Song Min-ho (; born March 30, 1993), better known by the stage name Mino, is a South Korean rapper, actor and producer. After a stint in the two-year ballad group BoM from 2011 to 2013, he joined
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
, leading to his debut in 2014 with the boy band
Winner
Winner(s) or The Winner(s) may refer to:
* Champion, the victor in a game or contest
*The successful social class in winner and loser culture
Film
* ''The Winner'' (1926 film), an American silent film starring Billy Sullivan
* ''The Winner'' ...
, formed through
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
survival program ''WIN: Who Is Next''. Alongside label-mate
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
, he is also part of the hip hop duo
MOBB
MOBB was a South Korean hip hop sub-unit formed by YG Entertainment in 2016. The duo consisted of label-mates Mino from Winner and Bobby from iKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, ...
, formed in September 2016.
As a solo artist, Mino first gained recognition as a contestant in the rap-survival program, ''
Show Me the Money 4
The fourth season of '' Show Me the Money'' (''SMTM'') premiered on June 26, 2015, airing every Friday evening on Mnet, and ended with its last episode aired on August 28, 2015.
Mnet's fourth season of ''SMTM'' features YG judges Jinusean and ...
'', where he finished as the series runner-up, and became the best-selling artist among the show's history with his single, "Fear" (겁). He made his official solo debut with the studio album, ''
XX'' in November 2018; its lead single, titled "Fiancé", became his first number one hit in South Korea, spawning to number one on
Gaon's digital and streaming monthly charts for the month of December. It also became his first single to receive a
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
certification
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) after achieving sales of 2.5 million digital copies.
In television, he is currently a series regular in tvN variety programs, ''
New Journey to the West
''New Journey to the West'' () is a South Korean travel- reality show that airs on tvN. This program started broadcasting on September 4, 2015 and has currently aired for 8 Seasons.
New Journey to the West's cast members are Kang Ho-dong, Le ...
'' and ''
Kang's Kitchen
''Kang's Kitchen'' () is a South Korean travel- reality show. It is a spin-off of the variety show ''New Journey to the West''. The show airs every Fridays at 9.10 pm(Korea) on cable channel tvN starting from December 5, 2017.
The show was a succ ...
''. In addition, he appeared as a judge in a variety show called ''Sing Again'', which has recently gained popularity.
Biography
Early life
Song Min-ho was born on March 30, 1993, in
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 ...
,
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 has a sister named Song Dan-ah, who is one year younger than him and was previously a member of the defunct girl group "New F.O." Mino also has a cousin named
Song Gun-hee, better known by the stage name "#Gun", a rapper who was under
Starship Entertainment
Starship Entertainment () is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 2008 and became an independent subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment in 2013.
They had been recognized for their contributions to the Hallyu Wave, being home to several ...
. Mino graduated from
Hanlim Multi Art School
Hanlim Multi Art School ( ko, 한림연예예술고등학교) is an arts high school located in Songpa District in Seoul, South Korea.
History
Hanlim School was founded on 3 March 1962, with Lee Hyeon-man being appointed school principal. In 20 ...
in 2011.
2007–2012: Career beginnings and BoM
In the early years of his musical career, Mino was an active participant of the Korean underground rap scene, performing under the name Mino or Hugeboy Mino. Among others who would later become well-known, Mino often performed with underground rappers-turned-idols, namely
Block B
Block B ( ko, 블락비) is a South Korean boy band managed by KQ Entertainment, and consists of seven members: Taeil, B-Bomb, Jaehyo, U-Kwon, Park Kyung, Zico, and P.O. Block B has received several accolades, including nominations for seven ...
's
Zico and
P.O
Pyo Ji-hoon (born February 2, 1993), better known by his stage name P.O, is a South Korean rapper, singer and actor. He is the youngest member of the boy group Block B and its sub-unit Bastarz.
Early life and education
P.O was born Pyo Ji-hoo ...
, and
Phantom
Phantom may refer to:
* Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things
** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living
Aircraft
* Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...
's
Hanhae
Jung Han-hae (born April 7, 1990), better known by the mononym Hanhae, is a South Korean rapper and singer. He is a former member of the hip hop boy band Phantom
Phantom may refer to:
* Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animat ...
