Biography
Who is Zhong Chenle?
Early life and background
Zhong Chenle was born on November 22, 2001, in Shanghai, China. He has one older brother who is 13 years his senior. During his youth, he attended the Shangwen Middle School. Later in his education, he enrolled at the Beijing Contemporary Music School and graduated with the class of 2020.
His formal artistic training began in 2006 when he entered the Shanghai Ying Siu Sing School to study dance. Two years later, he joined the Shanghai Little Star Art Troupe. There, he received vocal instruction from his teacher, Huang Jing.
Rise to prominence in China
Before his international debut, Zhong was a well-known child star in his home country. In 2009, he competed in a children's talent program and earned the Elf Genie Award. He gained significant national attention in 2010 by appearing on the television show China's Got Talent. During his audition, he performed a song from the musical Cats.
In 2011, he performed as a soloist at the Golden Hall of Vienna, becoming the youngest singer to do so at that venue at that time. He also released solo albums, including My Wings in 2011 and Music With You in 2014. Also, he served as a young cultural diplomat representing China for the World Organization of Rising Leading Diplomats.
Move to South Korea and NCT debut
In 2016, Zhong moved to South Korea after signing a contract with SM Entertainment. Later that year, at age 14, he debuted as a member of NCT Dream. This group is a sub-unit of the larger ensemble NCT and has become one of the top-selling boy bands in South Korea.
Since joining the group, he has been involved in numerous musical projects. He released the self-produced track Marine Turtle in 2023 for the NCT Lab project. In 2025, he returned to solo work by releasing the EP titled Lucid. This project included a remake of Tear Bridge and saw him perform at the Bubbling and Boiling Music and Arts Festival in Tianjin.
Personal interests and other activities
Outside of music, Zhong has demonstrated an interest in cooking. He gained online attention in 2019 for a specific instant ramen recipe that the media dubbed Chenle Ramen. This dish features the addition of Lao Gan Ma sauce and has been associated with the popularity of spicy mala flavors in Korea.
He also engages in philanthropic work. In 2017, he volunteered with the CJ Dream Classroom in Nanjing to help provide arts education for children. Also, he has supported the Golden State Warriors basketball team since 2016. He has also hosted radio programs, including the Chinese-language show Yuedong Seoul.
Birthday and age
Zhong Chenle was born on November 22, 2001, which makes Zhong 24 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Zhong shares the date with 54 other famous people.
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