Kang Haerin

Haerin (해린), born Kang Hae-rin (강해린) on May 15, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea, is a vocalist in NewJeans and one of the most visually distinctive performers of her generation. She attended Pyeongchon Middle School before dropping out of the formal system and later passed both middle school and high school equivalency exams independently. She was originally training at a different agency before joining Source Music in early 2020, then transferring to ADOR when Min Hee-jin assembled the NewJeans roster. Haerin debuted with NewJeans on July 22, 2022, under HYBE's subsidiary label ADOR. The group's debut single "Attention" was released without prior announcement of the lineup, a format that aligned with Min Hee-jin's deliberate strategy to build discovery through product rather than manufactured hype. Within months, Haerin's precise vocal delivery, restrained stage presence, and what fans began calling her "cat-like" demeanor had made her one of the most discussed members in the group's growing international fanbase. The nickname "Kitty Kang" became widely adopted online. As NewJeans scaled globally, Haerin was selected as an ambassador for Dior, one of the most coveted fashion partnerships in fourth-generation K-pop. The collaboration formalized a visual language that had been building around her from early in her career: minimal, precise, and with an architectural quality that aligns naturally with Dior's aesthetic codes.