Yesung

Kim Kang-hoon (born Kim Jong-woon; August 24, 1984), better known by his stage name Yesung is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, radio personality and television presenter.

Yesung was born Kim Jong-woon on August 24, 1984, as the older son of two; his younger brother's name is Kim Jong-jin.

Yesung has since changed his name to Kim Kang-hoon.

He was born in Seoul and later moved to Cheonan, South Chungcheong at age 10.

From a young age, Yesung expressed an interest in singing.

In 1999, he joined a broadcast singing competition and won gold at the Cheonan Singing Competition.

In 2001, Yesung's mother, Im Bo-kyung, signed him up to audition for SM Entertainment's Starlight Casting System, in which he impressed the judges with his "artistic voice", and signed as trainee under SM Entertainment that same year.

His label gave him the stage name Yesung which is derived from the Korean phrase "예술가의 성대" (lit. meaning: vocal cords of an artist) and can be translated as an "art-like voice ".

Yesung is a tenor.

He debuted in 2005 as a member of Super Junior and its subgroups Super Junior-K.R.Y. (2006), Super Junior-H (2008) and participated in SM Entertainment's projects SM The Ballad (2014).

Aside from group activities, he has recorded songs for various television dramas and movies, participated in various television dramas, movies, musicals and radio hosting.

Yesung officially debuted as part of 12-member project group Super Junior 05 on November 6, 2005, on SBS's music programme Popular Songs, performing their first single, "Twins (Knock Out)".

Their debut album SuperJunior05 (Twins) was released a month later on December 5, 2005, and debuted at No. 3 on the monthly MIAK K-pop album charts.

In March 2006, SM Entertainment began to recruit new members for the next Super Junior generation.

However, plans changed and the company declared a halt in forming future Super Junior generations.

Following the addition of thirteenth member, Kyuhyun, the group dropped the suffix "05" and became officially credited as Super Junior.

The re-polished group's first CD single "U" was released on June 7, 2006, which was their most successful single until the release of "Sorry, Sorry" in March 2009.

From September 2006 to September 2007, Yesung was host for radio program, M.I.R.A.C.L.E for You, where members of Super Junior often appeared as guests.

However, before the radio show's first anniversary, Yesung left to concentrate on Super Junior's second album, Don't Don.

In November 2006, Yesung, along with Super Junior members Ryeowook and Kyuhyun, formed a subgroup, Super Junior-K.R.Y., a group specializing in R&B ballads.

The trio debuted on November 5, 2006, on KBS's Music Bank with performing Hyena soundtrack called "The One I Love".

In the fall of 2007, the group released their second official album, Don't Don, which became Super Junior's best-selling album and Korea's second best-selling album of the year.

The last air date for the radio show was September 8, 2007.

He debuted as an actor on July 26, 2007, with the release of Attack on the Pin-Up Boys, a high school comedy starring fellow Super Junior members.

He played the school's rock star who gets attacked by a mysterious force.

On May 9, 2008, Yesung was sent to the hospital after he injured his leg during the 70 km 24-Hour Marathon of Hope in which he and bandmates Shindong, Sungmin, Leeteuk, Eunhyuk and Kangin participated.

The event was in collaboration with the SBS charity program "Hope TV 24" and the money raised was donated to a Mongolian school in South Korea which was at risk of closing down.

Due to the injury, Yesung was unable to complete the marathon, but appeared on stage on crutches with his fellow members.

On August 8, Yesung was sent to the hospital after falling from a 1.5m stage while rehearsing at the KBS music program, Music Bank.

The injury aggravated old injuries from the neck and waist and was hospitalised for two days.

In June 2008, Yesung became a member of Super Junior-H, releasing their first mini-album titled Cooking? Cooking!.

He sang ballad track "Love Really Hurts" for the original soundtrack of television drama Tazza, which aired from September 16, to November 25, 2008.

In 2009, Yesung made his musical theatre debut in Namhansanseong (lit. South Korean Mountain Fortress), which is based on the novel of the same name by Kim Hoon, which is based on the historical incident of Byeongja Horan, at the Namhansanseong in Gyeonggi-do.

But the musical focuses on the lives of common people and their spirit of survival during harsh situations.

Yesung played villain "Jung Myung-soo", a servant-turned-interpreter who feels sad from being betrayed by his country, from October 9 to November 4, at the Seongnam Arts Center Opera House.

On November 6, he made a surprise appearance on KBS' Music Bank with label mates SHINee in place of Jonghyun, who was recovering from influenza, in a performance of "Ring Ding Dong".

In 2010, Yesung starred in the title role of musical Hong Gil Dong, alongside bandmate Sungmin who also played the historical figure Hong Gildong.

It played at the Woori Financial Art Hall at the Olympic Park from February 18, to April 18, 2010.

On March 31, 2010, Yesung contributed to the OST of television drama Cinderella's Sister, starring Moon Geun-young and Chun Jung-myung.

He began his solo career in 2016 with his first extended play, Here I Am.