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Kim Jae-joong (; born January 26, 1986), also known
mononymously A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
as Jaejoong in South Korea and in Japan, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and director. He is a member of the Korean pop group
JYJ JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
and was one of the original members of
boy band A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...
, where he was formerly known by the stage name Hero Jae-joong (). Since 2013, he has expanded his range of activities as a solo artist. Born in
Gongju Gongju ([]; Gongju-si) is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. History Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo. Goguryeo had overrun ...
,
Chungcheongnam-do South Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청남도, ''Chungcheongnam-do''), also known as Chungnam, is a province of South Korea. South Chungcheong has a population of 2,059,871 (2014) and has a geographic area of 8,204 km2 (3,168 sq mi) located in ...
, he moved to
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
as a teenager to audition for
SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
. From 2003 to 2010, he was the lead vocalist of South Korean boy band
TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...
. Later, he sued SM Entertainment along with
Park Yoo-chun Park Yoo-chun (born June 4, 1986), formerly known as Micky Yoochun and better known by the mononym Yoochun, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean boy bands JYJ and TVXQ. He has starred in drama ...
and
Kim Jun-su Kim Jun-su (; born December 15, 1986) or simply Junsu, also known by the stage name Xia (stylized as XIA; ; ko, 시아) is a South Korean singer, model, dancer and stage actor. He is a member of the Korean pop group and later duo JYJ, and was ...
and together they separated from TVXQ to form
JYJ JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
. As a solo artist, he has released three Korean studio albums, ''
WWW The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...
'' (2013), ''
No.X ''No.X'' is the second studio album by South-Korean singer Kim Jae-joong, released on 12 February 2016. The songs represent various genres, including Britpop, pop punk, post-grunge, blues, ballad and rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geol ...
'' (2016), and ''
Born Gene ''Born Gene'' is the third Korean-language and sixth overall studio album by South Korean singer Kim Jae-joong, released on September 13, 2022, through C-JeS Entertainment. It includes the lead single "Nobody Like You" and is Kim's first Korean-la ...
'' (2022). The first two reached number one on the
Gaon Music Chart The Circle Chart (), previously known as the Gaon Music Chart or the Gaon Chart (), tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in South Korea. It is produced by the Korea Music Content Association and sponsored by South Korea's ...
. In Japan, his three studio albums ''Flawless Love'' (2019), ''Love Covers'' (2019), and ''Love Covers II'' (2020) all peaked at number one on the
Oricon Albums Chart The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon Albu ...
. He has a fourth Japanese album, ''Fallinbow'', releasing in November 2022. He has toured extensively in South Korea and Japan. Kim has acted in TV dramas including ''
Sunao ni Narenakute (''Hard to Say I Love You'') was a Japanese television drama on Fuji TV which aired from April 15, 2010 to June 24, 2010. Plot This is a story about the blossoming friendship of five young people who were brought together by Twitter, and the ...
'' (2010), ''
Protect the Boss ''Protect the Boss'' () is a 2011 South Korean workplace romantic comedy television series starring Choi Kang-hee, Ji Sung, Kim Jae-joong, Wang Ji-hye, and Park Yeong-gyu. It aired on SBS from August 3 to September 29, 2011 on Wednesdays and Th ...
'' (2011), ''
Dr. Jin ''Dr. Jin'' () is a 2012 South Korean historical television drama series, starring Song Seung-heon in the title role of Dr. Jin, a 21st-century neurosurgeon who travels back in time to the Joseon Dynasty. Also starring Park Min-young, Lee Beom- ...
'' (2012), ''
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
'' (2014), ''
SPY Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
'' (2015), ''
Manhole A manhole (utility hole, maintenance hole, or sewer hole) is an opening to a confined space such as a shaft, utility vault, or large vessel. Manholes are often used as an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, m ...
'' (2017) and ''Bad Memory Eraser'' (2022); and in films such as ''
Heaven's Postman ''Heaven's Postman'', also known as ''Postman to Heaven'' (; ) is a 2009 South Korean-Japanese film starring Kim Jaejoong and Han Hyo-joo. A young CEO quits his job and becomes a kind of supernatural postman, delivering letters from grieving fami ...
'' (2009) and ''
Jackal is Coming ''Code Name: Jackal'' (; lit. "The Jackal Is Coming" or "Here Comes the Jackal") is a 2012 South Korean action comedy film, starring Song Ji-hyo, Kim Jae-joong of JYJ, and Oh Dal-su. The film was directed by Bae Hyoung-jun, whose works included ...
'' (2012). He has branched into hosting with season 1 and 2 of Lifetime Korea's ''Travel Buddies'' (2020, 2021), BS SKY PerfecTV's ''ジェジュンJ!'' (''Jaejoong J!'', 2021) and has a documentary about his life and career called ''Jaejoong: On the Road'' (2021), directed by John H. Lee.


