1. Life
Kim Young-hu's early life and the inception of his professional journey laid the groundwork for his multifaceted career in the music and technology sectors.
1.1. Birth and Background
Kim Young-hu was born on November 7, 1981, in Seoul, South Korea. His formative years in Seoul set the stage for his eventual entry into the competitive South Korean entertainment industry.
1.2. Early Career
Kim Young-hu began his career at a remarkably young age, signing with SM Entertainment as their youngest producer at just 15 years old. This early start allowed him to quickly immerse himself in the music production landscape and contribute to the burgeoning K-pop scene. His first number one single was "I Pray For You" by the group Shinhwa. He subsequently worked on other significant hits, including TVXQ's "Whatever They Say," Shinee's "Replay," and Girls' Generation's "Oh!".
2. Major Activities and Achievements
Kim Young-hu's career is marked by notable accomplishments across music production, entrepreneurship, and software engineering, demonstrating his diverse skill set and influence.
2.1. Music Production and Songwriting
Kim Young-hu has collaborated with numerous prominent K-pop artists, contributing to the creation of many hit songs. His extensive discography includes works for groups such as Girls' Generation, EXO, TVXQ, BoA, Shinee, f(x), Super Junior, Shinhwa, and Fly to the Sky. He has also produced for artists like Isak N Jiyeon, Parc Jae-jung, S.E.S., Tim, The Grace, and Whee Sung. His work has often achieved high commercial success, topping charts and earning significant sales and certifications.
2.2. Business Activities
Beyond his musical endeavors, Kim Young-hu has ventured into the business world. He co-founded XP Music Publishing, a company with its main base in Los Angeles and additional offices in Seoul and Tokyo. This venture allowed him to engage in various projects bridging music and technology. Currently, he serves as the CEO of the technology company Qoop.
2.3. Software Engineering
In his capacity as a software engineer, Kim Young-hu has been involved in developing innovative systems for the music industry. Notably, he was instrumental in building the first online music publishing catalog system in South Korea, a significant technological advancement for the country's music sector.
3. Discography
Kim Young-hu has produced a wide array of songs for artists in both South Korea and Japan, many of which have achieved substantial commercial success, including high sales figures, certifications, and strong chart performances.
3.1. South Korea
| Artist | Song Title | Sales | Certifications | Chart Performance & Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BoA | My Prayer | 250,000 copies | 2 platinum | ||||||
| BoA | If You Were Here | 120,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| BoA | Girls on Top (English Version) | ||||||||
| EXO | My Turn to Cry | 500,000 copies | |||||||
| EXO | Can't Bring Me Down | 1,000,000 copies | |||||||
| Fly to the Sky | How Many Nights, How Many Days | 200,000 copies | 2 platinum | ||||||
| Fly to the Sky | Magic Song | 170,000 copies | platinum | Number 3 on biggest online chart | |||||
| Fly to the Sky | My Never ending Story | 100,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| f(x) | Me + U | 100,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| f(x) | Goodbye Summer | 80,000 copies | |||||||
| f(x) | Summer Lover | ||||||||
| f(x) | Diamond | ||||||||
| Girls' Generation | Let's Talk About Love | 100,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| Girls' Generation | Oh! | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | Number 1 on several countries, Number 1 on numerous music channels, Winner of Golden Disc Awards | |||||
| Girls' Generation | Say Yes | 400,000 copies | 4 platinum | Won Golden Disc Awards and Seoul Music Awards | |||||
| Isak N Jiyeon | I Dream Of You | ||||||||
| Parc Jae-jung | As much as I loved you | ||||||||
| S.E.S. | You Told Me | ||||||||
| Shinee | Replay | ||||||||
| Shinee | Love Like Oxygen | ||||||||
| Shinee | In my room | 150,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| Shinee | 차라리 때려Charari Ttaeryeo (Rather Beat Me)Korean | 150,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| Shinee | Y.O.U. (Year Of Us) | ||||||||
| Shinee | Runaway | 250,000 copies | 2 platinum | ||||||
| Shinhwa | Just 2 be with U | 400,000 copies | 4 platinum | ||||||
| Shinhwa | I pray 4 U | 400,000 copies | 4 platinum | Number 1 song on MBC Music Show, SBS Music Show and several online charts, Japanese Anime "Inuyasha" Korea Territory title song | |||||
| Shinhwa | Soulmate | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | ||||||
| Shinhwa | Hurricane | 100,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| Super Junior | Over | 100,000 copies | platinum | ||||||
| Super Junior | You're my endless love | 200,000 copies | 2 platinum | ||||||
| Super Junior | She wants it | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | ||||||
| Super Junior | Shake It Up! | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | ||||||
| The Grace | Dancer In The Rain | ||||||||
| The Grace | Catch The Shooting Star | ||||||||
| Tim | Sarang Han Mankeum | ||||||||
| Tim | My Destiny | ||||||||
| Tim | Nae Ahn Eh Jun Jeng | ||||||||
| Tim | Manual For My Heart | TVXQ | Whatever They Say | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | Number 4 on SBS music show | |||
| TVXQ | Free your mind | ||||||||
| TVXQ | Beautiful Life | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | ||||||
| TVXQ | 세상의단하나뿐인마음Sesangui Dan Hanappunin Maeum (The Only One Heart in the World)Korean | ||||||||
| TVXQ | On & On | 535,000 copies | 5 platinum | Number 1 album of 2006, Winner of Golden Disc Awards | |||||
| TVXQ | Crazy Love | ||||||||
| TVXQ | 넌 나의 노래Neon Naui Norae (You're My Song)Korean | 600,000 copies | 6 platinum | Number 1 album of 2008, Winner of Golden Disc Awards | |||||
| TVXQ | Here I stand | 300,000 copies | 3 platinum | ||||||
| Whee Sung | Angel | 400,000 copies | 4 platinum |
3.2. Japan
| Artist | Album/Single Title | Song Title | Sales | Certifications | Chart Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Girls' Generation | Oh! single | Oh! | 100,000 copies | gold | Number One on Oricon Chart |
| Girls' Generation | 2nd album | Oh! | 200,000 copies | gold | |
| Shinee | 1st single album | Replay | 110,000 copies | gold | |
| Shinee | 1st album | Replay | 120,000 copies | gold | |
| Tenjochiki | Piranha album | Just for one day | 100,000 copies | gold | |
| TVXQ | 3rd album | Beautiful Life | 150,000 copies | gold | |
| TVXQ | 3rd Album | You're my miracle | 150,000 copies | gold | |
| TVXQ | Bolero album | Wasurenaide | 150,000 copies | gold | |
| TVXQ | 4th album | Wasurenaide | 300,000 copies | platinum |
4. Evaluation and Impact
Kim Young-hu's musical works have been met with significant commercial success and critical acclaim, solidifying his influence within the K-pop industry. His productions frequently achieved top positions on various music charts, both in South Korea and Japan. Notably, songs like Shinhwa's "I Pray For You" and Girls' Generation's "Oh!" reached number one on multiple music shows and online charts.
His contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including multiple Golden Disc Awards for his work on Girls' Generation's "Oh!" and "Say Yes," as well as for TVXQ's "On & On" and "You're My Song." Girls' Generation's "Say Yes" also earned a Seoul Music Awards. The consistent high sales figures and numerous platinum and gold certifications across his discography underscore his ability to create widely popular and impactful music. Beyond his direct musical output, his entrepreneurial ventures, such as co-founding XP Music Publishing, and his pioneering work in developing an online music publishing catalog system in South Korea, highlight his broader influence on the infrastructure and business aspects of the music industry.