One of Korea's most famous singers, Chen from K-pop boy band EXO, is now the father of two children, SM Entertainment confirmed on 19 January. The gender of his newborn remains a secret.
In November last year, the artist's agency confirmed that Chen and his wife were expecting a second child.
Chen's marriage to his non-celebrity partner raised eyebrows in the K-pop world in 2022, with his fans disappointed that he had seemingly chosen to prioritise his family life over his career. He is the first EXO member to marry. The news angered some fans to the extent that they even staged a protest outside SM Entertainment's HQ, demanding the main vocalist of the group leave the band.
Despite the strike, Chen – real name: Kim Jong-dae – remained in the group and welcomed his first daughter in April, 2020, three months after the scandal. In October 2020, six months after the birth of his first child, he was forced to do his mandatory military service in Korea and is expected to be discharged in April 2022.
EXO-L's (the official name for the fandom of EXO) are celebrating the news on Twitter.