Lee Ho-won (Hangul: 이호원; Born on March 28, 1991), better known by his stage name Hoya (호야) is a South Korean singer, rapper, dancer and actor. He is a rapper, vocalist and main dancer of South Korea boy band Infinite, which debuted under Woollim Entertainment in 2010.
Hoya was born in Busan, South Korea. He dropped out of high school during his first year to pursue his dream as a singer. His father was against the decision causing Hoya to leave home. After dropping out, he took and passed his high school qualification exam, thus receiving his high school certification at the age of 16. Later his father accepted him and now supports Infinite wholeheartedly. Hoya auditioned after he dropped out and ended up in his current agency, Woollim Entertainment. He was a former JYP Entertaniment trainee.
On March 10, 2014 he announced that his real birth name is Lee Hodong, not Howon as he had previously told the public, and that he changed it in order not to share a name with comedian Kang Hodong. Kang Ho-dong acted as a fool in a comedy show when Hoya was nine years old. As a result Hoya’s friends teased him about it and thus having to change his name to Lee Ho-won in the end.
Hoya graduated from Daekyung University, majoring in Applied Music with fellow members Sungkyu, L, Sungyeol and Dongwoo.
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