Gary (rapper) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary
Born	(1978-02-24) February 24, 1978 (age 47) South Korea
Education	Yong In University
Occupation	Rapper songwriter entrepreneur record producer television personality
Spouse(s)	Kim Se-eun ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1 (Kang Ha-oh)
Musical career
Genres	Hip hop
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Leessang Company Yangbans Nation Double 8 Million Market
Associated acts	Leessang Honey Family
Korean name
Hangul	개리
Revised Romanization	Gaeri
McCune–Reischauer	Kaeri
Birth name
Hangul	강희건
Hanja	姜熙建
Revised Romanization	Gang Huigeon
McCune–Reischauer	Kang Hŭigŏn

Kang Hee-gun (Hangul: 강희건), known by his stage name Gary (Korean: 개리), is a famous South Korean rapper, songwriter, and TV star. He was born on February 24, 1978.

Gary was a member of the hip hop group Leessang. They made eight albums and had many hit songs. In 2014, Gary started his solo music career with an album called Mr.Gae. Even though some TV stations banned his album because of its lyrics, his songs still became very popular. Gary also worked with singer Jung-in, releasing popular songs like "Your Scent" and "Bicycle."

Besides his own music, Gary has worked with other big artists like Psy and Lee Hyori. Many people also know him from the popular TV show Running Man, where he was a main cast member for many years.

Early life and beginnings

Gary was born on February 24, 1978. When he was in middle school, his friends called him "Gae," which means "dog" in Korean. He later chose this as his stage name.

When he was younger, Gary loved dancing more than rapping. He even won a dance competition! He was offered a contract by SM Entertainment, a big music company, but he decided not to join. Gary also studied at Yong In University and trained to be a bodyguard. He was an amateur boxer for ten years.

Music journey

Starting with X-Teen and Honey Family (1997–2001)

In 1997, Gary joined a hip-hop group called X-Teen. There, he met Gil, who would become his future music partner. Gary was part of X-Teen's album in 1998, but he and Gil later left the group.

After that, Gary and Gil joined another group called "Honey Family." They released two albums in 1999 and 2000. Gary, Gil, and another member named Diggity then formed "Leessam Trio." They released a compilation album in 2000. When Diggity left, Gary and Gil changed their group name to LeeSsang.

Success with Leessang (2002–2017)

Gary and Gil officially formed LeeSsang in 2002. They released eight albums together and had many hit songs. At first, they were known more in the underground music scene. But their later albums, like Hexagonal, Asura Balbalta, and Unplugged, became super popular. Their song "Turn Off the TV" from the album Asura Balbalta was number one on a major music chart for 25 days!

Solo music career (2014–present)

In January 2014, Gary released his first solo mini-album, Mr.Gae. Some TV stations didn't want to play his songs because of the lyrics. But Gary's main song, "Shower Later," still reached number one on many music charts. Gary said he wanted to try new things with his music.

In May 2014, Gary teamed up with singer Jung-in for a song called "Your Scent." Gary wrote the lyrics for this song. It became very popular, even without live performances. They won an award on a music show and the song was ranked high on the year-end charts. They released another song together called "Bicycle" in September 2014.

In September 2015, Gary released his second solo album, 2002. The main song was "Get Some Air," featuring Mi-woo. Many other artists also featured on this album. In January 2016, Gary released a single called "Lonely Night" with Gaeko. The music video for this song featured his Running Man co-star, Song Ji-hyo. Gary won an award for this song.

In March 2020, Gary signed a contract with Million Market, a music company.

Television career

Running Man (2010–2017)

In 2010, Gary joined the TV show Running Man as a co-host. He was on the show with other popular stars like Yoo Jae-suk and Song Ji-hyo. Running Man became very famous around the world, and Gary became well-known internationally.

In October 2016, Gary announced he was leaving Running Man to focus more on his music. His last regular episode was number 324. He did make a short return as a guest in later episodes.

The Return of Superman (2020)

In January 2020, Gary joined the TV show The Return of Superman. On this show, dads take care of their children without their wives for a few days. Gary appeared on the show with his son, Kang Ha-oh, until December 2020.

Family life

On April 5, 2017, Gary shared that he had gotten married to a woman who was not a celebrity. She had worked at his company for five years before they got married. Their son, Kang Ha-oh, was born on October 15, 2017.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Variety shows

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Soundtrack appearances

Featuring

Awards and nominations