Choi Jun-hong (; born October 15, 1996), better known by his stage name Zelo, is a South Korean rapper and dancer best known as the former member of the South Korean boy group B.A.P. He made his recording debut with the single "Never Give Up" under B.A.P's sub-unit Bang&Zelo in November 2011. He departed

TS Entertainment TS Entertainment (also known as TS ENTER ()) was a South Korean record label and entertainment agency founded in 2008 by Kim Tae‑song (). It was located at Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The company was responsible for managing Ko ...

in December 2018.

Early life

Zelo was born on October 15, 1996, in

Mokpo Mokpo (; ) is the List of cities in South Korea, third largest and most densely populated city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed ...

, South Korea. He has one older brother. He aspired to be a soccer player when he was young, but then changed his dreams to becoming a singer as he chanced upon music and grew interested in it. He started practising beatboxing and dancing at home. In 5th grade, Zelo was introduced by an acquaintance who recognized his talent to Joy Dance - Plug In Music Academy located in Gwangju, which is a well-known music academy. He auditioned for several recording companies but did not succeed generally because he was too young. He was finally accepted as a trainee at

. He graduated from

School of Performing Arts Seoul School of Performing Arts Seoul (SOPA; / ) is an arts high school located in Gung-dong, Guro District, in Seoul, South Korea. History SOPA was founded on March 6, 1966 as Jeonghui High School (). On February 28, 2002, Park Jae-ryeon was app ...

in 2015.

Career

Career beginnings and B.A.P

Zelo first collaborated with

Bang Yong-guk Bang Yong-guk (; born March 31, 1990), also known mononymously as Yongguk (), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer, who served as the leader of boy group B.A.P up until his departure from TS Entertainment in August ...

in the sub-unit Bang&Zelo. The pair released "Never Give Up" on December 2, 2011. Zelo was revealed as a member of idol sextet B.A.P on January 17, 2012, where he served as the rapper. The group debuted nine days later with its single album ''

Warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

''. In November 2014, the group filed a lawsuit against its agency. The members sought to nullify its contract with the company citing "unfair conditions and profit distribution". In August of the following year, the two parties ultimately settled and B.A.P resumed its activities under TS Entertainment. Following the expiration of his contract with TS Entertainment on December 2, 2018, Zelo decided not to renew with the company. He officially departed from the group on December 24, after finishing the European leg of B.A.P's 2018 tour. The remaining four members left the agency in February 2019, leading the dissolution of B.A.P.

Soloist career

Zelo signed an exclusive contract with A Entertainment on January 11, 2019. He held a fan meeting in Japan two months later and began working on a solo record under the company. He released his debut mini-album ''Distance'' and its lead single "Questions" on June 21. On August 21, Zelo sent A Entertainment a contract termination letter citing unpaid wages, but the agency did not agree to the termination. In a lawsuit, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and certified the contract annulment one year later. Zelo released the collaborative single "Shower" with rappers Lil Oppa and Jvde on January 5, 2020. He released his second mini-album ''Day2Day'' and its lead single "She and Malibu" on April 18. In August 2022, Zelo signed with Uzurocks. He enlisted for his mandatory military service on 12 December 2023 and was discharged on 11 June 2025.https://www.instagram.com/p/DKv8Bqvv0sc/

Artistry and influences

Zelo was the second rapper of the group. Zelo cites

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he ...

and

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

as his role models. He also named

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...

and other rappers as his musical influences.

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Guest appearances

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelo 1996 births Living people TS Entertainment artists South Korean male idols South Korean male rappers K-pop singers B.A.P (South Korean band) members School of Performing Arts Seoul alumni South Korean hip-hop dancers South Korean child singers 21st-century South Korean rappers