Tim (singer)

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Tim (singer)

Role / Field:

Korean-American singer known as South Korea's "ballad prince" since his 2003 debut.

Born:

1981-12-23

Century / Era:

1981s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Hwang Young-min (Korean: 황영민; born December 23, 1981), best known as Tim (팀), is a Korean-American singer based in South Korea. He is referred to as South Korea's "ballad prince". He debuted in 2003 with the album, First Tim, which included the hit ballad, "I Love You". Tim was born in Philadelphia and raised just west of the city in Upper Darby to a Christian family with his father as a pastor for a local church, and has four brothers. He was exposed to a musical environment early on as a child.

Career & Major Achievements

At his father's church, he naturally learned to play various instruments like the saxophone and piano. Throughout his childhood, Tim pursued musical activities in both schools and churches, as a member of the church choir and a saxophonist in the school jazz band. However, until he was picked up by an entertainment agency, he had never thought of becoming a professional singer. During his high school career, Tim also modeled and acted. Prior to his singing debut, however, Tim was in charge of an MTV Korea program called Tim's World (started on December 2, 2002) which showed documentaries on the path and struggles of new singers like himself.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The story told as by Tim has it that at the age of 20, Tim was approached by a Korean pop music producer (the son of a fellow church member). After listening to a tape, it was requested that Tim fly to Korea for a full audition to make a debut as a pop singer in Korea. Though he and his family had a very conservative background, Tim decided to fly to Seoul alone for the first time, give up his life as a college student and try his hand at becoming a Korean pop singer. Having never had visited Korea until he graduated high school, Tim spent the first two years in Korea focusing on learning the Korean language and preparing for his debut as a singer. While training for his debut album, Tim was very fortunate to have met Yoon Sang, one of the top songwriters in Korea and also a great senior and mentor as a singer.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1981 (1981-12-23): Birth of Tim (singer) — Korean-American singer known as South Korea's "ballad prince" since his 2003 debut.
2. 2002: 2002 Milestone — Prior to his singing debut, however, Tim was in charge of an MTV Korea program called Tim's World (started on December 2, 2002) which showed documentaries on the path and struggles of new singers like himself.
3. 2003: 2003 Milestone — He debuted in 2003 with the album, First Tim, which included the hit ballad, "I Love You".

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Tim (singer)

True or False: “Tim debuted professionally in the Korean music scene immediately after graduating from high school.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He spent the first two years after leaving high school focusing on learning the Korean language and preparing for his debut.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Shared historical date (12-23 · Died) (1972): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Akihito — Shared historical date (12-23 · Born) (1933): 125th Emperor of Japan; reigned during the Heisei era (1989-2019).
• Albert Cohen (novelist) — Historical peer (Died in 1981) (1981): Greek-born Swiss novelist who wrote in French, known for his memoirs and international work.
• Albert Speer — Historical peer (Died in 1981) (1981): German architect and Nazi official, known for monumental designs and wartime ministry.
• Alberto Sordi — Historical peer (Died in 2003) (2003): Pillar of Italian Cinema, master of Commedia all'italiana comedy.
• Alija Izetbegović — Historical peer (Died in 2003) (2003): Bosnian politician, Islamic philosopher, and author who led Bosnia through its tumultuous independence.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• 1981 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1981
• December 23 (12-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 23

Frequently Asked Questions about Tim (singer)