Kim Hee-chul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Hee-chul
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Heechul in June 2019
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| Born | July 10, 1983 Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province, South Korea
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| Alma mater | Sangji University |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, presenter, model, actor, radio host, director |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels |
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| YouTube information | |
| Subscribers | 524 thousand |
| Total views | 18.0 million |
| Subscriber and view counts updated as of January 21, 2022. | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
김희철
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Hui-cheol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Hŭich'ŏl |
| Signature | |
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Kim Hee-chul (Hangul: 김희철; born July 10, 1983), known simply as Heechul, is a famous South Korean singer, songwriter, TV host, and actor. He is a member of the popular K-pop group Super Junior. Heechul has also been part of other music groups like Super Junior-T and Universe Cowards. He was also in a pop-rock duo called Kim Heechul & Kim Jungmo.
Heechul started acting in 2005 in a teen TV show called Sharp 2. He then began hosting radio shows and music programs. In 2006, after joining Super Junior, he was in a car accident that injured his leg. This made it hard for him to do Super Junior's tough dance routines. Since then, he has mostly focused on singing for the group. Heechul also started singing for TV show soundtracks in 2009 with his song "First Star." He has written lyrics for Super Junior and other artists. In 2019, he released his first solo song, "Old Movie."
Heechul became a regular on the TV show Radio Star in 2010. He won an award for "Best Newcomer" for his work on the show. He became even more famous as a TV host after appearing on Knowing Bros and Weekly Idol in 2015 and 2016. He has won several awards for his hosting on reality shows like My Little Old Boy and Delicious Rendezvous.
Contents
Kim Hee-chul's Early Life and Career
Growing Up and Starting Out (1983–2005)
Kim Hee-chul was born in Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, on July 10, 1983. He has an older sister named Kim Hee-jin. He studied English tourism translation and later informatics in college.
In 2002, after seeing a singer named Psy on TV, Heechul decided to try out for entertainment companies. He went to Seoul for an audition with SM Entertainment. He got lost and almost missed it, but they let him audition because of his good looks. He sang the Korean national anthem and passed! He joined SM Entertainment in November 2002 and trained in singing, acting, dancing, and hosting.
He was first going to be in a group called Four Seasons, but that group didn't work out. Heechul almost left SM Entertainment because of disagreements. But with encouragement from friends and other trainees, he decided to stay. He then joined a new group called Super Junior 05.
His first acting role was in the TV show Sharp 2 in 2005. He also appeared on his first variety show, Heroine 6, that same year. Heechul also hosted a music show and appeared in his first advertisements.
Becoming a Star with Super Junior (2005–2010)
Heechul officially debuted with the 12-member group, Super Junior 05, on November 6, 2005. They performed their first song, "Twins (Knock Out)". Their first album came out a month later. In 2006, the group added a 13th member, Kyuhyun, and changed their name to just Super Junior. Their song "U" was very popular. At first, Heechul felt sad when his voice cracked during a performance of "U," and he thought about quitting.
Besides Super Junior, Heechul acted in several TV shows. He had a main role in Rainbow Romance in 2005. He also appeared in Bad Family and Golden Bride. Golden Bride was very popular and made him more well-known. Heechul also voiced a character in the Korean version of the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks. He was a radio DJ and hosted a weekly music show called Inkigayo.
In February 2007, Heechul joined a Super Junior subgroup called Super Junior-T, which sang trot music. Their first song, "Rokuko", was a big hit. Heechul also won an award called "Flower Boy" in 2007.
He acted in a musical called Xanadu in 2008. In 2009, he starred in the TV show Loving You a Thousand Times. His first solo song, "First Star," was released as part of that show's soundtrack. Heechul also returned to being a radio DJ in 2010. He became a host on the popular talk show Radio Star and won an award for "Best Newcomer" for his work there.
New Projects and Military Service (2011–2015)
In 2011, Heechul acted in a Chinese TV show called Melody of Youth. That same year, he formed a project group with Jungmo from the band TraxX. They called themselves M&D. Heechul wrote the lyrics and directed the music video for their first song, "Close Ur Mouth."
Heechul had to complete his mandatory military service from September 2011 to August 2013. He worked as a public service worker. While he was in the military, a song called "Breakups are So Like Me" was released, which was a duet with him.
After finishing his military service in 2013, Heechul appeared on a debate show called Ssulzun. He also rejoined Super Junior for their Japanese song "Blue World". In 2014, he was part of the TV show We Got Married: Global Edition where he was an on-screen couple with Taiwanese singer Puff Kuo. He also acted in the TV show Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit.
In 2015, Heechul became a host on many TV shows, including Knowing Bros. He also won his first Chinese award. M&D released their first album, Cottage Industry, which was very popular.
