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Hueningkai

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Hueningkai
Hueningkai in April 2025
Born
Kai Kamal Huening

(2002-08-14) August 14, 2002 (age 24)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Musical career
GenresK-pop
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
Years active2019–present
Label
Member of
Signature

Kai Kamal Huening (born August 14, 2002), known professionally as Hueningkai (Korean: 휴닝카이), is an American singer and songwriter based in South Korea. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Tomorrow X Together, which debuted under Big Hit Entertainment in March 2019. In addition to his work with the group, he has participated in individual fashion campaigns and editorial features.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Hueningkai was born Kai Kamal Huening on August 14, 2002, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a South Korean mother and an American father of German descent.[3][4]

His siblings are older sister, model Jung Lea, and younger sister, Huening Bahiyyih of Kep1er.[5] His father, Nabil David Huening, was also a singer and television personality in China, where the family lived until his parents separated when Hueningkai was seven. Following the separation, he and his siblings moved to South Korea with their mother.[1][3]

Hueningkai has perfect pitch and was surrounded by music from an early age, where he took up piano, guitar and drums as a child.[1] At age five, he was inspired to become a performer after watching a street musician play guitar.[1] During his middle school years, he played drums and served as frontman in a school band he formed, an experience he later cited as foundational to his musical identity.[2][6] Besides drums, he also plays the guitar, piano and flute.[7]

He and his older sister, Lea, originally auditioned together as a singer-songwriter duo, but a talent scout who had seen one of their auditions later invited Hueningkai to audition individually for Big Hit Music, where he performed AKMU's "Give Love" and Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning" and was accepted as a trainee at age 13.[1] He attended Yongmun Middle School and later Lila Art High School, before transferring to and graduating from Hanlim Multi Art School in 2021.[8][9]

Career

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On January 16, 2019, Big Hit Entertainment revealed Hueningkai as the third member of Tomorrow X Together.[10] On March 4, 2019, the group officially debuted with the release of their first extended play (EP), The Dream Chapter: Star.[11]

As a songwriter, Hueningkai co-produced and co-wrote the pop rock track "Dear Sputnik" for TXT's album The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape (2021).[1] He has since continued to contribute to the group's discography, with credits on over 20 songs by 2024.[12] HueningKai co-hosted EBS radio show "Listen" with his bandmate Taehyun from January to May 2021.[13]

Since 2023 to 2025, Hueningkai has performed on special solo stages or collaborative stages at broadcast shows every year. On November 28, 2023, he performed "Endless Rain" by X Japan at the 2023 MAMA Awards in Japan with Yoshiki, Taehyun, Jaehyun of BoyNextDoor, Anton of Riize, Han Yu-jin of Zerobaseone.[14] On April 20, 2024, he performed his first solo stage at the 2024 Music Bank World Tour in Antwerp, Belgium, covering "Sk8er Boi" by Avril Lavigne.[15] On November 22, 2024, he performed as a drummer while covering "Left Hander" by Panic as a collaborative temporary band called Toenze with bandmate Beomgyu, Jay of Enhypen, Kim Tae-rae and Han Yu-jin of Zerobaseone for the 2024 MAMA Awards.[16] On December 25, 2025, he teamed up with Zhang Hao of Zerobaseone, Sohee of Riize, and Shinyu of TWS as the YoungNoblez to cover "You Were Beautiful" by DAY6 for the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon.[17]

In June 2024, he starred in the music variety web series, Hueningkai Wants to Start a Band, exploring various instruments and collaborations with university student-led bands across Seoul. A total of 5 episodes were released.[18]

On July 6, 2024, Hueningkai performed a live cover of Yuuri's "Betelgeuse" with Snow Man member Shota Watanabe for NTV's The Music Day 2024 music program[19] and became an overnight sensation in Japan.[20] His cover of "Betelgeuse" led to a revitalized resurregence of the song's popularity in Korea and Japan.[21] Since the broadcast, Hueningkai has been invited to perform on Japanese music programs every year. On August 22, 2024, he covered the song "Tokyo Flash" by Vaundy with Jungwon of Enhypen during the NHK Music Expo 2024.[22] Hueningkai returned on July 5, 2025, for NTV's The Music Day 2025 music program covering "Rusty Nail" by X Japan with bandmate Taehyun[23] and again on July 4, 2026, for NTV's The Music Day 2026 music program to perform a live cover of Kenshi Yonezu's "Lemon" with bandmates Taehyun and Beomgyu.[24]

