Hong Eun-chae: LE SSERAFIM Maknae Age, Facts & Profile

At 15, most teenagers are navigating exams and part-time jobs. Hong Eunchae was becoming the face of one of K-pop’s most anticipated girl group debuts. As the youngest member — or maknae — of LE SSERAFIM, she went from auditioning in 2020 to standing on stage at Source Music’s HYBE-backed project within roughly 14 months, trading a classroom for a practice room and eventually a music show podium.

Born: November 10, 2006 · Group: LE SSERAFIM maknae · Nationality: South Korean · Debut Reveal: April 6, 2022 · Role: Vocalist, Lead Dancer, MC

How old was Hong Eunchae when she debuted?

Hong Eunchae was 15 years old when LE SSERAFIM officially debuted on May 2, 2022. She joined Source Music as a trainee in January 2021, which means her pre-debut training period lasted approximately 14 months — relatively short by K-pop industry standards where trainees often spend years preparing. She was scouted at age 14 and auditioned before joining Source Music.

Debut timeline

LE SSERAFIM introduced Eunchae as their third member on April 6, 2022, through a teaser video. The group officially debuted less than a month later with the mini album Fearless on May 2, 2022. Some media outlets reported her age as 16 at debut, but calculations based on her November 10, 2006 birthdate confirm she was 15 at the time of the official debut.

Trainee period

Before joining Source Music, Eunchae attended Def Dance Skool for nearly two years, building her dance foundation. She previously auditioned for JYP Entertainment and Pledis Entertainment before signing with Source Music. This dance school background contributed to her current role as lead dancer within the group.

Is Hong Eunchae Chinese?

No, Hong Eunchae is not Chinese. She is South Korean by nationality. Sources confirm her birthplace as South Korea, though there is some discrepancy between sources regarding the specific city or district. Most fan wikis cite Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul as her birthplace, while some sources mention Miryang. Her family later moved to Namhyeon-dong, Gwanak-gu in Seoul.

Nationality facts

As a South Korean citizen, Eunchae represents the domestic K-pop idol archetype: trained within the Korean entertainment system, debuting with a Korean-language catalog, and primarily active in the Korean music market. Her profile on Kpop Profiles lists her nationality simply as “South Korean.”

The pattern of conflicting birthplace reports highlights how fan-sourced data can diverge without official clarification from the artist or agency.

Birthplace

The conflicting birthplace reports (Seoul vs. Miryang) likely stem from either early registration differences or family relocation before her trainee years. Both locations fall within South Korea, maintaining the confirmed South Korean nationality. Official announcements from Source Music have not clarified this discrepancy.

What is Hong Eunchae’s real name?

Hong Eunchae’s birth name is Hong Eun-chae ( ). The Korean Hangul spelling is . Her stage name uses the same characters, just with the alternative romanization “Eunchae” rather than “Eun-chae.” There is no separate English name in official use — “Eunchae” serves as her English-transliterated name across all official profiles and social media.

Stage name vs real name

Unlike some K-pop idols who adopt stage names significantly different from their birth names, Eunchae performs under her actual given name with minor romanization variation. This is common practice within the industry when the birth name is already appealing or easy for international fans to pronounce.

The implication is that her straightforward name choice reflects authenticity rather than rebranding for market appeal.

English name

Her English name is simply Eunchae, following standard Korean romanization conventions (ISO/R 1966). Fan sites and official accounts use this spelling consistently. Some older content may show variations like “Eun Chae” with a space, but current official usage standardizes on “Eunchae.”

Is Eunchae a fan of Seventeen?

Yes, Hong Eunchae has expressed admiration for SEVENTEEN, the Pledis Entertainment boy group under HYBE. The nickname “Manchae” originated from fan interactions, particularly during her earlier appearances when fans noticed her enthusiasm for SEVENTEEN content. This fandom connection is documented in fan wikis and timeline archives from Shapes Inc.

Fandom trivia

Her connection to SEVENTEEN runs deeper than casual fandom, given her prior audition with Pledis Entertainment before joining Source Music. The overlap in agencies (both under HYBE’s umbrella post-acquisition) creates natural content crossover opportunities. Fan archives show she has referenced SEVENTEEN members in variety show appearances and social media interactions.

What this means is that her pre-debut exposure to the HYBE ecosystem likely shaped her expectations for idol life and group dynamics.

Personal interests

Beyond SEVENTEEN, Eunchae has cited singer Rothy as an artist she likes and named Jeon Somi as her role model. Her MBTI has been reported variably as ISFP, ISFJ, or ISTJ across different sources, and her blood type is A. She owns a dog named Puffy.

What is Hong Eunchae’s position in LE SSERAFIM?

Hong Eunchae holds three positions within LE SSERAFIM: vocalist, lead dancer, and maknae (youngest member). As maknae, she carries specific cultural responsibilities within the group’s dynamic, including showing respect to older members and often serving as the “youngest sibling” figure in variety content. Her vocal contributions appear throughout the group’s discography, with dance responsibilities placing her in performance-forward formations.

Maknae role

The maknae position in K-pop groups carries both ceremonial and practical weight. Eunchae’s status as the youngest means she often participates in content segments targeting younger demographics and frequently appears in “maknae on top” variety formats. Within LE SSERAFIM’s original six-member structure (reduced to five after Kim Garam’s departure in May 2022), she remains the sole maknae representative.

The catch is that being the sole maknae also means she bears the full weight of that cultural expectation without a peer within the group.

Contributions

Beyond performance, Eunchae contributed as a singer-songwriter, with her writing credits appearing on select tracks. She expanded her portfolio by hosting Music Bank from February 2023 through September 2024, marking one of the few group members to take on a major broadcast MC role. Her departure from the show in late September 2024 returned her focus to full-time group activities.

Hong Eun-chae delivers vibrant parts alongside her LE SSERAFIM members in Perfect Night lyrics, their energetic Overwatch 2 collaboration single.

Frequently asked questions