Bang Yedam

Bang Yedam was born on May 7, 2002, in Seoul, South Korea. Unlike many idols who first became publicly known during their teenage trainee years, Yedam was already appearing on national television as a child.

• Both of Yedam's parents are professional singers. His father, Bang Dae-sik, has recorded numerous songs for advertisements and animated programs, while his mother, Jung Mi-young, has contributed vocals to film and television soundtracks.

• His father's voice has appeared in Korean-language music associated with animated franchises such as Pokémon, Dragon Ball and Digimon. That means Yedam grew up in a household where professional recording and music production were part of everyday family life.

• Yedam was exposed to recording studios and professional musicians from an early age. His musical upbringing gave him a different starting point from trainees who discovered singing only after becoming interested in K-pop.

• He began appearing in entertainment-related content when he was very young. His early experiences included children's television music, years before his appearance on K-Pop Star made him nationally recognizable.

• Yedam competed on the second season of SBS's K-Pop Star in 2012–2013. He was only 10 when the competition began, yet he performed against contestants who were considerably older and more experienced.

• He finished second on K-Pop Star 2, losing the final to AKMU. The result was particularly interesting because both Yedam and AKMU subsequently became associated with YG Entertainment.

• His performances of songs such as Justin Bieber's "Baby" helped make him one of the competition's most memorable young contestants. His youthful appearance contrasted with the confidence and musical instincts he displayed while singing.

• Yedam joined YG Entertainment in 2013 after K-Pop Star. Although he had already become recognizable to television audiences, he still had to undergo the company's lengthy trainee process before officially debuting.

• He trained for approximately seven years before TREASURE debuted. By the time the group released "BOY" in August 2020, Yedam had spent a substantial portion of his childhood and teenage years preparing under YG.

• He appeared on the 2017 survival program Stray Kids during a competition between YG and JYP trainees. His appearance gave viewers another opportunity to hear his vocals several years after K-Pop Star and before YG Treasure Box.

• Yedam competed on YG Treasure Box in 2018 and was selected for the original TREASURE lineup. Unlike members who were initially assigned to MAGNUM, he secured his place through the show's first announced debut team.

• He released solo music before officially debuting as a TREASURE member. His single "WAYO" arrived on June 5, 2020, approximately two months before TREASURE's debut, making his career timeline unusual even within the group.

• YG explained that "WAYO" was possible because Yedam had been preparing solo material long before TREASURE was formed. The company presented the release as a gift to fans who had waited years to hear his official music.

• The other TREASURE members visited Yedam while he filmed the music video for "WAYO." Their behind-the-scenes appearance showed the group supporting his solo release before they had officially debuted together.

• Yedam revealed during the "WAYO" behind-the-scenes content that he is an only child. He explained that joining TREASURE effectively gave him a large group of brothers, making the group an important source of companionship.

• He identified Jihoon as a member whose sense of humor matched his own. The detail emerged during a playful interview conducted by his TREASURE bandmates while visiting the "WAYO" music video set.

• Yedam became known for his distinctive R&B-influenced singing style. His ability to move between smooth melodic phrases, lighter falsetto passages and more powerful vocals helped establish him as one of TREASURE's recognizable singers.

• He graduated from the School of Performing Arts Seoul in February 2021. By that point, he had already spent years in the entertainment industry and had officially debuted with TREASURE.

• His departure from TREASURE was connected to his ambitions as a music producer. When YG announced his hiatus in May 2022, the company explained that Yedam wanted to concentrate on studying music and strengthening his production abilities.

• Yedam and Mashiho officially left TREASURE on November 8, 2022. YG stated that their contracts had ended by mutual agreement, with Yedam pursuing production and Mashiho focusing on his health.

• He signed with GF Entertainment in August 2023. The move marked the beginning of a new chapter in which he could release music as an independent solo performer rather than as part of TREASURE.

• His first mini album, ONLY ONE, was released on November 23, 2023. The project established his post-TREASURE musical direction and placed greater emphasis on his personal songwriting and production.

• Yedam participated in creating every song on ONLY ONE. During a December 2023 radio appearance, he proudly explained that he had worked on all the tracks, demonstrating how seriously he approached his role as a songwriter.

• He has named Jay Park as a musical role model. The influence makes sense given Yedam's interest in R&B, hip-hop and artists who move between performing, songwriting and production.

• Yedam collaborated with aespa's Winter on "Officially Cool," released April 2, 2024. The duet tells the story of former lovers pretending they can remain casual friends despite still having feelings for each other.

• "Officially Cool" was a particularly notable collaboration because it brought together artists from different K-pop backgrounds. Yedam's warm R&B-influenced vocals complemented Winter's brighter vocal tone, creating a different sound from his solo releases.

• He released his second mini album, GOOD ViBES, on August 29, 2024. The six-track project included "Lovey," "We Good," "O-HE," "Lovin' Ya," "Fallin'" and "T.M.B."

• The title track "O-HE" showcased a more rhythmic, groove-oriented sound. Yedam participated in writing and composing the song, which incorporated hip-hop and pop influences alongside his established R&B style.

• In 2025, Yedam introduced the musical identity DIMO REX. Rather than simply changing his stage name, he began using the separate identity to explore a different musical direction centered more heavily on contemporary R&B and hip-hop.

• DIMO REX released projects including Resistance, Desire and Acceptance in 2025. These releases demonstrated his interest in experimenting with musical styles beyond the expectations associated with his earlier K-pop career.

• His DIMO REX music has included collaborations with hip-hop artists such as Sik-K. Working with artists outside the conventional idol-pop structure has allowed him to explore different production approaches and vocal styles.

• Yedam continued developing the DIMO REX project in 2026. Releases including Intoxicated and Antidote expanded the identity into a substantial part of his discography rather than a one-time side project.

• He has also recorded songs for Korean television soundtracks. His 2026 releases included "About Time" for In Your Radiant Season and a collaboration with MAMAMOO's Wheein for See You at Work Tomorrow!.

• In October 2026, Yedam appeared on television alongside both of his parents. The family performed SG Wannabe's "La La La" on KBS2's Happy Together – I'm Not Alone, bringing together three professional singers from the same household.

• His father became emotional while discussing the opportunity to sing with his son. During the October 2026 broadcast, Bang Dae-sik reflected on spending decades singing primarily in recording studios and described how meaningful it was to perform onstage with his family.

• Yedam's career now spans several distinct stages of the Korean music industry. He began as a child singer, became a nationally recognized survival-show contestant, spent years as a YG trainee, debuted with TREASURE and eventually established himself as a solo artist and producer.

• One of the most distinctive things about Yedam is how long audiences have been able to follow his musical development. People who watched him compete on K-Pop Star in 2012 can now hear him producing and performing mature R&B music more than a decade later.