recording of the song “Mmmh,” she had a small screen set up in the studio and played a short video showing the same scene with different lighting. This method ensured that the emotion remained constant, rather than fluctuating like a scene.
Secret Investment in His Education
Although Kai began his dance training before joining SM, his family established a special system to ensure he did not abandon his classical education. During his high school years, he started his day with a private literature lesson at 5 a.m. This educational approach is seen as the foundation for his poetic style of expression even today. In interviews, it is noted that this discipline lies behind his metaphorical descriptions of dance.
His Anatomical Obsession with Dance
When Kai thinks about dance technique, he analyzes not only movement but also human anatomy. It is known that he had cameras placed on the floor during rehearsals to observe knee angles and even consulted physiotherapists to determine whether certain movements were based on nerve reflexes. It was revealed that he used 3D scanning data while working on ankle flexibility.
Rejected and Revised His Own Costume Design
Before a stage performance in 2023, Kai directly intervened when the design proposed to him restricted his dance movements. He had the fabric of the costume, prepared by SM's design team, changed, the seams moved upward, and the shoulder width redrawn according to the dance angle. When the costume was finished, almost nothing remained of the original design. This intervention was a concrete example of his desire to maintain personal control over the stage aesthetic.
He Was the Only Dancer Who Cried on the Ballet Stage as a Child
Kai trained in classical ballet before taking up modern dance. When he appeared on the ballet stage at the age of 8, his face was filled with tears when the audience began to applaud. Although there is no recording of that moment, his teacher said years later in an interview, “When that child connected emotionally with the audience, he lost control. It was his curse and his gift.”
Consciously Restricting His Vocal Tone
Although Kai's vocal range is quite broad, his preference for staying in the lower register in his solo projects is not solely a matter of style. He has stated that he believes the higher frequencies of his voice “suppress the emotion from the dance.” For this reason, he consciously uses tonal narrowing in songs like “Peaches,” which sets his performances apart from other idol solos.
Adding a Warrior Rhythm to His Dance Performances
It is known that Kai shapes the rhythm of some of his solo dance choreographies not only from the music but also from the movements of battle scenes. In particular, the retreat-attack-landing sequence he used in his performance of “Rover” was a translation of the “run, watch, strike” strategy used in Asian martial arts into dance. This detail has been analyzed not only by dancers but also by stage movement choreographers.
Mental Rehearsal Techniques He Developed Himself
What sets Kai apart from other dancers is his mental rehearsals, which he does in addition to physical rehearsals. He uses the visual closure technique (closing his eyes and constructing the stage in his mind) by adapting it to different music genres. In some dance scenes, he completely turns off the music and moves solely to his internal rhythm. This technique gives his performances a timeless feel.
Secret Observer at Fashion Weeks
Kai's presence in the fashion world is not limited to the catwalk or campaigns. He is known to have attended several Paris Fashion Week shows he was not invited to, posing as a member of the audience. In 2019, a fashion blogger revealed that he had snuck into a show and taken notes, posing as a fashion reporter. This move has made him not just a figurehead, but also an observer and analyst of fashion.
Served as a Special Forces Instructor
Kai's mandatory military service was quieter than expected, but there was a notable detail behind the scenes. After completing his basic training with exceptional discipline, he was temporarily assigned to teach physical coordination classes to new recruits as an instructor. According to military sources, Kai's dance-based body control was adapted for soldiers who had balance issues, especially when shooting. Although this was a temporary assignment, it proved that he stood out for his physical discipline even in a military environment.
Consciously Remaining Invisible in Crowds
Kai has revealed that he deliberately uses a “technique of invisibility” in crowded places. He not only dresses casually but also consciously lowers his body posture to avoid attracting attention. This habit began after a public transportation crisis he experienced during his high school years. That day, he was deeply affected by seeing a woman faint due to the crowd that had gathered because he was recognized, and he developed a reflex to reduce his presence in public spaces.
His Pet Monggu, a Tool for Psychological Balance
Kai's poodle Monggu is not just a pet, but also serves as a tool for mental balance. Kai has explained that when he goes for walks with Monggu during stressful periods, he mentally resets all his plans, and these walks serve as a form of meditation for him. Interestingly, Kai makes sure to go on these walks at least twice a day, even during his busy schedule. According to those around him, this is part of his obsession with maintaining his routine.
