Kim Chae-yeon

Kim Chae-yeon — From Child Actress to Boni Hani, and Now tripleS S4

On September 10, 2026, a new YouTube channel launched under the name "13-Year Rookie Kim Chae-yeon." Its debut video was titled "YouTuber Kim Chae-yeon's Journey Begins (with Kian84)," featuring Kian84 sitting before the camera as her very first guest. The channel's name serves as Kim Chae-yeon's resume. She debuted as a child actress in the 2013 MBC historical drama Hur Jun, the Original Story, became the youngest member of the kids girl group Busters in 2017, took the helm as "Hani" on EBS's Live Talk! Talk! Boni Hani in 2019, and was unveiled as tripleS's fourth member, S4, in 2022. Having stepped up to the starting line three separate times across thirteen years, she opened her channel with the humble words: "There are still people who don't know who I am."

Because tripleS reveals its members by an "S" number before their names, searches for Kim Chae-yeon are almost always accompanied by "S4." The number denotes the order of reveal rather than a hierarchy, and holding that fourth spot is an artist with a 13-year track record.

At a Glance

Three Debuts: A 13-Year Timeline

• 2013: Debuted as a child actress in the MBC drama Hur Jun, the Original Story. Appeared in The Queen's Classroom that same year.
• 2014: Played Kang Ah-yoon in the film Tazza: The Hidden Card and starred in the short film The Weaver. Joined the kids idol group CutieL as part of its second generation.
• 2016: Appeared in the films The World of Us and Split. Also attended the Grand Bell Awards ceremony that year.
• 2017: Featured in the films A Day and Oh! The God Fathers : Return. On November 27, she officially debuted in the music industry with the girl group Busters—at just 12 years old, making her the team's youngest member. After promoting with songs like "Dream On", "Grapes", and "Pinky Promise", she departed the group in the summer of 2020.
• January 2019 – March 2021: Hosted as "Hani" on EBS's Live Talk! Talk! Boni Hani. She is widely counted among the quartet of Hanis who led the show's golden era in the 2010s.
• June 22, 2022: Revealed as tripleS S4. On February 13, 2023, she made her full-group debut with the title track "Rising" from their first EP, ASSEMBLE.
• September 10, 2026: Launched her personal YouTube channel, "13-Year Rookie Kim Chae-yeon."

Moving from child actress to kids idol, children's show host, and finally girl group member is an unconventional path. While most artists find doors closing once they choose a single direction, Kim Chae-yeon spent thirteen years actively balancing acting, stage performance, and live hosting. That diverse foundation explains why her live vocals stay rock-solid on tripleS stages and why she never hesitates before variety show cameras.

S4 in tripleS: Charting Kim Chae-yeon Through Sub-Units

tripleS operates as a 24-member collective, using the fan-voting platform "Gravity" to determine sub-units and tracks. Following a single member's journey naturally leads through a mosaic of team lineups. Kim Chae-yeon has been featured in the following sub-units:

The full-group discography developed from ASSEMBLE in 2023 to ASSEMBLE24 (title track "Girls Never Die") on May 8, 2024, and ASSEMBLE25 on May 12, 2025. Within the group, Kim Chae-yeon belongs to the vocal line and frequently claims center stage during choreographic climaxes. Her presence in both the ballad unit Aria and the performance-driven EVOLution highlights her ability to carry both vocal and dance responsibilities with equal poise.

2026: The 24-Member Comeback 'LOVE & POP'

On June 1, 2026, at 6:00 PM, tripleS unveiled their new full-group project, ASSEMBLE26 'LOVE & POP' pt.1. Led by the title track "Baby Flower," the seven-track release featured "Sad Girls Schemin'", "Peer", "Type of Girl", "Sleek", "I Like That", and "Me Myself Mode." The group marked release day with a showcase at Blue Square in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

This record serves as the opening chapter of a three-album project designed to weave a unified narrative. "Baby Flower" delivers a comforting message to girls facing growing pains—"You're not alone; it's time to bloom like a flower"—trading previous hard-edged concepts for a bright, melodic "la-la-la" hook. Through a Gravity fan vote, S24 JiYeon took on leadership duties for this promotional cycle. Amid the grandeur of 24 members sharing a single stage, Kim Chae-yeon plays a core role in the vocal line.

