Twenty years, a run of sub-units and the longest-running concert series in K-pop. Here is what a new E.L.F. needs to know.
21years on 6 November 2026 · in 17 days
Quick answers
When did Super Junior debut?
On 6 November 2005, on SBS Inkigayo with "Twins (Knock Out)". The first album, SuperJunior05 (Twins), followed on 5 December 2005.
How many members does Super Junior have?
Nine: Leeteuk (leader), Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun. The group debuted with 12 members; Kyuhyun joined in 2006 as the 13th.
What is the Super Junior fandom called?
E.L.F., short for EverLasting Friends.
Why was the group first called Super Junior 05?
It started as a project group with rotating members. The 05 was dropped in 2006, when Kyuhyun joined and the line-up became permanent.
Is Super Junior still active?
Yes. The 20th anniversary album Super Junior25 came out in July 2025, and the Super Show 10 tour ran into April 2026.
The story so far
Debut on SBS Inkigayo with "Twins (Knock Out)", as the project group Super Junior 05.
Kyuhyun joins as the 13th member and the single "U" comes out. The group drops the 05.
The sub-unit Super Junior-T debuts on Inkigayo.
The first Super Show tour starts the group's long-running concert series.
Third album Sorry, Sorry: the title song becomes a hit across Asia.
Eunhyuk, Donghae and Kyuhyun leave SM for solo work but stay in the group; the other six renew.
Leeteuk, Shindong and Siwon form the trio Super Junior-L.S.S.
20th anniversary album Super Junior25, with their best first-week sales so far.
Super Show 10 opens with three nights at the KSPO Dome in Seoul.
Tour encore SJ-CORE in Seoul, three sold-out nights at the KSPO Dome.
Start with these 5 songs
UTheir first music show win, the year after debut.2006
Sorry, SorryThe hit that took the group across Asia and inspired countless dance covers.2009
Mr. SimpleA 2011 hit, back on the setlist at the 20th anniversary shows.2011
Black SuitA 2017 hit, also performed at the 20th anniversary shows.2017
Express ModeTitle track of the 20th anniversary album Super Junior25.2025
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In the Fan Chart
The Fan Chart on The Crowd adds up every fan's top 10. Here is where Super Junior stands.
Calls Super Junior the oldest active idol group and plans to continue for decades.
Heechul
김희철
Name
Kim Hee-chul
Born
10 July 1983
Rejoined the group's concerts for the 20th anniversary after years of limited stage work.
Yesung
김종운
Name
Kim Jong-woon
Born
24 August 1984
Celebrated his birthday on stage at the final Seoul night of Super Show 10.
Shindong
신동희
Name
Shin Dong-hee
Born
28 September 1985
Member of two sub-units: Super Junior-T (2007) and Super Junior-L.S.S. (2023).
Eunhyuk
이혁재
Name
Lee Hyuk-jae
Born
4 April 1986
Half of the duo Super Junior-D&E with Donghae, and an original Super Junior-T member.
Siwon
최시원
Name
Choi Si-won
Born
7 April 1986
Joined Leeteuk and Shindong in the trio Super Junior-L.S.S., formed in 2023.
Donghae
이동해
Name
Lee Dong-hae
Born
15 October 1986
Has worked as a solo artist outside SM since 2023, while staying in the group.
Ryeowook
김려욱
Name
Kim Ryeo-wook
Born
21 June 1987
Sings in the vocal trio Super Junior-K.R.Y., formed in 2006 with Yesung and Kyuhyun.
Kyuhyun
조규현
Name
Cho Kyu-hyun
Born
3 February 1988
Role
Youngest member
Joined in 2006 as the 13th member, the year after the group's debut.
2005-2009
SuperJunior05 (Twins)Album · title track "Twins (Knock Out)"
USingle · title track "U"
Don't DonAlbum · title track "Don't Don"
Sorry, SorryAlbum · title track "Sorry, Sorry"
2011-2015
Mr. SimpleAlbum · title track "Mr. Simple"
MamacitaAlbum · title track "Mamacita"
DevilSpecial album · title track "Devil"
2017-2022
PlayAlbum · title track "Black Suit"
The RenaissanceAlbum · title track "House Party"
The Road: Keep on GoingAlbum (Vol. 1) · title track "Mango"
20th anniversary
Super Junior25Album · title track "Express Mode"
Super Junior25 is their 12th studio album. Other studio albums: Bonamana (4th, May 2010), Sexy, Free & Single (6th, July 2012), Time_Slip (9th, October 2019) and The Road: Celebration (11th, Vol. 2, December 2022). Members also release music in sub-units such as K.R.Y., D&E and L.S.S.
Fandom nameE.L.F.
EverLasting Friends.
Lightstick
Official lightstick; its name is not confirmed in the sources we checked.
Official color
Sapphire blue, also used for the group's merchandise.
Debut anniversary
6 November
Debut stage
SBS Inkigayo, 6 November 2005, with "Twins (Knock Out)".
The name Super Junior
First Super Junior 05, a project group with rotating members; the 05 was dropped in 2006.
Watch first
SJ ReturnsOnlineTheir reality series, which reached a fourth season.
Super TVTVThe group's own reality show.
Super Show 10CinemaThe 20th anniversary concert, streamed in movie theaters worldwide.
Did you know
Founder Lee Soo-man first planned the group as a project act with 12 rotating members.
Within days of release, "U" reached 1.7 million downloads and SM's server reportedly crashed.
The Korea Times credits Super Junior's sub-unit model with shaping later SM groups such as EXO and NCT.
At the 20th anniversary shows the setlist reached back to songs from the 2005 debut album.
Rookie yearBest New Group of 2006, with five awards at the year-end ceremonies.
First music show win"U", 2006.
Sorry, SorryBest-selling album of 2009 in South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Super ShowSince 2008 more than 2 million fans, the longest-running concert brand in K-pop.
FranceThe first standalone concert in France by a Korean group.
Saudi ArabiaThe first standalone concert in Saudi Arabia by an Asian artist.
Latin AmericaThe largest Latin American tour by a Korean artist.
Taipei DomeThe first overseas group to perform at the venue.
Super Junior25309,959 copies in its first week, their best first-week sales.
Tours
Super ShowThe first tour in the series that reached its tenth edition in 2025.
Super Show 10Opened at the KSPO Dome in Seoul on 22 August 2025, then 16 cities in Asia and the Americas.
Super Show 10: SJ-CORE in SeoulEncore at the KSPO Dome, 3 to 5 April 2026.
Know your Super Junior?Six K-pop questions a day in the Daily, and a collectible card for every finished set.
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