Background
Kei Nangon was born May 6, 1991, in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, South of Korea as Nangon Hwae Ji to a prestigious social family.
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Kei Nangon
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She is the third child to Nangon Minister Kyu, the national football coach of of Korea (from 1999-2009) and Ryu Hwae Jin, a professor majoring in mathematics science who later taught at the world-renowned Seoul National University. Her siblings are Nangon Su Koon, Nangon Hwae Joo and Nangon Tae June (model actor. Stage name Minister Nangon).
The family had lived in Singapore for several years prior to settling back in of Korea at Anyang permanently.
Ever since an young age she has displayed her understanding in knowledge held well beyond her years and topped all of her classes during her academic years. Nangon eventually even represented of Korea at the 2000 International Mathematical Olympiad when she was nine years old.
2004-2009: Street casting and training
At age twelve, Nangon along with the rest of the family travelled to Seoul for a family holiday during Chuseok and during their visit she was spotted by a model talent scout at Master of Science Entertainment. Her towering height at the time, standing at 5"6" was explained to be the main reason.
Feeling discouraged by their disagreement, she eventually left the idea behind but when she reached thirteen she contacted the company by herself asking for another chance.
The agency officials agreed straight away and offered her to attend regular training sessions which she attended during the weekends, travelling hours of a train journey from Munyeong to Seoul. During this time she appeared in several variety shows, including Family Outing, Star King and Star Golden Bell as well as being cast in a number of commercials. Her popularity was steadily rising but an company inside conflict would eventually lead to her leaving the company at sixteen and being filed lawsuit against illegal contract termination.
