| STAGE NAME | Hongjoong |
|---|---|
| REAL NAME | Kim Hong Joong |
| KOREAN | 홍중 |
| BIRTHDAY | 7. November 1998 |
| HEIGHT | 172 cm (5´6“) |
| BLOOD TYPE | O |
| MBTI TYPE | INFP-A |
| ZODIAC SIGN | ♏ Scorpio |
| CHINESE ZODIAC SIGN | Tiger |
| NATIONALITY | 🇰🇷 South Korean |
|---|---|
| BIRTHPLACE | 🇰🇷 Anyang, South Korea |
| HOMETOWN | 🇰🇷 Anyang, South Korea |
| SIBLINGS | Bumjoong (older brother) |
| LANGUAGES | English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish. |
| DEBUT | October 24, 2018 (ATEEZ) |
|---|---|
| AGENCY | KQ Entertainment |
| TRAINEE PERIOD | 3 years |
| POSITION | Leader, main rapper, singer, composer, center |
| Aniteez | JJOONGRAMI |
|---|---|
| EMOJI | 🐿 |
| Motto | “Don’t waste your calories with food that isn’t delicious.” (“Don’t waste your calories on food that isn’t tasty.”) |
BIOGRAPHY
Hongjoong joined KQ Entertainment in 2015. He was the first trainee in KQ Entertainment and trained alone for six months. In October 2017, a few of KQ Entertainment's trainees took part in a casting for the show MIXNINE (a survival reality show). Hongjoong was one of the four trainees who made it onto the show. He placed 7th in the MIXNINE Just Dance showcase, but was later eliminated in the 10th episode. In the end he reached 42nd place.
Before Hongjoong's big debut, he was part of "KQ Fellaz" - that's the name of KQ's group in which all trainees train together. On October 24, 2018, Hongjoong debuted as a member of ATEEZ with the album "Treasure". The group consists of the members Hongjoong, Seonghwa , Yunho , Yeosang , San , Mingi , Wooyoung and Jongho .
You can find out more about ATEEZ’s history and success here.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
As the leader of the promising and colorful group "ATEEZ", Hongjoong and his members have achieved a wealth of milestones and have continually surpassed themselves with each comeback. Below we have summarized the most important successes for you.
- In December 2018, ATEEZ was named “New Asian Artist at the Mnet Asian Music Awards” (MAMA), marking a notable start for the up-and-coming group.
- A year later, in January 2019, they received the coveted “New Artist of the Year Award” at the Golden Disc Awards, securing a permanent place in the Korean music scene.
- International recognition followed in October 2020 when they received the title of "Best Korean Act" at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), demonstrating their global presence.
- In 2021, ATEEZ was once again named “Artist of the Year” at The Fact Music Awards.
- In January 2022, ATEEZ received the coveted Bonsang Award at the Seoul Music Awards.
- With the release of their EP The World EP.Fin: Will, they achieved diamond and platinum status in South Korea in December 2023.
- In 2024, their song "Not Okay" achieved the coveted platinum status in Japan.
DISCOGRAPHY
At this point, none of ATEEZ's members have released a solo discography. However, Hongjoong has covered some of his favorite songs and uploaded them to YouTube. In order to give his fans some insight into his life, he occasionally shoots vlogs which he uploads to the official ATEEZ YouTube channel.
Here you can find ATEEZ's discography!
SONGWRITING CREDITS
Hongjoong has been officially registered with KOMCA (The Korea Music Copyright Association) with 132 songs registered to his name. This is because he writes and produces almost all of the songs for ATEEZ himself. This makes ATEEZ one of the few K-pop groups that produce their own songs.
FILMOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY
There are no solo projects from Hongjoon yet. However, he appeared in a music video by Min Kyung Hoon & Kim Heechul and he was invited to Lee Mujin's interview format on YouTube to showcase his talent as a singer.
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | MIXNINE (JTBC, participant) |
| 2020 - today | HONGJOONG VLOG (Youtube) |
| 2022 - 2023 | Idol Radio Season 3 (MBC, Moderator) |
| 2023 | Lee Mujin Interview Episode 68 |
| 2024 | "EENIE MEENIE (Feat. Hongjoong of ATEEZ)" - CHUNG HA (Music Video) |
ILLUSTRATION
Hongjoong has been the global brand ambassador of the renowned French fashion brand Balmain since September 5, 2023. As an ambassador for Balmain, Hongjoong represents the brand in various contexts, including advertising campaigns, events and social media. His unique style and charisma fit well with Balmain's innovative and avant-garde image. Hongjoong's collaboration with Balmain is an example of the growing fusion of fashion and pop culture.
FUN FACTS
- Hongjoong is considered the strict yet funny father of the group.
- He has tiny hands.
- His role models are Zico and G-Dragon, Michael Jackson.
- He hardly went to school because he was always in the studio.
- Hongjoong learned English by watching a lot of series on Netflix, such as “Modern Family”.
- He loves the Minions, has Minion slippers and was called "Korean Big Minion" by the members.
- He once recorded a song 1395 times.
OUR FAVORITE PERFORMANCE
Hongjoong is a special artist because he is not only a talented rapper and singer, but also an impressive composer and producer. His ability to create music and tell stories through his lyrics sets him apart from other artists. His passion for music and tireless dedication have helped him become a popular idol and source of inspiration for many fans. In the future, he could establish himself as a producer and help other aspiring artists launch their music careers. With his innovative approach and versatility, Hongjoong has the potential to continue to push the boundaries of the K-Pop industry and set new standards.
MORE ATEEZ PROFILES
Sources: KQ website, KQ social media channels, ATEEZ & Hongjoong
