Zelo
Zelo | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | 최준홍 Choi Joon Hong |
| Also known as | Zelo |
| Born | October 15, 1996 Seoul, South Korea |
| Origin | Republic of Korea |
| Genres | Hip hop, K-pop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, dancer |
| Years active | 2011–Present |
| Labels | TS Entertainment |
Choi Joon Hong (Hangul: 최준홍; born October 15, 1996) better known by his stage name Zelo, is a South Korean rapper, dancer and singer. He is best known as a member of a South Korean K-pop group, B.A.P as the maknae and lead rapper of the group. He made his recording debut with the single, "Never Give Up" under B.A.P's sub-unit, Bang & Zelo in November 2011. He is currently signed under TS Entertainment.
Biography
1996–2010: Early life and career beginnings
Zelo was born on October 15, 1996 in Seoul, South Korea.[2] At a young age, he stated that he already had a passion for rapping and dancing. He named 50 cent, P. Diddy, Pharrell and other gangster rappers as his musical influences.[3] He then auditioned to several recording companies but was constantly rejected because of his young age before being accepted as a trainee in TS Entertainment.
2011–Present: "Never Give Up" and B.A.P debut
In March 2011, TS Entertainment already signaled that they will debut a boy band in 2012. Bang Yong Guk was the first member to be revealed in TS Entertainment's upcoming boy band with singles such as "Going Crazy" and "I Remember".[5][6] In August 2011, TS Entertainment introduced its second member, Kim Him Chan and revealed that he will be an emcee in MTV's The Show.[7] In November 2011, TS Entertainment stated that they will debut a sub-unit group for their upcoming boy band previously known as "TS Baby" featuring Bang Yong Guk and another member.[8] In a press released statement through Allkpop, TS Entertainment shared its sentiments on Zelo's debut:
“Zelo is the youngest out of the members who are scheduled to debut, but he is a talented individual who possesses great potential, as he can rap in addition to performing acrobatics and dance. Zelo comes from ‘Zelos’, the god of rivalry in Greek mythology. He was named so because we saw how hard he tried amongst all his older members.”[2]
On November 23, 2011, TS Entertainment introduced Zelo as Yong Guk's sub-unit partner with "Never Give Up" as their first single. "Never Give Up" was released in November 2011 and it features South Korean gospel choir, Heritage. In December 2011, Bang & Zelo held a fan meeting event in Malaysia and at the same time promoted "Never Give Up". [2]
B.A.P debuted in January 2012 with their lead single "Warrior". The group held its debut showcase concert in Seoul, South Korea with over 3,000 people attended the show.[9] Their debut single met them critical acclaim as various media outlets dubbed the song and its music video, "powerful and charismatic".[10][11]
Discography
For Zelo's work with B.A.P, see B.A.P's discography.
Bang & Zelo
Digital Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||||||||||||
| Gaon | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | "Never Give Up" | 65 | Digital single | ||||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | |||||||||||||
Music Video
| Year | Music video | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Never Give Up" | 4:27 |
Filmography
| Year | Show | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Ta-dah It's B.A.P | SBS MTV | Himself |
References
- ^ "Bang Yong Guk and Zelo to hold fanmeeting in Malaysia early next year". 6Theory Media. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "TS Entertainment introduces Zelo, Bang Yong Guk's sub-unit partner". Allkpop. 6theory Media. November 23, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
- ^ "Exclusive interview with Bang & Zelo!". Daily Kpop News. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Enews2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Park, HyunMin (December 19, 2011). "Bang Yong Guk & Zelo to Debut with B.A.P". enewsworld. CJ E&M. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Lee, Ellie (January 3, 2012). "WHO IS B.A.P?". MTVK. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Xu, Tina (August 25, 2011). "SECOND MEMBER OF TS BABY REVEALED THROUGH MTV KOREA'S THE SHOW!". MTVK. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Xu, Tina (December 1, 2011). "PROJECT DUO BANG & ZELO REVEALS "NEVER GIVE UP" MV FEATURING SECRET'S HYOSUNG!". MTVK. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Park, HyunMin (January 30, 2012). "B.A.P Brings in Big Crowds for Its Debut Showcase". enewsworld. CJ E&M. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Template:Ko icon"2012년 빛낼 아이돌 출격 임박..'신고 합니다!'". Star News. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ Xu, Tina (January 25, 2012). "B.A.P MAKES LONG AWAITED DEBUT WITH "WARRIOR"". MTV Korea. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
- ^ "Gaon chart search". Gaon. Retrieved 28 November 2011.