Kim Jong-kook facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kim Jong-kook
Kim in Running Man Fan Meeting Asian Tour 2014
Born	(1976-04-25) April 25, 1976 (age 49) Seoul, South Korea
Education	Dankook University
Occupation	Singer entertainer actor
Years active	1995–present
Agent	Turbo-JK Entertainment The Turbo Company
Relatives	Soya (niece)
Musical career
Genres	K-pop Dance
Korean name
Hangul	김종국
Hanja	金鍾國
Revised Romanization	Gim Jong-guk
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Chongguk

Kim Jong-kook (Hangul: 김종국; born April 25, 1976) is a famous South Korean singer, entertainer, and actor. He first became known in 1995 as part of the music duo, Turbo. They were super popular and sold millions of albums across South Korea and Asia!

After Turbo broke up in 2000, Kim Jong-kook started his solo music career. His first solo album, Renaissance, came out in December 2001. As a solo artist, he won many big awards for his music. Besides singing, Kim Jong-kook is also a well-known entertainer. He became very popular worldwide after joining the TV show Running Man.

About Kim Jong-kook

Kim Jong-kook was born on April 25, 1976, in Yongsan, South Korea. He has an older brother who is a doctor. Kim went to Myeong Hak Elementary School and Shin Seong Middle High School. He studied music composition at Hansei University. Later, he earned a master's degree from Dankook University.

Kim Jong-kook's Career Journey

1995–2000: Starting with Turbo

Kim Jong-kook began his music journey in 1995. He was part of a duo called Turbo. They became incredibly popular for their fun and catchy songs. After a few years, the duo decided to go their separate ways.

2001–2005: Solo Music and Big Awards

After Turbo, Kim Jong-kook faced some challenges as a solo artist. His first solo album didn't do as well as he hoped. But he made a strong comeback with his second album, Evolution, in 2004. This album featured the hit song "One Man." Kim also joined the popular TV show X-Man, which made him even more famous.

In 2005, Kim released his third album, This Is Me. It sold over 300,000 copies, making it one of the best-selling albums in Korea that year. The main song, "Lovable," was a huge hit. It even appeared in popular online games like Pump It Up. Kim won the top "Artist of the Year" award from all three major Korean TV stations: SBS, KBS, and MBC. This was a rare achievement!

2006–2014: TV Shows, Music, and Army Service

Kim Jong-kook became the leader of a kids' soccer show called Shootdori. He had to leave the show when he was called for military service in March 2006. He released his fourth album, Volume 4 - Kim Jong-kook's Fourth Letter, around this time. Even though he was in the military and couldn't promote it, the album sold over 100,000 copies. It later won "Album of the Year" at the Melon Music Awards.

Kim finished his military service in May 2008. His fifth album, Here I Am, came out in October 2008. He also returned to TV as a regular member of the reality show Family Outing. This show became one of the most-watched in Korea.

His sixth album, The Eleventh Story, was released in January 2010. It included the songs "This is the Person" and "Don't Be Good to Me."

In 2010, Kim joined the cast of SBS's variety show Running Man. In 2011, he won the "Best TV Star Award" at the SBS Entertainment Awards. Running Man made him popular across Asia. He became one of the most searched Korean stars in Singapore and China.

Running Man Brothers, Kim Jong-kook and Haha, in Dallas, December 14, 2014

In 2012, Kim released his seventh album, Journey Home. His Running Man co-stars Haha and Gary helped with the album. He also started hosting the show Crisis Escape No. 1. This show won him the "Best Entertainer Award" in 2013. In 2014, he formed a music duo called Running Man Brothers with his Running Man friend Haha. They even went on a concert tour in the United States.

2015–Present: Acting, China Debut, and Turbo Reunion

In 2015, Kim Jong-kook started acting in the KBS drama The Producers. People praised his acting skills. He later signed with a new company, Maroo Entertainment.

In December 2015, Kim reunited with his old Turbo band members, Kim Jung-nam and Mikey. They released a new album called Again for Turbo's 20th anniversary. The main song, "Again," was a big hit online.

In August 2016, he officially debuted as a singer in China. His first Chinese song was "Hate That Happiness Came."

On December 19, 2020, Kim made history. He became the first male celebrity to win a Grand Prize (Daesang) in both music and entertainment. He won this award at the SBS Entertainment Awards for his work on Running Man and My Little Old Boy.

In June 2021, Kim started a YouTube channel called "Gym Jong Kook." It focuses on fitness and gained over a million subscribers in just four days! He also won another Grand Prize with the My Little Old Boy cast in 2021. In April 2023, Kim won the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Male Entertainer.

Kim Jong-kook's Life

Kim Jong-kook can speak English in addition to his native Korean. His niece, Soya, is also a singer. Kim is good friends with Jang Hyuk, Cha Tae-hyun, Hong Kyung-min, and Hong Kyung-in. They are known as the "Dragon Brothers" because they were all born in 1976, the Year of the Dragon.

In August 2010, Kim had surgery for a back problem. He had been filming Running Man and dealing with pain without knowing how serious it was. In January 2015, he talked about his military service. He worked as a public service worker instead of an active-duty soldier due to his back issues. His hernia surgery was shown on the TV show My Little Old Boy in December 2019.

Music Albums

Studio albums

Singles

Soundtrack appearances

Film and TV Shows

Movies

TV Series

Television Shows

      Off-Air       On-Air

Web Shows

Hosting Events

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Kim Jong-kook para niños