Hosting Success and New Music (2016–2018)
In 2016, Heechul became a temporary host for Weekly Idol. He also released a song called "Narcissus" with singer Wheein. Heechul wrote the lyrics for this song. M&D changed their name to Kim Heechul & Kim Jungmo and released another album called Goody Bag. Heechul also appeared on a Chinese dating show called Perhaps Love.
In late 2016, Heechul and Min Kyung-hoon from the band Buzz released a duet called "Sweet Dream". They called their duo Universe Cowards. The song was a huge success, reaching number one on the music charts. "Sweet Dream" also won an award for Best Rock Song in 2017. Heechul also sang on a song called "Melody" with the rock band Eve.
Heechul's career as a TV host really took off after he appeared on Knowing Bros and Weekly Idol. He started getting many more hosting jobs on shows like Phantom Singer and Game Show Yoo Hee Nak Rak. He continued hosting many shows in 2017, including Life Bar and Idol School.
In 2018, Heechul was part of Super Junior's own TV show, Super TV. Universe Cowards released another song called "Falling Blossoms", which also won an award for Best Rock Song.
Solo Music and Established TV Personality (2019–Present)
Heechul released his first solo song, "Old Movie," on April 24, 2019. It was very popular in many countries. He also held his first talk show event, and tickets sold out in just one minute! Heechul appeared on more than ten TV shows in 2019, including My Little Old Boy and Delicious Rendezvous. He also acted in the movie Hello, My Cat. He won the "Person of the Year" award in 2019. Heechul and Lee Soo-geun formed a project group called Woojoo Jjokkomi and released a song called "White Winter." He won an award for his work on My Little Old Boy and Delicious Rendezvous.
In 2020, Heechul continued his TV career on shows like Love of 7.7 Billion and 20th Century Hit Song. He was nominated for a "Best Male Variety Performer" award. He also filled in as a temporary host for the show Problem Child in House. He won a "Top Excellence Award" for his TV work in 2020.
In 2021, Heechul became the main host of several shows, including Friends and Long Live Independence. His web drama Recipe for Youth was also released. He won a big award called the Grand Prize (Daesang) with the My Little Old Boy team in 2021.
From 2022 to 2023, Heechul appeared on many web shows and became a new host for Boss in the Mirror.
Other Activities
Helping Others (Philanthropy and Activism)
Heechul cares about helping others. In 2019, he donated ₩30,000,000 (about US$26,300) to help people affected by a big fire. He also donated money from a flea market to help children in Nepal. In 2020, he donated all the money he earned from a commercial to charities helping with COVID-19. He also donated profits from another commercial to a project for children. In 2022, he donated ₩100,000,000 (about US$75,000) to help victims of a wildfire. In 2023, he donated ₩100,000,000 to a foundation that works to prevent school violence.
Since 2007, Heechul has been a goodwill ambassador for blood donation with Super Junior. He has also supported campaigns to raise awareness for organ donation and anti-smoking. In 2023, he became a public relations ambassador for the Green Tree Foundation, which helps prevent school violence.
Promoting Brands (Endorsements)
Heechul has promoted many different brands in South Korea and other countries. His first solo endorsement was for Pepero snacks in 2005. After becoming more famous on TV, he started getting more offers. He has promoted brands like G-Market, Pelicana Chicken, and Dyson. In 2021, he helped launch an eco-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste. In 2022, he and Im Yoon-ah became models for a video game called Ragnarok Online Mobile.
Heechul has also been an ambassador for his hometown, Hoengseong County, promoting local products like Hoengseong beef. He was also an ambassador for the first Seoul Comic-Con event.
Love for Gaming (League of Legends)
Heechul is a big fan of the video game League of Legends, which is very popular in South Korea. He is a high-level player in the game. In 2013, he appeared as a special commentator and guest player for a League of Legends tournament. In 2015, he played in a special match against professional gamers.
In 2016, he attended the League of Legends Pro League 5th Anniversary in China and played in a celebrity showmatch. He also appeared as a special commentator for the LoL World Championship. Heechul has even played League of Legends with other celebrities and professional players in tournaments.
In 2020, Heechul became part of an investment group that helps fund an e-sports team for League of Legends Champions Korea. He and other celebrities became directors for the e-sports company, sharing their ideas on how to build a brand and connect with fans.
His YouTube Channel (HEEtube)
Heechul started his YouTube channel called "HEEtube 김희철" on November 18, 2018. He held his first live gaming stream in December 2018. He received a silver play button from YouTube in April 2019 for reaching over 100,000 subscribers.
