TVXQ Members Discuss Changing Their “Embarrassing” Stage Names

TVXQ members Changmin and Yunho revealed their honest thoughts about keeping their stage names despite being slightly embarrassed by them.

On December 19, TVXQ’s Changmin and Yunho appeared as guests on the YouTube channel VIVO TV for an interview led by entertainer Song Eun Yi.

All five of the original TVXQ members had four-character names. Changmin was given the name 최강창민 (pronounced Choekang Changmin) or Max Changmin, and Yunho was 유노윤호 or U-Know Yunho.

During the interview, the two stars did a balance game. For one of the questions, they were asked if they would choose these stage names if they could debut again, or if they would choose their real name.

Both Yunho and Changmin said they would choose to use their stage names, but Changmin’s reason made everyone laugh.

Because I made a lot of money with that name…

— Changmin

Yunho explained why he would choose his stage name as well.

That name has built up so many memories and such, so I don’t think I could abandon the name ‘U-Know Yunho.’

— Yunho

Changmin admitted that there were times when he was embarrassed by his name. He claimed that whereas Yunho’s four-character name sounds like “Yunho” two times, his name sounded too grand “like an adjective for a baseball team.”

There are still times when I’m slightly embarrassed of my name, but still, it’s a name that I have love for, so how could I [abandon it]?

— Changmin

TVXQ debuted in 2003 under SM Entertainment with five members: Hero Jaejoong, U-Know Yunho, Micky Yoochun, Xiah Junsu, and Max Changmin. They were one of the biggest male idol groups throughout the 2000s with hits like “Hug,” “The Way U R,” “Rising Sun,” “Mirotic,” and more.

In 2010, Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu left the group after a lawsuit for unfair treatment and formed a trio called JYJ while Changmin and Yunho remained in TVXQ.