Months After His Secret Wedding, EXO's Chen Is a Father

EXO has been a top K-Pop group since its formation in 2012, and the band is known for mixing genres like pop, R&B, trap music, and hip-hop. Chen (whose birth name is Kim Jong-dae) has been a member since the start, and he was just 20 when he become part of EXO. 

Chen made headlines when SM Entertainment, the company who represents him, announced that he had secretly gotten married in January of 2020. 

The news meant that Chen was one of the first major K-Pop singers to get married, and some diehard fans soon demanded that he get fired from the group. Because of how passionate some K-Pop fans are known to be about band members, many don't ever publicize their relationships. 

Chen issued a handwritten letter explaining that he was "nervous" to tell fans that he was getting married. Since the letter, not much was known about his wedding or the rumors that he was soon to become a father. 

That changed when, three months after the nuptials were announced, SM Entertainment confirmed that EXO's Chen welcomed a daughter on April 29, 2020. Read on to find out more about Chen's marriage and road to fatherhood. 

Following a local news report in Seoul that Chen's wife had delivered a baby at the Marie OB GYN clinic in Cheongdam, SM Entertainment corroborated the report.

Per All K-Pop, SM Entertainment confirmed the speculation with a short statement on Chen's family. "Chen had a daughter today," it read. 

Further details about the baby's name or other birth details have not been revealed as of yet. Chen himself does not have any social media accounts, so it is not likely that photos of the baby will be made readily available. 

Soon after the news was revealed, Chen's fans came out in full support for the singer on Twitter; #WelcomeEXOPrincess began trending, as did #ChenBestDad.

Though many EXO fans are desperate for more information on Chen's new bundle of joy, the identity of his bride is still unknown. In January of 2020, news broke from SM Entertainment that Chen was engaged, which was the first time that fans had even gotten word that he was in a relationship. The company released a statement via a letter to the public, and they only confirmed that Chen was marrying a "non-celebrity".

"Hello. This is SM Entertainment," the letter began. "Chen has met someone precious to him and will be getting married. The bride is a non-celebrity, and the wedding will be held privately with only their families in attendance. To respect their families' opinions, the wedding and everything related to it will be held privately, so we ask fans and reporters for their kind understanding."

SM Entertainment also denied that Chen would lose his spot in EXO as a result of his impending marriage. 

"Chen will continue to work hard as an artist. We ask you to send Chen lots of blessings and messages of celebration," the letter concluded. "Thank you."

The letter went viral, and Chen himself later followed it up with a handwritten note to his fans. Soompi translated the letter. 

"Hello, this is Chen. I am writing this because I have something to tell our fans. I don’t know how to start this, and I’m very nervous. Although these words are not enough, I’m writing this letter because I want to honestly tell our fans, who gave us so much love, first," he began.

"I have a girlfriend I want to spend the rest of my life with. I was worried and concerned about the situations that would arise as a result of this decision, but I had been discussing with the agency and our members because I wanted to announce the news at least a little bit earlier so I wouldn't surprise you with the sudden news," he continued.

The next part of the note suggested a subtle pregnancy announcement.

"Then, a blessing came my way. I am also taken aback, as I cannot do what I had planned with the agency and members, but this blessing has given me more strength. I couldn't lose any more time thinking about when or how I should announce this, so I mustered up my courage," he stated.

"I'm really thankful to my members for genuinely congratulating me after hearing this news, and I deeply thank our fans for sending me so much undeserving love," he concluded. "I will never forget this feeling of gratitude, do my best in my place without changing, and return the love you have given me. Thank you always."

It was rumored at the time that Chen's then-fiancée was seven months pregnant. We now know, of course, that she has given birth to their daughter. Congratulations are in order to Chen and his wife!