Zena

ZENA — From Kim Ga-young of Stars Awakening to Silla Princess of Gyeongju

RESCENE's ZENA is the group's youngest member. Her real name is Kim Ga-young, and she was born on November 27, 2008. Before her debut, she appeared on Channel A's Stars Awakening, and in 2026, she became known for 'Silla Princess' content connected to her hometown, Gyeongju. By chronologically connecting Kim Ga-young from past broadcasts, ZENA from music shows, and ZENA from local content, one can see how a member's activities have accumulated.

Profile and Stage Name

Her name and date of birth were cross-referenced with profile data. The fact that she is from Gyeongju and her nickname 'Silla Princess' are also mentioned in Gyeongju City's official appointment announcement. ZENA and May were both born in 2008, and ZENA, whose birthday is later, is the youngest.

Find Her as 'Kim Ga-young' in Stars Awakening

In 2022 Stars Awakening materials, it is more accurate to search for her as Kim Ga-young rather than by her stage name ZENA. The description of the stage compilation released by Channel A specifies the IVE's ELEVEN and Red Velvet's Red Flavor stages in which Kim Ga-young participated. Channel A Stars Awakening Stage Compilation

Although this compilation video features other participants' names prominently, Kim Ga-young is listed in the cast in the description. Just because a desired member's name is not at the very beginning of the video title does not mean there are no related records. Looking at the songs and participants listed in the description, along with the broadcast date, helps in finding pre-debut team stages.

Audition stages need to be distinguished from RESCENE's debut song. ELEVEN and Red Flavor are competition stages where she sang songs by other artists, while the album with which ZENA debuted as RESCENE is Re:Scene. Even if past cover videos are re-shared recently, the filming itself does not change to recent activity. Reading the upload and re-share dates separately connects ZENA's history in the correct order.

The Context of the Name 'Silla Princess' in Gyeongju

Gyeongju City announced on June 29 that it had appointed RESCENE as tourism ambassadors on June 26, 2026. While introducing ZENA's connection to Gyeongju, her hometown, they also explained the nickname 'Silla Princess' used by fans. It is good to know that the title is tourism ambassador and that it is an activity involving all five members of the group.

This nickname is where the historical image of her hometown Gyeongju and fan content meet. It is not an introduction implying actual royal status or family origin, but rather a friendly name for ZENA. The fact that even official local materials utilized this context makes it an example of a fan nickname evolving into urban promotional content.

If ZENA has made you curious about the city, you can continue reading Gyeongju Travel Guide. While distinguishing between the members in performance videos and the tourist resources you can visit, it's fun to discover what historical backgrounds were used in the costumes and scenes of the videos.

Official Filming Continued at Ra-won on August 2

Gyeongju City announced the next day that it had filmed digital promotional content with RESCENE at Ra-won on August 2, 2026. This included recreating a procession with the Silla Royal Guard in traditional attire and presenting honorary Silla Princess certificates. Gyeongju City's Official Activity Record for August

The appointment news in June and the filming in August are separate stages. At the time of appointment, plans for future activities could be confirmed, and subsequent records show what was actually filmed. Reading in this order, the introduction doesn't end with 'became ambassadors' but continues to public activities. The city explained that it plans to release the filmed content through official SNS, so related videos can also be found on Gyeongju City's official accounts.

ZENA's Stages Seen Through Individual Fancams

If you've already watched ZENA's past audition stages, let's return to these two videos. Unlike the audition materials where you had to find one among many participants, individual fancams follow ZENA continuously. The advantage is that you can see her supporting movements for other members after her vocal part ends, and even her path when formations change.

Viewers who want to learn the choreography should watch group fullcams along with individual fancams, rather than just memorizing positions from individual fancams. This is because if you only see her centered on the screen, it's hard to distinguish if she was actually at the center of the stage. If the purpose is to get familiar with her face and expressions, choose individual fancams; if the purpose is to see the overall formation, choose fullcams.

Differences Visible When Reading with May and Woni

May and ZENA are members born in the same year. Reading May's introduction about Goyang and her running pledge alongside ZENA's introduction about Gyeongju and Stars Awakening provides clues to distinguish them beyond just age. Compared to Woni, you can explore conversations between the leader and the youngest, and stories of different hometowns like Geoje and Gyeongju.

If you came through an entertainment clip, it's recommended to watch the full video of that scene, and then follow up with individual fancams. Dialects or nicknames are good introductory clues but not the entirety of a member. When you find the face you learned from conversational content on stage again, ZENA's singing parts and movements will be more easily noticeable. Even when her speaking style or expressions seem different in each video, it's better to consider the filming situation rather than generalizing one scene as a fixed personality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ZENA's real name? Kim Ga-young.

Did she appear on Stars Awakening? There are records of her stage appearances as Kim Ga-young in the 2022 program.

What does Silla Princess mean? It's a nickname connected to her hometown Gyeongju, and it has also been used in the city's tourism promotional content.

Is ZENA the only Gyeongju ambassador? The group RESCENE was appointed, prompted by ZENA's connection.

Who is younger, May or ZENA? Both were born in 2008, and ZENA's birthday is later.

The group's albums and awards can be found on RESCENE, and other members' activities can be continued in the introductions of Liv and Minami. New stages and behind-the-scenes content can be checked on the official YouTube.

Content verified: 2026-09-15.