Lee Hong-gi

Lee Hong-gi (born March 2, 1990), also known mononymously as Hongki, is a South Korean singer, actor, and media personality.

He is best known as the front man of rock band F.T. Island.

As an actor, Lee started his career by starring in children drama Magic Kid Masuri (2002).

Before Lee Hong-gi debuted as a singer with the band F.T. Island, he was a child actor, making his acting debut in 2002 with KBS2 TV series Magic Kid Masuri as Masuri's friend Kim Ji-hoon.

This children drama gained popularity among elementary school students during its run.

He was also featured in EBS children drama Kkangsooni, where he played the character of EO Soo-bong, and sang for the drama's OST.

In 2007, Lee debuted in the band F.T. Island as the lead singer.

He can also rap and beatbox.

Lee decided to pursue a career in singing after he starred in Kkangsooni, for which he sang a song for the soundtrack.

At the end of the drama, he performed the song live on stage.

He was 13 years old at that time.

Impressed by his powerful vocal ability, a few music agents approached him, not wishing to waste his talent for singing.

Then-fledgling label company FNC Music signed Lee and fully trained him to become the lead singer of F.T. Island.

In 2008, he was offered the lead role in Master of Study, the Korean adaptation of Japanese drama Dragon Zakura.

He later successfully transitioned to adult role and participated in various television dramas, notably 'You're Beautiful' (2009) and A Korean Odyssey (2017).

He started a YouTube career by launching personal channel Honggi Jonggi in April 2022.

Master of Study should have aired in the beginning of 2009 but due to preproduction difficulties, the drama was postponed to the beginning of 2010 which led FNC Entertainment to refuse Lee's role because of his busy schedule with the band.

Lee then played Lysander in a Korean musical theatre version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, where he showcased his singing, acting and dancing skills.

In 2009, after a five-year break, he made his acting comeback and took the role of the quirky but loveable drummer Jeremy in You're Beautiful.

To promote the drama, he also contributed solo tracks to the OST, such as "Promise" and "Still/As Ever."

He received a New Star Award at the 2009 SBS Drama Awards for his performance.

You're Beautiful recorded modest ratings in South Korea, but it became an international success and with it, Lee's worldwide popularity increased.

In April 2011, Lee starred in the TBS Japanese drama Muscle Girl! opposite Yui Ichikawa.

This was followed by a 90-minute Korean-Japanese co-production titled Noriko Goes to Seoul, in which he played a young aspiring singer who meets an older woman (Takashima Reiko) who inspires him through hardships to achieve his dream.

In June 2013, he made his big screen debut in the movie Rockin' on Heaven's Door (Korean title: Passionate Goodbye), with Baek Jin-hee, in which Lee portrayed as a rebellious music star who is sent to work in a hospice.

Lee began filming Bride of the Century with Yang Jin-sung.

He went on a four-week rest after he dislocated his shoulder and suffered facial fractures during December 2013.

He resumed shooting in January 2014, and the drama aired that February.

Lee also starred in SBS Modern Farmer alongside Park Min-woo, Lee Ha-nui, and others.

The drama aired from October 18, 2014, to December 21, 2014, at 20:40 on Saturdays and Sundays.

In 2015, Lee debuted as a solo artist with the releases of his first Korean extended play FM302 and his first Japanese album, AM302.

In 2015, Lee announced through social media that he was working on both a Korean and Japanese album, which was released in November and December respectively.

The mini Korean album was revealed to be FM302, and the album was released on November 18, 2015, while the Japanese album was revealed to be AM302, and it was released on December 9, 2015.

'FM302' combines the radio terminology frequency modulation (FM) with Lee's birthday which is on March 2, to create the effect of his own radio frequency that resonates his music across the world.

The title song "Insensible" is a ballad track and it tells the sad story of a man who is unable to forget his previous love.

The music video was published on November 18, 2015.

The lead actress of the music video is actress Park Shin-hye.

Prior to his official music video release, a showcase was organised.

Upon the release of FM302, it topped both Naver's real-time search chart, as well as Hanteo sales chart.

The album still retained its position next week, selling more than 19,000 albums within two weeks.