Tae-heon Kim, formerly of ZE:A, shared an update that he is now working as a taxi driver.
On Dec. 2, Kim spoke candidly in a video on his YouTube channel, saying, "I promised myself I'd really boost my sales, but it's tougher than I thought." He added that when he drives out to the edges of Seoul to find fares, he often has to return with an empty cab, laying out the on-the-ground challenges.
Kim recently obtained his taxi driver license and officially hit the road. "I hear more young drivers are getting into it lately, and the pay isn't bad," he said. "People who grind full-time can pull in 4 to 5 million won a month."
Having tried his hand at a range of jobs since his idol days, Kim said the new gig has been surprisingly engaging. "Back when I was an idol, my manager handled everything, so I never really experienced working life. I didn't even get to do a single part-time job," he said. "I was scared when I first grabbed the wheel, but once I started, it was actually fun. It feels like I'm finally getting experiences I missed when I was younger."
Fans flooded the comments with messages like "We're cheering you on," "You're going to do great," and "Fighting," sending their support.
Kim debuted with ZE:A in 2010 and found love with tracks like 'Mazeltov' and 'Aftermath.' After the group wrapped activities, Kim revealed via YouTube that he kept food delivery, logistics center work, and construction gigs going to make ends meet—stories that drew buzz online.