Hong Kyung-min (Korean홍경민; born February 9, 1976)[2] is a South Korean singer and actor. As a singer, Hong has released 10 albums and is best known for his 2000 hit song "Shaky Friendship" (Korean흔들린 우정).[3]

Hong Kyung-min
Background information
Birth nameHong Sung-min[1]
Born (1976-02-09) February 9, 1976 (age 48)
OriginSeoul, South Korea
GenresPop rock, Latin dance
Occupation(s)Singer, actor
Instrument(s)Guitar, keyboard, drums, saxophone, harmonica
Years active1997–present
Websitehongkyungmin.co.kr
Korean name
Hangul
홍경민
Revised RomanizationHong Gyeong-min
McCune–ReischauerHong Kyŏngmin

Music career

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1997–2000

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He made his debut as a rock-ballad singer in 1997 with the song "Now" ("이제는"). Hong Kyung Min's style of rock was much unlike any other rock singer. Different from rock singers with loud high-pitched tones, Hong Kyung Min's mid-to-low voice color and stable tone approached listeners with a more comforting sensation.

Although he was acknowledged as a talented singer with his strong husky voice appealing to many music lovers, his place in the pop music market was not significant. However, in 2000, the single "Shaky Friendship" ("흔들린 우정") was released from his third album and became a strong success. The single's release marked a change of style, as Hong broke away from his previous rock-styled songs and moved into the Latin music genre. His third album was a strong success and the best-selling album of Hong's career[citation needed], with 280,422 copies sold in its release year.[4] As his new style of music continued to increase his popularity, Hong Kyung Min was nicknamed affectionately as "Korea's Ricky Martin".

2001–2002

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Hong Kyung Min's success continued on into 2001, as he released his fourth album, with the hit track "Take It" ("가져가"), a single that blended rock and dance music. His fifth album, Forever and A Day, saw a brief return to his pop ballad roots with the title track "After" ("후").

2002 marked the five-year milestone in Hong Kyung Min's career. To celebrate he released a two disc compilation entitled The Hong Kyung Min Best 1997–2002 History which featured a new disco themed track "Her Charm" ("그녀의 매력"). One disc dubbed "Passion" showcased upbeat dance tracks, while the other disc ("Mood") contained ballads, showcasing Hong's diversity as a singer.

2002 also marked Hong Kyung Min's entrance into the army, putting the singer on hiatus for the next two years.

2004–present

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Having finished full military service at the end of 2004, Hong Kyung Min returned with his sixth album, Listen and Repeat, with a hit rock song "Tonight". Also featured on this album is "To My Friend", the music video for which had appearances by Hong's real life friends Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Jong-kook.

In September 2006 the singer released his seventh album, Evolution of Rhythm, which marked Hong's return to the rock genre. With the promotion of his new album, 2006 saw an increase of guest appearances on celebrity talk and game shows. A guest appearance on SBS game show New X-Man saw Hong demonstrate his talent of imitating other singers by singing Shin Seung-hun's "I Believe" in eight different celebrity voices.

The following year marked the ten-year anniversary of Hong Kyung Min's career. On August 28, 2007, he released his eighth album Music for My Life, Life for My Music, a pop ballad album reflecting on the last decade. Close friend and composer Jo Young Soo composed the title song "Fool" ("못난이"), a ballad featuring a harmonica. The sixth track of the album, "Neighbour People, Fighting!!" ("동네 사람들, Fighting!!"), was personally composed and written by Hong Kyung Min himself.

On June 28, 2008, he released his ninth album titled Keep Going. Hong Kyung Min once again changes gears, this time putting more focus into upbeat dance tracks. The album's main track "Come Back, Come Back" ("돌아와 돌아와") features hip-hop duo Mighty Mouth. This marks the first time in six years that Hong Kyung Min has released a dance song as the lead single of his album.

Acting career

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In July 2002 Hong made his film debut, starring as himself in the lead role of the satirical comedy Emergency Act 19 (긴급조치 19호). While the film featured many Korean entertainers as guests, the film received largely negative reviews. During an appearance on New X-Man, Hong mentioned the film as something that he was embarrassed about, but remarked that it was hard not to watch it simply because it was so bad.

Hong eventually moved onto dramas, as he starred opposite actress Lee Young-ah on the MBC romantic comedy series Love Can't Wait (사랑은 아무도 못말려) which aired from January 2, 2006, to June 30, 2006. He then starred in Fugitive, Lee Doo-young (도망자 이두용), a KBS2 miniseries which ran from September 27, 2006, to October 5, 2006.

In 2007, he had a supporting role in the SBS Drama The Person I Love (사랑하는 사람아). Starring opposite Kim Dong-wan and Han Eun-jung, the series aired from January 5, 2007, to March 27, 2007. In the same year, Hong debuted in Japan with the film 26 Years Diary (あなたを忘れない). The film was released simultaneously in both Japan and Korea. He also performed a song on the movie's soundtrack in both Korean and Japanese languages. The Korean version being penned by Hong himself.

