Kang Daniel facts for kids

In this Korean name, the family name is Kang.

Quick facts for kids Kang Daniel
Kang in September 2024
Born	Kang Eui-geon (1996-12-10) December 10, 1996 (age 28) Busan, South Korea
Education	Kyung Hee Cyber University
Occupation	Singer songwriter actor model television host businessman philanthropist
Years active	2017–present
Title	Founder and CEO of Konnect Entertainment (2019–2024)
Musical career
Genres	K-pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	MMO YMC Swing LM Konnect Warner Music Japan ARA


Korean name
Hangul	강다니엘
Revised Romanization	Gang Daniel
McCune–Reischauer	Kang Taniel
Birth name
Hangul	강의건
Revised Romanization	Gang Uigeon
McCune–Reischauer	Kang Ŭikŏn

Signature

Kang Daniel (Hangul: 강다니엘), born Kang Eui-geon on December 10, 1996, is a famous South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, and TV host. He became well-known in 2017 after winning the second season of the reality show Produce 101. He was the top winner and became a member of the popular K-pop boy group Wanna One.

After Wanna One finished their group activities, Kang Daniel took a short break. In 2019, he started his solo career with an extended play (EP) called Color on Me. This album was very successful! His next EPs, Cyan (2020) and Magenta (2020), also topped the music charts in South Korea. His song "Antidote" from his 2021 EP Yellow even reached number one.

Besides music, Kang Daniel has hosted popular TV shows like Street Woman Fighter (2021) and Street Man Fighter (2022). He also made his acting debut in the Disney+ series Rookie Cops (2022). He even started his own entertainment company, Konnect Entertainment, to manage his career. Kang Daniel has won many awards and holds a Guinness World Record for gaining one million followers on Instagram the fastest.

Early Life and Education

Kang Daniel was born Kang Eui-geon in Busan, South Korea. He is the only child in his family. Later, he legally changed his name to Daniel because his family and friends found "Eui-geon" hard to say. He shared that a biblical figure inspired his new name.

He started dancing in eighth grade. He joined a b-boy club after a teacher suggested it. He later went to a dance academy in Busan. Kang Daniel competed in a youth dance competition called "Busan City Kids." He and his teammate won against other future K-pop stars like Jimin from BTS.

Kang Daniel shared that he was teased in elementary school because of how he looked. Dancing helped him feel better about himself and build confidence. To follow his passion, he studied modern dance at Peniel Arts High School. He focused on ballet for a year and won a gold medal in a dance contest.

He grew up in a single-parent home. The tuition for his arts high school was very expensive for his mother. Because of this, he left high school and later earned a General Educational Development (GED) credential. In 2018, he enrolled in the Department of Applied Music at Kyung Hee Cyber University.

Becoming a Star

Training Days

Before joining Produce 101 Season 2, Kang Daniel trained for over two years. He first trained with B2M Entertainment and then with MMO Entertainment. During this time, he didn't get dance or singing lessons because the companies had money problems. He was a backup dancer for other artists on a TV show called Her Secret Weapon.

Produce 101 and Wanna One

In 2017, Kang Daniel joined Mnet's Produce 101 series. He was one of five trainees from MMO Entertainment. He became very popular and finished first in the final episode. This made him the "center" of the temporary boy group Wanna One.

Kang Daniel in 2017

Kang Daniel's special dance move on the show became famous. Many celebrities copied it, including the cast of Running Man. Wanna One officially debuted on August 7 at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Their first EP was called 1×1=1 (To Be One).

While preparing for his debut, Kang Daniel joined a TV show called It's Dangerous Beyond the Blankets. He also appeared on the cover of Weekly Chosun magazine. This showed how popular he was. In October 2017, he became the first male celebrity to be on the cover of InStyle Korea magazine. He also joined the cast of SBS's Master Key and won a rookie award for it.

In 2018, Kang Daniel continued his solo activities. He was the main model for Davichi's music video "Days Without You." He also continued on It's Dangerous Beyond the Blankets and won another rookie award. He promoted with Wanna One, and their unit "Triple Position" won the Best Unit Award. His contract with Wanna One ended on December 31, 2018. He performed with the group until their final concerts in January 2019.