Early life

Kim was born Han Jae-joon (한재준; 韩在俊) in
Gongju Gongju ([]; Gongju-si) is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. History Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo. Goguryeo had overrun ...
,
Chungcheongnam-do South Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청남도, ''Chungcheongnam-do''), also known as Chungnam, is a province of South Korea. South Chungcheong has a population of 2,059,871 (2014) and has a geographic area of 8,204 km2 (3,168 sq mi) located in ...
, South Korea. His real birthday, as revealed by his biological mother, was on February 4, instead of January 26. At a young age, he was given up for adoption by his biological mother to the Kim family, and his name was changed to Kim Jae-joong. On November 21, 2006, a man with the surname Han filed a lawsuit against Kim's guardians. Han claimed he was Kim's biological father, and thus wanted parental rights. Han cited the reason for the lawsuit against Kim's legal guardians as "for not going through the proper procedures before registering aejoongin he legal guardians'custody." The first hearing was to be held in Kim's hometown, Gongju, on November 29, 2006, but on November 22 Han dropped the charges against Kim's legal guardians. In reaction to the matter, Kim uploaded a journal entry on his official fan club website, and said that he was informed of the existence of separate biological parents by his mother two or three years ago, and it had been quite a shock to him. With his current mother's support, his biological mother has been able to keep in touch with him, and to meet occasionally, but whereabouts of his father had been unknown. He expressed his will to live by the name of Kim Jae-joong, not by his birth name Han Jae-jun (한재준). When Kim was fifteen, he moved to
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
by himself in order to take part in the auditions held by
SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
. Life in Seoul was financially difficult and he took various odd jobs to pay for rent, food, and training fees; and even appeared as an extra in movies. In an interview, he admitted he used to be tone-deaf in primary school and was frequently ridiculed for his dream of becoming a singer, but managed to overcome it through practicing alone. Kim attended Gongju Jungdong Elementary School (중동초등학교), Kongju National University Middle School (공주대학교 사범대학 부설중학교), Kongju Information High School (공주정보고등학교) and then dropped out in 2001. He enrolled Hanam High School (하남고등학교) in 2005 and Kyung Hee Cyber University (경희사이버대학교), majoring in Digital Media Engineering.


Music career


2003–2010: Member of TVXQ

In 2001, at fifteen years old, Kim auditioned for
S.M. Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
and was accepted into the agency. From 2003 to 2010, he was the lead vocalist of South Korean boy band
TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...
. After TVXQ went on hiatus in early 2010, he and two other fellow band members
Yoochun Park Yoo-chun (born June 4, 1986), formerly known as Micky Yoochun and better known by the mononym Yoochun, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean boy bands JYJ and TVXQ. He has starred in drama ...
and
Junsu Kim Jun-su (; born December 15, 1986) or simply Junsu, also known by the stage name Xia (stylized as XIA; ; ko, 시아) is a South Korean singer, model, dancer and stage actor. He is a member of the Korean pop group and later duo JYJ, and was ...
formed a new trio boy group, initially known as JUNSU/JEJUNG/YUCHUN in Japan. Kim sang the solo track "Maze" for the fifth and final single of the TVXQ/Tohoshinki's Trick Project, " Keyword/Maze". Jaejoong wrote and composed which was included on TVXQ/Tohoshinki's twenty-fifth single "Bolero/Kiss the Baby Sky/Wasurenaide." The song was also on their fourth Japanese album '' The Secret Code'', along with the songs "9095" and "9096" which were also composed by Kim. The song, "忘れないで" was used in a television advertisement for cosmetics in Japan. Apart from his activities as a member of TVXQ, he sang "Insa" (인사, Greeting) for the soundtrack of ''
A Millionaire's First Love ''A Millionaire's First Love'' () is a 2006 South Korean romance film directed by Kim Tae-kyun, starring Hyun Bin and Lee Yeon-hee. The theme of the film is "Nothing is more important than the true love of your heart." It was released in South K ...
'' (2006). Kim collaborated with The Grace for the Japanese version of their song "Just for One Day", which was featured on their fifth Japanese single and their debut album, ''
Graceful 4 ''Graceful 4'' is the first Japanese studio album (second overall) by South Korean girl group The Grace, released on November 14, 2007. "One More Time, OK?" was served as the lead single of the album, which is a Japanese version of their Korea ...
'' (2007). Kim sang "Love" for the soundtrack of the film ''Heaven's Postman'' (2009) in which he starred as the male lead.


2009–2012: Formation of JYJ

In 2009 Kim, Junsu and Yoochun, started a lawsuit against their agency,
SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
, and separated from TVXQ, soon founding their own band,
JYJ JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
. On September 30, 2009, Kim and bandmate Yoochun released a self-composed single " Colors (Melody and Harmony)/Shelter." The A-side track, Colors (Melody and Harmony), was used as the image song for
Hello Kitty , also known by her full name , is a fictional Character (arts), character created by Yuko Shimizu, currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi, and owned by the Japanese company Sanrio. Sanrio depicts Hello Kitty as an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphi ...
's thirty-fifth anniversary. Jaejoong and Yoochun also participated in m-flo's album ''m-flo TRIBUTE -maison de m-flo'', singing the track "Been So Long". Their debut Japanese language EP '' The...'' was released in September 2010, and their first concert DVD from
Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium. Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and it opened on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of th ...
Thanksgiving Live in Dome both reached No. 1 on the Japanese
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
album and DVD charts. The group's English language debut album, '' The Beginning'' was released in October 2010, featuring
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. In January 2011, they released a Korean EP, ''
Their Rooms "Our Story" ''Their Rooms "Our Story"'' is the debut Korean extended play (second overall) by South Korean pop group, JYJ JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Y ...
'', with three of Kim's own compositions, "Pierrot" (삐에로), "Nine" and "I.D.S.". In April he toured Asia and North America with JYJ, and later South America and Europe. He was also stage director of the Asian leg of the tour. In September the band released a studio album called ''
In Heaven "In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)" (often referred to as simply "In Heaven") is a song performed by Peter Ivers, composed by Peter Ivers, with lyrics by David Lynch. The song is featured in Lynch's 1977 film ''Eraserhead'', and was subsequen ...
'', which sold 350,000 copies and ranked first on the
Gaon charts The Circle Chart (), previously known as the Gaon Music Chart or the Gaon Chart (), tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in South Korea. It is produced by the Korea Music Content Association and sponsored by South Korea's ...
. He composed two new songs for the album, "In Heaven" and "Get Out". Kim composed "In Heaven" in memory of his good friend,
Park Yong-ha Park Yong-ha (Korean: 박용하, August 12, 1977 – June 30, 2010) was a South Korean actor and singer. Career At seventeen, Park was noted for his acting and musical skills, as well as his good looks which earned him popularity with fans. A ...
, who committed suicide. Apart from his activities as a member of JYJ, he also sang "Found You" and "For you It's Separation, For me It's Waiting" for the soundtrack of the television drama ''
Sungkyunkwan Scandal ''Sungkyunkwan Scandal'' () is a South Korean historical drama starring Park Yoo-chun, Park Min-young, Song Joong-ki, and Yoo Ah-in. Directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Kim Tae-hee, it is based on Jung Eun-gwol's bestselling 2007 novel '' T ...
'' (2010), "I'll Protect You" for ''Protect the Boss'' (2011), and "Living Like A Dream" for ''
Dr. Jin ''Dr. Jin'' () is a 2012 South Korean historical television drama series, starring Song Seung-heon in the title role of Dr. Jin, a 21st-century neurosurgeon who travels back in time to the Joseon Dynasty. Also starring Park Min-young, Lee Beom- ...
'' (2012). "Living Like a Dream" was awarded the Best Hallyu Drama OST at the
Seoul International Drama Awards Seoul International Drama Awards (), simply known as SDA, is an annual award ceremony based in Seoul, South Korea which honors excellence in television drama productions worldwide. Winners Grand prize (''Daesang'') Program Winners are given ...
.


