Are there agreed-upon standards in Kpop for what makes someone main vocal, lead vocal, subvocal, etc or does it vary with each individual group?

Well I guess there are. A main vocal has the best technique in the group and I find that the main vocal knows how to adjust their voice to fit any type of song, a great example would be Wendy from Red velvet. A lead vocal is normally the 2nd best singer that has the 2nd best technique but lack in a certain department, and a sub vocal is usually anyone who is a good singer but not technically advanced. They can just sing a line or two perfectly fine but probably wouldn't be able to handle hard notes. This usally varys between each group and their companies standards.

main vocal generally has the technical skill to back up their vocals. ie taeyeon, yuju, etc

lead vocal has less technical ability, probably not as skilled as a main vocal, but can still hold their own.

subvocal is pretty much anyone who might not have strong technical skill. usually still has a nice voice, but if we're being honest, might not always. anyone who can at least somewhat sing will probably be a subvocal, and if they can't sing at all or have really minimal skills, might just be a rapper.

but! this could still vary from group to group. not everyone has an ailee level vocalist, so someone who might be a mediocre vocalist in general could still be a main vocal because they have the best technical skills or voice out of the group. in a group that is vocally focused, the majority of the members are probably main vocal material. so there's still somewhat standards, but the positions between groups might not always be consistent in skill.

Quote from ellenote

and a sub vocal is usually anyone who is a good singer but not technically advanced.

I thought sub vocal was a throwaway position that they give to anyone who doesn't have a better position lol

Quote from selfmate

I thought sub vocal was a throwaway position that they give to anyone who doesn't have a better position lol

Basically. Sometimes companies just give members who don't have much talent random positions for show.

Quote from ellenote

Basically. Sometimes companies just give members who don't have much talent random positions for show.

yeap because think about it...

there's main + lead of vocals and dance and rap

there's not such things as sub rapper or sub dancer...but there is for sub vocal...which is just anther term for well you get the point lol

What confused me: singing in high notes=main vocal. I feel bad for baritone who sing in lower register because they don't receive appreciation enough in kpop. Companies sometimes just give them position as rapper even though they sing nicely.