Joe Hahn

Joseph "Joe" Hahn was born the youngest of three children[5] in Dallas; Hahn has two older sisters.[5] Hahn grew up in Glendale, California,[5][6] and is a second-generation Korean American.[7]

Hahn graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale in 1995. He then studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena but did not graduate.[8]

Hahn began deejaying in high school,[9] and he studied illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.[6] In college, he met Mike Shinoda and joined his band Xero, which would release its self-titled demo album in 1997. The band later became known as Hybrid Theory in 1999 with the EP release of the same name as the band, then was changed again into Linkin Park during the recording sessions of Hybrid Theory.[9] Hahn and Shinoda guested in the X-Ecutioners' hit single "It's Goin' Down".[10] Hahn also guest starred in Shinoda's Fort Minor's debut album The Rising Tied on the song "Slip Out the Back".[11]

Hahn was called Chairman Hahn on the back cover of Linkin Park's first remix album Reanimation next to the remixes of the songs "With You" and "Cure for the Itch", titled "Wth>You" and "Kyur4 TH Ich", respectively. Hahn has directed several of Linkin Park's music videos, such as those for "Numb", "From the Inside", "What I've Done", "Somewhere I Belong", "Pts.OF.Athrty", "New Divide", "Bleed It Out" and "Iridescent".[12] He has also directed videos for Alkaline Trio, Static-X, Story of the Year, and Xzibit.[6] In a 2003 interview, he told MTV that film-making was his true passion, and that "doing the music [was] more of an extra thing".[12] He is known to add various dramatic effects to the music videos he directs, such as casting a snake in the video for "Iridescent".

Outside of his work in music, Hahn provided special effects work on The X-Files and the miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune.[13] He also directed a short film called The Seed[14] and acquired the rights to produce a film adaptation of China Miéville's novel King Rat.[15]

Hahn directed the trailer for the video game Medal of Honor, featuring Linkin Park's single "The Catalyst".[16] Hahn also directed the music video for "The Catalyst", which premiered on August 26, 2010, as well as the music video for Linkin Park's "Waiting for the End" and "Burning in the Skies". On April 13, 2011, Mike Shinoda confirmed on his blog that the music video for "Iridescent" would be directed by Hahn.

Hahn became the first Korean American to receive a Grammy when the band won the 2002 award for Best Hard Rock Performance.[7][17] In November 2011, Hahn designed a helmet of Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi.[18] As of April 2012, Hahn directed a film adaptation of Eric Bogosian's Mall, based on the novel, which stars and is executive produced by Vincent D'Onofrio. The musical score for the album was handled by Linkin Park and Alec Puro of Deadsy for the film.[19][20]

In 2019, he was a judge in the South Korean JTBC talent show Superband.[21][22]

In 2022, Hahn composed the original score for the Samurai movie Blade of the 47 Ronin along with co-contributor Alec Puro.

On February 15, 2005, Hahn married Karen Benedit; they divorced in 2009.[23] On October 21, 2012, Hahn married Heidi Woan, whom he had met about two years prior in 2010. Their daughter was born the next year.[24]

• Joe Hahn at IMDb
• "Billboard" – Google Books