2013–2017: Solo Korean albums

On January 17, 2013, Kim released his first solo Korean EP titled I/MINE, a rock-themed album which Kim penned all the lyrics. The album debuted at the top of both the Hanteo and Gaon weekly charts in Korea. It was also met with resounding success throughout Asia, topping Taiwan's Five Music's Korean and Japanese music chart, Japan's Shinseido weekly chart and Yin Yue Tai's V chart for K-pop. It also topped the iTunes rock charts in nine countries. Additionally, the pre-released single "One Kiss" and lead single "Mine" topped both domestic charts and foreign charts, including a German Asian music chart. On January 26 and 27, Kim held two days of special concerts at the KINTEX Ilsan to celebrate the launch of the album, as well as his birthday. Kim then released a repackaged version of his album, titled ''Y'' which consists of contains two additional tracks: “Only Love” and “Kiss B” . The album was met with success and sold 50,000 copies upon release. His first full-length Korean solo album, ''
WWW The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...
'' was released on October 29, 2013. A single titled "Sunny Day" was released ahead of the album and topped the iTunes EP chart in Japan. A repackaged version of the album, ''WWW: Remove Makeup'' was subsequently released in January 2014 and included the title track "Heaven", a pop ballad with label-mate
Gummy Gummies, gummi candies, gummy candies, or jelly sweets are a broad category of gelatin-based chewable sweets. Gummi bears, Sour Patch Kids, and Jelly Babies are widely popular and are a well-known part of the sweets industry. Gummies are availabl ...
. To promote his first album, Kim embarked on his first Asia tour which traveled to regional countries like Japan, Taiwan and China. He sang "싫어도 (But I)" and "우연 (Coincidence)" for the drama ''
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
'' (2014) in which he also starred. In July 2014, as a member of JYJ, they would release their first studio album in three years, '' Just Us''. The band reached the music charts with the song, "Back Seat". Prior to his military enlistment in 2015, Kim recorded the songs for his second Korean solo album, ''
No.X ''No.X'' is the second studio album by South-Korean singer Kim Jae-joong, released on 12 February 2016. The songs represent various genres, including Britpop, pop punk, post-grunge, blues, ballad and rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geol ...
'', which was released on February 12, 2016. It topped iTunes charts of 39 countries around the world upon its release, and was named the most popular K-pop album in China for 2016. He completed his military service in December 2016 and returned to the entertainment industry with his acting performance in ''
Manhole A manhole (utility hole, maintenance hole, or sewer hole) is an opening to a confined space such as a shaft, utility vault, or large vessel. Manholes are often used as an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, m ...
'' (2017).