. He auditioned and trained under
Stardom Entertainment
Stardom Entertainment (Korean: ) (formerly known as Brand New Stardom Entertainment) was a music record label based in South Korea. Founded by South Korean entertainer Cho PD during mid-2009, the company was renamed Stardom Entertainment when it s ...
for several years before attaining a position in the line-up for the boy band, Block B alongside trainees
Zico,
U-Kwon
Kim Yu-kwon (Hangul: 김유권, born April 9, 1992), better known by the stage name U-Kwon (Hangul: 유권), is a South Korean singer. He is a vocalist and dancer in Block B; he is also a member of the sub-unit Bastarz along with P.O and B-Bomb ...
,
B-Bomb
Lee Min-hyuk (Hangul: 이민혁, born December 14, 1990), better known by the stage name B-Bomb (Hangul: 비범), is a South Korean singer and dancer in the South Korean boy band Block B, and is in the Bastarz sub-unit with U-Kwon and P.O. He ...
and
Jaehyo
Block B ( ko, 블락비) is a South Korean boy band managed by KQ Entertainment, and consists of seven members: Taeil, B-Bomb, Jaehyo, U-Kwon, Park Kyung, Zico, and P.O. Block B has received several accolades, including nominations for seven ...
. However, due to not being of legal age at the time, his father consulted with the company on his behalf in terms of business regarding the contract and ultimately was unable to reach an agreement. In result, Mino left to pursue his career elsewhere.
Starting from scratch, Mino joined and trained under Y2Y Contents Company for nearly two years before making his debut on July 27, 2011 as a rapper under the stage name "Tagoon" in the ballad boy band BoM. While promoting with the group, despite writing five songs among their releases, the executive of the company did not register nor credit Mino's contributions for copyright and instead forged another person's name to receive royalties. Mino reported that he made as little as
₩
The won sign , is a currency symbol. It represents the South Korean won, the North Korean won and, unofficially, the old Korean won.
Appearance
Its appearance is "W" (the first letter of "Won") with a horizontal strike going through the cent ...
10 won (
$0.09) during his time at the company.
BoM disbanded within two years of their debut in March 2013.
2013–2014: Debut with Winner and rising popularity
In 2013,
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
reached out to Mino upon discovering a video of him covering
Big Bang
The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
's La La La in his March 2012 appearance on
Channel A cable drama ''The Strongest K-POP Survival''.
After a successful audition, Mino was accepted by the agency and joined as a trainee. That same year, he appeared on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
survival program ''WIN: Who Is Next'' as a contestant under "Team A". Initially, he was appointed as the leader by Yang Hyun-suk during the first episode of the show, however, due to an injury part-way, he was replaced as leader by
Kang Seung-yoon
Kang Seung-yoon (Korean: 강승윤; born ), also known mononymously as Seungyoon or Yoon, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor, and leader of boy band Winner. His appearance on the reality television singing contest ''Superstar K2'' (201 ...
. Seeing the synergy and improvement in performance, Yang Hyun-suk made the change permanent in benefit of the team. On October 25, during the finale episode of the survival program, Team A was announced as the winners of the show. Team A was set to debut under the name,
Winner
Winner(s) or The Winner(s) may refer to:
* Champion, the victor in a game or contest
*The successful social class in winner and loser culture
Film
* ''The Winner'' (1926 film), an American silent film starring Billy Sullivan
* ''The Winner'' ...
.
Winner officially made their debut on August 17, 2014 with the studio album, ''
2014 S/S
''2014 S/S'' is the debut album of South Korean group Winner. It was released on August 12, 2014, by the group's record label, YG Entertainment. The members were credited for writing the lyrics and composing the majority of the album's songs.
Com ...
'' and the
double A-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
singles, "Empty" and "Color Ring". The ten-track album also featured Mino's first solo release titled, "I'm Him", which peaked at number 15 on the ''Gaon'' Digital Chart. Upon their debut, the quintet shot to instantaneous success with "Empty" topping all South Korean charts including Gaon, earning them the title "Monster Rookies". Their unprecedented success earned them multiple awards that year including Top 10 Artist (Bonsang) at the
Melon Music Awards and "Most Popular Korean Group" at the Tudou Young Choice Awards. The group also went on to becoming the fastest act to win on a televised music show, within four days through Mnet's ''
M Countdown
''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
Bro ...
''.
