Chanyeol

Who Is Chanyeol?

Chanyeol, born Park Chan-yeol on November 27, 1992, in Seoul, South Korea, is EXO‘s main rapper and one of its key vocal and visual contributors. Famous for the contrast between his baby face and his deep, powerful voice — a trait he jokingly calls his “reversal voice” — Chanyeol has grown into one of the group’s most versatile and multi-talented members.

From Casting Contest to Center Stage

Chanyeol placed second in SM Entertainment’s 2008 Smart Model Contest, which caught the company’s attention and led to him becoming a trainee. After roughly four years of training, he debuted with EXO on April 8, 2012, and was actually the last member to be publicly introduced before the group’s launch. As a fun bit of trivia, Chanyeol is also the member who designed EXO’s iconic hexagon logo.

A Musician at Heart

Beyond rapping, Chanyeol plays guitar, drums, African drums, and bass, and he’s written lyrics for EXO tracks including “Heaven.” In 2019, he teamed up with fellow member Sehun to form the sub-unit EXO-SC, releasing “What a Life” and “1 Billion Views,” and he also dropped his solo single “SSFW” that same year. His long-awaited official solo debut finally arrived in August 2024 with the mini album “Blackout.”

Acting, Composing, and Charity

Chanyeol has also built a acting career, appearing in films like “Salut d’Amour” and various Korean dramas, while continuing to compose and produce music behind the scenes through his personal studio, “Studio 519.” He’s known for genuinely enjoying charity work, saying it energizes rather than exhausts him.

The Group’s Happy Virus

Nicknamed “Happy Virus” for his infectious positivity, Chanyeol is famous among fans and members alike for his warm, cheerful energy — though he’s also admitted he’s the EXO member who cries the most. After completing his military service in 2022, he’s continued balancing group promotions, EXO-SC activities, and his solo career.