ZE:A - K-pop’s Biggest Paradox
One of the best and worst things about K-pop is that fans always know what’s happening with their favorite idols. It gives fans a sense of connection and excitement to be able to get constant updates, but some have criticized the culture as an invasion of privacy for the affected idols. However, not all groups are subject to this level of attention; some are almost the exact opposite of what you might expect. Such is the case with ZE:A who seem to be a mystery, even among their own fans.
ZE:A was formed in 2010 by Star Empire Entertainment. The boy-band is also known as Children of Empire, and despite some mainstream crossover, has never really been a massive part of K-pop culture. The group’s story is a bit of an enigma, as seen through rumors of their disbandment, the periods when they’ve received attention, and influence of the individual members.
Throughout their career, ZE:A has been plagued by rumors of their disbandment. Back in 2017, a fake statement circulated saying the group was done working together, but a few months later their management released a statement that they were still together. Even now, many fans are confused about the status of the group. One of the first suggested questions when you Google the group is whether or not they’re still together.
Additionally, once they did have a period of hiatus, the group received much more attention from the press and public. They started a hiatus so some members could complete their military service, and the other members later commented that they felt like people were more interested in their music during that break than ever before. However, that interest diminished by the time they reunited. One such example is when the show Radio Star even did a deep dive on one of the group’s old performances.
Lastly, the group strangely isn’t nearly as famous as the members that make it up. Members Park Hyungsik, Im Siwan, and Hwang Kwanghee (as well as others) are reasonably well-known for their acting careers and presence on Korean TV. They’ve starred in some of the biggest shows in Korea, but that’s where their fame ends to most people. Oddly enough, the same fans of those shows and the individual members usually are not nearly as familiar with their time in ZE:A.
Even looking at the comments for the group’s most popular song, “Breathe,” there are countless fans expressing amazement of the group’s musical activities and admitting they had no idea ZE:A was a thing.