H.O.T.'s Kangta Jokingly Mentions Cha Eun-woo When Asked About 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Characters

Kangta, a member of the legendary K-pop group H.O.T., revealed his unexpected thoughts when asked about the 'Lion Boys' characters in the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' stating he initially thought of ASTRO's Cha Eun-woo.

H.O.T. recently appeared on JTBC's 'Newsroom' for their first full group broadcast in seven years. During the show, they reminisced about their early debut days, including their initial greeting of 'H.O.T.', which Moon Hee-joon explained was changed at the suggestion of SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man.

The members expressed surprise upon learning that the popular 'Lion Boys' characters in 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' were modeled after H.O.T. Tony An mentioned that he hadn't expected the director to reveal this and expressed a desire to meet them.

Kangta explained that he didn't realize they were the models until Jang Woo-hyuk pointed out that the characters' hairstyles and rebellious personalities seemed to resemble them, adding, "The main vocalist seems to be Kangta."

However, Kangta humorously confessed that before the director's statement, the first person he thought of as a potential model was Cha Eun-woo. This led anchor Ann Kyung-yee and the other H.O.T. members to tease him, asking, "Are you saying you resemble Cha Eun-woo?" Kangta repeatedly shook his head in denial, drawing laughter from everyone.

Fans are reacting with excitement, commenting, 'H.O.T. as inspiration for Lion Boys? That's legendary!' and 'The OG idols' influence is incredible.' Kangta's mention of Cha Eun-woo has sparked humorous online discussions, with netizens asking, 'Did Kangta think he looked like Cha Eun-woo?' and 'Summoning Cha Eun-woo out of nowhere is hilarious.' Many are expressing anticipation for H.O.T.'s future activities, with comments like 'Can't wait for H.O.T.'s full comeback!' and 'Looking forward to more great work.'