Artist of the week - Park Jin Young (JYP)

Dec 18, 2007

PROFILE:

Date of birth : January 13th, 1972
Education : B.A. in Geology, Yonsei University
Debut song : Please Don’t Leave Me(1994)
Physique : 185cm, 78kg
Place of birth : Seoul
Blood type : AB
Hobbies : Baduk, basketball, skiing
Talents : Piano, song writing
Ideal Woman: An active and natural lady. Type of lady that would stop him while he was ready to go to work and kiss him
Family: Only child

BIOGRAPHY:

Our featured artiste this week is Park Jin Young (JYP). Many of us know him as perhaps the top producer in Korea and all around Asia, as he has helped launched the careers of some of the most successful k-pop singers in our era. We may not know that Park Jin Young is also an excellent singer and dancer himself. He is truly an all-around talented musician.

Park made his debut in the local pop music world with the album “Blue City” in 1994. The title song of the album “Please Don’t Leave Me” was a sensation especially for the dances Park showed on stage when performing the song. One year later, Park released his second album that proved his talents as not only a singer but also a lyricist, composer and even producer. In 1997, Park Jin-young released his third album entitled “Summer Jingle Bell”, in which the song “She Was Pretty” recorded a great hit. From the 4th album, Park Jin-young began to introduce orthodox beats of black music that consist of repetition of rhythms without turn or conclusion. Through the soulful black melodies and rhythms, Park Jin-young began in earnest to develop a unique color for his own music. In an interview a few years ago, Park Jin Young said that he grew up listening to Motown singers and Donna Summer. Perhaps that explains why R&B and soul music has deeply influenced him.

After his 6th album in 2001, Park Jin Young concentrated on his album-producing activities. It wasn’t until recently he released his 7th album, after a hiatus of 6 years. But it hasn’t affected his popularity at all, as two songs from his new album "The House You Lived In" and "Kiss" are both ranked very high on music charts.

Alongside performing as a singer himself, Park is also actively working as the album producer for many young talents. By establishing JYP Entertainment in 1999, Park has been steadily producing great stars in the K-pop scene starting with Jinjoo, G.O.D., Park Ji Yoon, Byul, Lim Jeong Hee and one of the best, Bi (Rain). In addition, he also acted as guest producer and songwriter for other artistes as well, including Lee Ki Chan and Ivy.

In 2007 the group Wonder Girls debuted under JYP and has been a very successful new female group. The current artistes under JYPE are Cho Gyu Cheul, Han Soo Yeon, Nichkhun Horvejkul, Hwang Chang Sung, Kim Dong Yoon, Lee Min Young, Lee Young Yoo, Lim Jeong Hee, Lim So Young, Noel, Ok Taec Yeon, Park Jin-Young himself, Park Joon Hyung, The Wonder Girls. Former artistes are Byul, G.O.D, Jo Kyoo Cheol, Park Ji Yoon and of course, Bi (Rain).

As a producer, he is the first Asian producer to successfully cross over to the U.S. He has produced music for Will Smith, R. Kelly, Lil John, Mase and Cassie. He has produced over 27 No. 1 singles and 19 No. 1 albums in Asia through his industry-leading company, JYP Entertainment. He married a lady named Yoon Jung Suh in 1998, whom he had a crush on for 9 years. He discovered, trained and produced “Rain”, one of the biggest Asian artistes in history. He has also produced music for F4 and Jacky Cheung in China, and for AI in Japan. He composed songs and choreographed the dance moves for many artistes who were popular among Koreans, and the songs hit No. 1 on the music charts. He is currently producing two Asian singers, Min and G-soul, who will debut in the U.S. in 2007/2008, along with Lim Jeong Hee, who will launch a U.S. career next year as well.

Park Jin Young is a producer known for maximizing a singer’s talent. Because of his versatility in his music, he was able to produce singers of different genres: Bi (Rain) and Park Ji Yoon for sexier dances, G.O.D and Byul for pop ballads, Lim Jeong Hee, Noel and Jin Joo in R&B, and Wonder Girls in pop dance. He also keeps an open mind on his singers’ music. Not all his artistes’ songs are written by him. For example, not many of Lim Jeong Hee’s songs are written by Park Jin Young.

His JYP Entertainment is growing stronger each year, and the talents coming out from there are the most well-trained and professional. We look forward to hear more about him and his students, not only in Korea, but all over the world.

AWARDS:

SBS Popular Song Grand Prize Producer of the Year Award (2002)
Seoul Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award (2001)
KBS Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award (2001)
m.net music video Award (2001)
Best Music Video Award (R&B category) (2001)
SBS Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award, Producer of the Year Award (2001)
Seoul Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award (2001)
Daily Sports Popular Song Grand Prize Teen Singer of the Year Award (2001)
SBS Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award, Songwriter of the Year Award, Producer of the Year Award (2000)
SBS Popular Song Grand Prize Composer of the Year Award (1999)
SBS Popular Song Grand Prize Music Arrangement of the Year Award (1997)
KBS Popular Song Grand Prize Singer in His Teens Award (1997)
Model Line Selected "97 Best Dresser Award (1997)

DISCOGRAPHY:

Blue City (1st album, 1994) : Please Don’t Leave Me, I Want to Ask You, My Girl, In Pain, Behind You, One Year of Love, Are You Still Waiting, Because of Love

Tantara (2nd album, 1995) : I…, Before I Send You, Will You Marry Me, Elevator, Forever You & I

Summer Jingle Bell (3rd album, 1997) : Summer Jingle Bell, She Was Pretty, Just As you Are

Even After 10 Years (4th album, 1998) : Honey, A Thousand Years of Love, Graduation, Even After 10 Years, Every Night

Kiss Me (5th album, 1998) : Why, Kiss Me, Talk to Me

Game (6th album, 2001) : Swing Baby, I Have a Woman, Jail Without Bars, The Last Night

Back To Stage (7th album, 2007) : Kiss, The House You Lived In