Personal Life
Car Accident and Its Impact
On August 10, 2006, Heechul was in a car accident while returning to Seoul. His car's tires had a problem. Heechul broke his left leg and needed surgery. He also had other injuries, including a cut on his tongue.
Doctors told him to rest for twelve weeks. He left the hospital in September 2006 but continued to get medical care. He had another surgery in October to remove some of the metal rods from his leg. He briefly returned to work in late October, filming a TV show while still in a cast and wheelchair. He officially returned to his individual activities in November 2006. The remaining metal rods in his leg were removed in 2008.
How the Accident Affected His Performances
Because of his leg injury, Heechul can no longer do Super Junior's intense dance routines on stage. He often only appears for parts of the songs. He continued to perform regularly until 2017, even with his leg condition. In 2018, it was announced that Heechul would not participate in music show performances for Super Junior's album Replay due to his health, but he would still join other promotions. He later decided not to participate in the group's mini-album One More Time to focus on his recovery.
In 2019, his agency confirmed that Heechul would not perform on stage for Super Junior's ninth album Time Slip or the Super Show 8 concert. However, he would still be part of the album and Super Junior's TV appearances. His agency clarified in 2020 that even though he can't perform on stage, he still records for Super Junior's albums and other content, like photoshoots and music video filming.
Music He Has Released
Solo Songs
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "옛날 사람 (Old Movie)" | 2019 | Not part of an album |
Collaborations (Songs with Other Artists)
| Title | Year | Highest Chart Position | Sales | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||||
| Gaon |
Hot |
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| "The Way An Idol Breaks Up" (with. Krystal Jung) |
2010 | — | — | N/A | Super Junior The 3rd Asia Tour Concert Album: Super Show 3 |
| "Breakups Are So Like Me" (with. Kim Jang-hoon) |
2011 | 33 | 55 | KOR: 418,554+ | Not part of an album |
| "Sweet Dream" (with. Min Kyung-hoon) |
2016 | 1 | * | KOR: 938,837+ | SM Station Season 1 |
| "Charm of Life" (with. Shindong, Eunhyuk, and Solar) |
2017 | — | — | N/A | SM Station Season 2 |
| "Falling Blossoms" (with. Min Kyung-hoon) |
2018 | 15 | 14 | Not part of an album | |
| "White Winter" (with. Lee Soo-geun) |
2019 | — | — | SM Station X 4 LOVEs for Winter | |
| "Hanryang" (with. Min Kyung Hoon, feat. BIBI, and Prod. DinDin) |
2020 | 190 | 72 | Not part of an album | |
| "SsakSsakYi" (with. Knowing Bros Casts) |
2021 | — | — | Knowing Brother's Children's Song Project | |
| "—" means the song did not appear on the chart or was not released in that area. "*" means the chart did not exist at that time. |
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Promotional Songs
| Title | Year | Highest Chart Position | Sales | Album | |
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| KOR Gaon |
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| "You Are A Miracle" (featuring Various Artists) |
2013 | 32 |
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Not part of an album | |
| "—" means the song did not appear on the chart or was not released in that area. | |||||
Featured Artist (Songs where Heechul sings with others)
| Title | Year | Album | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Barbie Girl" (Jessica featuring Heechul) |
2010 | Girls' Generation 1st Asia Tour: Into the New World | |
| "King Wang Zzang" (Defconn featuring Heechul) |
King Wang Zzang | ||
| "Melody" (Eve featuring Heechul) |
2016 | Romantic Show |
Songs for TV Show Soundtracks
| Title | Year | Album | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Can It Be Love?" (Kim Hyung-joong featuring Cast of Rainbow Romance) |
2006 | Rainbow Romance OST | |
| "A Family" (Go Hyun Wook featuring Cast of Bad Family) |
Bad Family OST | ||
| "Don't Walk Away" (with. Kim Seong-gi, Hong Ji Min, Kim Hee-won) |
2008 | Xanadu OST | |
| "First Star" | 2009 | Loving You a Thousand Times OST |
Music Writing Credits
TV Shows and Movies
Current TV Programs
| Title | Year | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowing Bros | 2015–present | Cast member | ||
| My Little Old Boy | 2019–present | Episodes 153–present | ||
| 20th Century Hit Song | 2020–present | Host | ||
| Boss in the Mirror | 2022–present | Episodes 179–present |
Awards and Recognitions
Images for kids
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Heechul in June 2019
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Heechul's signature
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Heechul at the 10th Anniversary Special Album Devil press conference on July 15, 2015
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Heechul at the Singderella press conference in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Kim Hee-chul para niños
- Super Junior discography
- Super Junior filmography
- List of awards and nominations received by Super Junior