In October 2014, Mino was featured in labelmate senior
Epik High
Epik High (Hangul: 에픽하이) is a South Korean hip hop trio formed in 2001, composed of Tablo, Mithra Jin, and DJ Tukutz. Primarily based in Seoul, the group signed with Woollim Entertainment and released their first two studio albums, ''M ...
's lead single "
Born Hater
"Born Hater" is a song by South Korean hip hop group Epik High, released on October 18, 2014, as one of their single tracks from their eighth Korean studio album, '' Shoebox''. The song features rappers Beenzino, Verbal Jint, B.I, Mino, and Bobb ...
" from their studio album ''
Shoebox'', alongside
Beenzino
Lim Sung-bin (; born September 12, 1987), better known by the stage name Beenzino (Hangul: 빈지노), is a South Korean rapper. His stage name is a play on that of Boston rapper Benzino, combined with "빈" (pronounced "been") from his birth ...
,
Verbal Jint
Kim Jin-tae (Hangul: 김진태; born December 19, 1980), better known by his stage name Verbal Jint (Hangul: 버벌진트), is a South Korean rapper, record producer and musician who is known for his groundbreaking innovations in Korean hip hop ...
, and labelmates
iKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019.
Init ...
's
B.I and
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
. The single peaked at number 3 on the ''Gaon'' Digital Chart, selling almost 1.5 million digital copies. The song was later performed for the first time at the
2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards
The 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) was held on December 3, 2014, at the AsiaWorld–Arena, Hong Kong. It marked its sixteenth edition acknowledging the past year's K-pop releases.
Nominees were announced on October 27, 2014. Leading the nom ...
. That same day, he also had a collaborative stage with South Korean singer,
IU, performing her single "Friday". In December 2014, Mino co-hosted the 2014 ''
SBS Gayo Daejeon
''SBS Gayo Daejeon'' (, broadly ''SBS'' '' Battle of the Bands'') is an annual televised music festival that is broadcast by the Seoul Broadcasting System at the end of each year. The program first aired in 1997, and awards were given to musica ...
'' alongside South Korean actress,
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 ...
and singers
2PM's
Nichkhun
Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul ( th, นิชคุณ หรเวชกุล; ; born June 24, 1988), better known mononymously as Nichkhun ( ko, 닉쿤), is a Thai American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and model who is currently based in Sout ...
,
CNBLUE
CNBLUE ( ko, 씨엔블루) is a South Korean pop rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of Jung Yong-hwa (leader, main vocals, guitar, keyboard, rap), Kang Min-hyuk ( drums), and Lee Jung-shin ( bass). First bassist Kwon Kwang-jin left the ...
's
Yonghwa,
Infinite
Infinite may refer to:
Mathematics
*Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set
*Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit
Music
* Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band
*''Infinite'' (EP), debut EP of American m ...
's
L and
B1A4
B1A4 () is a South Korean boy band formed by WM Entertainment. The group debuted on April 23, 2011 with the single "O.K" from the EP ''Let's Fly'', after being introduced to the public through a webtoon. They have released nine studio albums (fo ...
's
Baro.
2015–2017: ''Show Me the Money'' and mainstream success
![Song Min-ho at Style Icon Asia 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Song_Min-ho_at_Style_Icon_Asia_2016.jpg)
In April 2015, Mino appeared in the
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
rap survival program ''
Show Me the Money 4
The fourth season of '' Show Me the Money'' (''SMTM'') premiered on June 26, 2015, airing every Friday evening on Mnet, and ended with its last episode aired on August 28, 2015.
Mnet's fourth season of ''SMTM'' features YG judges Jinusean and ...
'' as a member of "Team Zipal" competing under
Zico and
Paloalto. He finished the show as the series runner-up behind rapper Basick.
Through the program, Mino released numerous singles including Fear, Turtle Ship, Moneyflow, and Okey Dokey. Namely, the single "Fear", featuring labelmate senior
Big Bang
The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
's
Taeyang
Dong Young-bae (; born May 18, 1988), better known by his stage names Taeyang (meaning "sun" in Korean) and SOL (when performing in Japan), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer. After appearing in Jinusean's music video "A-yo", Taey ...
