Onew

Lee Jin-ki (Korean pronunciation: [i.dʑin.ki]; born December 14, 1989), better known by his stage name Onew, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, and host.

Born in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do, Onew was discovered at the 2006 SM Academy Casting and signed a contract with SM Entertainment the day after his audition.

Onew was discovered at the 2006 SM Academy Casting.

He received great appreciation from Lee Soo-man, SM Entertainment's founder, at Girls' Generation's debut showcase.

Lee Soo-man noticed him and wanted to hear him sing during a one-time on the spot audition.

He signed a contract with the company the day after he auditioned.

He debuted as the lead vocalist and leader of the boy group Shinee in May 2008, who went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea.

As a singer, he has participated in the original soundtracks for various TV series and released collaborations with various artists.

In 2008, he was chosen as the leader of the group Shinee, and the five-member boy group debuted on May 25, 2008, on SBS' Inkigayo.

Shortly after debut, Onew contributed to singles for Lee Hyun-ji in 2008, titled "Vanilla Love" and "Vanilla Love Part 2".

In 2009, he recorded the song "One Year Later" with Girls' Generation member Jessica for the Genie EP.

The same year, he also sang a duet with Kim Yeon-woo, "The Name I Loved", for Shinee's third EP 2009, Year of Us.

As an actor, Onew was cast in multiple musicals, such as Rock of Ages (2010), Shinheung Military Academy (2019), and Midnight Sun (2021–2022) and participated in various television dramas, mostly known for the roles of Baek Su in JTBC's sitcom Welcome to Royal Villa and the cardiothoracic resident Lee Chi-hoon in the popular KBS2 drama Descendants of the Sun (2016).

In 2010, Onew tried his hand at songwriting and, together with his bandmate Minho, wrote the lyrics for the song "Your Name" from Shinee's second studio album Lucifer.

In addition to music, Onew became an MC of two programs—KBS2's Night Star, which he co-hosted alongside Shin Dong-yup, Yoon Jong-shin, movie director Jang Hang Joon, and Leessang's Gil, and MBC's Show! Music Core.

Since his first job as an MC, Onew has hosted various events, such as Dream Concert, Incheon K-Pop Concert and Mnet's special event in Taiwan called Nihao Taiwan.

Onew starred in various musicals starting from 2010, debuting in the musical Brothers Were Brave alongside singer Lee Ji-hoon.

He then starred in the Korean production of Rock of Ages playing the lead role, Drew.

Onew has also showcased his acting skills via television like having a cameo role as a clumsy doctor in the drama Dr. Champ.

He appeared in the drama's final episode.

He also had cameo roles in the dramas Athena: Goddess of War, Oh My God x2, Pure Love and sitcom Royal Villa.

In August 2012, Onew recorded a song titled "In Your Eyes" for the drama series To the Beautiful You.

Onew also sang the soundtrack "Moonlight" for the drama Miss Korea.

The song was released on January 3, 2014.

On January 14, 2014, his participation in the Borneo edition of the reality show Law of the Jungle was confirmed.

He was also originally cast for the Brazil edition, but had to be replaced because of schedule conflicts.

In addition to his group activities and his job as a MC, Onew gained experience in radio hosting and took over shows like Kiss the Radio, a popular radio program aired on KBS Cool FM which is hosted by his labelmates Super Junior.

In June 2014, he was originally planning to appear in the musical Singin' in the Rain but was unable to join as he underwent vocal cord surgery.

In 2016, Onew was cast in the drama Descendants of the Sun, which starred Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki.

He portrayed first-year resident Dr. Lee Chi-hoon, a junior of Song Hye-kyo's character.

The drama became a huge success, especially in China, where the series reached more than 2 billion views on the Chinese streaming site iQiyi.

In Korea, the drama became a massive hit as well, surpassing more than 30 percent viewership ratings nationwide.

Onew was awarded the Newcomer Scene Stealer Award at the 2016 Scene Stealer Festival for his role in Descendants of the Sun.

Onew was also confirmed for a new tvN program Eat, Sleep, Eat which serves local recipes through Southeast Asia.

He made his solo debut on December 5, 2018, with the release of his first extended play, Voice, five days before his military conscription on December 10, 2018.

The EP peaked at number two on South Korea's Circle Album Chart.

He released his second EP Dice on April 11, 2022, which peaked at number three on Circle Album Chart.

He made his solo debut in Japan on July 6, 2022, with the release of his first studio album Life Goes On.

He released his first Korean studio album Circle on March 6, 2023, which peaked at number three on Circle Album Chart.

Onew has also contributed to songwriting for both himself and Shinee.