Ren

Who Is Ren?

Ren, born Choi Min-gi on November 3, 1995, in Busan, South Korea, is a South Korean singer, actor, and television personality best known as the vocalist and maknae of the K-pop boy group NU’EST. With his striking androgynous visuals and acclaimed musical-theatre performances, Ren has spent over a decade proving he’s one of the most versatile talents to come out of third-generation K-pop, and he’s now building an equally exciting solo career under BPM Entertainment.

Early Life and Trainee Years

Ren grew up in Busan and was largely raised by his grandparents while his parents worked. He has an older brother named Choi Minseok. After auditioning for Pledis Entertainment, he trained for roughly two years, appearing as a backup dancer in After School Blue’s “Wonder Boy” and taking part in the label’s Pledis Boys promotions before his official debut.

Debut With NU’EST and Breaking Gender Norms

Ren debuted as NU’EST’s sub-vocalist on March 15, 2012. Within weeks, he was modeling at Seoul Fashion Week, and his bold, androgynous styling quickly became one of the group’s signature draws, earning praise for challenging conventional idol gender presentation. As NU’EST navigated ups and downs in the Korean market, the group found major success in China as NU’EST-M, and Ren continued to build a name for himself as an actor and TV personality alongside his music promotions.

Produce 101, NU’EST W, and Broadcasting Career

In 2017, Ren joined bandmates JR, Baekho, and Minhyun on Produce 101 Season 2, finishing 20th. He returned to promote as part of the beloved subgroup NU’EST W from 2017 to 2018, during which he wrote lyrics for his own solo tracks “Paradise” and “You & I.” Ren also became a familiar face on Korean variety and talk shows, including “Learning the Hard Way,” “The Kkondae Live,” and “Hogu Chart,” and later co-hosted the Naver NOW radio show “To.Night” with bandmate Aron.

Musical Theatre Star

Ren’s most acclaimed work may be on stage. He made his musical debut in 2020 as the lead in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, earning praise for his “overflowing talent” and “unrivalled stage presence.” In 2021, he became the only active idol ever cast as the titular genderqueer rock star in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a career-defining role that cemented his reputation as one of K-pop’s premier “musical idols.”

Going Solo

When NU’EST’s contract with Pledis expired in March 2022, Ren left to sign with BPM Entertainment as a solo artist. He made his official solo debut on June 15, 2023, with the EP Ren’dezvous and its lead single “Ready to Move,” followed by fan concerts across Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. He also expanded into acting with his first lead TV role, playing murder suspect Oh Jin-woo in the 2022 mystery-thriller Longing for You, and earned his first acting award nomination for the Joseon-era drama special Shadow Confession.

Personal Life

Ren is a huge fan of Lady Gaga, loves cosplaying and dreaming up performance concepts, and can play the piano. He’s known for his gentle, easily-scared personality off stage, which stands in sharp contrast to his fearless choices as a performer. He also has a long history of charity work, including donating book proceeds to the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation.