Kim Tae Rae

• Kim Taerae was born on July 14, 2002, in Cheonan, South Korea. He grew up in South Chungcheong Province before moving toward a professional music career in Seoul.

• His full Korean name is Kim Taerae (김태래). His name is sometimes written as Kim Tae-rae or Kim Tae Rae in English-language publications.

• Taerae is one of ZEROBASEONE's two members born in 2002. Seok Matthew was born on May 28, making him approximately six weeks older than Taerae.

• He has an older sister. His family background and childhood experiences have occasionally appeared in interviews and fan discussions about his life before debut.

• Taerae grew up in Cheonan, a city in South Chungcheong Province. The city is known for its transportation connections, universities and cultural attractions, including Independence Hall of Korea.

• He attended Cheonan Ssangyong High School. His school years helped shape his early interest in singing and live performance.

• Taerae reportedly served as a class president during school. The experience suggests he was comfortable taking responsibility and interacting with classmates before entering the entertainment industry.

• He began playing guitar in elementary school. His interest in the instrument developed well before his appearance on Boys Planet.

• Taerae has experience accompanying his own singing on guitar. The combination allows him to perform acoustic arrangements that emphasize his voice rather than elaborate choreography.

• He participated in musical performances during his school years. School festivals and other events gave him opportunities to develop confidence as a singer.

• Taerae appeared on the singing competition Top 10 Student in 2020. The program featured young performers interpreting Korean songs from earlier decades.

• His appearance on Top 10 Student highlighted his interest in classic Korean music. The competition gave him experience performing material outside the contemporary K-pop songs commonly associated with idol auditions.

• He has been associated with a retro-inspired vocal style. His appreciation for older Korean songs contributes to the warm, nostalgic quality listeners often notice in his performances.

• Taerae trained under WAKEONE Entertainment before Boys Planet. His survival-show profile listed approximately two years and one month of training.

• He competed on Mnet's Boys Planet in 2023. The survival program brought together Korean and international trainees competing for places in a new boy group.

• Taerae represented the Korean Group on Boys Planet. The show's original format divided contestants into Korean and Global Groups before later combining them for subsequent missions.

• He received three stars during his initial evaluation. After further assessment, he improved to four stars, demonstrating his progress during the competition.

• Taerae performed Stray Kids' "Back Door" during the group battle mission. He participated in the Korean team alongside several contestants who later became ZEROBASEONE members.

• His performance of INFINITE's "Man in Love" became a fan favorite. During the dual-position battle, he demonstrated his expressive singing and ability to communicate the song's emotional atmosphere.

• "Man in Love" helped establish Taerae's reputation as a vocalist. The performance emphasized his natural tone and confident delivery rather than relying entirely on dance-focused choreography.

• He performed "Switch" during the artist battle mission. The song required a more energetic concept and allowed him to demonstrate versatility beyond ballads and sentimental pop.

• Taerae participated in "Hot Summer" during the Boys Planet finale. The performance was one of the final stages before the debut lineup was announced.

• He finished sixth in the Boys Planet finale on April 20, 2023. His final score was 1,349,595 points, placing him among the nine contestants selected for ZEROBASEONE.

• Taerae officially debuted with ZEROBASEONE on July 10, 2023. The group's debut mini album, Youth in the Shade, featured the title track "In Bloom."

• He was 20 years old when ZEROBASEONE debuted. His 21st birthday followed just four days later, on July 14, 2023.

• Taerae is widely recognized as one of ZEROBASEONE's principal vocalists. His warm tone, vocal projection and ability to deliver emotional melodies make him an important part of the group's sound.

• His representative animal emoji is a duck. Fans commonly use 🦆 when referring to Taerae, and the association has become part of his recognizable idol identity.

• Playing guitar is one of his officially listed hobbies. Unlike some idols who learn an instrument only for special stages, Taerae had been interested in guitar for years before debuting.

• He enjoys exploring restaurants. His Boys Planet profile listed visiting different places to eat among his favorite activities.

• One of his unusual specialties is creating a triangle shape with his lips. The playful ability appeared in his survival-show profile and became a memorable detail among fans.

• He can add chords to songs. His ability to recognize and accompany melodies reflects his experience with guitar and musical arrangements.

• Taerae has a habit of moving his eyebrows while singing. The expression was listed in his Boys Planet profile and contributes to the recognizable way he performs emotional songs.

• He has identified his hands and mouth as physical features he feels confident about. The answer appeared in his pre-debut profile.

• One of his favorite songs is Kim Bumsoo's "Love Begins With a Confession." His choice reflects his appreciation for expressive Korean vocal music.

• NCT's Taeyong was listed as one of his role models during Boys Planet. Taerae admired his senior's abilities as a performer and artist.

• Taerae enjoys cars and miniature car models. He has reportedly brought model cars into the ZEROBASEONE dorm, reflecting an interest that extends beyond music.

• He has a recognizable, wide smile. His cheerful expression became especially popular during Boys Planet, where fans often contrasted his bright offstage personality with his powerful singing voice.

• Taerae participated in the soundtrack for the hit drama Queen of Tears. His song "More Than Enough", released in 2024, introduced his voice to audiences following the television series.

• "More Than Enough" is one of his best-known solo soundtrack recordings. The song highlights his ability to convey romantic and emotional themes through a softer vocal arrangement.

• He contributed the song "If You" to the 2025 drama Way Back Love. The soundtrack continued his work as a vocalist outside ZEROBASEONE's group releases.

• Taerae also participated in the soundtrack for My Youth in 2025. His involvement demonstrated growing demand for his voice in Korean television productions.

• His soundtrack work expanded into 2026. Music catalogs list additional OST contributions connected to projects including Spooky in Love, Curtain Up, Class! and Bomb Bomb.

• He participated in ZEROBASEONE's unit song "Cruel." Released on the group's 2025 EP BLUE PARADISE, the track featured Taerae alongside Sung Hanbin and Seok Matthew.

• The "Cruel" unit allowed him to explore a different musical arrangement. With fewer voices than a full-group track, it gave listeners another opportunity to focus on his individual vocal color.

• Taerae remained with ZEROBASEONE following the group's 2026 restructuring. He continued alongside Kim Jiwoong, Sung Hanbin, Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook.

• He was already signed directly to WAKEONE before the group's contract changes. Unlike some members who transferred agencies or maintained separate individual management, Taerae's existing relationship with WAKEONE continued.

• ZEROBASEONE released Ascend- on May 18, 2026, as a five-member group. The EP introduced a new musical direction following the conclusion of the original nine-member project.

• The title track "TOP 5" marked the beginning of ZEROBASEONE's new chapter. Its release emphasized the five remaining members' determination to continue developing as a group.

• The EP Ascend- included more R&B-influenced music. Songs such as "V for Vision"