Personal life

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In 2014 Hong married award-winning gugak musician Kim Yu-na, who specializes in the haegeum.[5] The couple first met on the set of Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend when she was one of the musicians accompanying him.[6] They have two daughters Ra-won (born 2016) and Ra-im (born 2019). Hong and his daughters are cast members of the reality show The Return of Superman.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[7][8]
Dedicate
  • Released: July 1997
  • Label: Doremi Media
  • Format: CD, cassette
Free Throw II Shot
  • Released: September 1998
  • Label: EMI
  • Format: CD, cassette
Hong Kyung Min 3
  • Released: July 15, 2000
  • Label: Wooffer Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
2
  • KOR: 280,422[9]
Hong Kyung Min 4
  • Released: March 19, 2001
  • Label: Wooffer Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
10
Forever and a Day
  • Released: December 1, 2001
  • Label: Wooffer Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
6
Listen and Repeat
  • Released: December 17, 2004
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
Evolution of Rhythm
  • Released: September 26, 2006
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
Music for My Life, Life for My Music
  • Released: August 28, 2007
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD
20
Keep Going
  • Released: July 1, 2008
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD
27
Someday
  • Released: August 20, 2009
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, digital download
Special Edition
  • Released: February 4, 2010
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, digital download
14
"—" denotes release did not chart.

Compilations albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[7]
The Hong Kyung Min Best 1997–2002 History
  • Released: August 5, 2002
  • Label: Wooffer Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
"—" denotes release did not chart.

Remake albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[7][8]
Emotion in Memory
  • Released: September 30, 2005
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, cassette
Immortal Song (불후의 명곡)
  • Released: December 28, 2011
  • Label: Maru Entertainment
  • Format: CD, digital download
18
"—" denotes release did not chart.

Feature Album

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Song Album Information
We Will Protect You
  • Song: We Will Protect You
  • Released: February 4, 2021
  • Label: Sound Republica
  • Artist: Dream-I
  • Format: CD, digital download

Digital singles

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Single # Single Information
1 "That time was great..."
  • Released: January 2007
  • Language: Korean
  • With Kim Ah-sun
2 "I Don't Know"
  • Released: December 2008
  • Language: Korean
3 "Cheer Up Song"
4 "DaDaDa"
  • Released: July 17, 2018
  • Language: Korean
5 "Archive People"
  • Released: February 17, 2019
  • Language: Korean
  • With Cha Tae-hyun and Samuel
6 "그대가 그대라서"
  • Released: April 15, 2019
  • Language: Korean
7 "Good Old Days" (그날처럼)
  • Released: January 28, 2020
  • Language: Korean
  • Feat. Ma Ji
8 "Ballad for the Daughter (딸 있는 이를 위한 발라드)"
  • Released: June 5, 2020
  • Language: Korean
9 "Takedown"
  • Released: June 6, 2020
  • Language: Korean
  • With Cha Tae-hyun
10 "More Money"
  • Released: May 13, 2021
  • Language: Korean
  • With Novasonic
11 "Shaky Friendship"
  • Released: August 11, 2021
  • Language: Korean
  • With No Band

Filmography

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Film

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Television drama

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Year Title Network Role
2003 Argon MBC Han Joon-young
2005–2006 Can Love Be Refilled? KBS2
2006 Love Can't Wait MBC Kim Tae-kyung
Fugitive KBS2 Lee Doo-young
Behind the White Tower MBC Cameo
2007 The Person I Love SBS Yoon Tae-joo
2012 The Strongest K-Pop Survival Channel A CEO Jang
I Do, I Do MBC Cameo
2014 Lovers of Music KBS2 Cameo (as MC of Survival Song, Ep 5)
A Better Tomorrow Naver TV Noh Do-jeon
2015 The Producers KBS2 Cameo (as station producer)
2017 Hit the Top Park Young-jae
2019 The Golden Garden MBC Cameo

Variety show

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Year Title Role Ref.
2008 We Got Married (Pilot: "2008 Lunar New Year Special")
2014–present Ask Math MC
2017 Dragon Club – Childish Bromance Main cast
2019 King of Mask Singer Contestant as "Right King", episodes 199–200 [13][14]
2019–2020 The Return of Superman Cast with his children Ra-won and Ra-im
2020 Voice Trot Contestant
2020–present Perfect Life MC
2020–2021 Trot National Festival Coach
2022 Camping in Love Host [15]
2023 Golf Battle: Birdie Buddies 5 Cast Member [16]
Express Delivery Mongolia Edition Cast Member [17]

Radio show

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Year Title
2001–2002 Hong Kyung-min's Declaration of Freedom
2003–2004 Hong Kyung-min's Invincible Armed Forces Broadcasting System
2011–2012 South Korea's English Headquarter
2020–2021 Ssaeng Soo Da
2022 Cultwo Show (Special DJ)[18]

