Sunghoon (singer, born 2002)
A South Korean performer who traded the solitary discipline of competitive figure skating for the explosive spotlight of K-pop with the group ENHYPEN.
Born 2002 (age 24)·South Korean singer·Birthday: December 8·Generation Z
Biography
Park Sunghoon's story is one of traded blades for microphones, of discipline repurposed. For a decade, he dedicated himself to the icy precision of figure skating, rising through South Korea's competitive ranks to claim medals in international novice and junior events. The rink taught him grace under pressure, a skill that would prove invaluable. In 2018, while still an active skater, he entered the demanding world of K-pop training. For two years, he balanced early morning practices on the ice with late-night vocal and dance rehearsals, a grueling dual life. In 2020, he made a definitive choice, retiring from sport to debut as a member of ENHYPEN, a group formed through the survival show 'I-LAND.' His transition from athlete to idol is not a rupture but a continuation—the same focus and performative flair now channeled into captivating millions on global stages.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Sunghoon was born in 2002, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sunghoon Was Born
The biggest hits of 2002
#1 Movie
Spider-Man
Best Picture
Chicago
#1 TV Show
Friends
Sunghoon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2002Born
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2007Started school
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2015Became a teenager
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Could drive
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2020Could vote
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2023Turned 21
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 24 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Debuted as a member of the massively successful K-pop boy group ENHYPEN, formed through the TV competition 'I-LAND'.
- Won the novice gold medal at the prestigious Lombardia Trophy figure skating competition in 2015.
- Achieved the junior silver medal at the Asian Figure Skating Trophy in the 2016-2017 season.
Did You Know?
He is a former 'Ulzzang' (internet famous for good looks), discovered through an online photo before his skating or trainee days.
Sunghoon was a competitive figure skater for ten years, from age eight to eighteen.
His ENHYPEN member Heeseung was the first trainee he met when he joined the company Belift Lab.
He is known among fans for his calm, sometimes deadpan demeanor, nicknamed 'Ice Prince' for his skating past and cool personality.
“The discipline from the ice now lives in every note I sing.”