In June 2025, Hueningkai participated in his first solo overseas schedule in China for fashion event, Harper's Bazaar Gala in Shanghai,[25] where he performed a cover of Ding Yuxi's "Dissipating Dialogue" and accepted the award for Asia's Most Awaited Band on behalf of Tomorrow X Together. On July 21, 2025, Hueningkai released his first solo song, "Dance With You", as part of Tomorrow X Together's album The Star Chapter: Together. An accompanying music video, directed by Lee Jaedon, portraying Hueningkai dancing alone in a bar was filmed in Mexico and released on August 1, 2025.[26] In October 2025, he hosted a new variety web series called HueningKai's Countless Friends, where he interviews and bonds with several notable peers in the K-pop and entertainment industry. A total of six episodes have been released.[27]

Other ventures

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Fashion and endorsements

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In 2025, Hueningkai was announced as the global brand ambassador for Korean cosmetic company, Dermafirm.[28]

Hueningkai has been featured in a variety of fashion magazines, both domestically and internationally. His first solo pictorial was in the September 2021 issue of GQ Korea[29] and his first cover issue was for the January 2023 issue of Men's Folio.[30] Since then, he has been featured on the cover for the October 2025 issue of Nylon Japan Guys[31] and had a multi-cover feature for the Fall 2025 issue of Maps Korea and Maps Japan.[32] In 2023, he participated in his first joint photoshoot with his sister, Bahiyyih of Kep1er, for the December 2023 issue of GQ Korea.[33] They participated in their second joint photoshoot for the June 2026 issue of Dazed Korea.[34] In 2024, he paired up with bandmate Taehyun, for a joint pictorial for July 2024 issue of Elle Korea.[35] In 2026, he participated in 3 solo pictorials for L'Officiel Korea[36], GQ Korea[37] and Cosmopolitan Korea.[38]

Since 2023, Hueningkai has also been a fixture at Seoul Fashion Week[39][40][41][42], attending every year to support his sister, Lea, who walks for the Kwak Hyun Joo Collection. In September 2025, he also attended the Andersson Bell show at Seoul Fashion Week.[43]

Philanthropy

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On January 3, 2025, Hueningkai donated ₩50 million (US$43,708.2) to support the families of victims of the Jeju Air Flight 2216 plane crash.[44]

Artistry

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In an interview with GQ Korea in 2021, Hueningkai discussed his evolving vocal technique, noting that he intentionally used a raspier, more strained delivery for tracks in The Chaos Chapter: Freeze to better convey the emotional weight of the lyrics.[45][46] He stated his ultimate goal as a musician is to "touch people's emotions through music."[45]

Hueningkai reflected on his creative growth in a 2023 interview with W Korea and his desire to take a more active role in the TXT's musical direction.[2]

Discography

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Singles

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As lead artist

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
KOR DL[47]
"Dance With You"[a] 2025 14 The Star Chapter: Together

Soundtrack appearances

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List of soundtrack appearances, showing year released, selected chart positions, and name of the album
Title Year Peak chart positions Album Ref.
KOR DL
"Can't Stop"
(with Taehyun)		 2024 51 Brewing Love Original Soundtrack [48]
"Surfing in the Moonlight"
(with Taehyun)		 2025 — Melo Movie Original Soundtrack [49]

Songwriting credits

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All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database unless otherwise noted.[12]

List of songs, showing year released, artist name, and name of the album
Year Title Artist Album Composer Lyricist Producer
2019 "Roller Coaster" Tomorrow X Together The Dream Chapter: Magic Yes Yes No
2020 "Maze in the Mirror" The Dream Chapter: Eternity Yes Yes No
"Sweat" Non-album single Yes Yes No
"Wishlist" Minisode1: Blue Hour Yes Yes No
2021 "No Rules" The Chaos Chapter: Freeze Yes Yes No
"Dear Sputnik" Yes Yes Yes
"MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari)" The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape Yes Yes No
"Sweet Dreams" Non-album single Yes Yes No
2022 "Opening Sequence" Minisode 2: Thursday's Child Yes Yes No
"Lonely Boy" Yes Yes No
2023 "Happy Fools" (feat. Coi Leray) The Name Chapter: Temptation Yes Yes No
"Ring (君じゃない誰かの愛し方)" Sweet Yes No No
"Growing Pain" The Name Chapter: Freefall Yes Yes No
"Dreamer" Yes Yes No
"Blue Spring" Yes Yes No
2024 "I'll See You There Tomorrow" Minisode 3: Tomorrow Yes Yes No
"Miracle" Yes Yes No
"Kitto Zutto" 誓い (CHIKAI) Yes Yes Yes
"Open Always Wins" Non-album single Yes Yes No
"Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)" The Star Chapter: Sanctuary Yes Yes No
"Love Language" Non-album single Yes Yes No
2026 "21st Century Romance" 7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns Yes Yes No

