Jay Park

Jay Park

Jay Park (박재범) is a South Korean-American hip hop and R&B artist, dancer, record producer, model, choreographer, entrepreneur and actor. He is born in 1987 and is associated with Edmonds, South Korea. His work spans hip hop, K-pop, pop rap and R&B, and he is linked to JYP Entertainment, Roc Nation, AOMG, H1GHR MUSIC and MORE VISION.

Early career and 2PM

In his early high school years, he joins the local b-boy crew Art of Movement, often abbreviated to AOM. In 2004, he auditions for JYP Entertainment and is brought to Korea for further training in dancing, rapping, singing and the Korean language. He first appears on Mnet’s Hot Blood, a documentary-style reality programme about the future members of 2AM and 2PM. He finishes at the top of the vote and becomes the leader of 2PM.

2PM debuts in 2008 with “10 Point Out of 10 Points” and the mini-album Hottest Time of the Day. The group later gains wider success with “Again and Again”, which brings a run of first-place wins on Korean music programmes in 2009. Park’s contract with JYP Entertainment is later terminated in 2010.

Solo career

After leaving 2PM, Park creates his own YouTube channel in March 2010 and uploads cover songs as he returns to music. He then continues as a solo artist with activities in both the United States and South Korea. His solo output includes a mixtape and four studio albums, including Worldwide. One of his later singles is “The Truth Is”.

Other work

Alongside music, Park also appears in the films Hype Nation and Mr. Idol. His career includes work as a dancer, choreographer, model and entrepreneur as well as recording artist and actor.