I.M (rapper)

Im Chang-kyun (Korean: 임창균; born January 26, 1996), known by the stage name I.M or mononymously as Changkyun, is a South Korean rapper, singer, and songwriter. He debuted in the South Korean group Monsta X through Mnet's survival show, No.Mercy in 2015.

In this Korean name, the family name is Im.
I.M
I.M at Old School Public Broadcasting in October 2016
Background information
Birth nameIm Chang-kyun
Born (1996-01-26) January 26, 1996
Gwangju, South Korea
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
LabelsStarship
Associated actsMonsta X
Websitemonstax-e.com
Korean name
Hangul
임창균
Hanja
任創均
Revised RomanizationIm Chang-gyun
McCune–ReischauerIm Ch'anggyun
Stage name
Hangul
아이엠
Revised RomanizationAi-em
McCune–ReischauerAiem

Career

Early life and debut

I.M was born in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea on January 26, 1996.[1] He spent most of his early years living abroad because of his father's work as a scientist, including living in Boston, Massachusetts, where he gained fluency in English while his father worked at Harvard University.[2][3]

In 2013 and 2014, I.M was a part of the boy band Nu'bility, under Special K Entertainment. The group never officially debuted, despite holding several events and performances.[4]

I.M was a late addition to Mnet's survival show, No.Mercy, becoming the thirteenth competitor.[4][5] Despite his late addition, he was one of the seven contestants chosen to debut in Starship Entertainment's new hip-hop boy group, Monsta X.[6][7]

2015–present: Monsta X and solo work

I.M debuted with Monsta X with the 2015 release of their first EP, Trespass, on which he has five writing credits.[4][8]

In 2016, I.M released his first mixtape through Starship Entertainment's YouTube channel, titled "Who Am I?" and featuring Yeseo.[9][10]

In 2019, I.M released his mixtape with the lead single "Horizon", which was a collaboration with the American artist ELHAE.[11] He released "Scent" as the B-side of the single.[12][13]

In February 2019, I.M narrated an audiobook, Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, released through Naver's Audioclip.[14] Later that year, he narrated two audiobooks alongside groupmate Shownu, also released through Naver's Audioclip.[15]

In 2020, I.M collaborated with ELHAE again, releasing the single "Need to Know".[16] I.M also made his first solo appearance on a talk show, on Talk Talk Information Brunch.[17]

In January 2021, I.M announced the solo work he had been preparing in 2020 would be released as his first solo album, with an intended release later in 2021.[18][19] His first official solo song release, rather than a mixtape release, was announced to be an extended play titled Duality, to be released on February 19.[20][21][22] The lead single is "God Damn".[23]

Discography
See also: Monsta X discography

Extended plays
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[24]
Duality
Track listing[23]
  1. God Damn
  2. Howlin'
  3. Burn
  4. Happy to Die
  5. 시든 꽃 (Flower-ed)
 To be released

Singles
Year Title Album Artist Ref.
As lead artist
2016 "Who Am I?" Non-album single I.M feat. Yeseo [9]
2018 "Fly With Me" I.M [25]
2019 "Horizon" Horizon I.M, ELHAE [11]
"Scent" I.M [12]
As featured artist
2015 "Flower Cafe" Flower Cafe Jooheon feat. I.M and Sam Ock [26]
Collaborations
2015 "Interstellar" Trespass I.M, Hyungwon, and Jooheon feat. Yella Diamond [27]
2016 "Madeline" Non-album single I.M, Brother Su feat. J.Han [28]
2017 "Be My Friend" I.M, Jooheon [29]
2020 "Need To Know" I.M, ELHAE [16]

Filmography

Television
Year Network Show Role Ref.
2014–2015 Mnet No.Mercy Contestant [6]

Music videos
Main article: Monsta X discography § Music videos
Year Title Artist Director
2017 "Be My Friend" I.M, Jooheon
2018 "Fly With Me" I.M
2019 "Horizon" I.M, ELHAE

Songwriting

I.M has writing credits on the majority of Monsta X's discography as he writes his rap verses for Monsta X. As of his most recent solo work and Monsta X's release of Fatal Love, he has 99 writing and producing credits registered with the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).[30] For Monsta X's album Fatal Love, the song "Night View", on which he was both a writer and composer for, ranked number thirteen on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart.[31] In addition to Monsta X's discography, he writes and produces for his solo work and collaborative projects.[32]

All credits are adapted from the KOMCA, unless stated otherwise.[30]

Year Song Album Artist(s) Lyrics Music Arrangement
Credited With Credited With Credited With
2015 "0 (Young)" No.Mercy OST Part 3 Mad Clown, Giriboy, Jooyoung feat. No.Mercy contestants Yes Jooheon, Mad Clown, Jooyoung, Hong Si-young, 죠지 No N/A No N/A
"Flower Cafe" Flower Cafe Jooheon feat. I.M, Sam Ock Yes Jooheon, Sam Ock, A June & J Beat No N/A No N/A
2016 "Madeline" Non-album single I.M, Brother Su feat. J.Han Yes Brother Su, J.Han No N/A No N/A
2017 "Future" Unreleased, Performance exclusives Jooheon, I.M Yes Jooheon No N/A No N/A
"MASAKA" Yes Jooheon No N/A No N/A
2019 "On My Way" Non-album single Yoonseok feat. Ken of VIXX Yes Yoonseok, Ken No N/A No N/A
"삼박자" (Triple Rhythm) Unreleased, Performance exclusive[33] Jooheon, I.M Yes Jooheon, 9F, WOOKI Yes Jooheon, 9F, WOOKI Yes Jooheon, 9F, WOOKI
"Horizon" Horizon I.M, ELHAE Yes ELHAE Yes ELHAE, Millic N/A N/A
"Scent" I.M Yes Yes PLAYBALL Yes PLAYBALL
2020 "Need to Know" Non-album single I.M, ELHAE Yes ELHAE Yes ELHAE N/A N/A