, went on to becoming one of the best-selling singles of the year, as well as the best-selling single ever in any ''Show Me the Money'' series. "Fear" went on to earning Mino the Discovery of the Year (Hip Hop) award at the
Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards
The Circle Chart Music Awards (), formerly known as the Gaon Chart Music Awards, are a major music awards ceremony that is presented annually in South Korea by the Korea Music Content Association primarily based on the commercial performance of t ...
, and a nomination for the Hot Trend Award at the
MelOn Music Awards.
In September 2016, Mino and labelmate
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
of
iKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019.
Init ...
was formed as the project sub-unit,
MOBB
MOBB was a South Korean hip hop sub-unit formed by YG Entertainment in 2016. The duo consisted of label-mates Mino from Winner and Bobby from iKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, ...
. Together, they released a four-track single album titled ''
The Mobb'', with the
double A-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
singles, "Full House" and "Hit Me" on September 9. The Hip-hop duo's success earned them the Best Hip-Hop/Rap Artist at the
Seoul Music Awards
The Seoul Music Awards (; SMA) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper ''Sports Seoul''. The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and expert judges' op ...
. Ahead of their release, Mino also released the digital single, "Body" on September 8. "Body" peaked at number 13 on the Gaon Digital Chart and number 4 on the ''Billboard'' World Digital Songs Chart.
Through the MBC variety program, ''
Infinite Challenge
''Infinite Challenge'' (; abbreviated as ''Mudo'') is a South Korean television entertainment program, distributed and syndicated by MBC, that ran from 2005 to 2018.
As of January 2013, it had the largest market share for its timeslot; with ...
'', Mino was cast for the show's "Hip hop & History Special" alongside Zico,
Bewhy
Lee Byung-yoon (Hangul: 이병윤; born June 15, 1993), better known by his stage name BewhY (Hangul: 비와이), is a South Korean rapper and member of '$exy $treet & Yello Music crew'. Initially he chose 'BY' as a stage name, but changed it ...
,
Dok2
Lee Joon-kyung (; born March 28, 1990) better known by his stage name Dok2 (, pronounced as Dokki), is a South Korean rapper, record producer and co-founder of now-defunct Illionaire Records.
Biography Early life
Dok2's mother is Korean, and h ...
,
Gaeko
Kim Yoon-sung (born January 14, 1981), known professionally as Gaeko (, literally ''dog's snout'') is a South Korean hip hop recording artist. He and Choiza comprise the hip hop duo Dynamic Duo, which rose to fame upon the release of their debu ...
and
DinDin
Lim Cheol (born November 20, 1991), better known by his stage name DinDin, is a South Korean rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and str ...
. He partnered with the comedian
Haha
Haha or ha ha is an onomatopoeic representation of laughter.
Haha and variants may also refer to:
People
* Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (born 1992), American football player
* Haha (entertainer) (born 1979), Entertainer
Places
* Saint-Louis-du ...
to create a single that fused hip hop with the history of South Korea. Ultimately, that collaboration led to the single "Shoot" (쏘아), which peaked at number 3 on the ''Gaon'' Digital chart.
Outside of music, in January 2017, Mino joined the cast of
tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
variety program, ''
New Journey to the West
''New Journey to the West'' () is a South Korean travel- reality show that airs on tvN. This program started broadcasting on September 4, 2015 and has currently aired for 8 Seasons.
New Journey to the West's cast members are Kang Ho-dong, Le ...
'' alongside
Kyuhyun of
Super Junior
Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band formed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment in 2005. They are also dubbed by the media as the "King of Hallyu Wave" due to their prominent ...
from season 2.5 onward.
His appearance on the show marked his first-ever fixed regular appearance on a television series since his debut. Mino went on to obtaining the infamous names ''Song Mojiri'' and ''Song Garak''. On December 5, 2017 Mino appeared on tvN cooking variety program, ''
Kang's Kitchen
''Kang's Kitchen'' () is a South Korean travel- reality show. It is a spin-off of the variety show ''New Journey to the West''. The show airs every Fridays at 9.10 pm(Korea) on cable channel tvN starting from December 5, 2017.
The show was a succ ...
'', a spin-off variety show of New Journey to the West, as a cast member.
