Zoey HermansAvatarZoey Hermans is one of the quieter members of Ongezellig, but her personality has a lot going on underneath that reserved exterior.
Zoey Hermans
Age: 16
Nationality: Dutch-Spanish
Hometown: Netherlands
Role: Guitarist of Running In The 60's
Family: Raised by her Dutch mother and stepfather; has an older stepbrother, Mats
Signature item: Her scarf
Zoey was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Spanish father. Her father left before she was born, leaving her mother to raise her alone. Her birth was extremely premature, with Zoey weighing only 0.87 kg (1.9 lb). Doctors initially doubted that she would survive, and she spent weeks in neonatal intensive care before eventually recovering.
Her difficult beginning left her unusually small throughout childhood. At sixteen, she remains the smallest member of Running In The 60's, standing around 4'9". Her size occasionally becomes the subject of teasing from Cleo and Yfke, but Zoey generally responds with dry sarcasm rather than taking offense.
When Zoey was young, her mother married a widowed funeral director. Through that marriage, Zoey gained an older stepbrother, Mats. Instead of becoming a supportive sibling, Mats subjected Zoey to years of intimidation and bullying. The large age and physical difference between them made Zoey particularly afraid of him.
As a result, Zoey developed a complicated relationship with the idea of siblings. She doesn't dislike siblings as a concept, but her own experience has taught her that someone who is supposed to protect you can instead become the person you fear most.
Unlike Maya, Zoey's preference for solitude isn't primarily driven by severe social anxiety. She's simply an introvert. She genuinely enjoys quiet environments, reading, daydreaming, and spending time with a small number of people she trusts.
