Skinship, otherwise called PDA, forms the crux of Kpop. It is no joke, everyone is aware of the tough regulations regarding dating that Korean popstars are supposed to bind themselves to, but this only adds to the bromance among idols within their individual groups, sometimes extending outside.
The word “shipping” is a common term thrown around on the internet these days, which generally implies two people from a musical, a TV show, or even imaginary figures from any source who might be in a relationship. These couples are then called ‘ships,’ and their fans want to see them ‘sail’ pointing to an endeavor.
Sometimes, it is entirely made up in fans’ heads because someone looks good together with someone else like Jaehyun and Rose, but in other cases, idols act so touchy with respective others that it makes fans rather suspicious regarding the rapport between the two.
Most bands have at least one ship within their band, like Directioners shipping Harry and Louis, since it is so well-liked. And given people like K-pop stars who look cute, hot, sexy, and otherworldly all at the same time, things happen without having to say anything. In no particular order, let’s go through our top 25 kpop ships of 2023.
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25. Eunhyuk & Donghae (Eunhae)
The pair have been together since Super Junior, the second-generation K-pop boy band from SM Entertainment, but not the together you are imagining.
In fact, during Taiwan’s Idols of Asia, when the duo was told that everyone in China ships them as a couple, there was an adverse response from them, also revealing that many fans have often asked them throughout their time as a group since 2005 if they have been in a romantic relationship.
This only goes to show the popularity of this “forever” ship Eunhae that has crossed the oceans of time. Even if they are not officially a thing, fans are still grateful for their loving friendship.
24. BamBam & Lisa (BamLi)
The ship met the other half when each joined We Za Cool, a dancing club for kids, and went on to become the sole Thai members of their K-pop bands, Got7 and Blackpink. Even though they were both 12 years old, BamBam would call Lisa his elder sister since he thought she was older due to her greater height.
Additionally, their families have been spotted socializing and rejoicing over their children’s accomplishments. BamBam stood up for Lisa and complimented her for her charming character after she was attacked for receiving racist remarks from haters. Is he her knight in shining armor?
23. Minho & Key (MinKey)
Even though they were meant to be enjoying time apart, these two SHINee members could not stay away. The band once took part in the entertainment program One Fine Day. The idea behind the series was that the participants might unwind at their own pace by selecting their separate holiday spots. Coincidentally, Key and Minho both decided to visit England.
Even in jest, Key advised the others not to go where he was going, but it was Key who accompanied Minho into the train while sitting close to him despite insisting that they must split. The two had been buddies since their days as trainees, and this is only one of the incidents that led to the revelation of their Cat-and-Mouse relationship.
22. Rose & Lisa (ChaeLisa)
Blackpink’s two youngest bandmates are great friends now, but it wasn’t always like that. Rosé, who debuted in BLACKPINK, had been merely a month older than Lisa, who herself had originally been revealed to be the group’s maknae. Rosé has also shown maknae Lisa her generosity by kindly shielding her from the masses at Incheon Airport on several occasions.
Additionally, others may have drawn this conclusion since Rose frequently supported the LGBTQ community by wearing special community clothing and watching LGBTQ programming. Nevertheless, everyone is cheering for the two to get along, whatever kind of connection they have, because of her endearing approach toward the youngster.
21. Kai & D.O. (Kaisoo)
Fans have even given the EXO members Kai and D.O. the nickname “KaiSoo” for their amazing relationship. Kai has been particular in emphasizing that Kyungsoo is the member of the band that his mother adores the most. The only person who chose Kai as the most attractive member of Exo on their radio debut was D.O., even though Kai is Kyungsoo’s dongsaeng, and he still has casual conversations with him.
Some fans think Krystal Jung and Kai never had a relationship and that their relationship was only a fabrication to keep Kaisoo’s secret from the public.
20. Yuta & Taeyong (YuTae)
While speaking with ELLE Japan, NCT members Yuta and Taeyong completed a relationship test and shared some information about how their endearing friendship began and what has made them the greatest of friends now. They discussed which of their traits worked best when used in moderation. Nevertheless, the friendship test did make it clear that their friendship had a rather erratic beginning.
Despite being happy to have a companion his age, Taeyong claims that their early friendship did involve quite a few arguments and practical jokes. One of those practical jokes entailed shutting off the boiler amid winter when Yuta was taking a shower. However, Taeyong has expressed his gratitude for Yuta’s support and vice versa earning the hearts of their fanbase.
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19. G-Dragon & T.O.P (GTOP)
G-Dragon reached out to his closest buddy, T.O.P., when YG Entertainment was looking for singers for a boy band, and we know the rest of the story. Even on stage, they genuinely appear to be brothers praising one another. BigBang has previously produced parodies of famous kdramas in which T.O.P hasn’t held back from kissing G-Dragon to declare his love for him.
