Nam Tae-hyun
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Nam Tae-hyun (; born May 10, 1994), also known as Taehyun, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, producer and actor. He was previously the main vocalist of
K-pop K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
group Winner, in which he also composed and produced. In March 2017, he founded a music label, South Buyers Club. Sometime afterwards, the label was renamed to ''The South''. Under the label, Nam debuted the band South Club, of which he is leader, main vocalist, guitarist, and main composer. As of 2024, he transitioned into a solo artist, with his returning single 'On the Edge of the Night.'


Life and career


Pre-debut: ''Win: Who Is Next''

Prior to his debut as a member of Winner, Nam performed as a backup dancer for the YG Family Concert 2011. In 2013, he competed in the reality program ''Win: Who Is Next'' as a trainee in "Team A", which he went on to debut as a member of group Winner. Nam co-composed and co-wrote two songs that were used to compete on the show.


2014–2015: Official debut, ''2014 S/S'', and television appearances

Nam participated in the production of Winner's debut album, ''
2014 S/S ''2014 S/S'' is the debut album of South Korean group Winner. It was released on August 12, 2014, by the group's record label, YG Entertainment. The members were credited for writing the lyrics and composing the majority of the album's songs. ...
'', which was released in August 2014. He co-composed three songs from the album – "But" (), "Tonight" () and his solo track "Confession" (). The album topped several charts, including the
Gaon Music Chart The Circle Chart (), previously known as the Gaon Music Chart or the Gaon Chart (), tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in South Korea. Founded in 2010, it is produced by the Korea Music Content Association and sponsored ...
as well as the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
's World Albums Chart. In 2015, while the group was on hiatus, Nam made his acting debut on web drama ''Midnight Girl''. That same year, he played a supporting role in the drama '' Late Night Restaurant''. He was also cast in the joint Chinese-Korean production ''Under the Black Moonlight''.


2016: ''Exit : E'', television appearances, and departure from Winner

In January 2016, Nam released the single "Pricked" () in collaboration with Mino as a warm-up track ahead of Winner's EP '' Exit : E''. The single charted at number two on
MelOn A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to ''Cucumis melo'', commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the p ...
. After nearly 18 months of hiatus, Winner's comeback mini-album ''Exit : E'' was released on February 1. The album featured five tracks, including "Pricked", and double title tracks "Baby Baby" and "센치해 (Sentimental)". Nam played a major role in the production of both title tracks, as well as for his solo "좋더라 (I'm Young)". In March 2016, Nam joined tvN's ''Actor School'', a variety show featuring seven stars going through a series of trainings by actor Park Shin-yang, in order to brush up on their acting skills. On October 12,
YG Entertainment YG Entertainment () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and conce ...
stated that Nam would be halting promotional activities and receiving treatment for mental health issues. As a result, Winner's comeback was delayed indefinitely. Later, on November 25, it was announced that he had withdrawn from the group and had terminated his contract with YG Entertainment. The following day, he posted a handwritten letter on his personal Instagram account containing his apology, gratitude to fans and pledge to return with other music and projects.


2017–2022: Music creations and South Buyers Club

Nam continues sharing his music creations and covers on his
SoundCloud SoundCloud is a German audio streaming service owned and operated by SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG. The service enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is ...
account, including a cover of
Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
's " Creep",
Park Hyo-shin Park Hyo-shin (; born September 1, 1981) is a South Korean singer and musical theatre actor. Following his debut as a singer in 1999, Park released numerous hit songs in the 2000s, including "Good Person" (2002), "Snow Flower" (2004) and "Me ...
's "Beautiful Tomorrow", and "Breath" (숨). His influences arise from artists across many genres, such as
Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
,
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
,
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
,
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, sh ...
, and
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
. He then created a
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site on January 5, posting announcements and communicating with fans from time to time. On January 23, Nam started recruiting applications for his upcoming band. On March 25, Nam, together with his rumored band, South Club, held a guerrilla show at Pet Sounds Bar in Korea. The 30-minute show was livestreamed on platforms such as Instagram, and popular China video-sharing platform Miaopai. South Club performed a total of four songs, including tracks from
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
and
Foster the People Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2009. Its members include founder and frontman Mark Foster (musician), Mark Foster and keyboardist Isom Innis. Foster founded the band in 2009 after spending ...
. On April 11, Nam announced that his music label "South Buyers Club" has officially been registered as of March 30. On May 26, South Club released the music video for their first pre-release track "Hug Me," which was a ballad rock track. South Club's first EP '' 90'' was released on June 27, along with music videos for the two title tracks: "Liar" and "I got the Blues.". The name of the album was inspired by the expression of freedom of youths in the 90s. It was also due to the fact that all members of the band were born after the year 1990. On July 9, the band came back with their first single titled "아니 (No)". After the member Yooni's departure, the band's first release as a four piece was the second single "누굴 위한 노래인가요 (Who Is This Song For?)", which became available for streaming on December 5, 2017. Following their initial releases, South Club continued to produce music and expand their discography. Their second EP, titled "20", was released on June 28, 2018, followed by their third EP, "Contact Information", on October 24, 2018. The band's musical journey continued with the release of their single album "Twice (두 번)" on January 27, 2019. South Club further expanded their repertoire with singles such as "To My Friends" on March 18, 2020, and "Ride In" later on. Throughout their career, the band has consistently explored themes of youth, freedom, and personal experiences in their music, maintaining their alternative rock style with blues influences while continuing to release music and perform, adapting their sound and staying true to their rock roots.


