Hana

Who Is Hana? The Gugudan Leader Who Became Shin Yeon-suh

Hana, born Shin Bo-ra (신보라) on April 30, 1993, in Bucheon, South Korea, is best known as the founding leader of the K-pop girl group Gugudan under Jellyfish Entertainment. Since the group’s 2020 disbandment, she has gone through several reinventions — from idol, to actress under her birth name, to her current professional stage name, Shin Yeon-suh — making her one of the more fascinating “where are they now” stories among Gugudan’s former members.

Early Life and Leadership in Gugudan

Hana was the very first member revealed for Jellyfish Entertainment’s debut girl group back in June 2016, and she went on to serve as Gugudan’s leader, along with roles as Main Dancer, Vocalist, Rapper, and Visual. Even before her idol debut, she had already appeared in the 2014 drama High School King of Savvy and in music videos for labelmates VIXX (“Eternity”) and Seo In-guk (“Everlasting Love”), giving her a head start in front of the camera.

Gugudan Era and Discography

She debuted with Gugudan on June 28, 2016, leading the eight other members through the group’s signature “Act.” concept releases, including Act. 1 The Little Mermaid, Act. 2 Narcissus, Act. 3 Chococo Factory, Act. 4 Cait Sith, and Act. 5 New Action. She also lent her voice to the OST “Throbbing Weather” for the 2018 drama My First Love. Gugudan officially disbanded on December 31, 2020, closing out four years of promotions.

Life After Gugudan: From Actress to Flight Attendant

After her contract with Jellyfish Entertainment expired in April 2021, Hana pivoted fully into acting. She first promoted under her birth name, Shin Bo Ra, signing with FN Entertainment and taking on lead roles in My Fuxxxxx Romance and Another Peaceful Day of Second-Hand Items. When that contract ended in 2022, she rebranded once more, signing with Mue A Entertainment in 2023 under the name Shin Yeon-suh, the identity she is best known by today.

As Shin Yeon-suh, she reunited musically with former groupmate Haebin for the 2023 duet “Color,” and appeared in the film Annapurna as well as the 2024 drama Begins ≠ Youth. In a surprising update shared with fans in January 2026, she revealed that she has started a new career entirely outside entertainment: working internationally as a flight attendant.

Personal Life and Fun Facts

Hana holds blood type A and was born under the Taurus zodiac sign. A practicing Buddhist, she has two younger siblings and can speak some English and Japanese alongside her native Korean. Fans affectionately nicknamed her “Hananim,” a pun combining her name with the Korean word for God. Her journey from idol leader, to actress, to flight attendant is often cited as one of the more grounded and relatable “second act” stories among former K-pop idols.