[Weekly Idol] Infinite H

Last week saw the much-awaited return of Infinite H, the hip-hop duo and sub-unit of Infinite. This week they’re nabbing show awards as they continue promoting songs from mini-album Fly Again.

Infinite H are Hoya (Also known as Lee Howon, birth name Lee Hodong) and Jang Dongwoo, and they officially debuted as a sub-unit in January 2013 with the mini-album Fly High.

Dongwoo and Hoya are key rappers in Infinite’s songs, so their sub-unit style isn’t a world away from their main job, but the vocal speed and hip-hop dance moves are cranked up to the max. Hoya may have earned a rep as ‘the dance machine of Infinite’, but Jang Dongwoo can match him move for move; as many grainy pre-debut YouTube vids can attest, they were both dancers before they joined the K-pop world, so they share the stage spotlight equally. And the mic.

While their first Infinite album raps were written by Epik High’s Mithra Jin, both Hoya and Dongwoo have penned raps for all of Infinite’s other tracks. Hoya has been a guest rapper on other tracks such as Eric Nam’s Ooh Ooh and Henry Lau’s Need You Now; and Dongwoo has loaned his vocals to both Ailee and Baby Soul‘s live performances. Dongwoo also penned his own song entirely in English for a solo performance at Infinite’s summer concerts last year.

Currently the boys are promoting the track Pretty (check out our MV breakdown here) but if there ain’t controversy, it ain’t hip-hop: two of their new tracks Sorry I’m Busy and As Long As You’re Not Crazy have already been banned from air by KBS for their vulgar lyrics. The boys are pulling no punches with this round of promotional activity either; at a showcase last month they confessed they fought two or three years ago over ‘something petty,’ and Hoya has confessed he can’t really hold his booze.

Despite that tough hip-hop edge they’re developing, Inspirits know that deep down these guys are just utter sweethearts. Eternal ray of sunshine Dongwoo has appeared on a zillion reality TV shows with his equally cheerful mum, and Hoya played Joon Hee, a gay character in drama Reply 1997 – thus securing himself a spot in the hearts of many fanboys as well as fangirls.

Dancing, rapping, acting, writing and charming both sexes – best keep an eye on this duo, as they continue to soar over other sub-units on all fronts.

Recommended MVs:

Pretty – A pretty lady go to the slammer? Not if Hoya can help it.