Birth name:
Kim Ki-bum (김기범)
Also known as
Almighty Key, Diva, Fox, Bummie
Born :
September 23, 1991
Daegu, South Korea
Genres
K-Pop, dance-pop
Occupation(s)
Singer, actor
Years active
2008–present
Labels
SM Entertainment
EMI Music Japan
Associated acts
Shinee
SM Town
Toheart
Pre-debut
Key was a varsity water-skier in Dae Gu Yeong Shin Middle School. He has also appeared in Super Junior's Wonder Boy music video as an extra dancer and is known for his multilingual talents since he spent six weeks on an exchange in America.
Shinee
Main article: Shinee
Key was discovered at the 2006 S.M. National Tour Audition Casting. In 2008, he was chosen as a member of the group Shinee, the 5-member boy group debuted on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo.
Toheart
Main article: ToHeart (band)
On February 20, 2014 SM Entertainment released a prologue video announcing Toheart, an all-new collaboration between Woohyun from Infinite and Key.A second prologue video was released on February 27 announcing Toheart's debut in March 2014, later confirmed as March 10. The showcase information and track list for the unit's debut was released on March 3, followed by a music video teaser on March 4 and a track preview video on March 6. Toheart debuted their new music video Delicious on March 10and made their live debut on March 12 at their MelOn Premier Showcase.
Solo
Key was featured in label-mate Xiah's solo performance of "Xiahtic" in TVXQ's concert, 2009: The 3rd Asia Tour Mirotic, in Seoul. In 2010 He was featured in the song "치유 (Healing)" on TRAX's mini album "Trax Mini Album Volume 1".
Later, it was also announced that Key would have a part in Girls' Generation's song "Hwaseongin Virus (Boys & Girls)" (Korean: "화성인 바이러스 (Boys & Girls)") on their second studio album Oh!.[15] Key featured in Girls' Generation's first live album The 1st Asia Tour: Into The New World Album in the song "Barbie Girl" with Girls' Generation's Jessica Jung. He also was featured in Im Yoona's solo performance in Girls' Generation 1st Asia Tour: Into the New World in Shanghai with the song "If You Find A Cool Guy, Please Introduce Me." Also sings many American songs, like 'Firework' by Katy Perry, 'Take a Bow' by Rihanna, 'Judas' and 'Hair' by Lady Gaga, 'TiK ToK' by Ke$ha, and 'My First Kiss' by 3OH!3 with f(x)'s Krystal and Shinee's own Taemin.
Key collaborated with Leeteuk of Super Junior on a song called "Bravo" for drama History of a Salaried Man. He also had a rap part in EXO's song "Two Moons" on their debut mini album MAMA and BoA's song "One Dream" as the theme song for SBS 'Kpop Star with labelmate Henry of Super Junior-M.
Acting
Key was cast as Frank Abagnale Jr., rotating with Um Ki Joon, Kim Jeong-hoon, Park Kwang-hyun and label-mates Super Junior's Kyuhyun with SNSD's Sunny and CSJH The Grace's Dana, in the Korean production of Broadway musical Catch Me If You Can, marking his theatrical debut. The musical ran from March 28 to June 10 at the Blue Square, Samsung Card Hall, in Hannam-dong, Seoul.Key also did a cameo in SBS Sitcom "Salamander Guru and The Shadows" in episode 4.
On October 24, 2012 it was announced that Key would be participating in the return of the Korean adaption of the broadway musical Catch Me If You Can. The production started on December 14, 2012 and continued until February 9, 2013 at the Opera House in the Seongnam Arts Center. The cast mainly remains the same with Um Ki-joon, Kyuhyun, Dana, and Sunny along with the addition of Beast's Dongwoon.
On July 18, 2013, it was announced that Key would be cast as Clyde in the Korean production of the broadway musical "Bonnie & Clyde", alongside the cast Kim Min-jong, Uhm Ki-joon, Dana of CSJH The Grace, and Hyungsik of ZE:A. The performance will be open at the Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul on the 4th of September until the 27th of October.
Not long after, on October the 22nd 2013, it was announced that he would be cast in another Korean adaptation of the broadway musical "The Three Musketeers" as D'Artagnan. Joining Key on rotation for the role of D'Artagnan are Uhm Kijoon, 2PM's Jun.K, ZE:A's Park Hyungshik and Super Junior's Sungmin, as well as Park Jinwoo and FT Island's Song Seunghyun as special actors for the role. "The Three Musketeers" will be staged from December 13 this year to February 2 next year at Seongnam Arts Centre Opera House.
According to SM Entertainment on 15 July 2014, Key has been cast as the lead role for new musical "Zorro" and he will be sharing the main role with singer Wheesung and Beast's Yoseob. "Zorro" will begin its run from August 27 till October 26 at the Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul.
Television shows
Key has also appeared on television shows such as Idol Maknae Rebellion as a guest star alongside his Shinee group mates Taemin, Onew, and Jonghyun in two episodes. Together with other idol group members: Dongho from U-KISS, Shorry J from Mighty Mouth, Jinwoon from 2AM, Yunhwa from T-Max, Seunghyun from F.T. Island and in the later part, Mir from MBLAQ. Key was part of the cast of the show Raising Idol; the show was also known as 'Keydol' by his fans.
On February 10, 2014, it was revealed that Key is going to participate in the MBC show "We Got Married Global Edition". His virtual wife is Arisa Yagi, a Japanese model. The show later aired in April of the same year.
Personal life
In 2008 he was the 3rd Youth International Video Festival "the aura" Goodwill Ambassador with fellow Shinee member, Minho. Key was raised by his grandmother since he was born. His mother was very sick after giving birth and his father was busy with work.
Along with his native language Korean, he is fluent in English and is also talented in speaking Japanese, as well as basic Chinese.
He is known to be the most sociable member with the most celebrity phone numbers, and also known to be close to the '91 line. The group contains people from popular groups such as Nicole, 2AM's Jinwoon, FT Island's Jaejin, Beast's DongWoon, MBLAQ's Mir, Infinite's Woohyun, After School's Nana, Miss A's Min, and Girl's Generation's Seohyun. He is also close friends with Sistar's Soyu, f(x)'s Amber, and Jung Eun-ji of A Pink.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_%28singer%29
