Jo Kwon | |
|---|---|
 Jo in January 2015 | |
| Born | (1989-08-28)August 28, 1989 (age 36) |
| Occupations |
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| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | |
Musical artist | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 조권 |
| Hanja | 趙權 |
| RR | Jo Gwon |
| MR | Cho Kwŏn |
Jo Kwon (Korean: 조권 born on August 28, 1989)[1] is a South Korean singer, television host, actor, entertainer and the leader of South Koreanboy band2AM. He has starred in multiple musicals such asJesus Christ Superstar playing the role of King Herod andEverybody's Talking About Jamie as Jamie New.
Jo trained atJYP Entertainment for seven years after joining the company. He was chosen as the last member ofPark Jin-young's "99% Challenge Project" along withSunye ofWonder Girls.[2]
In 2008, he appeared onMnet'sHot Blood.[3] The program showed the intense physical training that thirteen male trainees go through to acquire the opportunity to debut in either a four-member ballad group or a seven-member dance group.[4] After several elimination steps, Jo was chosen for a position in the four-member ballad group2AM. He became the group's leader.
2AM's first single "This Song" was released on July 21, 2008.[5][3] In March 2015, Jo renewed his contract with JYP Entertainment, while three other members of 2AM signed with other agencies. JYP Entertainment assured that the departures did not mean 2AM was disbanding, however 2AM is currently on temporarily break from any group activities.[6]He left JYP Entertainment on September 22, 2017.[7] On November 3, 2017, he signed withCube Entertainment.[8]
Jo has appeared as a regular panel member on variety shows such asStar King. He was part of "Dirty Eyed Girls" in an episode of 2PM's variety showWild Bunny, performing a parody of popularBrown Eyed Girls song "Abracadabra". The music video became popular.[9] In September 2009, he was one of the main MCs forSBS' environmental variety showFind it! Green Gold withSuper Junior memberShindong,SS501 memberKim Hyung-jun, andFly To The Sky memberBrian Joo.[10] He also replacedJay Park on historical culture variety showNodaji.[11]
He joined the cast ofWe Got Married on October 3, 2009, coupled with Brown Eyed Girls memberGa-In. Although he was initially only supposed to be featured in theChuseok special, his appearance brought in the highest ratings yet for Season 2, so he was announced as a permanent couple.[12] Jo was diagnosed withH1N1 on October 28, 2009, causing them to postpone filmingWe Got Married. He recovered quickly after treatment.[2]
During his appearance inWe Got Married, Jo and Ga-in were donned the nickname “Adam Couple” by fans.[13] Together he released the digital single, "우리 사랑하게 됐어요 (We Fell in Love)," on December 16, 2009,[14] which topped variety online music charts and won two awards onMusic Bank's K-Charts and the "Most Popular Background Phone Music" on the Gaon Charts.[15] 50 million won from the profits of the song were donated for rebuilding after the2010 Haiti earthquake.[16]
In 2010, he became a permanent cast member ofFamily Outing 2.[17] He made his fifth appearance on the TV show "Happy Together" in June 2012. He made several appearances on Star King, Invincible Youth S2, Come To Play, Radio Star, Star Dance Battle, and many other shows. He is known for his "kkab" dance and often danced on variety shows. "Kkab" can be translated as hyperactive.
On June 30, 2010, Jo released his first solo digital single titled,고백하던 날 (The Day I Confessed), a song he partially composed during theWe Got Married broadcast for Ga-in. The song came first onCyworld real-time charts the day after release.[18]
The same year, he was cast in the sitcomAll My Love with co-starsPark Mi-sun,Kim Kap-soo and fellow idol and former 'wife' fromWe Got Married Ga-in.[19]
On June 25, 2012, he released his solo album,I'm Da One, along with a music video.[20]
In 2013, Jo joined the cast of a KoreanJesus Christ Superstar musical production, where he played the role of King Herod.[21]
In the same year, on February 27, 2013, he was confirmed as one of the cast for theKBS2 dramaQueen of the Office. The drama is about a talented contract worker, and the work and relationships that surround her.[citation needed]
Jo's new albumCrosswalk included three tracks, two of which he wrote ― the lead single, “Crosswalk,” and the third track, “Flutter.” The second track, “It's Okay,” was written by Ryan S. Jhun and Denzil "DR" Remedios, the music producers ofSM Entertainment'sShinee andf(x). Popular songwritersEsna and Aev produced the title song.[22]
On March 17, 2016, it was announced by JYP Entertainment that Jo would be participating in the musicalOn The Starry Night as the role "Choi Sung-keun.[23][24] The musical Ran from May 7 to May 15, 2016.
