Biography
Gary is a rapper, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur and television personality. He was the rapper and lyricist of the former Hip-Hop Leessang duo, who released eight albums from his debut in 2002. In 2014, Gary launched his solo career with the Mini-Album Mr.Gae. Although he was banned from the main television stations for his mature content, the album has exceeded several rankings. Then he formed the duo Jung in & Gary with the singer Jung, releasing the singles “Your perfume and bicycle”.
In addition to his music, Gary has worked with renowned artists such as Psych, Baek Ji Young, Lee Hyori, Dynamic Duo and Mc Mong. He also obtained recognition as a member of the cast in the “Running Man” variety show.
Profile
- Name: Gary Gary
- Name at birth: Kang Hee-Gun
- Birthday: February 24, 1978
- Zodiac sign: Fish
- Height: 174 cm
- Instagram: @kanggary_yangban
Career
Kang Gary embarked on his musical career in 1997 as a member of the Hip-Hop X-Teen group, where he met Gil, his future Leessang partner. After contributing to an album in 1998, both Gary and Gil were abandoned by the group. Reflecting on this period, Gary later admitted that he did not have the looks and skills necessary to be successful at that moment.
After their departure from X-Teen, Gary and Gil joined the Hip-Hop Honey Family group, with whom they released two albums in 1999 and 2000. However, the group eventually melted and Gary took on a partial responsibility, admitting that she had been too involved in their initial success. He, Gil and the colleague member of the Honey Diggy family then trained Leessam Trio, releasing an compilation album in 2000. When Diggy left, Gary and Gil renamed the Leessang group and officially debuted in 2002.
Leessang continued to release eight albums, reaching underground success with their previous works before entering the mainstream with subsequent albums such as Hexagonal, Asura Balbalta and Unplugged. Their successful song “deactivates the TV” from Asura Balbalta dominated the Meloni ranking for 25 consecutive days, consolidating their place in the Korean music industry.
Apart from his musical career, Gary has achieved a wide recognition as a member of the original cast of the “Running Man” variety show, which he united in 2010. The popularity of the show rose to the stars, gaining him and his comrades of international recognition of the cast members. After six years on the show, he announced his departure in 2016 to focus on his musical career. His latest episode as a member of the main cast was episode 324, but surprised appearances in subsequent episodes, including one place for special guests in episode 325 and another for the Member’s Week in episode 336 in 2017.
Gary’s solo career took off in 2014 with the release of her Mini-Album Mr.Gae, which was prohibited by the main transmission stations due to explicit content. Despite this, his track “Shower Water” has passed several musical charts. In the same year, he collaborated with the singer Jung-in on “Your Dimple”, who achieved commercial success without live promotions. The song ranked sixth in the National National Digital ranking of Gaon Chart. The duo later published another track, “Bicycle”, in September 2014.
In 2015, Gary released his second solo album 2002, with artists like Jay Park, Skull, Deepflow and Jung-in. The track of the album title, “Get One Air”, presented Mi-Woo by Leessang Company. The following year, he dropped the single “Lonely Night” with Gaeko del Duo dynamic, accompanied by a music video with his former co-protagonist “Running Man” Ji-Hyo. The song performed well, earning a victory over SBS Inkigayo.
After a three -year break from the broadcast, Gary returned to television in 2020 as a member of the cast of “The Return of Superman”, where he appeared with his family until their departure in December. In the same year, his Double 8 agency obtained a non -exclusive contract with millions of market. During his career, Gary remained a respected figure in the Korean hip-hop, balancing his work as a rapper, songwriter and television personality.
Personal life
First life
During the middle school, Gary earned the nickname “Gae” (which means “dog” in Korean) and later chose him as a theatrical name after considering “Gaemi” (Ant) and “Gary”. Initially, he was more passionate than rapping. Once he competed in a dance race and won, defeating Jang Woo-Hyuk and Moon Hee-Jun, who later became Hot All All Tre members were explored by Lee Soo-Man and offered contracts with MS Entertainment, but in the end Gary refused the offer. He later attended Yong at the University, where he trained as a bodyguard, and spent 10 years as an amateur boxer.
Relations
One of the most iconic aspects of Gary’s career was his relationship on the screen with Ji-Hyo Song on Running Man, who earned them the beloved nickname of “Monday Couple”. The name was born from the show filming program, as the episodes were recorded every Monday. Their chemistry, affectionate interactions and Gary’s open admiration for Song Ji-Hyo have fueled the voices of appointments, with fans of all of Asia who hope to be a real couple. Despite six years of playful moments and a strong support of the fans, neither of them confirmed a relationship beyond the show.
In October 2016, Gary left “Running Man” to focus on his music, marking the end of Monday’s couple. So, in April 2017, he shocked the fans by announcing his marriage to a non -celebrity. His sudden departure and the lack of contact with the cast of Running Man aroused disappointment, with the song Ji-Hyo who admitted that he had learned only his wedding through the news.
After her wedding, Gary moved away from the entertainment sector, choosing to focus on her family. Although his quiet exit initially had to face criticism, fans eventually accepted his decision, supporting his new chapter in life.
Filmography
Movie
- Dachimawa Lee (2008)
- Radio Wonderful (2014)
Television series
- Emergency couple (2014)
- A girl who sees the smells (2015)
Variety shows
- Running Man (2010 – 2016)
- Ceremony Kang (2017)
- The Return of Superman (2020)
- Jungle Law in the zero point (2020)
- Jungle Law in Ulleungdo and Dokdo (2021)
- Artistock Game (2022)
Fun facts
- It could be known as a hard rapper, but outside the stage it is very calm and fun.
- He is good at giving surprises.
- It has a series of goods for sale that were advertised on “Running Man”.
