Kim Gun-mo (born January 13, 1968) is a South Korean singer-songwriter who is considered the country's most successful musical artist of the 1990s. His 1995 album, Wrongful Meeting, previously held the Guinness World Record for the best-selling album of all time in South Korea. Since his debut in 1992, Kim has released 13 full-length albums and has won numerous awards, including Album of the Year at the Golden Disc Awards for three consecutive years from 1994 to 1996. In 2011, he received a presidential commendation from the South Korean government for his contributions to popular culture.

Early life

Kim was born on January 13, 1968, in Busan, South Korea. He was interested in music from a young age and started playing the piano when he was four years old. He attended elementary, middle, and high school in Seoul and graduated from Seoul Institute of the Arts. He served in the South Korean Navy in the late 1980s.

Career

Kim debuted with Kim Gun Mo 1 in 1992, which was followed by his second album Excuse in 1993. His third album Mis-Encounter came out in 1995. In the following year, he released Exchange. As one of the most popular Korean entertainers, Kim holds the record for biggest selling album in Korea with his third studio album, which sold over 3.3 million copies. Kim's albums rank consistently high on Korean music charts; his 8th album, Hestory, was the best-selling album of 2003. His most famous songs include "Excuse", "Mis-Encounter", and "Jjangga". In 2004, he released his 9th album Kim Gun Mo 9 which is reminiscent of his first album. This album was his second restarting point in his music career. In the following year, he came up with Be Like... which was also a huge success in Korea. His most recent work was released in 2008, entitled, Soul Groove.

Personal life

Kim married pianist Jang Ji-yeon in 2019, whom he met through a mutual friend. They later divorced in 2022. On December 8, 2019, lawyer Kang Yong-suk announced that he was representing a woman who alleged that Kim sexually assaulted her. Kim denied the allegation and stated that he would take legal action against Kang. In 2022, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office dismissed the rape charge against Kim.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Filmography

Variety shows

Awards and nominations

State honors