2018–present: Solo albums

Kim released his first Japanese single "Sign / Your Love" on June 27, 2018. On October 24, 2018, he released his second Japanese single, "Defiance" / "Lavender". Both singles would be certified gold (selling over 100,000 copies) by the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pr ...
. Those two songs would be featured on his first Japanese album, ''Flawless Love'' which was released on April 10, 2019. The album would be the first time he topped the Oricon Weekly Album Rankings as a solo artist with its debut. He promoted the album in Japan during his tour entitled ''The Jaejoong Arena Tour 2019 – Flawless Love''. His second Japanese album, ''Love Covers'', was released on September 25, 2019, and debuted at number one on the Oricon Weekly Album Rankings. The album was awarded the Planning Award at the
61st Japan Record Awards The was held on 30 December 2019. Presents * Tao Tsuchiya * Shinichiro Azumi (TBS Announcer) Winners Grand Prix *Foorin – Paprika ** Artist: Foorin ** Lyrics: Kenshi Yonezu ** Composition & arranger: Kenshi Yonezu ** Producer: Kenshi Yo ...
and the "Best 3 Albums (Asia)" award at the 34th
Japan Gold Disc Award The is an award presented by the Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Associa ...
. On January 14, 2020, Kim released his first Korean album in four years with the EP ''Love song (애요)'', along with its lead single "Tender Love". Following the EP's release, the cities and dates for his Asia Tour 2020 was announced. However, the tour dates were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. He released his third Japanese single on March 10, 2020, "Brava!! Brava!! Brava!!" which debuted at number one on the Oricon weekly chart. It was the opening theme song for ''
Smile Down the Runway , also known as ''Smile at the Runway'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kotoba Inoya. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from May 2017 to July 2021, with its chapters collected in twenty-two '' ...
''. His third Japanese album, ''Love Covers II'' was released on July 29, 2020, and debuted at number one on the Oricon weekly chart. It was announced on August 30, 2020, that he would be singing the opening theme song for ''
Noblesse The concept of the Scottish Noblesse, a class of nobles of either peerage or non-peerage rank, was prominently advocated for by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney during his tenure as an officer of arms. Innes of Learney believed that Scottish armigers ...
'', entitled "BREAKING DAWN" which was written and produced by Hyde. The song will have an English, Korean and Japanese version. His Japanese tour, ''J-JUN LIVE TOUR 2020~BREAKING DAWN~'', originally planned for October 2020 was postponed until Spring of 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
. On September 18, 2020, Kim released "Even If I Call You" for the ''Mr. Heart'' (2020) web drama, marking his first Korean soundtrack performance in six years. He soon followed that Korean soundtrack performance with another as he released "Things We Should Love" for the soundtrack of the Korean drama ''
Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...
'' on October 28, 2020. In April 2022, Kim resumed activities in Japan with a live concert for his Japanese fanclub. He released a duet theme song with
Kim Junsu Kim Jun-su (; born December 15, 1986) or simply Junsu, also known by the stage name Xia (stylized as XIA; ; ko, 시아) is a South Korean singer, model, dancer and stage actor. He is a member of the Korean pop group and later duo JYJ, and was ...
, "六等星" for the television adaptation of the manga '' Waru - Who said it's not cool to work?'' on April 13, 2022. On September 13, 2022, Kim released his first Korean full-length album in six years titled ''
Born Gene ''Born Gene'' is the third Korean-language and sixth overall studio album by South Korean singer Kim Jae-joong, released on September 13, 2022, through C-JeS Entertainment. It includes the lead single "Nobody Like You" and is Kim's first Korean-la ...
''. His Asian Tour to promote the album includes stops in Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. He is also releasing a Japanese album, ''Fallinbow'' on November 9, 2022 which will then be followed up with a Japanese tour.On October 30, C-JeS Entertainment It was announced that Kim has urgently decided to cancel the Japan concert due to the aftermath of the
Itaewon Halloween crowd crush On the night of 29 October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. At least 158 people were killed and 196 others were injured. The victims were mostly young adults. The cro ...
.


