#heuka

When we speak of Huening Kai we talk about how he’s the sunshine, the angel, the beloved maknae. His zany sense sense of humor, his bright energy, how he heals the members the members with his care. People might talk about his drive and his resilience, how he takes the lead when the rest falls apart.

But that’s all Huening Kai the public figure. What about Huening Kai the idol, the performer? I think his talents as a performer are among the most overlooked among the boys.

In my head, Huening Kai is one of the most integral pillars to txt. He is what makes txt, txt. This group’s concept doesnt work without him. The concept of this group is very clear. You think “txt”, you close your eyes, you clearly see something. And whatever you saw, Huening embodies it. With “youth” as its forefront, HK has that visual of an eternal youth. He looks like a innocent teen boy and a dashing fantasy prince at the same time, blurring the lines of time and reality (two very big points of the concept). The image of innocence, of purity. You see the Crown video? Heuning Kai in that pink sweater? Take that out, and you’d have to cancel the whole video.

In the .mp3s, he embodies this concept with his voice. His biggest contribution to this group is with his vocal work. There are stronger vocalists in this group, but its about the character in his voice, the color. Its so distinct and so txt. Think about any chorus of any title track. The soaring melody of dreams and heartache and emotion. Who sang it? Probably Huening. His voice is so warm and so comforting. I feel like living in his voice, and falling asleep in it.

I dont understand dance enough to judge it. But im talking about his stage presence, his energy on stage. Again, there might be better performers, but the character of his stage is unique to him. He consistency applies energy to his dancing, he is completely engaged, his expressions are so expressive. He breathes life into the entire performance. This is why i think we tend to overlook it. He is reliable. The fact that he will give his 100 is a given.

Another thing i love about him is how he transforms with concepts. He cant be beat with bright concepts, but what happens with the darker colors of today’s txt? He can show his teeth, but there is also the shadow of the innocent boy that once was, caught in the war, that still could be saved. In Puma he is the cub that looks at the moon and misses his mother. In Chaos Chapter he is the Snow Prince, frozen under a sheet of apathy. In GBGB he is the fragile lover shattered by rage. In Name Chapter he is the sunkissed child under the daze of the Devil’s enchantment.

I think the common thread in all the points i mentioned is acting. He is a great actor, through his craft. He becomes the vessel for the story, and does it so effortlessly that he becomes faceless in the process.