Half-Mexican K-Pop Idol Goes Viral Over Demands To Change His “Stolen” Stage Name 

In May 2025, the finale of the SBS survival show B:MY BOYZ aired, introducing the final line-up of a new boy group, YUHZ.

YUHZ is an eight-member boy group under Pinnacle Entertainment, whose debut date has not officially been announced. Some of the members are familiar faces, including Hyo who appeared on Boys Planet and multiple members who appeared on Project 7.

YUHZ | Pinnacle Entertainment

The group has unexpectedly gone viral, centered around one member’s stage name.

Shimabara Kaito, a Japanese-Mexican trainee from Kanagawa, Japan, ranked fifth overall in the competition ensuring his debut.

| Pinnacle Entertainment

And while he has gained attention for being one of a few in the K-Pop industry of Mexican descent…

i introduce to yall my japanese-MEXICAN little cousin kaito or kai, he will debut in the boy group YUHZ soon, he is a great rapper, MEXICAN, an amazing dancer, MEXICAN, he can also sing and he's is MEXICAN, please give him all your support, thank you. pic.twitter.com/33avkNUFbJ

— xabi (@pshhyfe) October 1, 2025

…debate over his stage name has become a hot topic.

Kaito’s stage name was announced to be Kai in a post revealing their official profile images.

𝒀𝑼𝑯𝒁 Profile #1

카이 KAI#YUHZ #유어즈#KAI #카이 pic.twitter.com/jr5vipQCEL

— YUHZ (@yuhz_official) September 28, 2025

Complaints over his stage name have been connected to it being the same as EXO‘s Kai, ranging from demands to change the idol’s name out of respect to genuine issues involving search engine optimization due to the shared name. The trademarks SM Entertainment currently has registered for Kai were also brought up

The sheer audacity 💀 A nugu with zero originality stealing a trademarked stage name? Boy, you won’t even last long enough to be remembered, let alone sued. https://t.co/Eu7Bf4k4L6 pic.twitter.com/oHB66Tla2z

— ☽̶☾ Hajar | ⁹/₁₄₈₅ ☽̶☾ | BABY B ♥️🍬🐶🍓 (@BearestB) October 1, 2025

His real name is Shimabara Kaito, instead of using his stage name like "Kaito" but his Korean label Pinnacle Entertainment on purposely only use "Kai" as his name stage for a noisy marketing. they are doesn't have a business ethics, really shameless!! https://t.co/Kyzv3bJ2tt

— Asway (@aa_jongin) September 30, 2025

Not a big problem for me cause people will always remember EXO Kai whenever you say the name "Kai". But I just don't like it whenever I'm trying to search for news from EXO Kai using a hashtag, another person appears like…I don't want to see them I want to see THE KAI. https://t.co/UZceZOkUFJ

— Isabella Monerla (@marguiretta1) September 30, 2025

a rookie clown cuts off his real name and tries to register a trademark from a big name others spent decades building. even a trash pit like Hype still has enough shame not to pull that. but this j3rk, who the fck do you think you are? https://t.co/KTndiVVXu1

— K开工 (@KaiGomONLY) October 1, 2025

Others have defended the upcoming idol, saying there are plenty of idols who share the same stage name, and that he should be able to use part of his real name as a stage name.

we got like 7 Jaehyun, 4 Yechan, 4 Haruto, 6 Minhyuk, 4 Seungmin, 3 Dahyun, 4 Chaeyeon, 3 Mina etc.

But ah damn this kids real name being Kai and suddenly hes gotta change his BIRTHNAME. https://t.co/jO0YD7O98d

— DizZzy (@DizZzyS) October 2, 2025

This is the dumbest shit ever y'all mad over his REAL name 😭? Mind you Kai isn't even jongins real name wbk exols are mentally ill but this is jobless work https://t.co/zVYkReXag5

— tori⁷ (@haomosexuall) October 2, 2025

Atp Idc about the company I am personally fighting each one of u HIS REAL NAME IS KAI have yall never met someone with the same name as you?
I hope he doesn't make a stage name and keep shining as kai from yuhz https://t.co/DPhVMs7vP6

— 이스라 (@_ForSjh_) October 2, 2025