Acting career

Prior to his debut as a singer, Kim worked as an extra, playing a soldier in film '' Taegeukgi''. Along with the other members of TVXQ, he acted in television programmes, ''
Banjun Theater ''Match! Reverse Drama'' () is a South Korean mini-drama series that first aired on August 8, 2004, as a part of SBS's ''Good Sunday'' programme. Each ''Reverse Drama'' is usually unrelated to previous dramas, unless it is split into parts, and g ...
'' and ''Vacation''. In November 2009, Kim co-starred with
Han Hyo-joo Han Hyo-joo (Korean: 한효주; born February 22, 1987) is a South Korean film and television actress, model and singer. She is best known for her leading roles in television series such as ''Heaven & Earth'' (2007), '' Iljimae'' (2008), ''Brill ...
in the joint Korean-Japanese telecinema ''
Heaven's Postman ''Heaven's Postman'', also known as ''Postman to Heaven'' (; ) is a 2009 South Korean-Japanese film starring Kim Jaejoong and Han Hyo-joo. A young CEO quits his job and becomes a kind of supernatural postman, delivering letters from grieving fami ...
'' as a young man who delivers letters written by the living to the dead and helps lingering ghosts settle their earthly affairs. This was followed by a leading role in
Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
's
Japanese television drama , also called , are television programs that are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, jidaigeki, thriller ...
''
Sunao ni Narenakute (''Hard to Say I Love You'') was a Japanese television drama on Fuji TV which aired from April 15, 2010 to June 24, 2010. Plot This is a story about the blossoming friendship of five young people who were brought together by Twitter, and the ...
'' in September 2010. In August 2011, he starred in his first South Korean television series, ''
Protect the Boss ''Protect the Boss'' () is a 2011 South Korean workplace romantic comedy television series starring Choi Kang-hee, Ji Sung, Kim Jae-joong, Wang Ji-hye, and Park Yeong-gyu. It aired on SBS from August 3 to September 29, 2011 on Wednesdays and Th ...
'' with Choi Kang-hee and
Ji Sung Ji Sung (born Kwak Tae-geun on 27 February 1977) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television dramas '' All In'' (2003), '' Save the Last Dance for Me'' (2004), ''New Heart'' (2007), ''Protect the Boss'' (2011), ' ...
. He played the role of seemingly a perfect director known for his business acumen, who becomes frustrated and fight against the constraints in his life. In May 2012, he starred in historical fusion drama ''
Dr. Jin ''Dr. Jin'' () is a 2012 South Korean historical television drama series, starring Song Seung-heon in the title role of Dr. Jin, a 21st-century neurosurgeon who travels back in time to the Joseon Dynasty. Also starring Park Min-young, Lee Beom- ...
'' with
Song Seung-heon Song Seung-heon (; born October 5, 1976) is a South Korean model and actor. He has acted in various television dramas, notably ''Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), '' ''East of Eden' (2008), '' ''My Princess' (2011), ''Black'' (2017), ''Player' ...
. He played the role of a high-ranking officer of the police force of
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
, who is an illegitimate son of the Joseon era's Prime Minister and his concubine. This was his first time acting in a
sageuk (Hangul: 사극, Hanja: 史劇; ) in Korean language, Korean denotes historical dramas, including traditional drama plays, Cinema of Korea, films or Korean drama, television series. In English language literature usually refers to historical f ...
, and he was praised for his performance. The same year, Kim made his big screen debut in the action comedy film ''
Jackal is Coming ''Code Name: Jackal'' (; lit. "The Jackal Is Coming" or "Here Comes the Jackal") is a 2012 South Korean action comedy film, starring Song Ji-hyo, Kim Jae-joong of JYJ, and Oh Dal-su. The film was directed by Bae Hyoung-jun, whose works included ...
'' playing a Hallyu star who is kidnapped by an assassin (played by labelmate
Song Ji-hyo Cheon Soo-yeon (born Cheon Seong-im on 15 August 1981), professionally known by her stage name Song Ji-hyo, is a South Korean actress and model. Song is one of the regular cast members of the South Korean variety show '' Running Man'' since 201 ...
). His comical acting in the film drew positive reception from fans. In May 2014, Kim starred in MBC's drama ''
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
'' as a man who grows up to become a lowlife gangster. His performance won the “Top Excellence Award, Actor” at the 7th
Korea Drama Awards The Korea Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony for excellence in television in South Korea. It was established in 2007, and is held annually in October in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province as the official main event of the annual Korea Drama Fe ...
in October the same year. In January 2015, Kim starred in
KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...
's thriller ''
SPY Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
'' as a genius analyst working for South Korea's National Intelligence Service. The drama is based on the Israeli drama
The Gordin Cell ''The Gordin Cell'' is an Israeli psychological thriller series. The series stars Ran Danker as Israeli Air Force officer Eyal Gordin and Mark Ivanir as Russian Intelligence agent Yaakov Lundin. Plot Season 1 Diana and Mickey Gordin immigrated ...
, modified to depict North/South Korean relations. In 2017, Kim was cast in
KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...
's time-slip drama ''
Manhole A manhole (utility hole, maintenance hole, or sewer hole) is an opening to a confined space such as a shaft, utility vault, or large vessel. Manholes are often used as an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, m ...
'', as a man who travels back and forth through time to stop a wedding from taking place. For the first time in 10 years, Kim returned to entertainment shows in South Korea with his appearance as a panelist for season 2 of '' Taste of Love'' in 2019. In 2020, Kim hosted a travel series where he ventured to Argentina alone to befriend strangers for Lifetime Korea's ''Travel Buddies'' which aired 10 episodes from February 8, 2020, to April 2, 2020. During a press conference, Kim stated, "We all shared similar worries. We mostly talked about the ways to unfold our life and attain goals. I believe many viewers would empathize with us. Through the conversations, I reflected upon my bygone days and deeply thought about my future. Thus, the trip was not merely about playing and entertaining to me". Kim is filming season 2 of ''Travel Buddies'' which will take place in South Korea. The airing is scheduled from the end of April to the beginning of May 2021. On March 29, 2021, Kim debuted his 6-episode variety show called ''ジェジュンJ!'' (''Jaejoong J!'') which was broadcast in Japan on channel BS SKY PerfecTV. In the summer of 2021, Kim will have a documentary released about his life and career called ''Jaejoong: On the Road'', directed by John H. Lee. In 2022, Kim was cast as the lead male role in the Korean television drama ''Bad Memory Eraser'' co-starring
Jin Se-yeon Jin Se-yeon (born Kim Yoon-jung on February 15, 1994) is a South Korean actress. Some of her notable television dramas are ''Bridal Mask'' (2012), ''Doctor Stranger'' (2014), ''Flowers of the Prison'' (2016), ''Grand Prince'' (2018) among othe ...
. He guest starred in the third episode of the television adaptation of the manga '' Waru - Who said it's not cool to work?'', for which he also sang the theme song.


