The Idol Who Secretly Had A Baby 2 Months After Debut — And Hid It For Years

Dating and relationships are sensitive topics for K-Pop idols. Often, idols are criticized for being in relationships, leading many to keep their romances a secret and only settle down years into their careers.

While relationships have often been kept secret, it has been rare that stars have been discovered to secretly have children, like one former idol managed to do and hide.

In September 2012, the boy group 24K debuted under Choeun Entertainment as a six-member group.  

24K | Choeun Entertainment

These days, the group is known as 24K+, following the departures of several members over time. Member Seokjun was the first to leave and was replaced shortly after by Jeonguk during the group’s first few months of activities. 

In the summer of 2013, the group released “U R So Cute,” and later that year, member Byungho was announced as going on hiatus due to chronic back issues.

Byungho | Chouen Entertainment

Byungho remained on hiatus, and the group did as well when rumors surrounding Byungho’s personal life began to circulate. It was reported that the idol had shared images of his wife and child on his social media accounts, where fans spotted them.

The group’s agency later released a statement saying that they had been unable to contact Byungho. According to the statement, Byungho had allegedly married a non-celebrity in October 2012 who gave birth to their child the following month.

Byungho’s personal affairs were later exposed on the internet, causing significant shock to the agency and the members. While efforts were made to verify the truth, all means of communication with Byungho have been cut off, leaving us in a state of confusion and frustration.

We cannot comprehend what he was thinking when he decided to debut as a member of 24K while harboring such personal matters, only to join the team under false pretenses and then leave.

— Statement

Byungho’s status with the group was previously unclear but solidified after this situation. 24K returned later that year with a digital single that did not include Byungho.

After his time with 24K, the idol became a real estate agent, and sometime after added free diving instructor to his resume. He is active on Instagram, where he shares content from his dives.