Obsession with Controlling His Smile
Although there have been countless comments about Kai not smiling on stage, this is not an image choice but rather based on his urge for control. Uncomfortable with the appearance of his gums when he smiles, Kai has spent years doing facial exercises with small mirrors to control his facial muscles. For this reason, rather than smiling on stage, raising his eyebrows or squinting his eyes are his preferred ways of expressing his emotions.
Memory for Micro Details in Fan Interactions
Kai displays an unusual capacity for memory when interacting with fans one-on-one. An incident where he recited a poem word for word from a card a fan had given him at a birthday event a year earlier, causing the fan to break down in tears, went viral on social media. Kai later explained, “Sometimes I make eye contact with someone on stage, and an image from years ago comes to mind,” indicating that this memory is not conscious but linked to emotional traces.
He Creates a Silent Script for Fashion Magazine Shoots
While photo shoots are just about posing in front of the camera for many idols, Kai transforms the process into a completely cinematic story. Before each shoot, he creates a “silent character” in his mind and builds the entire pose according to that character's emotions. During a Vogue shoot, he said, “I feel like a character from an abandoned novel right now,” and the photographer completely changed the shooting plan.
Racing Against Time in Dance Rehearsals
Kai works obsessively on not just the movements but also the timing during dance rehearsals. He uses a special timer that records how many milliseconds after the music starts he begins a choreography set. SM trainers describe this method as “an attempt to establish a new time discipline between movement and music.” Behind Kai's perfect synchronization lies this habit of managing time down to the millisecond.
Consciously Connecting with Solitude
Kai's occasional decision to completely disconnect from his social circle and spend several days alone is not a mental breakdown but a conscious technique. He describes this state as an “emotional reset.” During these periods, he turns off his phone, deletes social media apps, and listens to analog music to consciously connect with the feeling of emptiness. These choices to be alone are described as a ritual to reignite his creativity.
The Moment He Chose Dance as a Child Is Hidden in a Commercial
Kai's introduction to dance was not a coincidence but a visual impact. As a child, he watched a ballet commercial and tried to imitate the moment when the male dancer floated in the air for a few seconds. When his family noticed him repeatedly performing these movements, they enrolled him in dance classes. Although the commercial has been lost, Kai says he can still vividly remember that first scene.
He tore up his own choreography at the SM auditions
On the day of the SM auditions, Kai changed the dance choreography he had prepared in advance at the last minute. He tore up the paper he had prepared before entering the studio and went in with an improvised dance. This decision was risky, but SM officials appreciated his stage energy and intuitive approach over memorization. This improvisation led him to become one of the rare names in SM history to “enter the auditions unprepared and secure a permanent spot.”
Quietly Taking Charge of Crisis Management Behind the Scenes
Kai notably takes ownership of mistakes made by team members during stage performances. During a live performance in 2020, when one of the dancers nearly fell, Kai changed his position to prevent the camera from capturing the error. This move went unnoticed on stage, but was revealed in behind-the-scenes footage. The director later said, “He was the only one who took control at that moment, but no one noticed.”
The Silent Founder of SM Concept Meetings
Kai's influence within SM is not limited to being an artist. He is known to quietly take notes during creative meetings held before each album and make decisive interventions with just two or three sentences. The idea for the masked aspect of the “Obsession” album first emerged from a half-face figure Kai drew in his notebook. The SM design team adopted this sketch as the starting point for the album's theme.
Emotional Connection with Stage Accessories
For Kai, stage accessories are not just costumes, but tools for establishing an emotional connection. The chained gloves he wears in his “Rover” performances represent the only pair of leather gloves his mother bought him as a child. Kai references this object by placing his hand over his heart on stage. Similarly, the beaded bracelet he wears in his “Peaches” performance was specially made, inspired by Monggu's collar.
He Has a Habit of Talking to His Shoes Backstage
One of Kai's strangest habits backstage after rehearsals or before live performances is to line up his shoes on the floor and stare at them silently for a few seconds. One of the stylists who first noticed this said that he does this little ritual before every performance to remind himself that “dance begins with the feet.” This habit shows that Kai has an almost animistic relationship with his body.
He Only Experiences Emotional Outbursts at the End of His Dances
No matter how powerful Kai appears on stage, he insists on spending a few minutes alone backstage after the performance ends. He has been seen with teary eyes or trembling on numerous occasions during this time. Especially during solo scenes, this “release process” is the only moment when he lets go of his emotional burden. While on stage, he is completely focused on control; he only “breaks down” backstage.