Biography of Changmin
Shim Chang-min is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and a member of the pop duo TVXQ, also known as Changmin. TVXQ is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Known Yunho and Max Changmin. Shim Chang-min is popularly known by his stage name Max Changmin or Max. SM Entertainment talent agent recognised his skills at the age of fourteen. Chang-min debuted as the youngest member on TVQX in 2003.
Changmin has popularity and acclaim throughout Asia for being the lead vocalist of TVXQ, thus marking his commercial success in the industry. Despite being a singer, he has also acted in several dramas.
Early Life and Education
Changmin was born on 18 February 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. His parents are teachers and he has two younger sisters. He was scouted by the talent agent from SM Entertaiment while he was signing and playing badminton at the same time during the gym hours. Initially, he had no interest in being a singer. It was his mother’s persuasion that made him auditioned for S.M Entertainment, which he successfully passed.
He won the ‘Best Singer’ and the ‘Best Artist’ award at 6th ‘Annual Youth Best Contest’ at S.M Entertainment. After passing the audition, he signed his contract with S.M Entertainment.
Changmin completed his education from Gaepo High School in 2006. He is a graduate from Kyung Hee University (2009) with a major in Postmodern Music. He also achieved a second degree from Konkuk University in Film and Arts in 2011. He pursued his masters degree from Inha University. He is inquisitive about becoming a professional photographer and is a student of the photographer, Kim Young-joon.
Career
Music Career
The final team of TVXQ consisted of five members, Changmin, U-Know Yunho, Kim Jae-joong, Park Yoo-chun and Kim Jun-su. The five-member boy band officially debuted on 26 December 2003. They performed their debut single ‘Hug’, at a joint showcase featuring BoA and Britney Spears on TVXQ’S debut day.
‘Hug’ was a success and became a superhit in South Korea. The group released his second studio album ‘Rising Sun’ in 2005, and the album won the Grand Award at the Mnet KM Musix Festival. The boy band released their fourth studio album ‘Mirotic’ in 2008. The album won the ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2008 ‘Mnet KM Music Festival’ and also the ‘Golden Disc Awards’ in 2008. The album single ‘Mirotic’ had a high audience reception and was the best selling single from the album.
TVXQ made their Japanese debut single ‘Stay with Me Tonight’ in 2005, ranking number 35 on the Oricon Singles Chart. They made their first, number one single ‘Purple Line’ in Japan in 2008. Their fourth Japanese album ‘The Secret Code’ was released in 2009, with a theme song for the anime, ‘One Piece’.
TVXQ got caught up with legal turmoil when members Jae-joong, Yoo-chun, and Jun-su filed bidding against their agency in 2009. With controversies, the group got disbanded with publicized departure in 2010. In 2011, he and Yunho reappeared as a duo, releasing albums in both Korean and Japanese.
The duo, TVXQ, became the bestselling and highest earning foreign music artists. He joined the ballad group, S.M. the Ballad in 2014, which was formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2010. He sang the Japanese version of the title track ‘Breath’ from the group’s second album of the same name in collaboration with f(x)’s Krystal Jung.
Changmin released his first Japanese solo mini album ‘Close to You’ on 18 November 2015. Along with the other six tracks, ‘Into the Water’ was the lead single. ‘Close to You’ was a limited release only available for the members of TVXQ’s Japanese fanclub, ‘Bigeast’, to purchase. On 13 March 2020, multiple reports announced the release of a solo album by TVXQ.
On 6 April 2020, Changmin released his debut extended EP ‘Chocolate’ by SM Entertainment. The EP is of six tracks, with the title track of the same name and a collaboration with Korean singer Chungha. The EP ranked number two on the Gaon Album Chart and number three on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart.
Even though he released several songs with TVXQ, it was his debut extended EP, ‘Chocolate’, that gave him the recognition and popularity. The former member, Yunho released his first solo mini-album ‘True Colours’ on 12 June 2019. He released his second Japanese mini album ‘Human’ on 8 December 2021 and he released his second mini album ‘Devil’ on 13 January 2022.
