Kim Min-seok, widely recognized by his stage name Xiumin, is a multifaceted South Korean artist, known both for his singing and acting. Born on March 26, 1990, in Seoul, he later moved to Gyeonggi Province where he grew up. Xiumin pursued an education in Applied Music at Catholic Kwandong University, where he also developed skills in various martial arts. His career took off after placing second in the SM Everysing Contest in 2008, which led to his training under SM Entertainment. He rose to prominence as the seventh member of the boy band Exo and its sub-units, Exo-M and Exo-CBX. Apart from his group activities, Xiumin has also ventured into acting, with notable roles in musical theatre and web dramas like Falling for Challenge (2015) and CEO-dol Mart (2023). His solo career began in 2022 with the release of his EP Brand New. Xiumin's journey has not been without challenges; he completed his mandatory military service in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and has faced contractual disputes with SM Entertainment. However, these were resolved, and as of 2024, he has joined Baekhyun's label INB100 to manage his solo activities, while still being part of Exo under SM Entertainment. In March 2025, he released his second EP Interview X, with "Whee!" serving as the title track.