G-Dragon and T.O.P exhibit chemistry even on reality entertainment talk shows like Happy Together by partnering to solve the questions. But when GD said that he would have gone out with T.O.P. without hesitation if he were a lady, everything spun out of control. What gives, then? Are they together?
18. Seulgi & Irene (Seulrene)
They have been friends for more than ten years, and they even formed their sub-unit duet, which debuted with the seductive song “Monster,” which rocked the K-pop scene. Irene continued by explaining how the sub-unit had improved her perception of her fellow member and best friend Seulgi.
While speaking with Allure Korea, Seulgi also spoke up about her temperament while marketing Red Velvet’s first subgroup. Their members also frequently make suggestions that something is happening between them, such as the time Wendy asked Seulgi to profess her love to Irene. Seulgi even overcame her aversion to linking arms since Irene enjoys it. It does not get any more romantic than that.
17. Chanyeol & Baekhyun (Chanbaek)
As a staunch ChanBaek supporter, I would no doubt agree that SM’s fabrication of the Baekhyun-Taeyeon dating scandal was done so to divert attention from the core issue. Nevertheless, it is during the Baekhyun’s Taeyeon relationship controversy, Chanyeol even uploaded a song with the lyrics “Love is a losing game,” which saseangs see as proof that the ship is genuine.
The fact that EXO may have the most of these explosive ships among its members does not make things any easier. The pair has also frequently been spotted sporting matching wristbands and clothes. They have been donning a pair of rings for a long time, and it is interesting that the two look the same you can see them both sporting them in the webtoon series “Exo Next Door.”
16. Moonbyul & Solar (MoonSun)
It’s well known that MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul and Solar are quite close to one another. In one of their telecasts, Solar even started referring to Moonbyul as ‘boyfriend.’ Additionally, they are getting ready to debut an album collectively. The eldest members of MAMAMOO have already discussed their early thoughts of one another. You wouldn’t guess from the way they communicate today that these two had a difficult beginning, but they did.
Maybe that’s what made their relationship stronger. Even the claim that RBW acknowledged Moonbyul and Solar’s relationship has surfaced. To further sustain the claim, a photo of Solar and her supposed lover, who later proved to be Moonbyul, appearing to be kissing one other, was circulated.
15. Mark & Haechan (MarkHyuck)
Over the many years that they have known one another, Mark and Haechan have developed a fascinating friendship. The two have grown closer as members of NCT Dream and 127, and they have faced many challenges together, including the recent hospitalization due to overwork.
Despite some difficult times, their bond has only gotten better with time. Mark made the humorous observation that of all the ships on this list, he got along with Haechan the least when they were still trainees. But as time goes on, we notice them spending a lot of time together, and their PDA is driving people crazy.
14. Sana & Mina (2Na)
When asked about her fondest summertime moments, Twice member Mina talked about traveling to Hawaii with her bandmates, particularly with Sana. Since they are both Japanese kpop stars, the pair also understand each other’s concerns, and according to their bandmates, they even have similar behaviors.
Sana adores skinship, but Mina does not share her love of it, so she creates special accommodations for her. The majority of fans believe that 2Na is the genuine deal and that the other Mina and Sana ships are phony.
13. Jun & The8 (JunHao)
It may be because they both have the same country as the last pair, but Seventeen members Jun and The8 are considered to be closest friends. The connection between the two is unmistakable. Because they were both outsiders in the group and sought solace in one another, Jun and The8 originally became close.
They are each other’s strongest supporters and a shoulder to cry on. They even test each other’s pick-up lines. Even on broadcast, Jun declared that The8 will always be his top pick. They were originally believed to be friendship objectives, but they are now relationship goals.
12. Jaehyun & Rose
The most intriguing thing about Jaehyun and Rosé is that their age gap is only three days. The spacecraft may have been the outcome of the extremely common stereotype of the tall and strong guy with the small and slender girl when netizens saw the two standing next to each other, but the ship took off without any fuel.
On July 12, 2020, BLACKPINK made an appearance on the most recent episode of Inkigayo to promote their brand-new song, “How You Like That.” Rosé stood to the left of Jaehyun, the show’s MC. The ship is still sailing as a result of that one contact.
11. G-Dragon & Dara (Daragon)
During one of his performances, G-Dragon shared a secret regarding his feelings toward Sandara Park, a labelmate at the time. Sandara attracted interest after internet users thought a celebrity acquaintance had commented on her Instagram post. Netizens couldn’t contain their enthusiasm when they read G-writing Dragon’s when they discovered the comment.
Since she always appears youthful, he has advised her to quit celebrating birthdays. But this is not the first time he has shown his feelings for her in such a direct manner. G-Dragon once addressed the audience and even stumbled badly as he admitted his feelings for Sandara. He admitted, blushing from ear to ear, that he thinks she is really attractive even though she is older. Isn’t it quite adorable?