Solo Music Career

Starting His Own Journey

After Wanna One, Kang Daniel started his own company, Konnect Entertainment, in June 2019. This allowed him to manage his own career.

He officially debuted as a solo artist on July 25 with his EP, Color on Me. This album broke records for first-day and first-week sales for a solo artist. His main song "What Are You Up To" won his first solo music show award on Music Bank. He then went on his first fan meet tour, visiting cities like Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul. He also hosted his own radio show called Kang Daniel Show. In November, he released two digital singles, "Touchin'" and "Adulthood." He won another music show award for "Touchin'". However, he took a break to focus on his health.

Color Series and More

Kang Daniel in 2020

In 2020, Kang Daniel returned with a travel reality show called Hello, Daniel. On March 24, he released his second EP, Cyan. This was the first part of his "color trilogy" project. Its main song "2U" became a top ten hit and won several music show awards. He also released a song called "Refresh" with Zico for a Pepsi project.

His third EP, Magenta, was released on August 3. With this album, he sold over one million albums as a solo artist in just 13 months! The main song "Who U Are" won awards on music shows. In November, he released his first artbook called Never Standing Still - It's Time to Shine.

In 2021, Kang Daniel released "State of Wonder" with Inverness and Anthony Russo. On February 16, he released the digital single "Paranoia". This song became a top five hit in Korea and appeared on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. He then released his fourth EP, Yellow, on April 13. This was the final part of his "color trilogy." Its main song "Antidote" became his first number one song in Korea. He explained that the "color series is really about sharing the different stages of self-discovery as an artist with my fans."

First Full Album and World Tour

Kang Daniel arriving to the 1st Blue Dragon Series Awards in July 2022

On May 24, 2022, Kang Daniel released his first full-length album, The Story. Its main song "Upside Down" reached number two in Korea. He performed "Parade" from the album on The Kelly Clarkson Show in the US. In August 2022, he started his first concert tour as a solo artist. He performed in many cities across Asia, Europe, and North America.

He also made his Japanese debut with the EP Joy Ride on October 5. In November, he released a repackaged version of his first album called The Story: Retold. In December, he released a song for a TV show called "Last Forever."

In 2023, Kang Daniel released his first English song, "Look Where We Are." He released his fifth Korean EP, Realiez, on June 19. He also performed at the 2023 Summer Sonic Festival. His documentary film Kang Daniel: My Parade was released in movie theaters. It showed his first world tour and behind-the-scenes moments.

In July 2024, Kang Daniel signed with a new company called ARA. His new EP, Act, was released on September 23. He plans to go on his second tour in January 2025.

Acting and Hosting

Kang Daniel made his acting debut in the Disney+ series Rookie Cops in 2022. He played the role of Wi Seung-hyun. He had turned down other acting offers before, but he liked the idea of working with people his age on this show. He also released the Korean version of his song "Hush Hush" as part of the series soundtrack.

He has also been a popular host for several dance competition shows. He was the main host for Mnet's Street Woman Fighter (2021), Street Dance Girls Fighter (2021–2022), Street Man Fighter (2022), and Street Woman Fighter 2 (2023). His background in breakdancing and knowledge of street dance made him a great choice for these shows.

His Impact

Kang Daniel at a fan meet in 2018

Kang Daniel's huge popularity as the center of Wanna One earned him the nickname "Nation's Center." Billboard magazine called him a "top-tier celebrity" and "one of the highest-earning and most significant male solo acts in K-pop." SBS's Late Night Entertainment News said he was "more than a top idol star" and "created a craze."

In 2018, he became an honorary ambassador for a Korean cultural exhibit at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2019, he was chosen as the honorary ambassador of Busan, his hometown. He even threw the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game there. In 2020, he was the only singer invited to the National Foundation Day ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Many famous people have said they are fans of Kang Daniel or were inspired by him. These include Olympic medalists and other artists. He set a Guinness World Record in 2019 for gaining one million followers on Instagram the fastest. His official fan club on Daum also reached 100,000 members very quickly.

