Donghwa

• Donghwa was born on March 11, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea. His hometown is commonly listed as Mapo-gu, a district in western Seoul known for its music, arts and youth culture.

• His full birth name is Lee Donghwa (이동화). Like several KickFlip members, he performs under his given name rather than adopting an entirely different stage name.

• Donghwa is the third-oldest member of KickFlip. He was born after Kyehoon and Amaru but before Juwang, Minje, Keiju and Donghyeon.

• He has an older brother and a younger sister. His older brother was reportedly born in 2004, while his younger sister was born in 2011, making Donghwa the middle child in his family.

• Donghwa's family has pet dogs. He grew up in a household with dogs, making animals part of his everyday life before he began living and working as an idol.

• He attended Seoul Jeongneung Elementary School and Korea University Middle School. He later enrolled at Hanlim Arts School, an institution attended by numerous K-pop idols and aspiring entertainers.

• Donghwa studied in Hanlim Arts School's Practical Dance Department. The program focuses on performance-related training, giving students opportunities to develop dance technique alongside their academic education.

• His childhood dream was to become an archaeologist. Before deciding to pursue music professionally, Donghwa was interested in studying the past and uncovering historical artifacts, an unusual career ambition for a future K-pop idol.

• He attended a vocal academy before joining JYP Entertainment. His early training focused on singing, even though dancing would eventually become one of his most recognizable strengths.

• Donghwa passed his JYP Entertainment audition in February 2018. He was approximately 11 years old at the time, beginning his trainee career several years before his official debut.

• He reportedly auditioned with "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth. The song allowed him to demonstrate his vocal abilities before entering JYP's formal training system.

• Donghwa trained for approximately seven years before debuting. His long preparation period placed him among KickFlip's most experienced trainees, alongside leader Kyehoon.

• He reportedly renewed his trainee agreement with JYP Entertainment twice. This detail reflects how long he remained with the company while waiting for an opportunity to debut.

• Donghwa was not a contestant on LOUD. Unlike Kyehoon, Amaru, Keiju and Donghyeon, he joined the eventual KickFlip lineup without first being introduced to audiences through the televised survival competition.

• He was one of KickFlip's previously unrevealed trainees. Because fans had relatively little information about him before the group's official introduction, his appearance in the debut lineup generated considerable curiosity.

• Donghwa initially struggled with dancing. In his pre-debut introduction, he discussed working to overcome weaknesses in dance, making his eventual reputation as a strong performer particularly meaningful.

• Freestyle dancing is one of his officially listed specialties. Unlike choreography that requires memorizing predetermined movements, freestyle dancing challenges performers to interpret music spontaneously.

• He is also interested in songwriting and composition. JYP Entertainment lists both skills among his specialties, suggesting that he hopes to contribute creatively to KickFlip's music as his career develops.

• Donghwa is particularly interested in fashion. His personal style has become one of his recognizable characteristics, especially his enthusiasm for vintage clothing and accessories.

• Vintage fashion is one of his official hobbies. Rather than focusing exclusively on current trends, Donghwa enjoys clothing and styling inspired by earlier periods.

• He also enjoys skateboarding. The hobby is especially fitting because KickFlip's group name comes from a skateboarding trick in which the rider flips the board beneath their feet.

• Donghwa can reportedly move his ears independently. This unusual ability is one of his frequently mentioned talents and gives him a memorable party trick outside singing and dancing.

• His favorite color is reportedly red. The bright, energetic color is one of the personal preferences mentioned in his early member profiles.

• Winter is his favorite season. Donghwa has identified the colder months as his preferred time of year.

• Green grapes are among his favorite fruits. His food preferences also include several Korean dishes, particularly kimchi stew.

• Donghwa dislikes the texture of tomatoes. Rather than simply disliking their flavor, he has reportedly explained that the texture is what makes them unappealing to him.

• He has mentioned enjoying kimchi jjigae, or kimchi stew. The popular Korean dish became one of the foods he talked about during KickFlip's early promotional period.

• Donghwa reportedly wears an eye mask when sleeping. The habit helps him block out light and rest more comfortably.

• He has described himself as one of the more normal members of KickFlip. Considering the group's energetic personalities and playful interactions, the description has become an amusing part of his image.

• Donghwa's reported MBTI personality type is ISTJ. The type is commonly associated with practicality, organization and a preference for structure, although MBTI results can change over time.

• He shares a dorm room with KickFlip's leader, Kyehoon, according to early group profiles. The arrangement placed two of the group's longest-serving JYP trainees together during their rookie period.

• Donghwa and his bandmates were reportedly once discovered sleeping in a practice room by their manager. The anecdote reflects the demanding schedules and exhaustion that can accompany idol training and promotions.

• He has expressed interest in giving his fellow members personalized nicknames. Donghwa mentioned wanting to create content centered around assigning nicknames to the other KickFlip members.

• One of his own reported nicknames is "Fairytale Book." The nickname is particularly memorable because the Korean word "donghwa" (동화) can also mean "fairy tale."

• He has used a frog among the hashtags associated with his profile. The animal is one of several playful identifiers that fans have connected with him.

• Donghwa looked forward to meeting fans directly after debuting. Fan meetings and autograph sessions were among the experiences he wanted to enjoy after spending years training away from the public spotlight.

• He officially debuted with KickFlip on January 20, 2025, at 18 years old. His debut came almost seven years after he entered JYP Entertainment, marking the end of a particularly long preparation period.

• His career highlights the difference between televised and privately trained idols. While some KickFlip members built early fanbases through LOUD, Donghwa had to introduce himself to most listeners only when the group's debut approached.

• Donghwa's greatest strength is the combination of performance and personal style. His freestyle dancing, interest in music creation and enthusiasm for vintage fashion give him several creative outlets that can develop alongside KickFlip's future releases.