Max Changmin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Max Changmin
Max Changmin in 2019
Born	Shim Chang-min (1988-02-18) February 18, 1988 (age 37) Seoul, South Korea
Other names	MAX
Education	Kyung Hee University Konkuk University Inha University
Occupation	Singer-songwriter lyricist actor
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	Unnamed ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	K-pop Pop dance R&B electronic rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	SM Avex Trax Rhythm Zone
Korean name
Hangul	심창민
Hanja	沈昌珉
Revised Romanization	Sim Changmin
McCune–Reischauer	Sim Ch'angmin
Stage name
Hangul	최강창민
Hanja	最强昌珉
Revised Romanization	Choegang Changmin
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oegang Ch'angmin
Signature

Shim Chang-min (Hangul: 심창민; born February 18, 1988), known as Max Changmin, is a famous South Korean singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of the popular K-pop duo TVXQ. Changmin was born and grew up in Seoul, South Korea. He was discovered by a talent agent when he was just 14 years old.

He officially started his music career as the youngest member of TVXQ in December 2003. Changmin speaks both Korean and Japanese very well. He has become very successful across Asia as the main singer of TVXQ. He has also acted in many TV shows and movies.

Early Life and Discovery

Changmin was born and raised in Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea. He comes from a family that follows Buddhism. Both of his parents are teachers, and he has two younger sisters.

When he was 14, a talent scout from S.M. Entertainment saw him. Changmin was singing and playing badminton at the same time during gym class. The scout asked him to audition for S.M., but Changmin wasn't really interested in becoming a singer. His mother, however, wanted to meet the famous singer BoA. So, she encouraged Changmin to go to the audition anyway.

Just three days after his first audition, S.M. called Changmin back for a second one, which he passed. He won the Best Singer and Best Artist awards at S.M.'s 6th Annual Youth Best Contest. After that, Changmin officially joined the company.

Music Career Highlights

TVXQ: A Journey of Success

The group TVXQ first included Changmin, U-Know Yunho, Kim Jae-joong, Park Yoo-chun, and Kim Jun-su. They officially started their career on December 26, 2003. Their first song, "Hug," became very popular in South Korea.

TVXQ has released many number-one albums in Korea. Their album Rising Sun (2005) earned them their first big award, called a Daesang. Their fourth Korean album, Mirotic (2008), was named Album of the Year. This album also featured their very famous song, "Mirotic."

In 2005, TVXQ also started their career in Japan. Their first Japanese song, "Stay with Me Tonight," reached number 37 on the charts. They got their first number-one song in Japan with "Purple Line" in 2008. Their Japanese album The Secret Code had two very popular songs. These included "Dōshite Kimi o Suki ni Natte Shimattandarō?" and "Share the World," which was a theme song for the anime One Piece.

In 2009, some members left the group. A year later, Changmin and Yunho continued as a duo. As a duo, TVXQ broke sales records and concert attendance records in Japan. They became one of the most successful foreign music acts there.

Solo Music and Collaborations

In 2014, Changmin joined a special group called S.M. the Ballad. This group was known for singing beautiful ballad songs. On their second album, Breath, he sang the Japanese version of the main song. He sang it with Krystal Jung from the group f(x).

Changmin released his first Japanese solo mini-album, Close to You, on November 18, 2015. The main song was a ballad called "Into the Water." This album was a special release for members of TVXQ's Japanese fan club.

On April 6, 2020, Changmin released his first official solo mini-album in Korea, called Chocolate. It had six songs of different styles. The title track "Chocolate" featured a collaboration with the Korean singer Chungha. Even though he had sung solo songs before, Chocolate was his official solo debut in Korea after being in TVXQ for over 16 years.

He later released his second Japanese mini-album, Human, on December 8, 2021. On January 13, 2022, he released his second Korean mini-album, Devil.

Solo Extended Plays (EPs)

Acting and TV Appearances

Changmin started his acting career with TVXQ in a mini-series called Vacation in 2006. He also appeared in several episodes of Banjun Drama, a popular mini-series on the SBS network.

In 2010, he had a guest role in the action series Athena: Goddess of War. He played an explosives expert. In 2011, Changmin got his first main acting role in the romantic comedy drama Paradise Ranch. He even dubbed his own voice for the Japanese version of the show.

In 2012, Changmin made his first big movie appearance in the Japanese film Fly With the Gold. He played Momo, a North Korean spy pretending to be an engineering student. He was praised for speaking the Osaka dialect very well in the movie. Changmin was nominated for the Newcomer Award at the 37th annual Hochi Film Awards in Japan. He was the first Korean artist to get this nomination. He later won the Newcomer of the Year award at the 36th Japanese Academy Award in 2013.

Changmin also became a co-host for the KBS variety show Moonlight Prince in 2013. This was his first time being a regular host. After that show ended, he joined the sports variety show Cool Kiz On The Block as a cast member until 2014.

In 2014, Changmin starred in the four-episode mini-series Mimi. He then played Crown Prince Lee Yoon in the historical fantasy drama The Scholar Who Walks The Night in 2015.

Artistic Style and Songwriting

Changmin at the 2012 K-pop World Festival

Changmin is well-known for his powerful singing voice, especially his high notes. He is also a talented songwriter. He has written lyrics for many of TVXQ's songs. These include "Evergreen" (2007), the Korean version of "Love in the Ice" (2008), "Confession" (2011), and "I Swear" (2012).

He has also written songs for other famous K-pop groups and artists. For example, he wrote "Sleepless Night" for SHINee and "Ace" for Taemin. He also wrote "My Thoughts, Your Memories" for Kyuhyun.

Personal Life and Interests

Besides his native Korean, Changmin is very good at speaking Japanese. He finished high school in 2006. In 2009, he went to Kyung Hee University to study postmodern music. He later studied Film and Arts at Konkuk University in 2011. He also pursued a master's degree at Inha University. Changmin is also interested in photography and has studied with a professional photographer.

Family Life

Changmin married his girlfriend in a private ceremony on October 25, 2020. They had planned to marry earlier, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife gave birth to their first son on October 17, 2022.

Helping Others

In January 2008, Changmin volunteered with his father to help clean up beaches in Taean, South Korea. This was after a big oil spill happened there. He wanted to keep his volunteer work a secret during his break from TVXQ activities. However, another volunteer saw him and shared it online. TVXQ's agency later confirmed his kind act.

Military Service

In South Korea, all young men must complete compulsory national service. On November 19, 2015, Changmin began his service as a conscripted policeman. He completed five weeks of basic training and was the leader of his squad. He was honorably discharged from service on August 18, 2017.

Selected Awards and Recognition

Changmin has received several awards for his work in film and television.

Images for kids

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  Max Changmin's signature

See also

In Spanish: Changmin para niños