10. Sowon & Eunha (Wonha)
Sowon and Eunha from GFriend have always been swamped by dating rumors. The rumors reached their peak when some anonymous account made a post saying that they even had a baby together.
Though brushed off for the joke, it was it left fans wanting more. While we will not be seeing as much of Wonha as we did before GFriend was disbanded, they still have been catching up with each other after going their separate ways. Let us hope for the best.
9. Yoohyeon & JiU (JiYoo)
While having similar features, according to many, the duo also has similar habits. It might be because they have been together for so many years, but this Dreamcatcher ship is really dreamy. They are constantly in sync with one another and do not leave each other’s side. Well, now, isn’t that romantic?
8. Yonghwa & Seohyun (YongSeo)
As an aspect of the MBC entertainment series We Got Married, CNBLUE’s Yonghwa and SNSD’s Seohyun were married virtually in 2010, and they have since been subjected to relentless shipping.
Despite their initial interactions being quite uncomfortable, Yonghwa and Seohyun—who went by the coupling names of “YongSeo” and “sweet potato pair”—soon developed a deep bond. So close that once WGM ended, Yonghwa confessed his love for Seohyun on another variety show called Strong Heart.
Even their effortless skinship and rapport were on show constantly in every program they were together in. Fans continue to hold out hope that they were in a real-life relationship at least once in all their interactions.
7. Sana & Tzuyu (SaTzu)
If the other Twice pair is incredibly similar to each other, this couple is polar opposites. While maknae rarely socializes and avoids PDA at all costs, fans found it very unusual how comfortable Tzuyu felt when Sana gently kissed her on her forehead on her birthday. The pair is like the sun and moon, with Tzuyu, who wakes up early at all costs, and Sana, who sleeps in late in the morning every time.
Furthermore, there have even been times when Tzuyu herself pulled Sana under her blanket to protect her unnie from getting cold. The reason why this is so strange is that it is completely out of her character. The things people do for love.
6. Eunwoo & Moonbin (Binwoo)
With this one, even Smoopi is on board. The Astro member Cha Eun Woo has been verified to be dating bandmate Moon Bin, according to a statement from the official channel. Fantagio is still verifying with its performers and has not yet made any formal remarks. The first large ship Aroha saw was Binwoo. When they first made their appearance, they were students and housemates.
Moonbin, who is mostly credited with helping Eunwoo come out of his shell, also just seems to appreciate Eunwoo to the fullest extent. And although Eunwoo is a hyung, he has always instructed Moonbin to address him casually. This most well-liked ship is still number one since it has always been quite strong against the trials Astro has gone through.
5. Lee Know & Jisung (Minsung)
Supporters of Stray Kids are well aware of Lee Know and Jisung’s intimate connection, which allows them to be completely authentic around one another. They have developed a one-in-a-million relationship by overcoming their strenuous pre-debut training regimens and having fun together at their concerts.
Jisung continues to grasp Lee Know’s palm when he is anxious, even after three years. Lee Know once gave Han chocolate intending to kiss his close buddy while doing so. Is he only a friend, or what?
4. Jinyoung & Jaebum (JJ)
Though the Got7 leader is currently said to be in a relationship, it does not stop Aghases from shipping Jinyoung and Jaebum together. This JJ Project duo have been friends and bandmates before Got7 was even a thing. Things get better with the vibes both give off.
On the one hand, we have bad boy JB, and on the other gentleman, Park Jinyoung. Fans have even gone to the lengths of getting their horoscopes verified to prove that they are compatible. Is it going to be a happily ever after?
3. Jungkook & IU
The army has already envisioned Jungkook from BTS and IU together, and they are the ship of the day. It is obvious that Kookie has been in love with the nation’s little sister since his debut days. While most were happy when the rumor of them dating went around, some hated the very notion of it, thus receiving both negative and positive press.
Though the couple has not officially dated, there have been rumors since 2011 that they have secretly got together. Though we might never know what is what, all we can do is wish Jungkook the best of luck.
2. Soojin & Shuhua (Sooshu)
Fans claim that if Shuhua had a dating rumor made up with Soojin, it would be created by Shuhua in a private account. The sweetest couple in the world may already be Shuhua and Soojin of GIDLE. More evidence is always helpful. Once Shuhua had to face the penalty of getting kissed by her teammates after she lost a game.
When Soojin kissed Shuhua, she nearly passed out. Even though Soojin was expelled due to suspicions of bullying, Shuhua frequently mentions her name and breaks down in tears, which to us, is the strongest proof of their everlasting friendship.
1. Taehyung & Jungkook (Taekook)
The silliest but also most loved pair in all of K-pop right now is V and Jungkook from BTS. They are better known by their ship name TaeKook. Fans claim that it all occurred as a result of their apparent clandestine love affair.
They regularly may be seen gripping hands and giving each other back hugs for no apparent reason. They can also be observed looking at other in the eyes or exchanging looks. In essence, they act like any other couple would act. Is there any need for more proof?
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