On November 10, 2016, it was announced that Jo Kwon would be co-starring onGolden Tambourine,[25] a karaoke variety program broadcast by Mnet, which ran from December 15, 2016, until February 23, 2017.
On September 21, 2017, it was announced that Jo had officially leftJYP Entertainment after 16 years.[26] However,2AM never announced that they were disbanding and it is presumed that the group is on hiatus.[27]
On November 2, 2017, it was announced that Jo had signed withCube Entertainment.
On January 10, 2018, Jo released the digital single새벽 (Lonely), his first release after joiningCube Entertainment. Jo was set to enlist in the Korean Army in August 2018, for hismandatory military service.[28] On July 24, 2019, it was confirmed that he would release a special single new theme song for theROK Army with collaboration ofShinee'sOnew andKey,Exo'sXiumin,Infinite'sKim Sung-kyu,BtoB'sLee Chang-sub,2AM'sJinwoon,Yoon Ji-sung and actorsKim Minseok, and Lee Jae-kyoon in mid-August.[29]
As part of South Korea's effort to combatCOVID-19, Jo officially discharged from the military early on March 24, 2020.[30] He also made his first variety show appearance after being discharged onJTBC'sKnowing Bros alongside2PM'sWooyoung,Block B'sP.O &WINNER'sMino on April 4, 2020.[31] In July 2020, Jo Kwon starred in the musicalEverybody's Talking About Jamie, playing the role of Jamie New, a 16-year-old high school student, who dreams to be a drag queen, and deals with prejudice and bullies.[32]
On August 25, 2022, it was announced that Jo Kwon will be releasing "My Regards", a remake of the Ribbon Project in collaboration withSunye, It will be released on August 28.[33]
As of 2013, Jo was attendingKyung Hee University.[34] He entered Kyung Hee University without taking the entrance examination, with rumors alleging favouritism, because he was an entertainer. The rumors were refuted by his performance at the top of his class in his major.[35]In 2015, he enrolled in the Performing Arts Department of Kyunghee University's Graduate Program.[36]
Jo is the president of the cereal cafe franchise Midnight in Seoul, which was founded and owned by actor-singerYoon Kye-sang and three friends. The cafe-cereal-bar was the first of its kind inSeoul and gained popularity amongstK-pop idol singers through word-of-mouth. In May 2017, it was announced that the venture would become a franchise and that Jo would be named its president, while Yoon and others would remain official owners.[37]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [38] | |||
| I'm Da One |
| 1 |
|
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [40] | ||||
| As lead artist | ||||
| "The Day I Confessed" (고백하던 날) | 2010 | 3 | N/a | Non-album single |
| "I'm Da One" feat.Zion.T | 22 | I'm Da One | ||
| "Crosswalk" (횡단보도) | 2016 | 15 |
| Non-album singles |
| "Lonely" (새벽) | 2018 | — | N/a | |
| Collaborations | ||||
| "Graduation" (졸업) withChangmin | 2009 | N/a | N/a | Non-album singles |
| "Dunk Shoot" (덩크슛) with Whale | ||||
| "We Fell In Love" (우리 사랑하게 됐어요) withGain | 1 |
| ||
| "Perfect Christmas" withLim Jeong-hee, Joo Hee of8Eight,RM &Jungkook ofBTS | 2013 | 45 |
| |
| "On A Good Day Like This" (이렇게 좋은 날에) with Joo Yeong of Seorindong Children | 2015 | — |
| |
| "Born to Be Wild" withHyoyeon andMin | 2016 | — | N/a | SM Station Season 1 |
| "Upgrade" withHyuna,BtoB,CLC,Pentagon,Yoo Seon-ho,(G)I-dle | 2018 | — | 2018 UnitedCube: ONE | |
| "First Page" (첫 페이지) withSunye | 2020 | —[a] | Non-album singles | |
| "Greetings" (안부) with Sunye | 2022 | 139 | ||
| "—" denotes release did not chart. | ||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [40] | ||||
| "One Summer Night" withFei | 2014 | 49 |
