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Bambam is a member of the boy group GOT7, which debuted under JYP Entertainment in January 2014. He was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and is half Chinese (father) and half Thai (mother).
His family consists of his mother, 2 older brothers and 1 younger sister, as his father died when BamBam was very young.
His name, BamBam, was given to him by his grandmother and inspired by the cartoon character Bamm-Bamm Rubble from “The Flintstones”, in hopes that he would grow up as strong as the character.
The male idol was called a “dance prodigy” by choreographer Lia Kim and praised for his precision and power in movements.
Biography
- Nickname: BamBam (뱀뱀, BamBam)
- Real name: Kunpimook Bhuwakul (Kunpimook Bhuwakul)
- Nationality: Thai
- Date of birth: May 2, 1997
- Debut Date: January 16, 2014 (with GOT7), June 15, 2021 (Solo)
- Height: 178cm
- Blood type: B
- Instagram: @BamBam1A
Career
Pre-debut
Before his debut, BamBam appeared in several Thai commercials and Hong Kong horror films.
He has also been active as a member of the dance group “we zaa cool” in Thailand, together with BLACKPINK’s Lisa.
BamBam’s mother was a big fan of Hallyu star Rain, and BamBam entered a Rain dance cover competition in Thailand because of this. He finally won first place in this competition and was chosen by JYP.
However, BamBam’s mother was worried that the male idol was too young, and it wasn’t until JYP’s second casting after one of BamBam’s commercials that he accepted the offer.
BamBam became a trainee under JYP in 2020, when he was 12 years old, and ended up training for 4 years. At the time, he shared the same dormitory with GOT7’s Jackson and Mark, BTOB’s Peniel, and actor Ahn Hyo-seop as they were all foreign trainees.
During his internship period, BamBam took online classes and went to Thailand to take exams in person.
He also appeared on YG’s survival show “WIN: Who is Next?” as a JYP trainee in 2013 and attracted attention at the time.
Debut with GOT7 and first solo activities
BamBam debuted with GOT7 with the mini album “Got It?” on January 16, 2014. The boy group quickly achieved success, with notable recognition overseas even after years of activity.
During his time as a member of GOT7, BamBam has participated in various releases, from producing the lyric video for the title track “You Are” on GOT7’s 2017 album “7 for 7” to directing, editing and co- filmed the fan video “My Anno 2018”. He also filmed, directed and edited the video titled “Feel It, See It” on Got7’s official YouTube account.
BamBam was also considered the pride of Thailand, gaining enormous popularity in its home country. In 2017 he released a single for Yamaha Thailand, collaborating with various Thai artists. In 2019, BamBam held a fanmeeting tour, which took place in various cities in Thailand, and in 2020, he secured his first OST for the Thai film “The Con-Heartist”.
Departure from JYP and official solo debut
BamBam left JYP Entertainment on January 19, 2021, following the expiration of his contract with the agency and signed with Abyss Company later that year. Although all members belong to separate companies, GOT7 said they will remain as a group.
On June 15, 2021, BamBam made his solo debut in South Korea with his first solo EP “Ribbon”. Since then, the male idol has released several other solo products and also held his first world tour, “Area 52”, in various Asian countries.
Other initiatives
BamBam launched his first clothing line “doubleB” in collaboration with Represent in 2017. In 2021, the male idol launched a second clothing line in collaboration with Charm’s.
Both lines were limited to limited sales, with proceeds from sales donated.
BamBam was selected as one of the top 100 fashion influencers by Vogue Thailand in 2021. He also became the house ambassador of luxury brand Louis Vuitton in 2024.
Personal life
According to BamBam, he faced a lot of racist hatred early in his career, shortly after his debut with GOT7, but he largely managed to overcome it.
It was initially rumored that BamBam came from a wealthy family, but in 2023 it was revealed that after his father’s death, his family’s situation worsened, to the point where BamBam’s mother was chased by loan sharks. After BamBam’s debut, he helped his mother significantly, from paying off her debts to buying her a new house.
BamBam is known for being close to other Thai idols such as BLACKPINK’s Lisa, NCT’s Ten, and (G)I-DLE’s Minnie. He is also part of the famous 97 lines friend group with SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu, ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo, and BTS’s Jungkook, among others.
BamBam has recently sparked concern with his posts about mental health, and other celebrities, such as Jessi, Brian and fellow GOT7 member Jackson, have shown support for him.
Dating Rumors
In September 2024, dating rumors emerged between BamBam and BLACKPINK’s Jennie after the two were spotted together in Los Angeles. However, Jennie’s side quickly denied the rumor, stating that the two were just friends.
BamBam also previously revealed that he has a crush on TWICE’s Nayeon, and the female idol confessed that he knows his feelings.
In 2017, BamBam was also involved in dating rumors with TWICE’s Mina, after a selfie of the two suddenly appeared on Chinese SNS platforms. In the photo, the two idols can be seen leaning next to each other on a bed, sparking dating rumors. In this regard, JYP Entertainment admitted that the photo is real, but denied the dating allegations, stating that Mina and BamBam are simply close friends and colleagues from the same agency.
