# Dawn (던) (rapper)

**Dawn** (던; born Kim Hyo-jong, 김효종, in 1994) is a South Korean rapper, singer, and songwriter who debuted in 2016 as a member of the boy group PENTAGON under [Cube Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/cube-entertainment) and has worked as a solo artist since 2019<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://khiphop.fandom.com/wiki/Dawn_%28Soloist%29)</sup>. During his PENTAGON years he performed under the stage name E'Dawn (이던); after joining PSY's agency P NATION in 2019 he adopted the solo name Dawn<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191018105100005)</sup>.

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup> |
| Group career | PENTAGON (debut 10 October 2016 with mini album *PENTAGON*, main rapper); unit Triple H with HyunA and Hui (2017–2018)<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170404_0014807830)</sup>  |
| Solo debut | Single "MONEY", 5 November 2019, first release after joining P NATION<sup>[3](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191018105100005)</sup> |
| Notable releases | EP *DAWNDIDIDAWN* (2020); unit album *1+1=1* with HyunA (2021); singles "Stupid Cool" (2022), "Dear My Light" (2023); EP *Narcissus* (2023)<sup>[5](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8377ca74-38f7-4ed1-981f-3485547fa375)</sup> |
| Agencies | Cube Entertainment, then P NATION (January 2019 – August 2022), then AT AREA (January 2023 – January 2026)<sup>[5](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8377ca74-38f7-4ed1-981f-3485547fa375)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260129_0003495303)</sup>  |

## Name and early career

The stage name E'Dawn combined "East" and "dawn", the latter taken from the character 曉 (dawn) in his given name Hyo-jong<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://infoyas.com/entry/%EA%B0%80%EC%88%98-%EB%8D%98-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%ED%95%84-%EB%82%98%EC%9D%B4-%ED%82%A4-%EB%AA%B8%EB%AC%B4%EA%B2%8C-%EC%9D%8C%EB%B0%98-%ED%8C%AC%ED%83%80%EA%B3%A4-%ED%99%9C%EB%8F%99-MBTI-%EC%9D%B8%EC%8A%A4%ED%83%80-%EA%B2%B0%EB%B3%84)</sup>. He debuted with PENTAGON on 10 October 2016 through the mini album *PENTAGON*, serving as the group's main rapper and also taking part in writing and composing from early on<sup>[1](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)</sup>. In 2017 he joined the three-member project unit [Triple H](https://www.edgepedia.org/triple-h) with labelmate HyunA and fellow PENTAGON member Hui<sup>[4](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170404_0014807830)</sup>.

## 2018–2019: departure from Cube and solo debut

In August 2018 Dawn and HyunA confirmed that they had been in a relationship for about two years. Cube Entertainment responded by announcing that both would leave the company, a statement its chief executive reversed within hours, saying the "expulsion" was only under discussion; the conflict was reported as exposing unusually hasty management by the listed agency<sup>[8](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20180913181900005)</sup>. Both artists' exclusive contracts with Cube were terminated on 14 November 2018<sup>[7](https://infoyas.com/entry/%EA%B0%80%EC%88%98-%EB%8D%98-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%ED%95%84-%EB%82%98%EC%9D%B4-%ED%82%A4-%EB%AA%B8%EB%AC%B4%EA%B2%8C-%EC%9D%8C%EB%B0%98-%ED%8C%AC%ED%83%80%EA%B3%A4-%ED%99%9C%EB%8F%99-MBTI-%EC%9D%B8%EC%8A%A4%ED%83%80-%EA%B2%B0%EB%B3%84)</sup>.

In January 2019 the two signed with P NATION, the agency founded by PSY, and Dawn changed his stage name to DAWN<sup>[3](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191018105100005)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://infoyas.com/entry/%EA%B0%80%EC%88%98-%EB%8D%98-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%ED%95%84-%EB%82%98%EC%9D%B4-%ED%82%A4-%EB%AA%B8%EB%AC%B4%EA%B2%8C-%EC%9D%8C%EB%B0%98-%ED%8C%AC%ED%83%80%EA%B3%A4-%ED%99%9C%EB%8F%99-MBTI-%EC%9D%B8%EC%8A%A4%ED%83%80-%EA%B2%B0%EB%B3%84)</sup>. His solo debut single MONEY was released on 5 November 2019, the same day HyunA returned with "Flower Shower"; at the joint showcase he said he had worried about filling a stage alone for the first time and that he had written and composed the new song himself<sup>[9](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20191105169400005)</sup>.

## 2020–2023: releases and agency changes

The EP *DAWNDIDIDAWN* followed in 2020, and in September 2021 he and HyunA released the unit album *1+1=1*<sup>[5](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8377ca74-38f7-4ed1-981f-3485547fa375)</sup>. His next solo release, the single "Stupid Cool", arrived on 16 June 2022, his first new song as a soloist in one year and eight months after the 2020 EP<sup>[10](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20220609045400005)</sup>. His P NATION contract ended on 29 August 2022, and on 30 November 2022 the end of his engagement to HyunA was announced<sup>[11](https://view.asiae.co.kr/article/2022082920375127639)</sup>.

