XIA

Actor

Born: December 15, 1986 (age 39) · Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea

Kim Jun-su, known mononymously as Junsu or by the stage name XIA, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and musical actor. He is a former member of JYJ, and was one of the original members of TVXQ!, during which time he was known by the stage name Xiah Junsu.

XIA made his debut in 2003 as a member of TVXQ!, a boy band produced and formed by South Korean record label and talent agency SM Entertainment, having previously been a trainee for six years. During his time in TVXQ!, the group released four Korean albums, four Japanese albums, thirty Japanese singles, and several Korean singles. In 2009, XIA and fellow TVXQ! members Kim Jae-joong and Park Yoo-chun filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, arguing that their exclusive contracts were unilaterally disadvantageous towards the artists and should be invalidated. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the three and granted an injunction suspending their contracts. The trio reunited and subsequently formed JYJ in 2010. JYJ has since released one English album, two Korean albums, one Japanese EP, and one Korean EP.

XIA began his solo career in 2010 with the release of the Japanese EP Xiah, which peaked at number 2 on Japan's Oricon Singles Chart. Later that year, he made his musical debut in the role of Wolfgang in Mozart!, receiving critical acclaim and commercial success. In May 2012, he made his solo debut in South Korea with the studio album Tarantallegra and embarked on his first headlining world tour.

Despite limitations in media coverage and promotional activities caused by a ban in the Entertainment Departments of South Korea's three main terrestrial broadcasters resulting from SM Entertainment's interference, XIA's first and second studio albums reached the top 2 on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart, as well as reaching number-ten and number-five on the Billboard World Albums chart for Tarantallegra and Incredible, respectively. He is also known for being able to sell out tickets for his concerts and musicals within minutes, dubbed "the ticket power" by South Korean media. In November 2021, XIA formed his own agency, Palm Tree Island, with him as CEO.