How a subway station scouting changed the trajectory of K-pop
In short: Before he was a global fashion ambassador and a chart-topping idol, Jeonghan was just a natural science student. His journey from being scouted at a subway station to breaking sub-unit sales records reveals the intense discipline and rapid evolution required to navigate the modern K-pop industry.
Yoon Jeong-han's path to stardom began with a chance encounter when Pledis Entertainment scouted him at a subway station. After passing auditions, he joined the agency in 2013, undergoing approximately two years and two months of rigorous training. During this period, he was featured on Seventeen TV, an online reality series broadcast on Ustream that introduced trainees to the public through singing, choreography, and games.
Jeonghan officially debuted on May 26, 2015, as a member of the boy group Seventeen with the EP 17 Carat. Since then, his career has expanded into solo work, such as his 2021 digital song "Dream," and successful sub-units. In June 2024, he and bandmate Wonwoo debuted the sub-unit JxW. Their single album, This Man, achieved significant commercial success by breaking the first-week sales record for a K-pop sub-unit within just four days of its release.
Beyond music, Jeonghan has become a prominent figure in the luxury and beauty sectors. He has served as a global ambassador for brands like Acme De La Vie and Acqua di Parma, and has been a frequent guest at Yves Saint Laurent fashion shows in Paris and Berlin. His influence extends to personal branding; his birthday, October 4, is a Korean homonym for "angel," earning him the nickname "Angel" among fans. Despite facing physical challenges, including elbow surgery in June 2022 and ankle surgery in December 2023, he has maintained a high-profile presence in both South Korean and Japanese markets.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Jeonghan
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