Jeon Jung-kook, born September 1, 1997, and known professionally as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter who has achieved global superstardom as a member of the world-renowned boy band BTS. Rising to prominence as the group's main vocalist, he has since established himself as a formidable solo artist, breaking numerous chart and streaming records and becoming a defining figure in contemporary pop music.
Jung Kook was born in Busan, South Korea, and initially auditioned for the second season of the talent show Superstar K in 2011. Though he did not make the final cut, his performance caught the attention of several entertainment agencies, including Big Hit Entertainment. He ultimately signed with Big Hit and, after training for several years, debuted as a member of BTS in 2013. Within the group, Jung Kook quickly became known for his powerful and emotive vocals, as well as his skills as a dancer and performer. He has released three solo songs as part of BTS's discography: "Begin" in 2016, "Euphoria" in 2018, and "My Time" in 2020, all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. He also recorded the soundtrack song "Stay Alive" for the BTS-based webtoon 7Fates: Chakho.
Jung Kook's solo career began to take shape in 2022 with a series of high-profile collaborations and performances. He featured on American singer Charlie Puth's single "Left and Right", which peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he became the first South Korean artist to release an official song for the FIFA World Cup soundtrack with "Dreamers", which he subsequently performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar, cementing his status as a global icon. This milestone was followed by a historic breakthrough in 2023 with the release of his debut solo single "Seven" featuring Latto. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the Global 200, and the Global Excl. U.S. charts, making him the first Korean solo artist to achieve this feat, and it eventually became the fastest song in history to surpass one billion streams on Spotify. His follow-up single "3D", featuring Jack Harlow, debuted at number five on both the Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, making Jung Kook the first South Korean solo artist to achieve two consecutive top-five entries on the latter. As of 2023, Jung Kook continues to be a dominant force in music, balancing his activities with BTS with his rapidly expanding solo career, and remains one of the most influential and beloved artists of his generation.