Yoonchae Jeung
Jeong Yoonchae (Hangul: 정윤채; born December 6, 2007), 18 years old. Best known by the name Yoonchae, is a South Korean singer and dancer. She is the youngest member (maknae) of the global girl group KATSEYE, formed through the 2023 reality show Dream Academy.
Early days
[change | change source]Jeung Yoonchae was born in Seoul, South Korea, on December 6, 2007.[1] She grew up with her mother, Jeung Jin-ah, her older sister who studies in Germany and her father who remains private and out of the public spotlight, though fans note he is deeply supportive of her career. Growing up, she developed passion for performing arts and K-pop. She went through K-pop style training for awhile before going into Dream Academy.[2]
Language
[change | change source]Being the youngest in the group, Yoonchae had to learn the language fast when she first came to the US. Some say she’s now better than Daniela at processing emotions. But thanks to living and working around the clock with other members who did not speak Korean very well, Yoonchae had to use her "survival skills" and totally immerse herself into the language. Instead of studying only through formal classes, Yoonchae improved her speaking abilities by imitating her bandmates and learning the local slang. Thanks to all her efforts, her development in the language became so great that today she speaks with ease and fluency similar to an LA local, even using trendy Gen-Z phrases such as "It's not that deep."
Career
[change | change source]Before HYBE
[change | change source]Yoonchae started training to be a K-pop singer when she was 12 years old. She trained for two years at WakeOne before moving to Hybe in 2023.[1]
Growing up, Yoonchae was inspired by Blackpink, BTS and IU.[3][4]
2023–present: Dream Academy and Katseye
[change | change source]In 2023, Yoonchae joined the global audition show The Debut: Dream Academy.The show was made by Hybe and Geffen Records to create a new global girl group.[5] She came in fourth place in the final episode and became a member of the group Katseye.[6]
Katseye's first song, "Debut", came out on June 28, 2024. It was also in their first extended play (EP) SIS (Soft Is Strong). Katseye's EP is Beautiful Chaos. [7]
Before their official debut, the members of Katseye moved to Los Angeles to train together after Dream Academy. Yoonchae said that Los Angeles is a meaningful place where she met the other members and where the group continues to build memories and train for global activities.[8]
Discography
[change | change source]As a contestant of Dream Academy, Yoonchae sang songs made for the show. These songs were released online on August 21, 2024, and performed on November 17, 2024.[9][10]
Yoonchae, as of August 2026, has also published 3 EP's with KATSEYE. KATSEYE's discography contains from 18 to 20 songs.
| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Girls Don't Like" (as part of The Debut: Dream Academy) |
2024 | The Debut: Dream Academy - Live Finale |
| "All The Same" (as part of The Debut: Dream Academy) |
Television
[change | change source]| Year | Title | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dream Academy | Contestant | YouTube | [5] |
| 2024 | Pop Star Academy: Katseye | Contestant | Netflix | [9] |
| 2026 | KATSEYE: WILD HEARTS | Member of KATSEYE | Theaters (august 2026) |
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 Adachi, Tsubasa (2025-03-29). "KATSEYE（キャッツアイ）のプロフィール＆ビジュアルを総まとめ！HYBEのオーディションから誕生した新グループに注目" [Summary of Katseye's profile and visuals]. Elle Girl Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-09-27.
- ↑ Momenian, Donya (2025-05-29). "KATSEYE's Yoonchae Jeung Breaks Down Her Viral Blush Technique". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
- ↑ Saulog, Gabriel (2025-08-22). "KATSEYE's Yoonchae On Breaking Out Of Her Shell And Finding Her Voice". billboardphilippines.com. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
- ↑ The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2026-02-04), KATSEYE Teases New Music with One Word, Talks Grammy Performance and Meeting Miley Cyrus & ROSÉ, retrieved 2026-02-05
- 1 2 Aniftos, Rania (2023-08-28). "Meet the 20 Finalists for HYBE x Geffen 'Dream Academy'". Billboard.
- ↑ Zee, Michaela (2023-11-18). "Hybe, Geffen Records Unveil New Girl Group Katseye". Variety.
- ↑ Saulog, Gabriel (2024-08-16). "Katseye Roar with Empowering Debut EP 'SIS (Soft Is Strong)'". Billboard Philippines. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ↑ Delgado, Sara (2024-06-28). "KATSEYE on First Single 'Debut,' Life After Dream Academy, & Their 'Special' Bond". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
- 1 2 Burt, Kayti (2024-08-23). "Netflix's Pop Star Academy: Katseye Reveals What it Takes to Make a Global Girl Group". Time. Archived from the original on 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2025-11-12.
- ↑ Putri, Dhia Anaulva; Priyatna, Aquarini; Subekti, Mega (2025-07-17). "From Survival to Solidarity: Sisterhood in the Cinematic Narrative of Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE". Lingua Didaktika: Jurnal Bahasa dan Pembelajaran Bahasa. 19 (1): 154. doi:10.24036/ld.v19i1.134613. ISSN 2541-0075.
Other websites
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