Cho Hyejin Profile: Age, Height, Origin, Career, Facts & More
As the leader, main dancer, and vocalist of OURBIRTHDAY (아워벌스데이)—the first girl group launched under JYP Entertainment subsidiary INNIT Entertainment—Cho Hyejin (조혜진) has quickly established herself as one of the standout fifth-generation rookies of 2026.
Long before officially debuting in August 2026 with the single album Our Birthday, Hyejin built a reputation across South Korean television as a fierce street dancer and a first-place audition survival champion.
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Quick Fact List: Cho Hyejin (조혜진)
| Profile Category | Verified Details |
| Stage Name | Cho Hyejin (조혜진) |
| Birth Name | Cho Hye-jin (조혜진 / 趙惠振) |
| Group | OURBIRTHDAY (아워벌스데이 / OBD) |
| Agency | INNIT Entertainment (JYP Entertainment subsidiary) |
| Position(s) | Leader, Main Dancer, Vocalist |
| Birthday | October 24, 2007 |
| Age (as of Nov 2026) | 19 years old (International) |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio (Western) / Pig (Chinese) |
| Height | 163 cm (5’4″) |
| Blood Type | A |
| MBTI Type | ENFJ |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Hometown / Origin | Seongha-dong, Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea |
| Education | Sangju Elementary School, Seongshin Girls’ Middle School, Hanlim Multi Art School (Dept. of Practical Dance, 15th Cohort) |
| Debut Date | August 19, 2026 (Pre-debut single “HUNGRY (Side A)” released July 2026) |
| Representative Color | Mantis Green |
| Representative Emoji | 🍃 (Matcha) / 🐰 / 🌊 |
| Representative Weapon | Spear |
| WHIP! Character / Avatar | GROOVLU (그루블루) |
Early Life and Background
Cho Hyejin was born on October 24, 2007, in Seongha-dong, Sangju, a city in North Gyeongsang Province (Gyeongsangbuk-do), South Korea.
She grew up in a multi-regional household—her father hails from Chungcheong Province, her mother is from Jeolla Province, and Hyejin herself was raised in Gyeongsang Province—alongside an older sister and the family’s beloved pet dog, Kong (조콩).
Hyejin’s passion for performance began early in childhood. After watching the iconic youth music drama Dream High as a kid, she set her sights on attending a performing arts high school.
She began studying contemporary dance in elementary school and later joined her dance club at Seongshin Girls’ Middle School, steadily broadening her foundation across multiple movement styles.
Alongside her artistic pursuits, she consistently demonstrated natural leadership, serving as either class president or vice president every single year starting from elementary school.
Determined to pursue dance professionally, Hyejin relocated to Seoul to attend the prestigious Hanlim Multi Art School, enrolling in the Department of Practical Dance (15th graduating cohort).
While at Hanlim, she specialized in hip-hop and locking, mastering both structured choreography and freestyle battle techniques. During Hanlim’s end-of-semester showcase, she not only served as the event’s MC but also captivated peers with a solo dance performance set to HYUKOH’s “Comes and Goes.”
Career Highlights
2023: Street Dance Girls Fighter 2
Hyejin first entered the national spotlight in late 2023 as a contestant on Mnet’s high-stakes teenage dance competition Street Dance Girls Fighter 2, the spinoff of Street Woman Fighter. Competing as a member of the LACHICA crew, Hyejin impressed judges and viewers with her sharp locking grooves, musicality, and composure under battle pressure.
Although Team LACHICA finished in sixth place and was eliminated in the fourth episode, the broadcast introduced Hyejin’s technical dance credentials to K-pop and street-dance fans nationwide.
2024–2025: Winning KBS2’s The Entertainer and Signing with INNIT Entertainment
Rather than stopping at dance competitions, Hyejin pivoted toward all-around idol performance by auditioning for The Entertainer (더 딴따라), a joint survival audition program produced by KBS 2TV and JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park.
Throughout the competition, which aired from November 2024 through January 2025, Hyejin proved she was far more than just a dancer—delivering expressive vocals, commanding stage presence, and instinctive storytelling.
In the finale, Hyejin achieved first place overall, winning the competition and earning a place in the pre-debut project lineup DDDD 25.
Immediately following her victory, she officially signed an exclusive contract with INNIT Entertainment on January 24, 2025, beginning intensive vocal, rap, and group training under the JYP subsidiary.
July–August 2026: Pre-Debut Unit “HUNGRY (Side A)” and OURBIRTHDAY Debut
After a year and a half of preparation, INNIT Entertainment began unveiling its first-ever girl group, OURBIRTHDAY—JYP Entertainment’s first new rookie girl group project introduced four years after NMIXX.
Hyejin was the first member teased to the public on July 14, 2026, and was officially confirmed on July 15 alongside fellow The Entertainer alum U and pre-debut unit teammates Baby and Achiraya.
