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Lim Jae-beom (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 임재범; born January 6, 1994), better known as Jay B (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 제이비; stylized in
all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in ...
), and formerly JB, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actor. Lim is the leader of South Korean boy band group Got7, a member of boy band duo
JJ Project JJ Project () is a South Korean duo, consisting of Jay B and Jinyoung. They were formed by JYP Entertainment and released their debut single "Bounce" in May 2012. They later debuted as a part of Got7 in January 2014. Career In 2009, Lim Jae ...
and sub-unit
Jus2 Jus2 ( ko, 저스투) is a South Korean duo consisting of Jay B and Yugyeom. They were formed by JYP Entertainment and released their first EP, ''Focus'', on March 5, 2019. It is the second Got7 sub unit, after JJ Project. Name The duo's name ...
, as well as part of R&B soul crew Offshore as Def.. He made his small-screen debut through the drama series ''
Dream High 2 ''Dream High 2'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series starring Kang So-ra, Jay B, Jeong Jin-woon, Park Ji-yeon, Hyolyn, and Park Seo-joon. It aired on KBS2 from January 30 to March 20, 2012, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 ( KST). Like it ...
'' in 2012.


Biography

Lim Jae-beom was born in
Siheung Siheung ( ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The city has a population of 511,807 people, where 508,646 are residents out of 218,846 households as of August 2021. Siheung acquired its curren ...
,
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 ...
, and grew up in Goyang. When he was seven, after watching
g.o.d Groove Over Dose, known by the acronym g.o.d (), is a South Korean boy band formed by SidusHQ. Debuting in 1999, the group became one of the most popular boy bands of the early 2000s in South Korea. The members had gone on to solo careers in t ...
. perform, he developed the dream of becoming a singer. He started
b-boying Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
in his third year of middle school after failing a school test, dancing with friends at Ilsan,
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. ...
, Boramae and Jeongbalsan station, and taking part in competitions. As a b-boy, he used the stage name Defsoul, taking
Musiq Soulchild Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by the stage name Musiq Soulchild or simply Musiq (pronounced "music") is an American singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, gospel influ ...
's "Just Friends" music video as inspiration. In 2009 he was scouted by
JYP Entertainment JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
at a b-boy competition: he was not interested in attending the audition, but his father pushed him to do so. He subsequently passed the open audition, winning first place with Jinyoung over applicants. He became interested in
musical composition Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called ...
and
hip hop culture Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans in the Bronx, New York City. Hip hop culture is characterized by four key elements: rapping, DJing and turntablis ...
as a b-boy, but at the beginning of his
idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...
training, he thought that learning to sing was meaningless, and concentrated only on dancing; however, after listening to
D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...
, he started singing and composing his first songs.


Career


2011–2014: Debut and career beginnings

In 2011, Lim was cast in the role of Jang Woo-jae in the television drama ''
Dream High 2 ''Dream High 2'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series starring Kang So-ra, Jay B, Jeong Jin-woon, Park Ji-yeon, Hyolyn, and Park Seo-joon. It aired on KBS2 from January 30 to March 20, 2012, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 ( KST). Like it ...
'', which began airing on January 30, 2012, on KBS for 16 episodes. In order not to be confused with singer
Yim Jae-beom Yim Jae-beom (; also spelled Yim Jae-bum; born October 14, 1962) is a South Korean rock ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness ...
, he adopted the stage name of JB. In May 2012, he and fellow trainee Jinyoung debuted as the duo
JJ Project JJ Project () is a South Korean duo, consisting of Jay B and Jinyoung. They were formed by JYP Entertainment and released their debut single "Bounce" in May 2012. They later debuted as a part of Got7 in January 2014. Career In 2009, Lim Jae ...
with the single album ''Bounce''. Their official music video for the title track "Bounce" was released on May 19. On March 11, 2013, it was announced that he would be appearing as Seo Mi-joon on MBC's new drama ''
When a Man Falls in Love ''When a Man Falls in Love'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series, starring Song Seung-heon, Shin Se-kyung, Chae Jung-an, and Yeon Woo-jin. The story revolves around a world-weary gangster as his love life intertwines with three others, a ...
''. On January 16, 2014, the two members of JJ Project debuted as part of a seven-member boy band called Got7.


