A Look Back At The 13 Years SHINee’s Taemin Has Been Wrecking Us With His Iconic Visuals

Even a fashion icon has to start from somewhere.

SHINee‘s Taemin is one of K-Pop’s biggest fashion icons… but was he always that way? SHINee’s 13th anniversary has come and gone, so let’s look back at how he looked for the past 13 years!

1. 2008

Taemin starts, well, like any 13-year-old idol debut would… adorable, but also a little strange. Granted, in 2008, everyone loved bright colors, layers, and mismatched clothes, so we can forgive it. Also, he’s just cute.

Debut | SM Entertainment

2. 2009

This year brings more bright colors and strange styles` but this time with longer hair and curls! We have no clue what these glasses are made of, but they sure make a statement!

SHINee’s “Juliette” Promo Pictures | SM Entertainment

 

3. 2010

Here we get the all mighty long-haired Taemin! This hairstyle is a very popular one of his, but there’s one even more popular a few years from now! This year we’re moving away from bright colors and moving toward blacks and golds.

SHINee’s “Lucifer” era stage

 

4. 2011

We’re not quite sure why blond was the transition between the “Lucifer” era and “Sherlock” era, but he looks adorable!

ASEAN Unity Festival

5. 2012

Here we are, perhaps the most popular year of early Taemin. Fans adored his long hair and loved it even more when he would style it either in a half-up or a ponytail. This year also brought the infamous album photos of all the members shirtless. It was an odd choice, but it was certainly unforgettable!

SHINee’s “Sherlock” | SMTOWN/YouTube
SHINee’s “Sherlock” era
From Sherlock album | SM Entertainment

6. 2013

Here is where we can truly see Taemin and his stylist’s experimentation begin to form. There’s more color, slightly more accessories, and more patterns! That thread also almost looks neon! How’d they do it?

SHINee’s “Why So Serious?” era
2013 Melon Music Awards

7. 2014

This year, Taemin began his solo career! His “ACE” outfit gives off a sophisticated and sleek vibe that goes perfectly with his dance style.

From Taemin’s “ACE”

“Danger” is where Taemin’s style really begins advancing at a fast pace. He’s experimenting with darker concepts, more extreme accessories (such as giant necklaces and nose chains), as well as showing more skin.

From Taemin’s “Danger” | SMTOWN/YouTube
“Danger” era in Tokyo Dome
From Taemin’s “Danger” | SMTOWN/YouTube

8. 2015

SHINee’s Odd era was certainly a little odd, but it was also a straightforward summer style. For “View,” Taemin wears both bright and dull colors in more simple clothing like tank tops and button-ups.

SHINee’s Odd album teasers | @SHINee/Twitter
From SHINee’s “View” | SMTOWN/YouTube

In “Married to the Music,” he stays in a dull color with a simple suit but accessorizes with odd things such as playing cards and hands.

From SHINee’s “Married to the Music” promotions

9. 2016

This year, Taemin once again gives us a little extreme with a little plain. In “Sayonara Hitori” and its stages, he went for a dark, sleek look. The first look gives almost an anime feel to it, while the second looks like an elegant dancer.

Behind the scenes of “Sayonara Hitori”
From 2016 MAMA Awards

In “1 of 1,” SHINee goes retro and shows that these styles are truly timeless.

From SHINee’s “1 of 1” | SMTOWN/YouTube

10. 2017

“Move” is the era where Taemin convinced non-fans to join the most. Essays have been written about this era as he embraced a simplistic androgynous style with smooth moves.

From Taemin’s “Move” | SMTOWN/YouTube
From Taemin’s “Move” | SMTOWN/YouTube

11. 2018

The Story of Light had very colorful visuals. From blues, to purples, to oranges, this era was gorgeous from start to finish.

From SHINee’s “Good Evening” promotions | @SHINee/Twitter
From SHINee’s “I Want You” promotions | @SHINee/Twitter

12. 2019

Turning away from color, we’re back at sexy. We couldn’t be happier! The blue suit is one of the most iconic outfits that fans remember.

“Want” Teaser Photo | @SHINee/Twitter
Dream Concert
From SuperM’s “Jopping” | SMTOWN/YouTube

13. 2020

This era brings much of the darkness from “Want” and “Move” with a few nods to the past like “View” and “Everybody.”

From Taemin’s “Criminal”
From Taemin’s “2 KIDS” promotions | @SHINee/Twitter

Bonus: 2021

Taemin has truly grown into a fashion icon that inspires many to where what they want when they want. He broke the internet with this amazing outfit featuring “women”‘s clothes and struck all of us with his dark charisma.

From Taemin’s “Advice” | SMTOWN/YouTube 

SHINee