Changmin is appreciated for his high tenor register, especially for his high notes. As an all round performer in the artistic industry, He is also a lyricist and has contributed to multiple bands, groups and for artists like Evergreen (Only Love), Love in the Ice (Mirotic), Confession (Keep Your Head Down) and I Swear (Catch Me).
Acting Career
Along with TVXQ, Changmin made his acting debut in the miniseries ‘Vacation’ which was released in 2006. It was premiered and screened at Yonsei University. He has also appeared in several episodes of ‘Banjun’ Drama which was aired on SBS network. He appeared in the action thriller series ‘Athena: Goddess of War’ on SBS broadcast in 2010. The series was one of the most expensive Korean dramas and he played the role of an NIS Explosives Specialist.
In ‘Paradise Ranch’, Shim Chang-min played the lead role along with Yeon-hee as a divorced couple and rediscovering their feelings six years later. It was filmed in Jeju, South Korea as well as in Australia and was released in 2011.
Shim Chang-min marked his big-screen debut in the Japanese film ‘Fly With the Gold’ on 3 November 2012. The film was based on the novel Takamura Kaoru and the film falls under the genre of crime and suspense thriller. He played the character Momo, a North Korean spy in the film. He became the first Korean artist to be nominated for the ‘Newcomer Award’ at the 37th ‘Annual Hochi Film Awards’ in Japan.
At the 36th ‘Japanese Academy Award’, he won the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ on 21 January 2013. He was the co-host for the KBS variety show ‘Moonlight Prince’ along with Kang Ho-dong in 2013. The same year, he was one of the members of the sports variety show ‘Cool Kiz On The Block’.
Changmin starred in the 2014 South Korean television series ‘Mimi’ along with Moon Ga-young. He starred in the romance fantasy drama, ‘Scholar Who Walks the Night’, about a Joseon scholar who has a mysterious past and the one who tries to protect the throne from the vampire. The drama was released on 8 July 2015.
Achievements
Changmin, initially the member of the TVXQ, laid the foundation for the Korean pop industry, set a new path for the young blooming Korean boy bands. Their music assimilated into various genres like dance-pop, rock, hip-pop and R&B. The band was a great success and he made his comeback as the TVXQ duo and became successful with his solo artistry. Here are some of his notable achievements:
- He won the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the 2013 ‘Japan Academy Awards’ for ‘Fly With Gold’.
- He won the ‘Best New Artist’ award in 2013 ‘Japan Film Critics Awards’ for ‘Fly With Gold’.
- He won the ‘Best Entertainer’ at 2013 ‘KBS Entertainment Awards’ for ‘Cool Kiz On The Block’.
Military Life
Changmin enrolled for his compulsory Military Service for the Military Police on 7 July 2015. He was enlisted into the Republic of Korea Armed Forces as a conscripted policeman on 19 November 2015. He received his elementary training of five weeks at the Chungmnam Nonsan Military Training Camp. He was the leader of his squad and was gallantly discharged from service on 18 August 2017.
Personal Life
Changmin initially planned to marry his non-celebrity girlfriend on 5 September 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the marriage was postponed. The couple got married on 25 October 2020 in an intimate private ceremony. They had their first son on 17 October 2022.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
Changmin’s net worth is estimated to be around $1-5 million US dollars.Much information about his lifestyle is not available to the public. He lives in his luxurious apartment and has multiple fancy cars like Lamborghini Murciélago LP640. He is focused on his career, family and his future projects.
Awards
- Japan Academy Awards (2013)
Newcomer of the Year (Newcomer of the Year) (2013) - Japan Film Critics Awards (2013)
Best New Artist (2013) - KBS Entertainment Awards (2013)
Best Entertainer (Variety) (Cool Kiz On The Block) (2013)
Interesting Facts about Changmin
- He was the youngest member to join TVXQ.
- He made his official solo debut in April 2020 with first mini album ‘Chocolate’.
- He speaks Japanese fluently.
- Both of his parents are teachers.
- He got married to his non-celebrity girlfriend on 5 September 2020.
FAQs
- How old is Changmin?
As of 2023, he is 35 years old. - What is Changmin’s Instagram ID?
changmin88 is his instagram ID with 1.8 million followers. - Does Changmin have any children?
Shim Chang-min has one son who was born on 17 October 2022.