2015–2020: Solo activities and first photo exhibition

In 2015, he played the lead role in ''Dream Knight'', a web drama, as a superhero version of himself, alongside his fellow Got7 members, featuring actress
Song Ha-yoon A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...
as the female lead role. In 2018, together with group mate
Yugyeom Kim Yu-gyeom ( ko, 김유겸; born November 17, 1997), known mononymously as Yugyeom ( ko, 유겸), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer who debuted as a member of Got7 in 2014 and one half of its duo subunit Jus2. Early life Despi ...
, he participated in the art collaboration project ''Collaboran'' for carbonated mineral water brand
Perrier Perrier ( , also , ) is a French brand of natural bottled water, bottled mineral water obtained at its source in Vergèze, located in the Gard ''département''. Perrier is known for its carbonation and its distinctive green bottle. Perrier w ...
with American multimedia artist Ben Jones. The creation process was later revealed through a reality show in May. On March 5, 2019, he and Yugyeom debuted as
Jus2 Jus2 ( ko, 저스투) is a South Korean duo consisting of Jay B and Yugyeom. They were formed by JYP Entertainment and released their first EP, ''Focus'', on March 5, 2019. It is the second Got7 sub unit, after JJ Project. Name The duo's name ...
, a sub-unit of Got7, with their EP ''
Focus Focus, or its plural form foci may refer to: Arts * Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in South Australia Film *''Focus'', a 1962 TV film starring James Whitmore * ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based ...
'' and its lead single "Focus on Me". On June 6, 2019, he attended the event for Saint Laurent 20SS Men's Collection in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
as a representative of Korea. In December 2019, he launched the JB Collection, a summer-themed clothing line in collaboration with Represent, which went on sale for two weeks and sold 35,940 items. He also writes songs as Defsoul or Def., both for Got7 and the Offshore crew; with the latter, he released two compilation extended plays, ''Scene #1'' on June 24, 2019, and ''Scene #2'' on March 26, 2020. On April 13, 2020, he became the first male K-pop idol on the cover of a digital issue for American magazine ''Allure''. As Def., he held his first photo exhibition named ''Alone'' on October 6–12, 2020, in Seoul.


2021: Departure from JYP Entertainment and ''SOMO:Fume''

On January 19, 2021, following the expiration of his contract, he left JYP Entertainment. On February 20, 2021, with the release of Got7's single "Encore", he started using the new stage name Jay B. On May 11, 2021, it was announced that Jay B signed an exclusive contract with
H1ghr Music H1ghr Music (stylized as H1GHR MUSIC) (Hangul: 하이어뮤직레코즈) is an international hip hop and R&B record label founded by Korean American musician Jay Park and long time Seattle affiliate Cha Cha Malone in 2017. Stationed primarily i ...
, an international hip hop and R&B record label founded by Korean American musician
Jay Park Jay Park ( Korean name: Park Jae-beom (Hangul: 박재범; Hanja: 朴載範); born April 25, 1987) is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and entrepreneur of based in South Korea. He is a member of the Seattle-based ...
and long time Seattle affiliate Cha Cha Malone. Three days later, he made a debut as a solo artist by releasing his new single "Switch It Up" featuring rapper Sokodomo, which entered at number 12 on the Gaon Download Chart. The R&B track was self-written and self-composed by Lim with Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone, who also produced it. The lyrics of "Switch It Up" talk about love, while the title conveys that his life is going to change. On May 25, 2021, Lim made his debut on the ''Billboard'' R&B Digital Song Sales Chart at number six, becoming the first Korean soloist to debut on this chart. He also became the third Korean soloist to chart on ''Billboard'' R&B/Hip Hop Digital Song Sales Chart with "Switch It Up" entering at number 18. On July 30, 2021, he became the first cover star for the launching of ''TMRW'' Magazine Korea. The 100-page magazine had been curated with Lim himself and featured an exclusive interview, photoshoot and his own film photographies. In August, he appeared on MBC's singing competition show ''
King of Mask Singer ''The King of Mask Singer'' () is a South Korean singing competition program presented by Kim Sung-joo, with introductions by voice actor . It airs on MBC on Sunday, starting from April 5, 2015 as a part of MBC's '' Sunday Night'' programming ...
'' as "Toad's House" on episode 319. On August 26, 2021, his first EP, '' SOMO:Fume'' and the music video of the title track "B.T.W (Feat.
Jay Park Jay Park ( Korean name: Park Jae-beom (Hangul: 박재범; Hanja: 朴載範); born April 25, 1987) is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and entrepreneur of based in South Korea. He is a member of the Seattle-based ...
)" were released both digitally and physically. As part of the album promotions, Jay B held his first solo global fan meeting, "SOMO:Fume, Style of My Own:Fume", on September 25 through online platform Bbangya TV, while the official merchandise launched to commemorate the release of the EP, which went on sale for one week from September 2, was sold out in five days. An offline pop-up store selling additional items was subsequently opened in
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 ...
for two weeks from October 1, 2021. In September, he also participated in "Feel the Rhythm of Korea 2", a promotional campaign sponsored by the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) is a central government agency responsible for the areas of tourism, culture, art, religion, and sports. It has two vice ministers, three assistant ministers, one commission, and ...
and the
Korea Tourism Organization The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is an organization of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It is commissioned to promote the country's tourism industry. The KTO was established in 1962 as a gover ...
, for which he sang "I'm Surfin'", a re-interpretation of traditional song "Niliria" (), which was released on September 3 along a music video. On September 27, Jay B launched his second clothing line with Represent, "Live Without Regrets", under his moniker Def. On October 18, he collaborated with Italian singer-songwriter and producer Fudasca on the single "Is It A Dream?", while in November, he starred in the new
Adidas Originals Adidas Originals (often stylized as adidas Originals) is a brand of a line of casual and sportswear created by German multinational corporation Adidas. It consists of a heritage line, specializing in athletic shoes, t-shirts, jackets, bags, ...
winter campaign, "Open Spirit", along with
Blackpink Blackpink (, commonly stylized in all caps or as BLɅϽKPIИK) is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. The group debuted in August 2016 with their single album ''Square ...
.