Filmography

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Web shows

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Year Title Role Ref.
2024 Hueningkai Wants to Start a Band Himself [18]
2025 Hueningkai's Countless Friends Himself [50]

Radio

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021 Listen DJ with Taehyun [51]

Hosting

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Hosting appearances
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2020 Music Bank Special MC with Seunghee
2021 Music Bank with Seunghee
Music Bank with Jang Won-young and Sunghoon [52]
2023 M Countdown with Miyeon [53][54]
2025 Music Bank with Soobin

Notes

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  1. ↑ credited to Tomorrow X Together, but the track is a solo by Hueningkai

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bell, Crystal (August 27, 2021). "TXT's Hueningkai Just Wants to Make You Happy". PAPER Magazine. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Jeon, Yeo-ul (March 30, 2023). "소년에서 청년으로, 투모로우바이투게더 휴닝카이 (From Boy to Young Man, TXT HueningKai)". W Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Travis, Emlyn (August 7, 2020). "TXT Is Making Dreams Come True". Teen Vogue. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ Hwang, Hye-jin (March 6, 2019). "뉴스 : 네이버 엔터" (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ "[CELEB] Kep1er hopes to continue its roll with summer song 'Doublast'". koreajoongangdaily. June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ "HUENINGKAI "Let me tell you a bit more about myself" - Weverse Magazine". magazine.weverse.io. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ "K-pop X Raksha Bandhan: Idol siblings who shine together on and off stage". The Times of India. August 9, 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  8. ↑ Hanlim TV (July 8, 2020). 한림예고 고3 졸업사진 찍는 날♬ | 졸업 사진 촬영 현장 | 한림인들은 졸업사진을 어떻게 찍을까❓. Retrieved June 21, 2026 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ 정은영 (March 5, 2024). "이수근♥박지연 아들, 아이돌 데뷔 임박?…한림예고 입학한 근황 화제". 톱스타뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ Lee, Jung-min (January 16, 2019). "'BTS 동생 그룹' TXT 세 번째 멤버 휴닝카이 공개 "첫 외국인 멤버" 출처" (in Korean). Seoul Economic Daily. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  11. ↑ Herman, Tamar (February 7, 2019). "TOMORROW X TOGETHER Announces First Album 'The Dream Chapter: STAR'". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Songs Registered Under Huening Kai(10031559)". Korea Music Copyright Association (in Korean). Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  13. ↑ Chun, Yoon-hye (March 3, 2021). "투모로우바이투게더, '경청' DJ 졸업..깜짝 노래 선물로 마지막까지 감동". Herald POP (in Korean). Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  14. ↑ "YOSHIKI Becomes the First Japanese Artist to Win the "Favorite International Artist" Award at the 2023 MAMA Awards, the World's top K-Pop Award Show". yoshiki.net. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Music Bank Antwerp". concertarchives.org. April 20, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  16. ↑ Lim, M (October 29, 2024). "Update: 2024 MAMA Awards Teases Band Collab Stage With Beomgyu, Huening Kai, Jay, Kim Tae Rae, And Han Yu Jin". Soompi. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  17. ↑ "TXT deliver explosive year-end performance at SBS Gayo Daejeon". Chosun Biz. December 26, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  18. 1 2 Son, Bong-seok (September 5, 2024). "투모로우바이투게더(TXT) 휴닝카이, '휴닝이는 밴드부가 하고 싶어서' 종영". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  19. ↑ Banerjee, Moupriya (July 7, 2024). "TXT's Huening Kai and Japanese idol Watanabe Shota's performance of BETELGEUSE leaves fans mesmerized; Watch". Pinkvilla. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  20. ↑ "The 2025 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100". Billboard (in Japanese). December 25, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  21. ↑ "How do Japanese songs spread in South Korea? An investigation into the trends of Yuri's "Betelgeuse."". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). January 2, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  22. ↑ "TXT・ENHYPEN、ヒュニンカイ＆ジョンウォン・テヒョン＆ヒスンの貴重コラボにファン熱狂 J-POP名曲を美声で熱唱【NHK MUSIC EXPO 2024 収録レポ】". Model Press (in jp). August 22, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  23. ↑ "TOMORROW X TOGETHER、子どもの頃から聴いていた日本アーティストとは【THE MUSIC DAY 2025】". Model Press (in jp). July 5, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  24. ↑ "Tomorrow X Together Drops 5th Japanese Single 'Setsuna Hanabi' in August". The Chosen Daily. June 30, 2026. