Kim Jong-kook

Kim Jong-kook (born April 25, 1977) is a South Korean singer and TV personality. He was initially part of the Korean duo Turbo, later pursuing a successful career as a solo artist. Apart from being a 3 Daesang Award Winner Singer, he also participates actively in many variety shows including Running Man and Family Outing since episode 19.

On March 2006, Kim Jong-kook received his mandatory military service enlistment letter at the height of his popularity and career. Kim Jong-kook also released his fourth album around that time. Since he unable to directly promote it while in the military, he used the unorthodox methods. To comply with the Korean law, the music video was shot so that his face would never be seen on screen. Also, in order to raise awareness, Kim Jong-kook's rumored girlfriend Yoon Eun-hye was asked to star in the music video. Though there has been no direct promotion, his fourth album has sold in excess of 100,000 copies.

It was announced in late April 2008 that the singer would end his military service on May 23, 2008. On that day, he was greeted by fans, and during his interview, he said that he was "relieved". His fifth studio album was released on October 22, 2008 as "Here I am" with the featuring song as "Today More than Yesterday" and "Thank You." Proving false the "tradition" of not being able to rise once again after military service, Kim Jong-kook made a successful comeback, making one album, one digital single [Happy Virus] and one trot [Ddajo].

Kim Jong-kook also returned to television, becoming a permanent member of variety show Family Outing, part of SBS's Good Sunday lineup and earning popularity, especially with the love scandals between Lee Hyori and Park Ye-jin. Kim Jong-kook's Hoolala CF with Kim Sooro was released on July 2009. He has also posed for many advertisement for clothing. His sixth album was released on January 27, and a preview of the album was released with the song "Don't Be Good to Me." However the title song for the album is titled "This is the Person". The music video for the song included Park Ye-jin who is famous for the "Family Outing Scandal" between Kim Jong-kook, Lee Hyori and Park Ye-jin. His sixth album is titled "The Eleventh Story" because in his music career, he has so far released 11 albums. It included 3 MV. Right now, he is a regular on SBS's Running Man.

On August 27, 2010 Kim Jong-kook received a lumbar microdiscectomy back disk surgery at Seoul’s Kwan Ahk Goo Chung Ryong Dong Kangnam Choice hospital. Kim Jong-kook’s management company, 101 Entertainment, stated, “Kim Jong-kook carried on with his daily activities without knowing that he had a ruptured disk. He did feel pain, but didn’t think much of it, and he endured his condition with painkillers while filming SBS Running Man.

Kim Jong-kook active participation in SBS Running Man makes him one of the big names in Korean Variety Shows World. He had been called "SpartaKook" and "The Commander" throughout the SBS Running Man and he has received a favorable evaluation leading the mission with his muscular body and extraordinary intelligence. This proved as he won SBS 연예대상 (SBS Entertainment Awards) Best TV Star Award on 2010 and SBS 연예대상 (SBS Entertainment Awards) Excellence Award on 2011.