J.Y. Park

A South Korean impresario known equally for his work as a K-Pop star and as producer, songwriter, manager, and promoter of artists for his company JYP Entertainment, Park Jin Young was born January 13, 1972 and released his first album in 1994. That album, Blue City, was a huge hit, and led to a string of popular Korean singles and albums, including Tantara (1995), Summer Jingle Bell (1997), Even After Ten Years (1998), Kiss Me (1998), and Game (2001). After Game in 2001, Park decided to devote his time to production and management of artists under the umbrella of JYP, which Park founded in 1999. As a producer, Park found more great success with artists such as Rain, Wondergirls, Park Ji Yoon, Lim Jeong Hee and Jinjoo. His abilities as a promoter and producer caught the attention of American artists, and Park had the rare pleasure of lending his talents to such U.S. superstars as Will Smith, R. Kelly, and Cassie. In 2007, Park returned to his own musical career, releasing album number seven, Back to Stage. Notable as well, Park won a great many awards for his production work in his native Korea. ~ Chris True