DK (singer)

Lee Seok-min (born February 18, 1997), professionally known as Dokyeom or DK for short, is a South Korean singer. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is a member of the boy group Seventeen, and the leader of its subunit BSS.

Outside of his work within Seventeen and BSS, DK has released a number of OSTs which has been commercially successful in South Korea. In 2019 and 2021, he portrayed the role of King Arthur in the South Korean productions of Artus-Excalibur.

Early life
Lee Seok-min was born on February 18, 1997 in Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. He attended Seoul Broadcasting High School and graduated in 2016.

Name
DK is the shortened version of his Korean stage name Dokyeom. In Korean, Do refers to a path or road, while Kyeom   means "multitasker", together representing a goal to be a multi-talented person who can take on many paths.

2011-2014: Pre-debut
DK joined Pledis Entertainment in late 2011, having auditioned for the company after being inspired by South Korean singer Yoon Do-hyun's career. He auditioned with three songs: YB Band's "Peppermint Candy", 2AM's "This Song" and the Korean version of "This Is the Moment" from the musical Jekyll & Hyde.

In 2013, he began appearing in Seventeen TV, an online reality show that introduced Pledis' trainees and showed potential members of the boy group Seventeen before their official debut. The show was broadcast periodically on Ustream, where the trainees showed themselves training, singing, creating choreographies and playing games. The online show also included participation in concerts, titled Like Seventeen.

2015–present: Seventeen, BSS, and solo activities
In 2015, DK debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group Seventeen with the extended play 17 Carat on May 29. Since debuting, DK has participated in the songwriting of over 10 Seventeen songs.

In 2018, DK alongside Seventeen members Seungkwan and Hoshi formed the group's first official subunit, BSS or BooSeokSoon (부석순), a common nickname for the three members. The group released their debut single "Just Do It" on March 21. In 2023, after a five year hiatus, the group returned with the single album Second Wind and song "Fighting" which both met commercial success.

In February 2019, DK was cast in the lead role of King Arthur in a South Korean production of Artus-Excalibur titled Xcalibur at the Sejong Center. In anticipation for the role, he was featured on the cover of the performing arts magazine Scene Playbill. His performance received praise from critics and audiences, with Jang Woo-young of The Chosun Ilbo calling DK "amazing", with the musical "announc[ing] the birth of a new musical star." Frank Wildhorn, the original composer of the musical, also commended his talent. For the role, he was nominated for "Best Male Rookie" at the 4th Korea Musical Awards and the 2019 Stagetalk Audience Choice Awards.

In 2020, DK and bandmate Joshua collaborated with American musician Pink Sweats on a remix of his song "17".

In 2021 he reprised the role of King Arthur in the second run of Xcalibur, this time at the Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall in Seoul. He again was featured on the cover of a magazine in anticipation, this time for Theatre Plus' August 2021 issue. Despite opening during the Covid-19 pandemic, the second season of the musical was a success, with standing ovation at every performance and DK's performance was again commended. He concluded 2021 by releasing his first official solo single, a surprise song, titled "You're My Christmas".

On 18 February 2023, DK released a cover of Baekhyun's "Amusement Park" to commemorate his 25th birthday. In June, he shared another cover, of Yuuri's "Betelgeuse". In March 2024, he released a cover of Lucy's "Sequel". In June, he released a cover of Lauv's "Steal the Show" as a YouTube Music exclusive. In July, he released another cover of Day6's "Happy".

Voice
DK has been commended for his singing prowess, for his work in Seventeen and his work in musicals. In 2018, he was featured as one of the K-pop industry's "representative vocalists" by Dispatch Korea. In 2022, Newsen's Lee Seul-gi reported that he has been recognized for his vocal skills, with a wide range and rich volume. In reviewing Seventeen's Follow concert in Seoul, Abby Webster described his voice as a "warm lower register" for NME. After his appearance on King of Masked Singer, Park Hee-ah of Melon described his voice as having "solid vocalization, high range, and flexible rhythm."

Influences
DK has cited YB as being a major inspiration for his music career.

Fashion
In February 2023, DK attended Swiss luxury fashion house Bally's Fall/Winter show in Milan. In September, DK was officially announced as the fashion house's new global brand ambassador. He was then featured in W Korea's October issue to promote the brand with a pictorial. He attended the brand's Milan Fashion Week show for Fall/Winter 2024 in March 2024 and was again featured in W Korea.

In June 2023, DK made his first appearance on the cover of Japanese fashion magazine Men's Non-no, alongside Seventeen member Wonwoo. The pair would go on to be featured in other issues cataloguing their fashion.

Composition credits
All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association.