2018–present: Solo debut and critical acclaim
![180617 WINNER WWIC 2018 (Mino)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/180617_WINNER_WWIC_2018_%28Mino%29.jpg)
Through the release of the second studio album from his group, Winner, titled ''
Everyday
Everyday or Every Day may refer to:
Books
* ''Every Day'' (novel), by David Levithan, 2012
Film
* ''Every Day'' (2010 film), an American comedy-drama starring Liev Schreiber and Helen Hunt
* ''Everyday'' (film), a 2012 British drama direct ...
'' on April 4, 2018 he released the solo
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
single, "Turn Off the Light" (손만 잡고 자자), which peaked at number 74 on the ''Gaon'' Digital Chart.
On July 20, Mino featured and co-wrote on labelmate senior
Big Bang
The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
Seungri
Lee Seung-hyun (; born December 12, 1990), better known by his stage names Seungri (Hangul: ) and V.I (when performing in Japan), is a former South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, businessman and sex offender convicted of facilitating prosti ...
's sub-title track "Where R U From" from his studio album ''
The Great Seungri''. The single went on to peaking at number 84 on the ''Gaon'' Digital Chart. Mino also made an appearance in the music video, which was later released on July 27, as well as on Seungri's live performance on MBC's ''
Show! Music Core
''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...
'' and SBS' ''
Inkigayo
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
'' on July 21 and 22 respectively.
Mino made his official solo debut on November 26, 2018 with his first studio album ''
XX'', and the lead single "Fiancé" (아낙네). He described the song as a fusion of
trot
The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is someti ...
and hip hop that samples the Korean trot song "소양강 처녀" ("Soyanggang Maiden") from 1969. Fiancé went on to top numerous charts, including the Gaon Monthly Digital Chart for the month of December. The song also garnered Mino several awards on music programs for the number one hit. His single also earned him the Best Hip-Hop Award at the
Golden Disc Awards
The Golden Disc Awards (, formerly spelled the Golden Disk Awards before 2015) is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promo ...
and multiple nominations including Song of the Year (November) at the
Gaon Chart Music Awards
The Circle Chart Music Awards (), formerly known as the Gaon Chart Music Awards, are a major music awards ceremony that is presented annually in South Korea by the Korea Music Content Association primarily based on the commercial performance of t ...
. He began promotions through his first music show appearance on MBC's ''
Show! Music Core
''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...
'' on December 1 and later achieved his first solo win on a music show through Mnet's ''M Countdown'' on December 6.
On October 30, 2020, Mino released his second self-produced solo album ''
Take
A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production.
Film
In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each s ...
'', with the lead single "Run Away" which peaked at number 55 on the ''Gaon'' Digital Chart. This album includes the first track called “Love and a Boy” which Mino wrote, composed, and arranged entirely by himself.
On July 16, 2021,
AOMG
AOMG is a South Korean hip-hop and R&B record label found in 2013 by singer, rapper, and songwriter Jay Park. The label currently houses 20 musicians and UFC fighter Chan Sung Jung (The Korean Zombie).
History
Above Ordinary Music Group (AOMG) ...
producer
Gray
Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
posted a video on Instagram of himself and Mino with "#smtm10 #producer" officially announcing that the duo would serve as judges and producers for the tenth season of the popular hip-hop survival show,
Show Me the Money. In six years, Mino went from contestant on the fourth season to producer in the tenth season. Gray and Mino's team was named "Team Graynoma" and included contestants
Be'O
Yoo Chan-wook (; born April 27, 2000), known professionally as Be'O (; stylized in all caps), is a South Korean rapper and songwriter. He first garnered attention when he appeared on the rap competition TV show ''Show Me the Money 10'' in 2021.
...
,
Mudd the Student
Yoon Seung-min (; born January 23, 2000), known professionally as Mudd the Student (; stylized as Mudd the student), is a South Korean rapper, singer, producer and songwriter. He first garnered attention when he appeared on the rap competition T ...
, Anandelight, Geegooin, and Unofficialboyy. Several Team Graynoma songs went on to dominate the South Korean music charts including the team's song Breathe (쉬어) (ft. Mino);
Be'O
Yoo Chan-wook (; born April 27, 2000), known professionally as Be'O (; stylized in all caps), is a South Korean rapper and songwriter. He first garnered attention when he appeared on the rap competition TV show ''Show Me the Money 10'' in 2021.
...