| Temptation OST |
| "Heaven" | 2015 | 44 |
| Two Yoo Project Sugar Man OST |
| "Rise and Fall" (흥망성쇠) withYoo Se-yoon,Shim Hyung-tak,Choi Yoo-jung | 2017 | — | N/a | Golden Tambourine OST |
| "Holding on to the End of Tonight" (이 밤의 끝을 잡고) | 2018 | — | Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend (Composer Kim Hyeong-seok) | |
| "Twist King" with Shin Joo-hyup &MJ (cast ofJamie) | 2020 | — | Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend (Kim Jong-guk x Turbo Part 1) | |
| "I Happen to Love You (2025)" (우리 사랑하게 됐어요 (2025)) | 2025 | 162 | Even If This Love Disappears Tonight OST | |
| "—" denotes release did not chart. | ||||
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2012 | "I'm Da One" |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Pinocchio | Pinocchio (Dubbing) |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | All My Love for You | Hwang Ok-yub | |
| 2013 | The Dramatic "Flower Boys Corporation" | Jo Kwon | |
| The Queen of Office | Kye Kyung-woo | ||
| 2015 | The Producers | Himself (ep.3) | |
| Drinking Solo | Kwon (fellow student at Noryangjin) (ep. 11) |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | We Got Married | Himself | Season 2 (60 episodes) withGain | |
| 2010 | Family Outing 2 | Member | Season 2 | |
| Star King | Himself | Episodes 147–149, 152–158, 162, 177, 179, 184 | ||
| 2013 | A Song For You | Host | Season 2 (16 episodes) | |
| 2015 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant | Episode 1 | |
| 2016 | Golden Tambourine | Host | Season 1 | |
| 2021 | Overseas Korean Song Festival | Judge | [48] | |
| 2023 | Boys Planet | Star master | Episodes 10–11 | [49] |
| R U Next? | Coaches | [50] |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Born This Way | Narrator | [51] |
| Year | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | (G)I-dle'sI Trust media showcase | [52] |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Jesus Christ Superstar | King Herod | |
| 2014 | Priscilla, Queen of the Desert | Adam | |
| 2015 | Chess | Anatoly Sergievsky | |
| 2016 | On A Starry Night | Choi Sung Keun | |
| 2019 | Shinheung Military Academy | Paldo | [53] |
| 2020 | Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Jamie New | [32] |
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Organization of Helping Children of Low Income Households | [54] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Cyworld Digital Music Awards | Song of the Month (December) | We Fell in Love (withGa-in) | Won | |
| 2010 | Song of the Month (January) | Won | |||
| Gaon Chart Grand Opening Awards[55] | January Week 1 Digital Chart Overall #1 | Won | |||
| January Week 2 Digital Chart Overall #1 | Won | ||||
| January Week 3 Digital Chart Overall #1 | Won | ||||
| January Week 4 Ringback tone #1 | Won | ||||
| 4thMnet 20's Choice Awards | Most Influential Top 20 Stars | Jo Kwon | Won | ||
| 3rd Korea Sharing Awards | The National Assembly standing Committee's Chairman Award | Won | [56] | ||
| Melon Music Awards | Song of the Year | We Fell In Love (withGa-in) | Nominated | ||
| Netizen Popularity Song | Nominated | ||||
| 12thMnet Asian Music Awards | Best Collaboration | Won | [57] | ||
| Bugs Music Awards | Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Best Duet (Gold) | Won | ||||
| Best Variety Star (Bronze) | We Got Married | Won | |||
| MBC Entertainment Awards | Show, Variety Male Rookie Award | We Got Married | Won | [58] | |
| Best Couple Award withGa-in | Won | ||||
| SBS Entertainment Awards | New Star Award | Inkigayo | Won | [59] | |
| 2011 | MBC Entertainment Awards | Comedy / Sitcom Popularity Award | All My Love | Won |
