Jaehyun from NCT 127: K-pop’s social butterfly who’s a favourite among fans and fellow artists alike

As a member of K-pop boy band NCT 127, Jaehyun has constantly proven to be K-pop’s social butterfly. An effervescent singer, dancer and rapper, he is widely known for his charisma. Read on to learn why so many have fallen for Jaehyun’s charm. His early life Born Jung Jae-hyun in Seoul, on February 14, 1997, the future star lived in the US from the age of five to 10 years old, so he speaks English fluently. Jaehyun was interested in music from a young age, playing the piano and listening to R&B vocalists such as R. Kelly, whose signature song I Believe I Can Fly was his main inspiration for becoming an artist. Jaehyun went to the Seoul School of Performing Arts high school alongside a group of future K-pop stars. DIA’s Chaeyeon was one of them and later shared that Jaehyun was both popular and a hard worker at school. Seventeen’s DK and former JBJ member Kwon Hyun-bin have also said that Jaehyun was a bright student here. Taeyong of NCT 127 and Super M: good looks, great moves School was also the reason Jaehyun eventually made his way into the K-pop world. “I was cleaning after school, and right at the time when I was leaving, some people from the agency were outside,” he said during a television appearance in 2018. The agency of course was SM Entertainment, home to legendary acts such as BoA, TVXQ!, Girls’ Generation, Exo and more. His role in NCT 127 Jaehyun is known for his singing but is an important contributor as a rapper and dancer too. His good looks are also an important asset for the band. Before he made his debut with NCT 127, Jaehyun became a recognisable face as an MC for the K-pop music programme Show Champion during the first six months of 2015. Jaehyun’s ability to speak English has also been important for the boy band, particularly in promoting NCT 127 internationally, where it has helped them connect to new audiences. His bandmates told Japanese magazine Vivi that he attracts the most people to the group, and that he plays a vital role within the band too. Fellow NCT 127 member Mark said that Jaehyun takes good care of his younger bandmates. His image Jaehyun’s nice-guy image has continued from school to his K-pop career. The star is known as a good friend of many idols in the industry. Many first became aware of his caring side after BTS member Jungkook praised Jaehyun in the liner notes of a BTS album. Jaehyun revealed that he bonded with others in a mobile chat room used by several singers who were all born like him in 1997. This includes Jungkook, as well as Seventeen members Mingyu, DK and The8, GOT7’s BamBam and Yugyeom, and Astro’s Cha Eun-woo. Jaehyun has spoken about his dedication to his friends. “I try to be a better person to those who really believe in me and to those I trust,” he told South Korea’s Elle magazine in 2020. “I believe that if you treat each other sincerely, those feelings will be conveyed. Rather than give advice to someone, I stay by their side and listen to them.” His solo work Jaehyun has released his own solo music, including the track Try Again (a pop ballad he released in late 2017) and the single New Dream for the soundtrack of the South Korean drama Dokgo Rewind with NCT 127 bandmate Taeil in 2018. Jaehyun has also continued the MC and host work that he did with success before his debut. He has dabbled in radio – he and NCT 127’s Johnny were DJs on a programme called NCT Night Night – and has been the MC for K-pop music chart programme Inkigayo. In his own words While he has been able to enjoy a slew of different opportunities in K-pop, Jaehyun revealed he got the greatest satisfaction out of being a singer. “The most meaningful thing this year was successfully finishing NCT 127’s first tour,” he told fashion magazine High Cut at the end of 2019. “I learned a lot, and I did a lot of thinking to become more mature.” He said the tour led him to realise that he is “glad [he] became a singer”. When it comes to his future goals, Jaehyun has been thinking long term since day one. He spoke seriously about his personal vision when NCT 127 were still in their early days in 2016. “I want to be someone that can look back over the previous 10 years without any regrets and know that I’ve done what I wanted to do.”