's Limousine (리무진) (ft. Mino); and
Mudd The Student
Yoon Seung-min (; born January 23, 2000), known professionally as Mudd the Student (; stylized as Mudd the student), is a South Korean rapper, singer, producer and songwriter. He first garnered attention when he appeared on the rap competition T ...
's Dissonance (불협화음) (ft.
AKMU
AKMU ( ko, 악뮤), also known as Akdong Musician ( ko, 악동뮤지션), is a South Korean sibling duo consisting of Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun who debuted under YG Entertainment in April 2014 with studio album ''Play (AKMU album), Play'' ...
).
On October 7, 2021, it was announced that Mino will be holding his first ever solo concert, entitled "Maniac" on November 19. The event will be held simultaneously in-person at Seoul's Olympic Hall and online as part of 'YG Palm Stage 2021'. During Mino's solo concert, he shared the stage with
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
from Ikon and Winner bandmate,
Kang Seungyoon. Those in attendance at the concert included Mino's Winner bandmates
Jinwoo and
Seunghoon,
Twice's Jeongyeon
Yoo Jeong-yeon (; born 1 November 1996), known mononymously as Jeongyeon (), is a South Korean singer. She is a member of Twice, a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment.
Early life
Jeongyeon was born as Yoo Kyung-wan on 1 Novem ...
, YG labelmates from
Treasure
Treasure (from la, thesaurus from Greek language ''thēsauros'', "treasure store") is a concentration of wealth — often originating from ancient history — that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions leg ...
and
IKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019.
Init ...
, and
Blackpink's Jennie.
After the concert, Mino announced that he would be releasing his third studio album ''To Infinity'' and its lead single "Tang!" on December 7, 2021. ''To Infinity'' topped the iTunes Album charts in 14 countries on the day of its release. Artists featured on the album include
ILLBOI,
Gaeko
Kim Yoon-sung (born January 14, 1981), known professionally as Gaeko (, literally ''dog's snout'') is a South Korean hip hop recording artist. He and Choiza comprise the hip hop duo Dynamic Duo, which rose to fame upon the release of their debu ...
,
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
, sogumm, and sunwoojunga.
On July 21, 2022, it was announced that Mino would be attending the 'Start Art Fair Seoul 2022' held at The Seoul Lightium, Seongdong-gu, Seoul from September 1-6.
In August, Mino made his debut with the Netflix film ''
Seoul Vibe'', which was Mino's big screen debut.
Personal life
Mino revealed during his appearance on JTBC's "Human Intelligence" that he was diagnosed with
panic disorder
Panic disorder is a mental disorder, mental and Abnormal behavior, behavioral disease#Disorder, disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear th ...
in early 2018, further stating that, "I didn't think it was a panic disorder, but many things piled on and it happened. I always need to show a good appearance to the public and always shine, but there are a lot of things I need to deal with and am responsible for behind-the-scenes. I talked a lot with people around me who struggled with panic disorders and eventually got better."
Artistry
Music and style
Initially discovering hip hop through
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, Mino's love for the genre grew after expanding into the South Korean hip hop scenes through artists including
Dynamic Duo
Dynamic duo may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups
*Dúo Dinámico (Spanish for Dynamic Duo), a Spanish musical duo formed in 1958 and one of the main precursors of pop music in Spain
*Dynamic Duo (South Korean duo), a South Ko ...
, The Movement and
Drunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger () was a Korean hip hop group that debuted in 1999 and has since released several albums and won numerous awards. They are known as pioneers of Korean hip-hop who helped bring the genre into the mainstream.
The group's original lin ...
.
In result, his entire discography is predominantly hip hop. Mino has also cited American rapper
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
as a musical role model towards his career. For rap, he fancied the husky and rough voices of rappers such as Dirty South,
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
and
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with ''Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single "Holla Holla". Durin ...
which was embodied in his earlier work.
Mino recalled how he used to shout on purpose to lose his voice for a husky musical tone.
Citing his appearance on the fourth installment of ''Show Me the Money'' as a career turning point, from then on he changed his rap tone to something more natural and comfortable.
Other ventures
Arts and photography
Mino launched an exhibition in early October 2018 called "Burning Planet" in collaboration with
Gentle Monster Gentle Monster styled as GENTLE MONSTER (Hangeul: 젠틀몬스터) is a South Korean sunglasses and optical glasses brand founded by Hankook Kim in Seoul in 2011.
