FIRST READ · MON 7 AM ETTHE WEEKEND LEXICON · SAT 9 AM ETHuening Kai
- Stage name
- Huening Kai
- Birth name
- Kai Kamal Huening
- Born
- Aug. 14, 2002
- Hometown
- Seoul, South Korea
- Position
- Sub-Rapper, Sub-Dancer, Visual, Maknae
- Agency
- BIGHIT MUSIC
- Fandom
- MOA
- Debut
- 2019
- Generation
- 4th gen
Huening Kai is the youngest member of the five-piece group Tomorrow X Together (TXT), which came out of Big Hit Entertainment under the Hybe Corporation umbrella. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, is Korean-American, and speaks Korean, English and Mandarin. Within TXT he is listed as a sub-rapper, sub-dancer and visual, and he is the maknae. The group debuted on March 4, 2019, as the second act from Big Hit after BTS, and it was met with heavy expectations from the start.
Where they grew up
Huening Kai was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his hometown is listed as Seoul, South Korea. He grew up with two sisters, an older one named Lea and a younger one named Bahiyyih. A 2019 interview describes the energy of his older and younger sisters as something that has fed him for most of his life. He spent about two years as a trainee before debuting with TXT at 16. The pages do not describe how his interest in music began, so that part is left unstated.
Birth details: nolae.eu
In their own words
“Have you achieved the goal you’re striving towards?”
“I think I still have a long way to go”
“When I’m singing, I find that the emotions are the most important.”
Timeline
- 2017Trainee period begins (approximate)
The profile lists a two-year trainee period before his March 2019 debut, which puts the start around 2017. The page gives no exact start date.
- 2019Debut with TXT
- 2019Debut single "Crown"
The debut single told the story of a boy who finds horns growing from his head and learns to see them as a crown. The group used it as a metaphor for growing up in the public eye.
Latest
- Cover of Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi"
Released as a surprise cover in February 2022.
cheatsheet.com
Our coverage
TXT's 'Angel Bite' Credits Go to CORTIS, and MOA Is Asking BIGHIT MUSIC Why
Three CORTIS members hold the writing and production credits on TXT's title track, and the argument has moved past the tracklist to the company behind it.
Why Every K-pop Group Gives Its Fans a Name, From ARMY to FOHA
Our Lexicon entry on the fandom name: what it means, who picks it, and the wordplay behind CARAT, MOA, ONCE and hundreds more.
Photocard: The Debit-Card-Size K-pop Collectible Fans Pull, Swap and Price
From a 2010 Girls' Generation album to $13 Lucky Draw cards and tea-lounge swap meets, here is how the photocard works for U.S. fans.
Sunbae and Hoobae: The Korean Words That Sort K-pop Idols by Who Came First
Why Kep1er's Yeseo calls EUNHA "sunbae-nim," why TXT are BTS' hoobaes, and how K-pop's senior and junior titles really work.
TXT's Weverse Live Reads as a Quiet Reply to Soobin Deepfake Rumors
Fans heard a remark from Yeonjun, Taehyun and Huening Kai as indirect support after BIGHIT MUSIC promised legal action with no settlement.
TXT and EVNNE Map Out U.S. Stops as 2027 K-Pop Tour Calendar Takes Shape
EVNNE plays nine U.S. venues in January and February, and TXT hits six U.S. cities in May, while BTS, aespa and ENHYPEN tour abroad.
- nolae.eu: Huening Kai (TXT) Profile
- refinery29.com: Tomorrow X Together Talk Embracing The Awkward Teen Phase & Using It To Inspire
Last researched Nov. 11, 2026