Haerin (NJZ)'s Profile
- Real Name: Kang Haerin
- Native Name: 강해린
- Nicknames: Kitty Kang, Meowrin, Vanessa, Choco Bread
- Birthday: May 15, 2006 (19 years old)
- Blood type: B
- Height/Weight: 164.5 cm (5’5”) / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Taurus
- MBTI: INTP
- Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
-
Nationality:
South Korean
- Profession: Singer, Lyricist
- Language Skills: Korean, English
- Debut: July 22, 2022
- Group: NJZ
- Years Active: 2022–present (3 years)
- Current Agency: Individual activities (in hiatus with ADOR as of 2024)
Haerin, whose full name is Kang Haerin (Korean: 강해린), is a South Korean singer, dancer, and model, born on May 15, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea. She is a member of the K-pop girl group NewJeans under ADOR, serving as the main vocalist and lead dancer. (The group has since changed its name to NJZ and is currently on hiatus due to legal disputes.)
Among Gen Z idols, Haerin stands out with a face often likened to a “cat,” radiating a pure yet captivating aura. She is also renowned as a global brand ambassador for Dior, becoming the first K-pop artist to simultaneously represent the house’s jewelry, fashion, and beauty divisions.
Early Life
Kang Haerin attended Seoul Boramae Elementary School and later Pyeongchon Middle School, but she left during her second year to dedicate herself fully to training in preparation for her debut with NewJeans. She later obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
Career
Before joining ADOR, Haerin trained under another agency and studied pansori, a traditional Korean singing art. Thanks to her distinctive voice, she earned the nickname “Fairy of Voice.”
In 2019, Haerin took part in the “Plus Global Audition” co-hosted by Big Hit Entertainment and Source Music, successfully passing the audition. She officially became a Source Music trainee in early 2020 and later transferred to the newly founded ADOR, which would go on to form NewJeans.
Haerin’s career began as a trainee at Source Music in early 2020 after her success in the 2019 Plus Global Audition. In July 2022, ADOR announced the formation of its first girl group by posting animated videos with the numbers “22,” “7,” and “22” on social media.
On July 22, 2022, Haerin officially debuted with NewJeans through the surprise release of the single “Attention,” which dropped without any prior information about the group’s lineup. The group followed with their first EP, New Jeans, released on August 1, 2022, featuring tracks such as “Attention,” “Hype Boy,” “Cookie,” and “Hurt.”
In December 2022, NewJeans released “Ditto,” the lead single from their first single album OMG. The song topped the Circle Digital Chart for 13 consecutive weeks—the longest run at number one—while also marking the group’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 82. The OMG album was released on January 2, 2023, debuting at No. 1 on the Circle Album Chart with 700,000 copies sold in its first week.
In July 2023, NewJeans returned with their second EP, Get Up, featuring tracks like “New Jeans,” “Super Shy,” “ETA,” “Cool With You,” “Get Up,” and “ASAP.” For the first time, Haerin received songwriting credit, contributing lyrics to “New Jeans.” Around this period, the group performed at major international festivals, including Lollapalooza in the United States and Summer Sonic Festival in Japan.
In April 2023, Haerin was named Dior’s global ambassador for jewelry and also appointed as the house ambassador for fashion and beauty, becoming the first K-pop artist to represent all three of the French luxury brand’s divisions. She attended prestigious events such as Paris Fashion Week and Dior’s Fall fashion show at the Brooklyn Museum.
In June 2024, Haerin served as a special MC for the SBS K-Wave Concert Inkigayo at Inspire Arena in Incheon, alongside Yunho of ATEEZ and Han Yu-jin of ZEROBASEONE. That same month, NewJeans held their “Bunnies Camp 2024” fan meeting at Tokyo Dome on June 26 and 27, drawing a total audience of 91,200. This set a new record for a non-Japanese artist by selling out the venue at remarkable speed.
In May 2024, NewJeans released the double single How Sweet, featuring the songs “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum,” and officially debuted in Japan with the single “Supernatural.” During the Tokyo Dome fan meeting, Haerin performed a dynamic solo dance, showcasing her individual stage presence.
In December 2024, NewJeans announced the termination of their contract with ADOR and rebranded as NJZ following a legal dispute with their parent company HYBE. However, in March 2025, the Seoul Central District Court issued an injunction prohibiting the group from conducting independent commercial activities outside their contract with ADOR.
Haerin’s career is currently in a state of uncertainty due to the ongoing legal conflict between the NewJeans members and their management company.
Fun Facts
- She often unconsciously mimics the gestures and facial expressions of other members.
- During a live broadcast, Haerin once used strawberry jam as lip color, applying it as if it were real lipstick.
- She loves to start impromptu rock–paper–scissors games anytime, even without a reason.
- While playing a drawing-guessing game, she kept sketching her bunny long after the answer was guessed.
- She says the word “mul” (water) with a serious tone that always makes everyone laugh.
- Haerin once walked in with a toy hammer to playfully tease someone, but Hanni quickly stopped her.
- When asked about Danielle’s favorite animal, she gave a completely unrelated answer with a straight face.
- She often stares at Minji with the focused look of a cat watching its target.
- Haerin once rapped her goodnight message and ended it with an especially cute “good night.”
- In a cooking game, she and Hyein added an excessive amount of sugar to their sauce.
- She happily accepted the nickname “avocado girl” after Minji joked that she looked like an avocado.
- Haerin once called the camera “bestie” and talked to it like a close friend because she didn’t know how to use it.
- Despite her catlike appearance, she owns a light-brown Pomeranian dog named Banggeul.
- She created a unique “rhombus heart” pose by touching her index and middle fingers at a right angle.
- Her favorite comfort food since childhood is yubuchobap, rice wrapped in fried tofu pockets.
- Her representative color is green.
- Her representative emoji is 🐱.
Photo Gallery