As of April 2018, the company has 41 directly operated stores worldwide, including in ...
. Hypebeast praised the exhibition's symbolism, and noted the way it portrayed a "burnout" culture where societies literally work themselves to death. Notably, celebrities such as actor
Lee Dong-hwi
Lee Dong-hwi (born July 22, 1985) is a South Korean actor and singer. He gained recognition through his role in the critically acclaimed television series ''Reply 1988'' (2015–2016). Lee starred in the film ''Extreme Job'' (2019), the second ...
, Block B's P.O,
Li Yi Feng and many others visited the exhibition. The exhibition was held for a month.
In November 2018, Mino was featured along with other professional photographers for “O! Leica, Spirit of the Times” exhibition that was held in S-Factory in Seoul, Korea from November 30 to December 9. Mino continued to expand further into the fashion industry as he teamed up with ''
Vogue Korea
''Vogue'' is an American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers many topics, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. Based at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, ''Vogu ...
'' for the "I AM REAL MINO" spread in the December 2018 issue as guest editor. Along with the spread, a fashion film for the track "Rocket" of his album ''XX'' is to be released.
In December 2019, Mino made his official debut as a painter at SEEA 2019 exhibition (Special Exhibition for Emerging Artists 2019). The exhibition held at the
Seongnam Arts Center The Seongnam Arts Center (성남아트센터) is the largest venue for cultural events in the city of Seongnam. It is in Yatap-dong in Bundang, within a few minutes' walk of Imae Station. And it is situated near the Taewon High school. So students ...
's 808 Gallery from December 17 to 25. He submitted three paintings to the fine art show.
In October 2020, Mino's acrylic paintings will be displayed in
Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery is a London gallery for contemporary art and an independent charity opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985. Exhibitions which drew upon the collection of Charles Saatchi, starting with US artists and minimalism, moving to the D ...
as part of the Korean Eye 2020: Creativity and Daydream exhibit in the STARTnet art fair from October 21 to 25. He is the first Korean singer to have his work displayed in this famous contemporary art gallery.
Fashion and endorsements
Mino alongside Block B's
Zico were selected as the models for South Korean mobile game Penta Storm: The Strike Of Kings, owned by the largest South Korean gaming company
Netmarble
Netmarble Corp. (Hangul, Korean: 넷마블 주식회사) is a South Korean mobile game developer. It is South Korea's largest mobile-gaming company which was founded in 2000 by Bang Jun-hyuk.
Overview
Netmarble developed ''Lineage 2 Revolution ...
on March 15, 2017. An official from the company mentioned they believed the two fit the games image perfectly as both are influential in the target audience they aim for as well as the two being close friends in reality, further elaborating they wish for users to enjoy with friends anytime and anywhere.
Lotte Chilsung
Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., Ltd. is one of the largest drink manufacturers in South Korea and is part of the Lotte Corporation. The name ''Chilsung'' (''chilseong'', , ) means "Big Dipper" (literally seven stars), and the company's logo is an e ...
, the largest beverage manufacturers in South Korea launched new products dubbed the "Let's Be" Coffee in February 2019. Mino alongside Block B's
P.O
Pyo Ji-hoon (born February 2, 1993), better known by his stage name P.O, is a South Korean rapper, singer and actor. He is the youngest member of the boy group Block B and its sub-unit Bastarz.
Early life and education
P.O was born Pyo Ji-hoo ...
were chosen as advertising models for the products. A representative from the company revealed their "Fresh and Youthful" image was one of the many key reasons they were chosen. In August 2020, the German personal care brand,
Nivea
Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
, collaborated with Mino on limited release lip balms, named Red, Blue, and Navy, which included Mino's artwork on the packaging. In November 2021, Mino was selected as the model for the premium vegan brand, d'Alba, and appeared in numerous print and TV ads for the brand. Other brands that have recently collaborated with Mino, and include his artwork, include Scotch whiskey brand
Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich () is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky produced by William Grant & Sons in the Scottish burgh of Dufftown in Moray. The name Glenfiddich derives from the Scottish Gaelic ''Gleann Fhiodhaich'' meaning "valley of the deer", which is ...
