JJ Project (Korean: JJ 프로젝트) is a South Korean duo, consisting ofJay B andJinyoung. They were formed byJYP Entertainment and released their debut single "Bounce" in May 2012.[1] They later debuted as a part ofGot7 in January 2014.[2][3]
In 2009,Lim Jae-beom andPark Jin-young successfully auditioned forJYP Entertainment and became trainees.[4] In January 2012, they were part of theKBS dramaDream High 2: in order not to be confused with the singers of the same name (Yim Jae-beom andJ. Y. Park), they adopted the stage names of JB and Jr. respectively,[5][6] later switching to Jay B[7] and Jinyoung.[8][9][10][11] They also lent their voices for the soundtrack ofDream High 2. On May 8, JYP Entertainment announced the new duo JJ Project,[12] which debuted with the single albumBounce on May 20, 2012,[1][13][14] ranking #8 on the Gaon Album Chart.[15] The music video for the homonymous title track was released through their official YouTube account[16] and reached over 1 million views onYouTube in 2 days.[17] "Bounce" was produced by J.Y. Park and is a dance song which combineship hop,rock andelectronica in a new genre called "hip-rock tronica",[6] and gained popularity for the free-spirited and cheerful performance.[18][19] The single album also features "Hooked" (꽂혔어), a collaboration withMiss A'sSuzy titled "Before This Song Ends" (이 노래가 끝나기 전에), and the instrumental version of "Bounce".[20][21] Promotions started on May 24 onM! Countdown and lasted one month.[22]
On June 26, 2012, the duo was invited to record an own rendition of "Na Na Na" byYoo Seung-jun to be performed on the second season ofMBC's music programMM Choice.[23] Between June and October, they also starred in SBS MTV reality showDiary for 45 episodes.[24][25]
On July 7, they openedWonder Girls'Wonder World Tour in Seoul, which was held in front of 5,000 fans at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium.[26] They were the opening act for the September 8 stop in Singapore, too, where they performed "Bounce" and "Hooked", and later joinedHyerim for her solo stage.[27][28] In August 2012, JJ Project took part inJYP Nation concert, which was held at the Olympic Park Gymnasium of Seoul on August 4, and at Yoyogi National Gymnasium of Tokyo on August 18 and 19. The shows attracted an audience of 10,000 and 36,000 people, respectively.[29][30][31][32] On November 25, they performed at "M-LIVE MO.A in Vietnam", a global concert held inHo Chi Minh to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Vietnam.[33][34]
JJ Project earned 1.25 billion won over the year[35] from their activities in the music field, and endorsement deals with LG's teen cosmetic line nana's B,[36] clothing brand TBJ,[37] andReebok.[38][39]
In April 2013, the duo appeared once again as actors for the MBC's dramaWhen a Man Falls in Love.[40] While they were preparing for their second album,[41] they were reintegrated into JYPE's new boy band project group, and on January 16, 2014, they debuted as members ofGot7.[2][3]
On July 31, 2017, they releasedVerse 2, an EP of self-composed, self-written songs about the anxieties of youth.[42] At the same time, they held a photo exhibition.[43]Verse 2 charted at number two on theGaon Album Chart[44] and theBillboard World Albums chart,[45] and debuted at #29 on theOricon Albums Chart in Japan.[46] Between August and September, they performed atKCON LA[47] andInkigayo's Super Concert inDaejeon.[48] At the end of the year,Verse 2 was chosen as the fifth best K-pop album of 2017 byBillboard[49] and was nominated in the album division at theGolden Disc Awards;[50][51][52] JJ Project also got a nomination for the popularity award.[53] In 2019,Verse 2 was included in the list ofBillboard's 25 greatest K-pop album of the 2010s.[54]
On January 19, 2021, following the expiration of their contract, they left JYP Entertainment.[55] The duo performed their title songs "Bounce" and "Tomorrow, Today" on May 2–3, 2025 during Got7's Nestfest concert inRajamangala Stadium.[56]
^"다른 아이들, 갓세븐".The Singles (in Korean). February 22, 2016. RetrievedNovember 1, 2021.
^Jung, Ji-won (July 31, 2017)."[정오의 신곡] JJ프로젝트, 5년만에 돌아온 빛나는 청춘…'내일, 오늘'" [[New song] JJ project, a bright youth that came back in five years... 'Tomorrow, Today'].Chosun. RetrievedJuly 31, 2017.
^週間 CDアルバムランキング 2017年07月31日～2017年08月06日 [CD album Weekly ranking from July 31, 2017 to August 6, 2017] (in Japanese). Oricon.Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. RetrievedAugust 9, 2017.
^US Heatseekers Albums positions for studio albums:
