Portrait of Key

Key

Actors · Artists · Musicians · ballet dancer · model

🇰🇷 South Korea

South Korean singer, dance, actor and model

About Key

Kim Ki-bum (Korean: 김기범; born September 23, 1991), known professionally as Key (키), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and television personality. Born and raised in Daegu, South Korea, he joined SM Entertainment in 2005 after a successful audition. In May 2008, Key debuted as a member of South Korean boy band Shinee, who later went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea.

Key is widely recognized as a singer and dancer, but he has also ventured into different careers, notably as a television personality. As a singer, he has collaborated with various artists, and formed the duo Toheart with Woohyun of Infinite. He made his debut as a soloist in November 2018 with the release of the digital single "Forever Yours", and his first studio album, Face, was released later that month.

Subsequent releases include Bad Love (2021), Gasoline (2022), Good & Great (2023), Pleasure Shop (2024), and Hunter (2025). Key has also contributed to songwriting for himself and Shinee. As an actor, he has been cast in multiple musicals, such as Bonnie & Clyde (2013), Zorro (2014), and Chess (2015), and in television dramas like Drinking Solo (2016) and The Guardians (2017).

In 2015, Key became active as a fashion designer and took part in numerous projects. For instance, he collaborated with Bridge Shop House to design Shinee concert outfits, and worked with model Irene Kim and the brand Charm's to design fashion apparel. Due to the success of his works, Key was appointed as a fashion director for the group.

Since 2020, he has gained prominence as a television personality, appearing on the variety shows DoReMi Market and I Live Alone as a cast member. He has received the Excellence Award from the MBC Entertainment Awards in recognition of his variety performances.

Quick facts

Known for
HUNTER, Pleasure Shop, Tongue Tied
Born
1991-09-23
Artist type
Person
Gender
Male
Origin
Daegu
Associated area
South Korea
Active period
1991-09-23
MusicBrainz description
Kim Ki-bum, member of SHINee
Genres
j-pop, k-pop
Music tags
2nd gen k-pop, j-pop, k-pop
ISNI
0000000407798238
IPI
00616114580, 00616114678

Official & social profiles

External & source links