Awards and nominations

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Award Year Category Nominee Result Ref.
Golden Disc Awards 2000 Main Prize (Bonsang) "Shaky Friendship" Won [19]
KBS Entertainment Awards 2015 Top Entertainer Award Immortal Songs 2 Won [20]
2019 Grand Prize (Daesang) The Return of Superman Won [21]
2020 Best Entertainer Award Trot National Festival [ko]
The Return of Superman
Won [22]
Top Excellence Award Trot National Festival [ko]
The Return of Superman
Immortal Songs 2
Nominated
KBS Song Festival 2000 Singer of the Year – Youth Sector (Bonsang) Hong Kyung-min Won [19]
2001 Won [19]
MAMA Awards 2000 Best Artist "Shaky Friendship" Nominated [23]
2001 Best Dance Performance "Take It" Nominated [24]
MBC Drama Awards 2006 Special Award – Serial Drama Love Can't Wait Won [25]
SBS Gayo Daejeon 2000 Popularity Award Hong Kyung-min Won [19]
2001 Dance Award Won [19]

References

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  1. ^ "홍경민 "본명 홍성민, 홍경민은 집에서 만든 예명"". Newsen (in Korean). December 9, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  2. ^ "가수 홍경민 아내 김유나·딸·나이·프로필 화제인 이유 '이것'". Gukje News (in Korean). July 4, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "[베테랑 토크②] 홍경민 "'흔들린 우정'으로 전성기 누렸지만 갈등도 많았죠"". Sports Donga (in Korean). November 1, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  4. ^ 2000 Album Chart Archived February 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved July 18, 2008.
  5. ^ "홍경민 아내 김유나, 과거 보니...'국악신동'으로 불리던 미모의 해금연주가". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). November 7, 2016.
  6. ^ "Singer Hong Kyung-min to wed this fall". The Korea Herald. May 30, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Gaon Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  9. ^ "2000 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "2001 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  11. ^ "September 2007 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  12. ^ "July 2008 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  13. ^ Lee So-jin (April 14, 2019). "'복면가왕' 이승협-함소원-우원재- 봉중근 100대 가왕전 1R 탈락(종합)". Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  14. ^ Shim Eon-kyung (April 21, 2019). "'복면가왕' 걸리버 3연승, 100대 가왕 등극…홍경민·유승우·이상미 탈락[종합]". OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  15. ^ Kim Ye-eun (November 16, 2022). "5060 연애예능 '캠핑 인 러브'…김승우→김지민 MC 발탁 [공식입장]" [5060 Love entertainment 'Camping in Love'... Kim Seung-woo → Kim Ji-min selected as MC [Official position]]. X-ports News (in Korean). Retrieved November 16, 2022 – via Naver.
  16. ^ Jeong, Hee-yeon (March 2, 2023). "강호동, 이경규와 제대로 맞붙는다…'편먹고 공치리5' 합류 [공식]" [Kang Ho-dong and Lee Kyung-gyu properly face each other... Joined ‘Eat and Go Gongchiri 5’ [Official]] (in Korean). Sports DongA. Retrieved March 2, 2023 – via Naver.
  17. ^ Lee, Mi-ji (May 31, 2023). "김종국X장혁X차태현 등 용띠 절친들, '택배는 몽골몽골' 출연확정(공식)" [Kim Jong-guk X Jang Hyuk X Cha Tae-hyun and other best friends in the year of the dragon confirmed to appear in "Courier is Mongol Mongolia" (official)] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Naver.
  18. ^ Yang Kwang-mo (August 3, 2022). "컬투쇼' 홍경민, 김태균 대신 스페셜 DJ로…"코로나 걸린 적 없어" [‘Cultwo Show’ Hong Kyung-min replaces Kim Tae-gyun as special DJ… “I have never had Corona”] (in Korean). Sports World. Retrieved August 3, 2022 – via Naver.
  19. ^ a b c d e "가수 홍경민, 제6기 남도일보 K포럼서 특별강연". Namdo Ilbo (in Korean). October 26, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  20. ^ "이동국·김주혁·신현준·홍경민, KBS 연예대상 최고엔터테이너상". Star News (in Korean). December 26, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "[2019 KBS 연예대상] '슈돌' 아빠들 대상 영광, 박주호 셋째 임신 수상소감 (종합)". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  22. ^ POP, 헤럴드 (December 24, 2020). "[2020 KBS 연예대상]김숙, 대상 "父·하늘에 계신母 감사" 감격의 눈물(종합)". pop.heraldcorp.com (in Korean). Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  23. ^ "2000 MMF part 1". MAMA. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  24. ^ "2001 MMF part 1" Archived June 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  25. ^ "이영아 홍경민 변우민, MBC연기대상 연속극 특별상". Star News (in Korean). December 30, 2006. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
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