Many K-Pop trainees gain stage experience by performing as back-up dancers before debuting. Usually, before debuting, companies will let their trainees appear in MVs or stages of other famous idols to attract the public's attention.

Before becoming famous artists, BTS also appeared in a similar way. Several members appeared in MVs as back-up dancers for 2AM's Jo Kwon and BIGHIT MUSIC's first girl group, GLAM, prior to their debut.

Later, when BTS debuted and became famous, there were a number of back-up dancers who assisted them in their performances and interestingly they later became idols as well. Here are more than 10 of BTS's former backup dancers who have gone on to pursue careers as idols.

1. R1AN

R1AN, a singer under Lo-Fi Kids, debuted in 2020 with his song “에베베 (Eh bebe).” He also appeared on the survival program Boys24. 

He danced alongside BTS in one of their most ambitious and legendary trailers to date, Intro Performance.

2. Sihoo (MustB) 

In 2019, Sihoo debuted under MUSTM Entertainment in MustB. Before debuting as an idol, he was a dancer for 1Million Studio and he danced with BTS for their 2018 chart-topping single, “Idol.” That offer has enabled Sihoo to perform on weekly music shows including M Countdown, Music Bank, Show! Music Core, Inkigayo, as well as the Soribada Best K-Music Awards 2018.

In a recent interview with Sports Today, Sihoo (MustB) shared, "The dance choreographer for BTS sunbaenim used to be a choreographer for my old company. He asked me if I could help BTS by becoming a backup dancer for the song 'IDOL'".

That's when he got back to his own dream. Member of MustB confided, "I was about to become a professional K-Pop idol and trained under an entertainment agency, but it didn't go well. So I left the company. Time stopped practicing, I gained a lot of weight. Thanks to the opportunity from BTS sunbaenim, I was able to perform on big stages. It was the cheers of the audience as well as the aura of their stage that touched my heart. I realized that I wanted to start over again. I wanted to debut as an idol."

3. Junhyoung (F.ABLE)

In 2020, Junhyoung debuted in F.ABLE (previously called ENERFIVE), under Haeirum Entertainment. During the year leading up to his debut, he danced with BTS at the 2019 Melon Music Awards and with GOT7 at the KBS Song Festival.

4. JJ (DUSTIN)

As a trainee, JJ worked as a backup dancer for BTS between 2017 and 2018. He went on to debut in 2020 as a member of the LPA Entertainment group DUSTIN in 2020. He left the group in 2021.

5. Lee Know (Stray Kids)

Perhaps many people are no longer unfamiliar with an interesting fact about Lee Know. Specifically, Stray Kids' handsome main dancer used to be a backup dancer for BTS in the past. Lee Know also spoke up to confirm this story and said that she used to be a dancer for BTS before debuting at JYP.

Specifically, during his guest appearance on the show 'TMI News' in October 2019, Lee Know shared about his memorable experience working with BTS. He recounted, "I started backing up for BTS in the song 'Fire'. Then I continued on 'Not Today' and 'Spring Day'. I've also performed with the group on tours a few times.'

'Fire' is a song released in May 2016 while 'Not Today' and 'Spring Day' came out in 2017. Time later, Lee Know was no longer a backup dancer for BTS when he officially debuted with Stray Kids - JYP's new boy group on March 25, 2018.

Also on this show, Lee Know was asked if he was close or known to the BTS members. The male idol said that the members recognized him, "We met j-hope sunbaenim during a filming at a TV station. He saw me and said: 'Oh, you're Lee Know right?"

However, Lee Know was also involved in a scandal that allegedly used reputation as BTS's back-up dancer to date girls. The alleged post even reached the top hit topic on the Korean popular community.

6. Yunsol (NIK)

In 2021, this former Produce X 101 contestant officially made his idol debut as a member of NIK, a Japanese-Korean boy group formed through the global Idol project G-EGG. He has worked as a backup dancer for BTS, but also for HOTSHOT.

7. Kain (ARGON)

In 2019, Kain debuted under MSH Entertainment as a member of ARGON. Sadly, due to inactivity, the group is said to have disbanded at the end of 2020.

However, previously in an interview when he was active with the group, the male idol shared that BTS's hard work made him motivated to practice and debut as an idol. Kain shared, "I worked with BigHit for 3 years as a dancer for BTS sunbaenim. I watched them practice 16 hours a day. Even though they're at the top, they always try their best. That's what we need to learn."

If you've seen performances during BTS' WINGS tour, you may have seen Kain's silhouette in them. He worked with BTS during those years.

8. Jewon (NINE.i)

This former Produce X 101 contestant debuted in NINE.i, a boy group under FirstOne Entertainment in 2022. He can be seen dancing with BTS to “Idol” in many stages those years before. 

9. Yonghyun (BOYS24)

Yonghyun was a member of Unit Black, a survival show unit within the pre-debut group BOYS24. Unit Black debuted in 2017with the album Steal Your Heart. He ever appeared in BTS’s Intro Performance trailer.

10. Rayoon (MVP)

In 2017, Rayoon debuted in MVP under PH Entertainment as the group’s rapper and main dancer. Before this, he worked as a backup dancer for BTS and Unicorn.

11. Taeeun (The Vish)

Taeeun debuted in The Vish during the summer of 2022 with the single “Magnolia.“ He previously debuted as a soloist in 2020 under VNVE. Taeeun talked about his past experience as BTS’s backup dancer during episode 11 of The Unit.