Other works

Audiobook narrator
Year Title Ref.
2019 The Happy Prince [14]
Annabel Lee [15]
My Heart Leaps Up [15]

References
  1. Son, Haeseon (May 5, 2020). 내 ★의 고향은 어디? (광주 편). Market News (in Korean). Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  2. Morin, Natalie (September 7, 2019). "Up Close & Personal With The Many Sides of Monsta X". Refinery29. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  3. Kim, Jae-Ha (July 3, 2018). "Go Away With ... I.M of Monsta X". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  4. Benjamin, Jeff (April 3, 2020). "Meet I.M from Monsta X: from unwanted to invaluable". South China Morning Post. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  5. Oh, Hyojin (January 28, 2015). "'노머시' 새연습생 I.M투입, 기존 연습생 텃세". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  6. Park, Gyu-oh (November 13, 2014). "New idol group to be born through Mnet's 'No.Mercy'". K-pop Herald. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  7. Sun, Mi-kyung (February 12, 2015). "'노머시' 주헌·셔누·민혁 등 7인 멤버 확정..스타쉽 新보이그룹". OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  8. Ahn, Sung-mi (August 6, 2015). "Monsta X goes for street style". K-pop Herald. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  9. Yoo, Byung-cheol (May 6, 2016). "몬스타엑스 아이엠 컴백 앞두고 첫 번째 믹스테잎 Who am i 깜짝 공개". Korea Economic Daily TV (in Korean). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  10. Han, Sujin (May 6, 2016). "몬스타엑스 아이엠, 넋업샨·지슬로우와 함께한 믹스테잎 공개". Sports Today (in Korean). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  11. Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (May 26, 2020). "ELHAE Talks TikTok Love and How He Connected with a K-Pop Superstar". Popdust. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  12. Herman, Tamar (April 19, 2019). "Monsta X's I.M Teams Up With Elhae on 'Horizon' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  13. Kim, Mijeong (August 18, 2018). 몬스타엑스 아이엠, "'글로벌 리더' 담당. 위트있게 하려고 노력". iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  14. Lee, Sodam (February 18, 2019). "시각장애인 위해"..몬스타엑스 아이엠, 오디오북 참여에 담긴 깊은 속내. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  15. Ji, Min-kyung (July 5, 2019). 몬스타엑스 셔누X아이엠, 오디오북 낭독 참여 "시각장애인에 도움 되고파". OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  16. Benjamin, Jeff (May 8, 2020). "Monsta X's I.M Makes His Next Crossover Move On Elhae's 'Need To Know'". Forbes. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  17. Jeong, Hee-yeon (July 2, 2020). "'톡톡 정보 브런치' 몬스타엑스 아이엠, 협상학 관심 가지게 된 이유" ['Talk Talk Information Brunch' Monsta X's I.M's Negotiation Interest]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Retrieved August 1, 2020 – via Naver.
  18. Jeong, Hee-yeon (August 9, 2020). 몬스타엑스 아이엠 "내 앨범 작업 多, 언제 나올지는 미지수". Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  19. Jang, Woo-young (January 10, 2021). 몬스타엑스 아이엠 "솔로 앨범 준비 중"…셔누 "오래 준비" 기대감 UP. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  20. Jeong, Hee-yeon (January 20, 2021). "몬스타엑스 아이엠, 2월말 솔로 음원 발표". Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  21. Hwang, Hyejin (January 20, 2021). 몬스타엑스 아이엠, 데뷔 6년만 정식 솔로 데뷔 "2월 말 음원 발매". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  22. Choi, Hee-jae (February 8, 2021). 몬스타엑스 아이엠, 첫 솔로 앨범 '이중성' 19일 발매 확정 [공식입장]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved February 8, 2021 – via Naver.
  23. @OfficialMonstaX (February 10, 2021). "I.M Duality Track list" (Tweet). Retrieved February 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
  24. "Gaon Album Chart".
  25. Herman, Tamar (February 20, 2018). "Monsta X Rapper I.M Drops 'Fly With Me' Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  26. "Music Naver – Flower Cafe, artist 주헌 (JOOHEON)". Naver Music. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  27. Sung, Jin-hee (May 7, 2015). "몬스타엑스, 데뷔 화보 속 '거리의 거친 반항아' 콘셉트 화제!" [Monsta X, the debut picture of the 'wild rebel street' concept!]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  28. Son, Yeji (October 20, 2016). "몬스타엑스 아이엠X브라더수 '마들렌', 감각적 MV 호평". TenAsia (in Korean). Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  29. Kim, Hyun-sik (August 24, 2018). "몬스타엑스 주헌, 31일 솔로 싱글 발매". No Cut News (in Korean). Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  30. "KOMCA – 10009195 (임창균)". KOMCA. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  31. Cho, Eun-mi (January 29, 2021). "몬스타엑스, 'Night View'로 빌보드 월드 디지털 송 차트 진입..'포브스가 주목한 트랙'". Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  32. Son, Ki-ho; Kim, Narang (May 27, 2020). "주헌 + 아이엠 =". Vogue Korea (in Korean). Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  33. Kim, Minji (June 24, 2020). "몬스타엑스 주헌X아이엠, 유닛곡 '삼박자'로 인기몰이…음원 요청 쇄도". news1 (in Korean). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
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