On 30 January 2023 he signed an exclusive contract with AT AREA, the label founded by the producing duo [GroovyRoom](https://www.edgepedia.org/groovyroom), and repositioned himself as a singer-songwriter<sup>[12](https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/k-pop-icon-dawn-goes-deep-on-his-new-single-and-life-after-hyuna-28454/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260129_0003495303)</sup>. The EP Narcissus was released on 15 September 2023 through Kakao Entertainment, with "Star" (featuring 10CM) among its tracks<sup>[13](https://www.genie.co.kr/detail/albumInfo?axnm=84269012)</sup>. He explained that "Star" and "Heart" were chosen as double title tracks carrying opposite messages about loving someone too much<sup>[14](https://v.daum.net/v/Umv2kAHRgS)</sup>.

## Military service and recent activity

On 29 January 2026 he announced on social media that his exclusive contract with AT AREA had ended, calling the point a new turning point for his music<sup>[6](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260129_0003495303)</sup>.

In July 2026 he returned with the alternative R&B single Too Much, his first release in nearly three years since *Narcissus*; during the hiatus he had worked as a music video director, photographer, and visual creator<sup>[15](https://k-popit.com/articles/2026073168912)</sup>. In interviews the same year he said he plans to retire from entertainment within five years and wants his name to be quickly forgotten afterward, having once regretted a stage name that is easily pushed down in search results<sup>[16](https://www.mt.co.kr/amp/entertainment/2026/06/30/2026063021031182710)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://www.mstar.com.my/spotlight/bintang-global/2026/07/02/dawn-rancang-bersara-lima-tahun-lagi-mahu-dilupakan-peminat)</sup>.

## References

1. [가수 던(DAWN) 프로필 총정리, smarttiplog](https://smarttiplog.tistory.com/6)
2. [Dawn (Soloist), K Hip Hop Wiki](https://khiphop.fandom.com/wiki/Dawn_%28Soloist%29)
3. [현아·던 커플, 11월 5일 나란히 컴백, 연합뉴스](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191018105100005)
4. [현아, '트리플H' 결성…5월 초 첫 앨범, 뉴시스](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170404_0014807830)
5. [DAWN (South Korean singer and rapper), MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/8377ca74-38f7-4ed1-981f-3485547fa375)
6. [던, 앳 에어리어와 계약 종료…"새로운 전환점", 뉴시스](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260129_0003495303)
7. [가수 던 프로필, infoyas](https://infoyas.com/entry/%EA%B0%80%EC%88%98-%EB%8D%98-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%ED%95%84-%EB%82%98%EC%9D%B4-%ED%82%A4-%EB%AA%B8%EB%AC%B4%EA%B2%8C-%EC%9D%8C%EB%B0%98-%ED%8C%AC%ED%83%80%EA%B3%A4-%ED%99%9C%EB%8F%99-MBTI-%EC%9D%B8%EC%8A%A4%ED%83%80-%EA%B2%B0%EB%B3%84)
8. [큐브는 왜 현아·이던의 퇴출을 번복했나, 연합뉴스](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20180913181900005)
9. [현아 "던과 서로 져주는 것 없어…연습실 쟁탈전했죠", 연합뉴스](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20191105169400005)
10. [던, 1년 8개월 만에 솔로 컴백…16일 신곡 '스투피드 쿨' 발표, 연합뉴스](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20220609045400005)
11. [현아·던 커플 싸이 품 떠난다…피네이션 "추억 간직할 것", 아시아경제](https://view.asiae.co.kr/article/2022082920375127639)
12. [K-Pop Icon DAWN goes deep on his new single and life after HyunA, Rolling Stone UK](https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/k-pop-icon-dawn-goes-deep-on-his-new-single-and-life-after-hyuna-28454/)
13. [Narcissus (나르시스), 지니](https://www.genie.co.kr/detail/albumInfo?axnm=84269012)
14. [조용히 갔다…던, 오늘 사회복무요원 병역의무 시작, 마이데일리 via Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/Umv2kAHRgS)
15. [DAWN Returns After Three Years With New Single 'Too Much', K-POPIT](https://k-popit.com/articles/2026073168912)
16. [던, 예능 찍고 은퇴 계획 고백 "5년 안에…빨리 잊히고 싶어", 머니투데이](https://www.mt.co.kr/amp/entertainment/2026/06/30/2026063021031182710)
17. [Dawn rancang bersara lima tahun lagi, mStar](https://www.mstar.com.my/spotlight/bintang-global/2026/07/02/dawn-rancang-bersara-lima-tahun-lagi-mahu-dilupakan-peminat)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes › K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Artists, groups, and people: K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Third-generation idol groups › Surnames symbols to J*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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