Directing career

Kim served as executive director for the Asian leg of JYJ's 2011 Worldwide Tour. He also participated in the directing team for the 2011 LG Whisen Rhythmic All Stars.


Personal life

Kim helped launch Moldir, a Korean fashion brand that opened in September 2013. C-JeS Entertainment, his management, noted that Kim "has his own distinctive fashion and artistic sense. He will take it to a more serious level with his new role as an art director". He owned the largest number of shares in the company and served as the art director until it "closed for restructuring" due to COVID-19 issues in March 2020. Kim is also known for his cooking ability and has released two cookbooks, ''Romantic Recipes'' volume 1 and volume 2. The first volume was released on July 25, 2018, and featured French cuisine and was written in Japanese. The second volume was released on August 7, 2019, featuring Korean dishes and was published in Korean and Japanese. He credits his mother, who owned a restaurant, with inspiring him to become skilled at cooking. Kim enlisted in the army on March 31, 2015, the first five weeks spent for his mandatory basic training at the 1st Infantry Division (Republic of Korea) recruit training center in Gwangtan-myeon,
Paju Paju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Paju was made a city in 1997; it had previously been a county (''gun''). The city area of Paju is ,"Paju (Gyeonggi-do Province)." ''Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge''. Naver, 2015. 4 Mar. 2016. ...
,
Gyeonggi province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
. He later ended up as the top recruit among the 244 in his batch, earning the Excellence Award during the graduation ceremony. He was under the 55th Infantry Division in
Cheoin-gu Cheoin-gu is the largest '' gu'' in Yongin; it is located in the southeastern part of the city. It has four '' dong'', two '' eup'', and five '' myeon''. Under administrative districts * Yeoksam-dong (combination of Yeokbuk-dong and Samga-dong) * ...
,
Yongin Yongin () is a city in the Seoul Capital Area, the largest in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. With a population over 1 million, the city has developed rapidly since the 21st century, recording the highest population growth of any city in the count ...
to serve as an active-duty soldier for 21 months and was also a member of the military band. He was
discharged Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...
on December 30, 2016. On April 1, 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea The COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first case in South Korea was announced on 20 January 2020. The numbe ...
, Kim posted on his Instagram account claiming that he has tested positive for COVID-19 due to him "
iving Iving may refer to: *Intravenous therapy Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly ...
carelessly, disregarding all of the cautions provided by the government." An hour later, Kim posted an apology on his Instagram that the diagnosis was not true, which drew outrage from fans. He further explained his reasoning for the initial post was to raise awareness of the dangers of the virus, noting he personally knows individuals who have been infected and his father recently underwent lung cancer surgery.


Discography


Studio albums


Extended plays


Singles


Music videos


Soundtracks


Composing and songwriting


Filmography


Film


Television series


Variety shows


Tours


Awards and nominations


References


External links


Official Japanese site
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Jae-joong JYJ members 1986 births Japanese-language singers of South Korea South Korean male idols South Korean pop singers South Korean male singers South Korean male film actors Living people People from Gongju South Korean male television actors SM Entertainment artists TVXQ members Kyung Hee Cyber University alumni Shorty Award winners