2022–present: ''Love.'', other music releases and world tour

On January 26, 2022, Jay B released his first physical extended play as Def., '' Love.'', which was listed among the best albums and EPs of the first half of the year by ''Bandwagon,'' and named one of the best Korean hip hop and R&B albums of 2022 according to ''
Rolling Stone India ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cove ...
.'' On June 18, 2022, he held the Nostalgic concert at
Jangchung Arena The Jangchung Arena () is an indoor sporting arena located in Jung District, Seoul, South Korea. Volleyball teams GS Caltex Seoul KIXX and Seoul Woori Card WooriWON are the tenants. History At first, the arena was an army gymnasium, built on 2 ...
to commemorate ten years since his debut: the event was followed by more than people both online and offline. On July 25, 2022, the exclusive contract between Jay B and
H1ghr Music H1ghr Music (stylized as H1GHR MUSIC) (Hangul: 하이어뮤직레코즈) is an international hip hop and R&B record label founded by Korean American musician Jay Park and long time Seattle affiliate Cha Cha Malone in 2017. Stationed primarily i ...
expired and he signed with CDNZA Records. His first release under the new label was the single "Rocking Chair", which he first performed at the Nostalgic concert, and that was chosen by ''Bandwagon'' as one of the best songs of the year. On September 21, Jay B released his third '' Be Yourself'', and three days later kicked off the Tape: Press Pause World Tour in Seoul, which continued in Asia, Latin America and Europe for the rest of the year and will conclude in January 2023 with three encore performances in Bangkok and Seoul. On the occasion of the two Thai stops in October, which saw the singer performing in front of 24,000 spectators at a sold-out Impact Exhibition Hall, Jay B held a pop-up exhibition from October 17 to November 15 at the Siam Center, presenting ideas and inspirations behind the ''Be Yourself'' album. In the meantime, he released his fourth EP, once again as Def., which was titled ''Abandoned Love.''.


Personal life

Jay B was diagnosed with
clinical depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...
as well as
panic disorder Panic disorder is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, short ...
, and has since taken prescribed medication for them. During his younger years, his parents divorced due to his father's drinking problem, and his mother later remarried. His family runs a tomato farm in Ilsan. On September 12, 2014, he was involved in a minor car accident while the driver was trying to change lanes to avoid a parked car when a bus came up behind, causing their car to hit a van. Neither Jay B nor his staff suffered major injuries. In 2016, he was unable to participate in several Got7's Fly Tour concerts and a ''M!Countdown'' performance due to a
spinal disc An intervertebral disc (or intervertebral fibrocartilage) lies between adjacent vertebrae in the vertebral column. Each disc forms a fibrocartilaginous joint (a symphysis), to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, to act as a ligament to hold ...
injury. He returned for the Fly in Singapore concert at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on June 24, showing a full recovery. Jay B majored in film at
Konkuk University Konkuk University () is a South Korean private university founded in 1946. The university was founded based on three virtues: sincerity, fidelity, and righteousness. Konkuk University gives comprehensive education in agricultural and life scien ...
.


Philanthropy

On November 24, 2017, it was revealed that he had donated 10 million won to the Pohang Earthquake Relief Fund under his real name. On February 27, 2020, he donated 10 million won to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. It was revealed that he quietly donated money under his real name, Lim Jae-beom, rather than his active name with a request not to disclose his donation to the outside world. After being appointed an ambassador for
ChildFund ChildFund, formerly known as Christian Children's Fund, is a child-focused international development organization that provides assistance to children facing poverty and other challenges in 24 countries, including the United States. ChildFund's h ...
Korea (Green Umbrella Children's Foundation) in 2018, Jay B has continued to donate to the organization over the years to help underprivileged children. In 2021 he donated the profits from the sales of his ''SOMO:Fume'' merchandise and his Def. Represent collection to support families in need caused by COVID-19 and abused children, reaching ₩100 million and thus being appointed as an official member of the Green Noble Club in December. On January 18, 2022, he donated ₩50 million for the Goyang Love Sharing Hope campaign to establish an emergency support system for gaps in welfare in Goyang.


Discography


Extended plays


Mixtapes


Singles


Songwriting credits


Filmography


Dramas


Television shows


Web shows


Radio shows


Music videos


Awards and nominations


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{Authority control 1994 births Living people Got7 members JYP Entertainment artists K-pop singers Konkuk University alumni People from Siheung South Korean male dancers South Korean male idols South Korean male pop singers South Korean male singer-songwriters South Korean male television actors South Korean male models South Korean record producers