Before the full seven-member lineup was revealed, Hyejin spearheaded the group’s three-member pre-debut promotional unit for the explosive digital single “HUNGRY (Side A)”, making her first music broadcast appearance on Mnet’s M Countdown on July 23, 2026.
On August 19, 2026, the complete seven-member lineup—Kuk Chorok, Shin Hyewon, Cho Hyejin, U, Baby, Achiraya, and Kilala—officially debuted with the single album Our Birthday and its energetic title track “Squeezy,” launching the group’s signature hybrid “WHIP-HOP” sound.
Brand Ambassadorships and Endorsements
As a newly debuted rookie who officially entered the industry in August 2026, Cho Hyejin has not yet announced any solo brand ambassadorships or individual commercial endorsements.
In her early months of active promotions, Hyejin’s commercial appearances have centered around group activities for OURBIRTHDAY—including promotional tie-ins for their 1st Single Album Our Birthday (such as Makestar fansign events and the Cartoon Book edition distributed in partnership with Republic Records and INNIT Entertainment) as well as high-profile performance features like Studio Choom’s SC Original series.
Given her background as a KBS survival show winner and Hanlim graduate, fashion, streetwear, and youth lifestyle brand partnerships are widely anticipated as the group expands into 2027.
Personality and Public Image
Despite being the third-oldest member in OURBIRTHDAY—younger than eldest members Kuk Chorok and Shin Hyewon—Cho Hyejin was appointed leader of the group.
Both her lifelong record as a school class officer and her hard-won experience navigating two televised survival programs made her a natural anchor for the multinational seven-member team.
Offstage, Hyejin’s ENFJ personality shines through in how thoughtfully she supports her bandmates. She describes herself as a deeply reflective person who regularly checks in on her own mindset and thinks carefully about how her words and actions affect her friends and fellow members.
At the same time, she brings a warm, unpretentious charm to variety shows and behind-the-scenes content like OURBIRTHDAY PARTY and Idol Human Theater.
Onstage, Hyejin’s public image shifts dramatically into an expressive powerhouse.
Trained across contemporary dance, hip-hop, and locking, she is frequently praised in music show fancams for her clean angles, dynamic facial expressions, and effortless freestyle instincts—earning her the representative color Mantis Green and the avatar GROOVLU within OURBIRTHDAY’s celebratory, dessert-inspired visual universe.
Fun Facts and Trivia
- Co-Choreographer on Debut: Hyejin and fellow main dancer Baby personally choreographed their duet section in OURBIRTHDAY’s track “WHIP-HOP.”
- Inherited Style: Her favorite piece of clothing is a vintage denim jacket passed down from her mother, who wore it when she was Hyejin’s exact age.
- Childhood Nickname: She used to go by the nickname “Cho Gyeo-ul” (조겨울 / “Cho Winter”) because winter is her favorite season of the year.
- Sunday Family Ritual: When spending Sundays at home, Hyejin loves starting her morning by eating ramyeon cooked by her father.
- Hidden Talents & Quirks: She is exceptionally fast at guessing songs after hearing just one second of the intro, prides herself on frying eggs cleanly, holds a Type 2 driver’s license, and admits she still cannot blow a proper bubble with chewing gum.
- Personal Favorites: Her lucky numbers are 5 and 24, her all-time favorite movie is The Butterfly Effect, her favorite food is Brazilian churrasco, and her favorite song to listen to is “love.” (사랑으로) by indie band wave to earth.
- Self-Proclaimed Lookalike: Fans often compare her bright eyes and expressive smile to a bunny or puppy, though Hyejin jokes that she resembles Margo from Despicable Me.
- Trainee Confession: During her trainee days, she once accidentally went home right after her scheduled vocal/dance lessons ended, forgetting that trainees were expected to stay until curfew for mandatory solo practice.
Social Media and Where to Follow
As of late 2026, Cho Hyejin does not maintain an individual public Instagram, TikTok, or X account.
Fans can follow her official updates, fancams, birthday livestreams, and behind-the-scenes content through OURBIRTHDAY’s official group channels managed by INNIT Entertainment:
- Instagram:
@ourbirthday_official - X (Twitter):
@OBD_offcl - TikTok:
@ourbirthday_official - YouTube:
@ourbirthday
Conclusion
Cho Hyejin’s journey to the center of OURBIRTHDAY is built on resilience, versatility, and proven stage mastery.
From honing her locking and hip-hop fundamentals at Hanlim Multi Art School and battling on Street Dance Girls Fighter 2, to claiming first place on The Entertainer and stepping up as leader for INNIT Entertainment’s debut girl group, she has earned every milestone on her resume.
With Our Birthday and “Squeezy” marking just the opening chapter of her career, Cho Hyejin stands out as both the steady backbone and explosive dance engine of one of K-pop’s brightest 2026 rookies.
Want to explore the full group profile?
Back to the OURBIRTHDAY Members Profile Hub.