Lee Hyein

Hyein (혜인), born Lee Hye-in (이혜인) on April 21, 2008, in Michuhol District, Incheon, South Korea, is the maknae (youngest member) of NewJeans. A former child model who walked international runways before turning fifteen, she entered the K-pop industry with a resume that extended back to her pre-teen years. Hyein's professional career began at age nine as a member of the children's group U.sso Girl, debuting on November 7, 2017, under the stage name U.Jeong alongside Rora of Babymonster. In January 2019, she joined the co-ed children's group Play with Me Club, which debuted in December 2020. Parallel to her musical work, she modeled for the snapback brand PRANKERS (August 2019), walked the runway at the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Moscow at age eleven, and won the Grand Prize at the 2019 Little Look of the Year child modeling competition. She graduated from both groups in May 2021 and began training at Source Music, later transferring to ADOR. NewJeans officially debuted on July 22, 2022, with the single "Attention." In December 2022, Hyein became the youngest global ambassador for Louis Vuitton at age fourteen. Her visual work with Louis Vuitton defined a new template for idol brand partnerships at unprecedented ages. She suffered an ankle injury in April 2024, leading to a temporary hiatus, but returned for partial participation in the group's Tokyo Dome performances in June 2024.