Former ZE:A Member Kim Tae-heon Shares Life as a Taxi Driver

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Kim Tae-heon, a former member of the K-pop group ZE:A, has revealed his current life as a taxi driver, drawing significant attention.

On the 3rd, the 'Next Tae-heon' channel uploaded a video titled "Do I Really Drive a Taxi? A Day in the Life of ZE:A's Kim Tae-heon." The video showcases a day in the life of Kim Tae-heon, who once stood on idol stages, now living a completely different life.

In the video, Kim Tae-heon starts his day at 6 AM, driving continuously for over seven hours without a break. After completing his shift, he stops by a convenience store to grab a quick meal of a triangle kimbap. Eating in his car, he mentions, "I'm just having a simple meal," before getting back to work.

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A conversation with a passenger during his shift also became a topic of interest. When a passenger mentioned an artist's performance, Kim Tae-heon humorously responded, "Which artist? I'm an artist too." When the passenger mentioned singer Choi Soo-ho, he introduced himself, saying, "I was part of a group called ZE:A, and the members are still active." He lightened the mood by mentioning fellow members Im Si-wan, Park Hyung-sik, and Hwang Kwang-hee when a foreign passenger didn't recognize the group.

When asked if he was working two jobs, he replied, "I'm also filming YouTube videos." Kim Tae-heon previously appeared on KBS Joy's 'Ask Anything' in 2024, where he revealed he had done manual labor due to financial difficulties.

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During the show, he confessed, "I faced severe financial difficulties, even having my boiler cut off. If I had saved money after military service, it would have been fine, but that wasn't the case. I had to start other jobs to make a living."

He continued, "Initially, I worked as a bar manager for nearly a year. Due to the nature of the job, I had to drink constantly, which affected my health, so I quit and started working at construction sites. I worked there for about four months through a recommendation, but construction work wasn't available every day. I faced financial difficulties again and worked at a logistics center."

Despite these challenges, he hasn't completely given up on performing. Last December, he returned to the stage in Tokyo, Japan, for ZE:A's 15th-anniversary unit fan meeting with Kevin, Jung Hee-chul, and Ha Min-woo.

Reporter Na-yeon Jo, Ten Asia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr