Ren (singer)
Choi Min-gi (born November 3, 1995), known professionally as Ren, is a South Korean singer, actor, and television personality associated with Pledis Entertainment. He debuted in 2012 as a sub-vocalist of the boy band NU'EST.
Ren | |
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렌 | |
Ren in 2017 | |
Born | Choi Min-gi November 3, 1995[1] Busan, South Korea |
Occupation |
|
Musical career | |
Genres | K-pop |
Years active | 2012–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts | |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Choe Mingi |
McCune–Reischauer | Chóe Minki |
Stage name | |
Hangul | |
Revised Romanization | Ren |
McCune–Reischauer | Ren |
Career
Pre-debut
Ren was accepted into Pledis Entertainment after auditioning in 2010. Prior to debuting, Ren appeared as a back-up dancer in After School Blue's "Wonder Boy" in 2011. He participated in Pledis Entertainment's Christmas single "Love Letter" and was also featured in an alternate music video for the song as a member of Pledis Boys.[2] He performed with After School with the rest of Pledis Boys, now dubbed "After School Boys", at the SBS Gayo Daejeon.[3]
2012-present: NU'EST and solo activities
Along with four other Pledis Boys, Ren debuted in the boy band NU'EST in 2012 as a sub-vocalist. He also modeled for Park Yoon-so during the Fall/Winter Seoul Fashion Week,[4] and his androgynous styling drew attention for breaking gender norms.[5] In 2013, Ren appeared Jeon Woo-chi in a minor role. In 2015, he starred in the Japanese film Their Distance.[6]
In 2017, Ren participated as a contestant on Produce 101 Season 2 under his full name for a chance to debut in Wanna One,[7] but he was eliminated in the final episode at rank #20. After the show's end, he and the remaining NU'EST members began promoting as the sub-group NU'EST W from 2017 to 2018.[8] During the group's activity, he wrote the lyrics for his solo songs, "Paradise" and "You & I."[9][10] At the same time, Ren became a fixed panelist on the talk show Learning the Hard Way.[11] He was also cast in a starring role on the drama Four Sons,[12] but the show's production was briefly suspended in 2018 with only four of sixteen episodes filmed.[13][14][15]
In 2018, Ren became a regular cast member on The Kkondae Live.[16] In 2019, he became a regular cast member on Hogu Chart.[17]
Philanthropy
On April 18, 2018, Ren hand-delivered two piggy banks to the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation to support the latter's “Creating My Own Angel Contest” campaign.[18] The following year, he and NU'EST member Minhyun brought the children of the foundation to NU'EST's 2019 LOVE Page Fan Meeting in Seoul.[19] In December of the same year, Ren donated all the proceeds of his self-published fairy tale book “함께라서 행복한 우리들" (literally translated as "We’re Happy Because We’re Together”) to the foundation.[20]
Discography
Filmography
Films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Their Distance | Kim Leon | Lead role[6][21] |
TBA | Asian Ghost Project | TBA | Lead role (Series)[22] |
Television
Year | Title | Network | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Jeon Woo-chi | KBS | Kang-sul | Cameo [Episode 19,21,22][23] |
Reckless Family 3 | MBC Every1 | Himself | Cameo [Episode 29] | |
2017 | Produce 101 Season 2 | Mnet | Himself | Reality competition show[7] |
Learning the Hard Way | JTBC, JTBC2 | Himself | Panelist[11] | |
2018 | Something Family Season 2 | Amarin TV | Mali, Park Seongmin | Cameo [Episode 10 & 11] |
Coffee Society 4.0 | Amarin TV | Jeongseok | Cameo [Episode 16] | |
The Kkondae Live | Mnet | Himself | Panelist[16] | |
2019 | Hogu Chart | JTBC2 | Himself | Panelist[17] |
TBA | Four Sons | TBA | Yeo Hoon | Lead role;[12] four of sixteen episodes filmed[15] |
Musical theatre
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Jamie | [24] |
References
- "렌 (뉴이스트)" [Ren (NU'EST)]. Genie Music (in Korean). Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- "애프터스쿨 보이즈, 5인조 연말데뷔..팀명 미정" (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- "플레디스 보이즈, 애프터스쿨과 SBS '가요대전' 출격". Naeil (in Korean). December 29, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "[사진]뉴 이스트-민현-렌,'패션쇼 모델 됐어요'". Osen (in Korean). April 7, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- Benjamin, Jeff (October 17, 2017). "10 Reasons NU'EST Was Always Worth Your Attention". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- Schilling, Mark (December 30, 2015). "'Their Distance' explores the pain of being young and in love". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- "뉴이스트 측 "'프로듀스 101' 출연 확정"". TenAsia (in Korean). February 24, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "NU'EST、Wanna One参加のミンヒョン除き4人組ユニット『NU'EST W』としてデビュー!". TV Report (in Japanese). July 18, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020 – via KStyle.
- "NU'EST W、ニューアルバム「W, HERE」のトラックリストを公開…ソロ曲&SEVENTEEN ウジがプレゼントした楽曲も". Osen (in Japanese). September 26, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020 – via KStyle.
- "NU'EST W、ニューアルバム「WAKE, N」ハイライトメドレーを公開…4人それぞれのソロ曲にも期待". Osen (in Japanese). November 22, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020 – via KStyle.
- "[공식입장] 박준형·소유·소진·정기고·최민기, JTBC2 '사서고생' 출연". Osen (in Korean). July 21, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "[공식입장] 뉴이스트 렌, '사자' 출연 확정...나나 남동생 役". Osen (in Korean). September 8, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "[단독] 박해진X나나 '사자', 사실상 제작중단…임금 미지급 스태프 단체사표". Sports Chosun (in Korean). July 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "[공식입장] '사자' 측 "임금 미지급이 제작 중단 원인? 사실 아냐…촬영 재개할 것"". Xport News (in Korean). July 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "'사자' 제작 중단…박해진 측 "조속한 촬영 재개 바랄 뿐" [공식입장]". TV Report (in Korean). July 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- "'더 꼰대 라이브' 이경규→김하온 5人 출연확정…9월 첫방 [공식입장]". Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). August 27, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- "한혜진-전진-장성규-정혁-뉴이스트 렌, '호구의 차트' MC 확정[공식]". Herald Pop (in Korean). August 12, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- 김민지 (April 20, 2018). "뉴이스트W 렌이 소아암 백혈병 어린이를 응원합니다". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- "20191117 뉴이스트'렌','민현'과 함께한 즐거운 공연 나들이". www.angelc.or.kr (in Korean). Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- "뉴이스트 렌, 한국소아암재단에 동화책 판매 수익금 전액 기부 [공식입장]". www.xportsnews.com (in Korean). December 26, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- Kerr, Elizabeth (March 15, 2016). "'Their Distance': Filmart/Hong Kong Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- "[공식]뉴이스트 렌, '아시안 고스트' 주연 확정…태국 버스킹 성황". news.chosun.com (in Korean). February 14, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "チョンウチ(田禹治)". KBS World (in Japanese). Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- "뉴이스트 렌, 뮤지컬 '제이미' 메인 포스터 최초 공개…'시선 집중 비주얼'". m.wowtv.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved May 27, 2020.