ZE:A, also known as Children of Empire, is a South Korean boy group that debuted in 2010. While they may not be as widely known as some other K-pop groups, ZE:A has a fascinating history and talented members. Let’s explore 10 interesting facts about ZE:A that you might not know!
1. The Meaning Behind Their Name
ZE:A stands for “Children of Empire” in English. The group’s name has an interesting story. At first, they were called “Child of Empire,” but this caused some confusion because it sounded similar to the name of Brown Eyed Girls’ member JeA. To avoid any mix-ups, the group changed the pronunciation of their name to ZE:A.
2. A Rocky Start
Before their official debut, ZE:A faced some challenges. They appeared in a TV show called “Office Reality” and performed at various small events to gain attention. They even created their own videos online to connect with fans. This hard work helped them build a fanbase before they officially debuted.
3. Impressive Debut Success
When ZE:A finally debuted on January 7, 2010, they made quite an impact. Their first single album, “Nativity,” reached number one on both the album and artist charts on Daum, a popular Korean website. This was a huge achievement for a brand new group!
4. Multilingual Talents
One of ZE:A’s members, Kevin, is incredibly talented with languages. He can speak Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. This skill came in handy during the group’s promotions in different countries. Kevin would often start speaking English when things get confusing or unreasonable during interviews or events.
5. The Tallest Member’s Trick
Hyungsik, one of ZE:A’s members, is known for being the tallest in the group. But here’s a fun fact: he likes to use his innocent face to trick his older members (called “hyungs” in Korean). This playful side of Hyungsik shows that even though he’s tall, he still enjoys being mischievous with his group mates.
6. A Scary Maknae
In K-pop, the youngest member of a group is called the “maknae.” Usually, maknaes are cute and get babied by older members. But in ZE:A, things are a bit different. Dongjun, the group’s maknae, is known as the “scariest maknae ever.” He’s even known for kicking his older members to wake them up! But don’t worry, he makes up for it with his nice abs.
7. The Motherly Member
Every group needs someone to take care of others, and in ZE:A, that person is Taehun. He’s known as the motherly member of the group. Interestingly, Taehun talks in his sleep, and his chat partner is often Heechul, another member. It’s cute to imagine Taehun taking care of his members even while sleeping!
8. Subunit Success
Like many K-pop groups, ZE:A formed smaller groups called subunits to try different music styles. They had three main subunits: ZE:A FIVE, ZE:A 4U, and ZE:A J (for Chinese and Japanese promotions). These subunits allowed members to showcase different talents and reach more fans.
9. A Unique Collaboration
In 2014, ZE:A did something unusual in the K-pop world. They formed a special subunit with members from another group under their company. This new group was called Nasty Nasty and included Kevin from ZE:A and two members from a girl group called Nine Muses. This collaboration showed how versatile ZE:A members could be.
10. Not Disbanded, Just on Pause
Many fans worry when they don’t hear from their favorite groups for a while. In 2017, there were rumors that ZE:A might disband. However, the members quickly told fans this wasn’t true. They explained that while they’re focusing on solo activities for now, ZE:A hasn’t officially disbanded. They’ve left the door open for a group comeback in the future when the time is right.