2024–present: Transition into a solo artist

In 2024, Nam Tae-hyun began to shift his focus towards a solo career. On December 23, 2024, he released a documentary on YouTube that featured a personal lecture he had prepared. This documentary chronicled his journey of recovery from drug addiction and shared the lessons he had learned along the way. The release of this deeply personal content marked a significant step in Nam's career, showcasing his growth as an artist and his willingness to address personal struggles publicly. Continuing his solo endeavors, Nam Tae-hyun released a new song titled "On the Edge of the Night" on January 17, 2025, along with a music video on his channel. The song received positive reactions for its emotional depth and introspective lyrics. This transition into more individual projects and the release of new solo material signaled a new direction for Nam Tae-hyun's artistic career as he moved into 2025.


Radio DJ

On July 31, 2017, Nam started his career as a radio DJ. He broadcast live on the Casper Radio Vlive channel on Mondays, at 11pm, to talk about various topics and to share his music with his fans. On his 32nd broadcast, on April 9, 2018, Nam announced that he would be doing his last broadcast on May 7, in order to focus more on his music.


Personal life

Nam has been open about his struggles with
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
and depression. He stated in a November 2018 interview with ''
Rolling Stone India ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known f ...
'' that while founding his label South Buyers Club took a toll to his emotional wellbeing that he hadn't recovered from at the time, his daily effort to stay productive helped him "overcome his eeling ofloneliness and depression". Later, he explained that " en I'm frustrated, I say that I'm frustrated—when I'm happy, I say that I'm happy." and that his approach of discussing his own mental state (and its positive influence on his fans) really isn't a "negative point of is given that " many people struggle psychologically and that's just how people live". Following the suicide of fellow K-pop idol and actress
Sulli Choi Jin-ri (; March 29, 1994 – October 13 or 14, 2019), known professionally as Sulli (), was a South Korean singer and actress. She first made her debut as a child actress, appearing as a supporting cast member on the Seoul Broadcasting Sy ...
(former member of the girlgroup f(x)) in October 2019, Nam spoke out against
cyberbullying Cyberbullying (cyberharassment or online bullying) is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Since the 2000s, it has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers and adolescents, due to young people's increased u ...
and malicious commenting by
netizen The term ''netizen'' is a portmanteau of the English words ''internet'' and ''citizen'', as in a "citizen of the net" or "net citizen". It describes a person actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general.
s, stating that he had previously attempted suicide because of similar harassment.


Production credits


Discography


Singles as a lead artist


Singles as a featured artist


Filmography


Television


Drama


Reality


Other


Radio


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nam, Tae-hyun 1994 births Living people 21st-century South Korean male singers 21st-century South Korean businesspeople 21st-century South Korean male actors YG Entertainment artists People from Hanam People with bipolar disorder People with mood disorders Singers from Gyeonggi Province South Korean male idols South Korean male actors South Korean male television actors South Korean male dancers South Korean male singer-songwriters 21st-century South Korean singer-songwriters South Korean male pop singers South Korean electronic music singers South Korean rock singers South Korean company founders South Korean music industry executives South Korean record producers Winner (band) members Hanlim Multi Art School alumni