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Cha Eun-woo, Jackson Wang, J-Hope and more grace Paris Fashion Week 2025". AsiaOne. June 26, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Hueningkai showcases captivating allure in 'Dance With You' music video". ChosunBiz. August 2, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  27. ↑ Herrera, Kathleen (May 19, 2026). "HK-Variety Taster: HUENINGKAI'S Countless Friends". The K Meal. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Derma Firm, a global Derma cosmetic brand, announced on the 8th that it has officially selected HUEN.. - MK". 매일경제. July 8, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  29. ↑ 김영재 (August 23, 2021). "휴닝카이 "저는 아직도 변함없이 데뷔곡이 참 좋아요"". GQ Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  30. ↑ Manfred Lu (January 5, 2023). "TOMORROW X TOGETHER's HUENINGKAI on Defining the Next Generation of K-Pop". Men's Folio. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  31. ↑ "どの角度でもパーフェクト　究極の洗練で魅せるHUENINGKAIへの憧憬". Nylon (in Japanese). August 28, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Vol.195_HUENINGKAI". Maps Magazine. September 16, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  33. ↑ 김지현 (November 28, 2023). "휴닝카이X휴닝바히에 "우리는 서로의 원동력이에요"". GQ Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  34. ↑ MJ (June 30, 2026). "HUENING'S". Dazed Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  35. ↑ "TXT 태현과 휴닝카이의 청춘 만화 투샷 (TXT Taehyun and HueningKai's Youthful Comic Two-Shot)". Elle Korea (in Korean). August 21, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  36. ↑ L'Officiel (April 26, 2026). "Tomorrow X Together, HUENINGKAI". L'Officiel Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  37. ↑ 김지현 (May 19, 2026). "투모로우바이투게더(TXT) 휴닝카이 "더 능동적으로 하려고 해요"". GQ Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  38. ↑ 최아름 (May 26, 2026). "투모로우바이투게더(TXT) 휴닝카이 "더 능동적으로 하려고 해요"". Cosmopolitan Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  39. ↑ 이용선 (March 21, 2023). "[AK포토] TXT 휴닝카이, 무결점 피부의 독보적 존재감". ArtKoreaTV (in Korean). Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  40. ↑ 송승진 (February 5, 2024). "[IS포토서울패션위크] 휴닝카이-휴닝바히에, '비주얼 남매'". Ilyo Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  41. ↑ 이용선 (February 7, 2025). "[AK포토] 휴닝바히에-휴닝카이, 남매의 행복한 순간". ArtKoreaTV (in Korean). Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  42. ↑ CHOSUNBIZ (February 4, 2026). "TXT Hueningkai charms audience at 2026 Seoul Fashion Week show". CHOSUNBIZ. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  43. ↑ 홍밝음 (September 1, 2025). "[영상] TXT 휴닝카이, 가죽자켓 입고 가을남자 분위기 물씬(서울패션위크)". iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  44. ↑ Lee, Dae-seon (January 3, 2025). "TXT 휴닝카이, 제주항공 참사 유족 위해 5천만원 기부 "작은 도움이라도" [공식]" (in Korean). Osen. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  45. 1 2 Chin, Carmen (August 25, 2021). "TXT's Huening Kai on reaching his goals: "I still have a long way to go"". NME. Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  46. ↑ Lee, Dae-seon (August 23, 2021). "투모로우바이투게더 휴닝카이, 이 얼굴이 4세대 답이다 [화보]". Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved July 13, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Download Chart 2025 Week 30". Circle Chart. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Download Chart - 2024 Weeks 47". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  49. ↑ Kang, Ga-hee (February 14, 2025). "TXT 태현·휴닝카이, 오늘(14일) '멜로무비' OST 발매..동화 감성 가득". Herald POP (in Korean). Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  50. ↑ Han, Su-ji (May 20, 2026). "장하오, 앤더블 재데뷔 앞두고 부담감 토로 "안되면 투바투 수빈에 집 사달라고" [RE:뷰]". Nate. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  51. ↑ 천윤혜 (May 3, 2021). "투모로우바이투게더, '경청' DJ 졸업..깜짝 노래 선물로 마지막까지 감동". 헤럴드뮤즈 (Herald Muse) (in Korean). Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  52. ↑ Oh, Yoon-joo (November 19, 2021). "'뮤뱅' 휴닝카이, 성훈 대신 스페셜 MC "초대 감사해"". My Daily. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  53. ↑ Han, Yu-jin (February 9, 2023). "엠넷 '엠카운트다운', 임창정→세븐틴 '부석순' 컴백무대 공개". Newsis. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  54. ↑ Lee, Seul (February 9, 2023). [단독] 투바투 휴닝카이, '엠카' 1위 이어 스페셜 MC 출격 [[Exclusive] Tomorrow X Together's HueningKai, special MC after winning no.1 on "M Countdown".]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
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