Lee Min-woo

2.1. Early Life and Background

Lee Min-woo was born on July 28, 1979, in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. During his studies at Jeonju Fine Arts School, he was a dancer for a group called Dicky Ducky. While performing at an Everland dancing competition, he was scouted by an entertainment agency. He was the fourth member to join what would become the highly successful boy band Shinhwa.

2.2. Education

Lee Min-woo completed his early education at Inwol Elementary School and Namwon Middle School. He then attended Jeonju Fine Arts High School, specializing in Broadcasting Culture and Arts. For his higher education, he pursued a bachelor's degree in Theater and Film at Paichai University, and later continued his studies at Kookmin University Graduate School.

3.1. Debut and Group Activities

Lee Min-woo debuted as a member of Shinhwa in 1998. Within the group, he primarily served as a lead vocalist and main dancer, renowned for his powerful and intricate choreography, some of which he personally created for Shinhwa. Although he initially began as both a rapper and a singer, he gradually ceased rapping as Shinhwa continued to release albums, focusing more on his vocal and dancing roles.

Shinhwa achieved numerous milestones during their career. In 2006, they released their 8th studio album, *State of the Art*, followed by the "Shinhwa 2006 Asia Tour: State of the Art" concerts. After a four-year hiatus, the group made a highly anticipated comeback in March 2012 with their tenth studio album, *The Return*. This was accompanied by the "2012 Shinhwa Grand Tour: The Return" across Asia and their first exclusive variety program, *Shinhwa Broadcast*, which premiered on JTBC on March 17, 2012. Lee Min-woo actively contributed to Shinhwa's music production, co-writing four songs for their eleventh studio album released on May 16, 2013: "That's Right" (그래_Geurae^Korean), "New Me", "Hurricane", and "I Gave You".

3.2. Shinhwa Company

On July 1, 2011, Lee Min-woo, alongside group leader Eric Mun, became co-CEO of Shinhwa Company. This joint venture agency was established to manage Shinhwa's group activities as a whole. While Shinhwa Company oversees their collective endeavors, each member's individual activities continue to be managed by their respective agencies.

4.1. Solo Debut and Discography

Lee Min-woo launched his solo career under the stage name "M" in November 2003, making him the first Shinhwa member to debut as a solo artist and also the first active idol to pursue a solo career while still part of a group.

His first album, *Un-Touch-Able*, was released on November 22, 2003. By January 2004, it had sold over 100 K copies. The album was promoted with two lead tracks, "Just One Night", a jazzy slow groove song, and "Oh Rain". In March 2005, he released the single "If You...", which sold over 30 K copies. For this single, Lee adopted a "handsome" image, featuring light pop songs. However, he paused his solo performances to avoid competing with fellow Shinhwa member Shin Hye-sung, who debuted as a solo artist around the same time.

In October 2005, Lee released his second solo album, *IInd Winds*. It was initially available in two versions, including a limited "Lineage II" edition. The album's liner notes featured a more muscular image of Lee. He utilized this "sexier" image for his lead single "Bump!!!", a club-oriented dance hit that propelled him to the top of various network charts and sold 80 K copies in September. Good Entertainment, through their distributor EMI Korea, released a "Girl Friend edition" of the album with a new cover, bonus tracks, and a bonus VCD. As he moved on to his second single, "Girl Friend," a ballad about lost love, Lee shifted his image again, presenting a rough yet sensitive persona. "Girl Friend" also achieved considerable success, allowing him to promote the album for over four months, which was rare in the Korean music industry. *IInd Winds* ultimately became a strong seller, ranking 12th on MIAK's year-end charts with over 120 K copies sold.

In mid-July 2007, Lee released his third album, *Explore M*, which maintained the R&B/dance style of his previous works. He composed nine of the album's songs, and it debuted at number three on the charts. Although there were plans for a U.S. release through CJ Music and CJ Entertainment's global network, it was ultimately released in Korea. His third album, *M Rizing*, released in September 2008, sold over 30 K copies. The first single from the album, "Stomp," achieved the number one position on an online chart for two consecutive days, and his second single, "The M Style," also quickly climbed the charts. Despite the strong chart performance of his songs, the album's overall sales were not as robust as his previous two, and it quickly dropped off the Korean Monthly Chart.

In February 2008, Lee released his first mini-album, *The Sentimental Reason*, coinciding with Valentine's Day and White Day. This limited edition of 13 K copies sold out in less than a month. The mini-album's success allowed Lee to promote it with two singles: "Just One More Night" and "Believe In Love." In June 2009, he made a comeback with the mini-album *Minnovation*. For the title track, also named "Minnovation," he collaborated with American producer Outsidaz, infusing the song with Electronica and hip hop beats.

In January 2014, Lee announced the release of a new mini-album, *M+TEN*, to commemorate his 10th anniversary as a solo artist. The album featured five new tracks, with "Taxi" as the lead single. His management team noted that Lee had personally selected and recorded the songs for this album with special affection. The song "Taxi," which tells an episode that takes place in a taxi, was highlighted for its addictive chorus and special performances.

More recently, Lee Min-woo released the digital single "Breathe" in December 2015 and "Again" (With. Im Hyun-sik) in April 2024. He also launched an NFT project titled "M in NFT" in May 2022.

4.2. Musical Style and Production

Lee Min-woo's musical style primarily falls within the K-pop, J-pop, and dance genres. He is known for his strong dance performances and for choreographing some of Shinhwa's signature moves. Beyond his own solo work, Lee has made significant contributions as a songwriter and composer for both Shinhwa and other artists.