, Italian suit brand Kitson, Danish brand
Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is a Danish high-end consumer electronics company that designs and manufactures audio products, television sets, and telephones. It was founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, who designed a radio to work with alt ...
, and camping brand Helinox.
In September 2017, Mino, along with bandmate
Lee Seung-hoon
Lee Seung-hoon (Hangul: 이승훈, Hanja: , ; born 6 March 1988) is a South Korean speed skater. He won a gold medal in the 10,000 metres, a silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 2010 Winter Olympics, becoming the first and only Asian man ...
, was chosen as influencers most suited to being ambassadors of luxury brand
Burberry
Burberry is a British luxury fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry headquartered in London, England. It currently designs and distributes ready to wear, including trench coats (for which it is most famous), leather accessories, ...
appointed by previous creative officer
Christopher Bailey as they exhibited a "Viktor Horsting & Rolf Snoeren-like approach to haute couture" and named as winning front row looks. The duo got early access to the Spring 2018 collection two days after they landed at Heathrow Airport.
In October 2018, Mino collaborated with brand
Gentle Monster Gentle Monster styled as GENTLE MONSTER (Hangeul: 젠틀몬스터) is a South Korean sunglasses and optical glasses brand founded by Hankook Kim in Seoul in 2011.
As of April 2018, the company has 41 directly operated stores worldwide, including in ...
in creating the Burning Planet exclusive package that included specialized Peek-a-Boo glasses Burning Planet edition. The package was only available to friends of Mino, and were seen worn by label mates Lisa of
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 ...
and Donghyuk of
iKon
iKon (), stylized as iKON, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019.
Init ...
, Kwon twins of YG Hitech dance team, South Korean rapper and producer
Code Kunst
Jo Sung-woo (Hangul: 조성우; born December 18, 1989), better known by his stage name Code Kunst (Hangul: 코드 쿤스트), is a South Korean composer and music producer. He joined HIGHGRND in 2015 and released his third studio album ''Muggle' ...
, and many others.
On June 20, 2019 Mino made his global runway debut and became the first Korean artist to walk down the runway of
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its produc ...
's Spring 2020 menswear show held in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France, during
Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week (french: Semaine de la mode de Paris) is a series of designer presentations held semiannually in Paris, France with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation. ...
. He was personally invited to participate by
Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh (; September 30, 1980 – November 28, 2021) was an American fashion designer and entrepreneur. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection beginning in 2018, and was given increased creative responsibilitie ...
, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection.
In February 2021, Mino was named as an ambassador for
SONGZIO and became its first-ever ambassador since its creation in 1993. Following the announcement, sales increased by 40% in compared to the previous year for the month of March. Lee Da-nam, a manager from the sales department revealed overall sales for the year have increased by 30% in comparison to the prior year. Mino increased attention on the brand alongside the awareness of Songzio among the younger generation. 'Black Sunflower, Edition 93', a collaboration between the brand and Mino, achieved sales amounting to 60 million won through pre-sales only and became the greatest performance in a collaboration.
Philanthropy
In September 2018, it was reported that Mino donated his entire modelling fee for his appearance in the
Balenciaga
Balenciaga SA ( ) is a luxury fashion house founded in 1919 by the Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga in San Sebastian, Spain. Balenciaga produces ready-to-wear, footwear, handbags, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to C ...
X
Dazed
''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...
collaboration to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
'
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен ...
, a humanitarian organization that aims for a world without hunger.
Following the cancellation of contemporary casual clothing brand PLAC's 'by YOU' collection showcase event in collaboration with himself and bandmate Seungyoon due to safety issues in relations to the recent
coronavirus 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 identified ...
, the funds they raised towards the showcase were used to donate 10,000 masks for low-income children.
Discography
* ''
XX'' (2018)
* ''
Take
A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production.
Film
In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each s ...
'' (2020)
* ''To Infinity.'' (2021)
Filmography
Film
Television series
Television shows
Web show
Hosting
Radio
Concerts and tours
Concerts
Awards and nominations
Other accolades
Listicles
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mino
YG Entertainment artists
1993 births
Living people
South Korean male idols
Hanlim Multi Art School alumni
People from Yongin
South Korean male rappers
South Korean male pop singers
Show Me the Money (South Korean TV series) contestants
Winner (band) members
21st-century South Korean singers
South Korean hip hop record producers
South Korean television personalities