He became the first male celebrity worldwide to lead a campaign for Givenchy Beauty. He has topped many brand power rankings, showing his influence in advertising. His name has appeared on lists like 'Most Preferred Idols' by Gallup Korea and 'Talented Emerging Artists Making Their Mark' by People magazine. His videos have also been among the most popular on Naver TV.

Kang Daniel's influence even reaches webtoons. The writers of Ideal Relationship and Eleceed said he inspired characters in their stories. His travel show Hello, Daniel even caused a big increase in sales for a travel guide book!

Other Ventures

Business

In June 2019, Kang Daniel started his own companies, Konnect Entertainment and KD Corporation Ltd. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of both. Konnect Entertainment managed his music career. The company also signed other artists like Chancellor, Yuju (from GFriend), and dance crew We Dem Boyz. Konnect Entertainment closed down in June 2024.

Endorsements

Kang Daniel became one of the most valuable celebrities in South Korea's advertising world. He has had many endorsement deals with different brands.

In 2017, he became the model for Think Nature and helped their online sales grow a lot. He also modeled for The Spring Home, helping them earn a lot of money quickly. In 2018, he worked with fashion brand LAP, soju company HiteJinro, and electronics company Bokuk.

In 2019, he became the model for KT Corporation, a phone company. Their collaboration helped sell many phones. He also became the face of Mexicana Chicken, Givenchy Beauty, Subway Korea, and Calvin Klein Jeans. He also worked with luggage brand Rimowa.

In 2020, he became the new ambassador for Puma. He also collaborated with KakaoTalk's emoticon service, Kakao Friends, creating his own character line. In 2021, he continued as the face of Mexicana Chicken and Givenchy Beauty. In 2022, he worked with Wonderwall ArtLab and Bio Heal skincare. He also had a special collaboration with SpongeBob SquarePants! In 2023, he became a model for South Korean fashion brand SPAO.

Fashion and Modelling

Kang in a video for Vogue, 2023

Fashion experts say that Kang Daniel can make people spend money, even when the fashion industry is slow. He has worked with many luxury brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, and Cartier.

In 2018, he became the official model for LAP after he was seen wearing their coat. The coat sold out quickly! LAP even launched a special clothing line called "Kang Daniel's Pick – Edition." Later that year, he became a new face for Chanel Fine Jewelry. He was on the cover of Elle Korea magazine, showing off Chanel jewelry.

In 2019, he was on the cover of Elle Korea again as Louis Vuitton's new style icon. He also appeared on the prestigious September issues of Arena Homme+ Korea and Vogue Korea magazines. For Arena Homme+ Korea, he modeled Cartier jewelry, and pre-orders for the magazine went very high. He also modeled for Calvin Klein Jeans' 50th anniversary.

In August 2023, Kang Daniel walked the runway for the first time. He modeled for the BAPE 2024 Spring/Summer Japan Runway Show.

Helping Others

Kang Daniel is also known for his charity work. On June 12, 2018, he took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for ALS and donated money. His participation caused the Seungil Hope Foundation's website to crash because so many people visited it and donated.

In November 2018, he was chosen for a special photo exhibition called Letter from Angels. This campaign helps raise awareness for adoption. The orphan child photographed with Kang Daniel was later adopted. On his birthday in December 2018, he donated money to the Miral Welfare Foundation to help people in need.

After the April Goseong Fire of 2019, Kang Daniel donated money to Hope Bridge Disaster Relief. His fans also donated a lot of money in his name. In December, he recorded ringtone services for people with hearing or speech problems. He also donated to The Snail of Love, a group for the deaf and hard of hearing.

On February 28, 2020, Kang Daniel personally donated money to Hope Bridge Disaster Relief to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. He said he wanted to help medical staff who were working hard. In April, he visited The Snail of Love's office and met a child who received a cochlear implant thanks to his and his fan club's donations.