For Shinhwa's albums, he composed "Soul" (3rd album, 2000), "My Everything Part 1" and "Reminiscence" (Shinhwa 1st Live Concert & 4th album, 2001, with Eric), "Free" (5th album, 2002), "All Of My..." and "Oh!" (7th album, 2004, the latter with Shin Hye-sung), "Paradise" (8th album, 2006), "Run" and "So In Love" (9th album, 2008), "Traces (Destiny Of Love)" (re-release, 2008), "Venus," "Red Carpet," "Be My Love," and "Stay" (10th album, 2012), and "That's Right," "New Me," "Hurricane," and "I Gave You" (11th album, 2013). For their 12th album, he wrote "Alright," "Give it 2 me," and "I'm In Love" (2015).

Lee Min-woo has also composed and written songs for other artists:

• In 2005, he wrote "Super Star" for Jewelry's 4th album and both wrote and composed "Sunshine" (featuring Eric) for Lyn's 3rd album.
• In 2007, he wrote and composed "Move" for Wonder Girls' 1st album and composed "My Love" (featuring Eric) for Kim Dong-wan's 1st album.
• In 2008, he wrote "One More Time" for Jewelry's 5th album and "Beautiful Life" for V.O.S's 3rd album.
• In 2011, he wrote and composed "Tell Me Why" for Teen Top's 1st mini-album (participating as MELODY9).
• In 2012, he wrote "Femme Fatale" for 4Minute's 3rd mini-album (participating with Day Day).

His solo albums also feature numerous self-composed and self-written tracks. On his first album, *Un-Touch-Able* (2003), he composed "Intro" (with Eric and Kim Do-hyun) and "Punch." For *IInd Winds* (2005), he wrote and composed "Battle," "Bump!!!," and "Mirage (신기루_Sin-gi-ru^Korean)," and wrote "Fighter," "L.u.V.," and "Let Me Love You" (featuring Day Day). His third album, *Explore M* (2007), included self-written and composed tracks like "Showdown," "Stomp," "The 'M' Style," "Boy Friend," and "My Child (98.03.24)," along with self-written tracks "L.O.V.E.," "One Last Cry," and "Pretty Woman." For *Explore M (Repackage)*, he also wrote and composed the title track "Explore M." In *M Rizing* (2008), he wrote and composed "I 'M' U" (featuring Lee Hyun-do), "Masked Ball," and "Beautiful Life," and wrote "Honey Seduction (Honey 꼬시기_{Honey Kkosigi}^Korean)," "Hot!", "Forgive Me," "Wink Show," and "Sad Song." His mini-album *The Sentimental Reason* (2008) featured his lyrics on "Back To The Funk (M's Life)" and "Two Beautiful Words Called Love." Lastly, for *Minnovation* (2009), he wrote and composed "Minnovation" and wrote "Love Me Ice Cream" and "Summer Time." He also wrote "Again" for his 2024 digital single.

5.1. Acting Roles

Lee Min-woo has diversified his career into acting, appearing in various films and television dramas productions.

His filmography includes:

• Rush* (질주_Jilju^Korean, 1999) - special appearance
• Emergency 19* (2002) - special appearance
• Wontak's Angel* (also known as *Holy Daddy*, 2006) - lead role as Kang Won-tak

He has also appeared in several television dramas and sitcoms:

• Haeng Jin* (sitcom, 2000)
• Nonstop* (sitcom, 2001)
• Nonstop 5* (sitcom, 2004-2005) - lead role as Lee Min-woo
• Player 2: War of the Cons* (tvN, 2024) - special appearance as Kwak, a friend of Kang Ha-ri

In November 2024, Lee Min-woo is slated to take on the lead role of Marius in the stage musical *Les Misérables* at the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Theater.

5.2. Variety and Reality Shows

Lee Min-woo has been a frequent presence on South Korean reality television, showcasing his personality and skills.

He has also appeared in various online content and YouTube channels:

• In 2022: Featured on "Lee Yeon-bok's Lucky Bag" (Hongso Fish), "Kang Ho-dong's Just Come Out (걍나와_GyanggNawa^Korean)" (EP24, revealing Shinhwa legends), "Yongjin Health Center (용진건강원_{Yongjin Geongangwon}^Korean)" (EP20, "1st Generation Idol Longevity Secret: Nude Photobooks, Makeup, End-of-Century Poses" with Shinhwa WDJ), and "SBS Radio Era" (Full Shinhwa WDJ on *Cultwo Show*).
• In 2023: Appeared on "Secret bimirya (비밀이야_Bimirya^Korean)" (Fried Omakase with Shinhwa's Lee Min-woo), "THE K-POP" (*2023 Seoul Music Festival* Full Ver.), and "uhmg studio" (*Jaechingu (재친구_Jaechingu^Korean)* Ep.16, with Coolwater).
• In 2024: Featured on "Curator Stephanie" ("SoHo's got Seoul" exhibition artists) and "Mobidic" (*Artificial Human (인조인간_Injooingan^Korean)* EP.3, discussing his first art exhibition).

5.3. Radio and Hosting

Lee Min-woo has also lent his voice and presence to radio and television hosting. From April 2003, he served as the main DJ for KBS 2FM's radio show "Lee Min-woo's Ji Yoo Sun Nun" (신화 이민우의 자유선언_{Shinhwa I Min-u-ui Jayuseoneon}^Korean). From October to November 2009, he was an MC for MBC Every1's program "School Letter King" (스쿨 문자지존_{Seukul Munja Jijeon}^Korean).

He has also appeared in various music videos for other artists, including Hye Ryung's "One Ring" and Cici's "Cinderella Magic," for which he also choreographed. In the commercial and modeling industry, he has been a part of campaigns for Gmarket Starshop (2005), KT Megapass CF song (November 2003), and the casual clothing brand 'Naknine' (August 2003).