Initially known as a member of the K-pop boy band H.O.T., Kangta launched his solo career with the award-winning, chart-topping album Polaris in 2001. He was born as "An Chil-hyun" in Seoul, South Korea, on October 10, 1979, and began working as a backup dancer during his teenage years. After joining H.O.T.'s lineup in 1996, Kangta became one of the most popular singers in K-pop, reaching the top of the charts with albums like 1996's We Hate All Kinds of Violence, 1998's Resurrection, and 2000's Outside Castle. Polaris, his debut as a solo artist, followed in 2001, showcasing Kangta's work not only as a singer, but as a songwriter and producer, too. Polaris became one of the era's most popular releases and was followed by 2002's Pine Tree, 2005's Persona (which found Kangta broadening his sound significantly, finding room for jazz, pop, rock, soul, and R&B), and 2022's Eyes on You. He wrote songs for other artists, too, including the K-pop group NRG and the R&B duo Fly to the Sky. In 2023, nearly two decades after Persona's release, the title track "가면" returned to the charts, reaching number 44 on the Top 100 Music 163 - China chart.