Beyond the Stage: Variety Shows and YouTube

Starting in late 2024, Kim Chae-yeon's public profile surged through variety appearances even faster than her music promotions.

• October 2024: Appeared across 8 episodes of the web variety show Kkondae Z alongside Kim Kwang-gyu.
• 2025: Guest-starred multiple times on Peak Season, Life84 in November, and Gyeop-deu in December. She continued her appearances on Peak Season through episodes 24 to 34 in 2026.
• 2025: Cast as Sung Jin-ah in the ice musical Solo Leveling on ICE.
• May 2026: Took on running challenges in JTBC's Run-hee Running Together and guest-starred on the web variety show No Back Tak Jae-hoon. Around this time, viral clips of her Waterbomb stage and Musinsa cheerleader routine dramatically broadened her recognition.
• August 2026: Appeared on Coupang Play's DAY2 POT.
• Commercial endorsements include serving as a beauty model for Dr.wonder in 2025, followed in 2026 by IBK Industrial Bank's Nara Sarang Card and public service campaigns for the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment.

A story from her first YouTube upload quickly went viral. When Kian84 began reading her facial fortune, Kim Chae-yeon revealed, "I haven't spent a single won of the appearance fees and settlement money I've earned since childhood. It's all locked in a bank account my mom manages." Her mother tried handing over the account when Chae-yeon turned twenty, but she declined, leaving her mother—a former bank employee—in charge of managing her earnings to this day. Admitting that she still lives on an allowance, she proved that calling herself a "13-year rookie" was no mere joke.

Fancam Highlights

If you want an ideal roadmap for watching tripleS performance clips and Kim Chae-yeon's individual fancams, consider this sequence:

1. "Rising" (2023) — The debut track. Before sub-unit identities took over, watching where S4 positions herself within the original 10-member formation provides essential context for everything that followed.
2. "Girls Never Die" (2024) — An excellent showcase of how her 170.8 cm height and long limbs create striking, elegant lines within the complex formation.
3. "Baby Flower" (2026) — Watch for her facial expressions set against the cheerful "la-la-la" hook. This stage captures her signature charm: slightly drooping eye corners paired with the expressive, downward-sloping eyebrows that fans celebrate as her secret weapon.
4. Aria Performances — Stripped of choreography to leave only pure vocals. This is where you can hear firsthand why her pitch remains so remarkably stable during live shows.

Often described as having puppy-like features, she debuted bangs for the first time in May 2024. Consequently, whether she has bangs or not has become the go-to visual cue among fans for dating her various fancam eras.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does S4 mean? It marks the order in which tripleS introduced its members. Kim Chae-yeon was revealed fourth on June 22, 2022, earning the designation S4. The numbers reflect reveal order rather than any hierarchical rank.

Is she the same Hani from Boni Hani? Yes. She hosted as "Hani" on EBS's Live Talk! Talk! Boni Hani from January 2019 to March 2021.

Was she a member of Busters? Yes. She debuted with Busters on November 27, 2017, and promoted with the group until the summer of 2020. tripleS is her second girl group debut.

Does she have a personal YouTube channel? Yes, she launched her personal channel, "13-Year Rookie Kim Chae-yeon," on September 10, 2026. Before that, fans followed her through tripleS's daily "SIGNAL" series and personal "SecretBase" video logs.

What are her fan nicknames? "Chaeng" is the most widely used, along with "Apeach" due to her resemblance to the Kakao Friends character. Fans who support Kim Chae-yeon call themselves the "Chaeng-rang-dan."

Related Guides

• tripleS — The complete 24-member roster, sub-unit breakdown, and full-group discography
• Girl Groups — Contemporary 4th- and 5th-generation girl groups
• Fancams — Curated collection of individual member fancams
• Dance — In-depth looks at choreography and formation dynamics

References & Sources

• tripleS Official S4 Kim Chae-yeon Profile
• TV Report (2026-09-10) — YouTube Debut Dialogue with Kian84
• Star News (2026-06-01) — ASSEMBLE26 'LOVE & POP' pt.1 Showcase
• Birthdates, educational history, and unit debut dates are drawn from official profiles and verified press reports. Unconfirmed personal details have been excluded.

Official Channels

• tripleS Official Instagram
• tripleS Official YouTube
• tripleS Official TikTok
• tripleS Official X
• tripleS Official Linktree