Leo (singer)

Jung Taek-woon (Korean: 정택운; born on November 10, 1990),[1] better known by his stage name Leo (Korean: 레오), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and musical theatre actor, signed under Jellyfish Entertainment. Leo debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group VIXX in May 2012,[2] and began his acting career in 2014 in the musical Full House as Lee Young-jae.[3] In 2015 he began his songwriting career,[4] and with VIXX member Ravi formed the group's first official sub-unit VIXX LR.[5]

In this Korean name, the family name is Jung.
Leo
정택운
Leo at WFMF concert in September 2016
Born
Jung Taek-woon[1]

(1990-11-10) November 10, 1990
Seoul, South Korea
EducationBaekseok University
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actor
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
Years active2012–present
LabelsJellyfish
Member of

Early life

Born in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, South Korea, his family consists of himself, his parents and three older sisters. Leo studied music composition at Baekseok University and was a member of the National Youth Soccer Players from 2004 to 2007. Growing up, Leo was actively involved in swimming, boxing, taekwondo (blue belt), and soccer.[6][7] While recovering from an injury, he developed an interest in becoming a singer after listening to Wheesung's "Walking in the Sky".[8]

Career

2012–2014: Career beginnings
Main article: VIXX

Leo was one of ten trainees who were contestants in Mnet's survival reality show MyDOL. Leo was one of the six contestants who were chosen to be a part of the final line-up of the new boy group VIXX.[9] The group debuted with "Super Hero"[10] on May 24, 2012[2] on M! Countdown.[11][12] During MyDOL, Leo was featured in Brian Joo's "Let This Die" and Seo In-guk's "Shake It Up" music videos.[13][14] After his debut with VIXX, Leo appeared in episode 4 of SBS' television drama The Heirs alongside his group members.

As an avid sports fan, Leo has appeared in several athletic variety shows with other idols such as Dream Team and Idol Athletics Championship.[15][16]

In 2014, Leo had a cameo role in SBS' television drama Glorious Day alongside Hyuk and was cast in the musical Full House in the lead role of Lee Young-jae from April to June at the Hongik Daehakro Art Center, Grand Theater in Seoul.[3] Later that year, Leo also participated in the Y.Bird from Jellyfish Island project created by Jellyfish Entertainment CEO Hwang Se-jun by collaborating with Lyn on her self-composed single "Blossom Tears" (Korean: 꽃잎놀이); their single Y.BIRD from Jellyfish with LYn X Leo was the fourth in the series. In the haunting music video, he played a psychopath who killed the women he loved so that he could keep them.[4]

2015–2016: Composing, VIXX LR and musical
Main article: VIXX LR

In 2015, Leo composed the song "On a Cold Night" (Korean: 차가운 밤에) for VIXX's fifth single album Boys' Record. Originally written as a duet between him and Ken, a studio version was released with the rest of the members performing for that album.[4]

On August 7, 2015, Jellyfish Entertainment released a video trailer on VIXX's official website after a mysterious countdown with a silhouette of VIXX's last special album Boys' Record. As time went by, members of VIXX disappeared until finally only Leo and Ravi were left behind, which caused fans to speculate that it meant another comeback for all six members. A video trailer of VIXX LR was then revealed.[17]

VIXX LR was confirmed by Jellyfish Entertainment to be VIXX's first official sub-unit composed of rapper Ravi and vocalist Leo. Their debut EP, Beautiful Liar, was released on August 17, 2015.[18][19][20] On the same day VIXX LR held their first showcase for Beautiful Liar at Yes24 Muv Hall in Seoul′s Mapo-gu.[21][22]

In 2016 Leo was cast in the musical Mata Hari in the lead role of Armand from March 25 to June 12 at the Blue Square in Seoul. It was confirmed that he would be shedding his stage name and using his birth name Jung Taek Woon for the role instead, unlike his previous musical role in Full House where he was credited as Leo.[23][24]

On September 20, 2016, Leo collaborated with actress and DJ Park So-hyun to celebrate SBS Power FM’s 20th Anniversary and released the song "That's All" (Korean: 그뿐야) as part of SBS Power FM's 20th Anniversary song project.[25]

Leo was cast in the musical Monte Cristo in the supporting role of Albert from November 19, 2016, to February 12, 2017, at the Chungmu Arts Center Grand Theater.[26][27]

2017–present: Solo debut

On October 16, 2017, it was announced that Leo had been cast in the musical The Last Kiss as Crown Prince Rudolf.[28]

On July 21, 2018, it was announced that Leo will be releasing his first solo EP titled Canvas on July 31, 2018.[29]

From August 31 to September 2, Leo had his first ever solo concert "LEO 1st SOLO CONCERT [CANVAS]" which was held at Blue Square Eye Market Hall[30]

On May 14, 2019, Leo announced about his "2nd Solo Concert [MUSE]" which was in June 2019.[31] Leo's second EP Muse was released on June 17.[32] On August 3, 2022, Leo released a teaser video of Coming Soon through his official YouTube and SNS channels.[33]

Personal life

Leo enlisted for his mandatory military service on December 2, 2019, serving as a public service worker due to severe panic disorder and depression.[34][35] He was discharged on September 9, 2021.[36]

Discography
For Leo's works with VIXX and VIXX LR, see VIXX discography and VIXX LR § Discography.

Extended plays
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
Circle
[37]		 TW
[38]		 US World
[39]
Canvas
Track list
  1. "Touch & Sketch"
  2. "Cover Girl" (Feat. LE)
  3. "Free Tempo"
  4. "Give Me Something"
  5. "Nowadays" (나는 요즘)
  6. "Gesture"
  7. "Dream" (꿈)
 257
Muse
  • Released: June 17, 2019
  • Label: Jellyfish Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. "Romanticism" (로맨티시즘)
  2. "This About to Happen" (다가오는 것들) (feat. Choiza)
  3. "Nostalgia" (향수병)
  4. "Tight" (타이트해)
  5. "Muse"
  6. "The Flower" (feat. Maximilian Hecker)
 6——
Piano Man Op.9
  • Released: August 23, 2022
  • Label: Jellyfish Entertainment, Kakao M
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. "Beautiful Love"
  2. "Losing Game"
  3. "So Easy"
  4. "Chilling"
  5. "Blue Rain"
 8——
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Singles
Title Year Peak chart position Sales Album
KOR
Gaon
[43]
As lead artist
"Touch & Sketch" 2018 — — Canvas
"You Are There, But Not There" (있는데 없는 너)
(feat. Hanhae)		 — Non-album single
"The Flower"
(feat. Maximilian Hecker)		 2019 — Muse
"Romanticism" (로맨티시즘) —
"All of Me" — Non-album singles
"December, The Night of Dreams" (12월 꿈의 밤) —
"I'm Still Here" (남아있어) 2021 —
"Losing Game" 2022 — Piano Man Op.9
Collaborations
"Blossom Tears" (꽃잎놀이)
(with LYn)		 2014 11 Y.BIRD from Jellyfish with LYn X Leo
"That's All" (그뿐야)[upper-alpha 1]
(with Park So-hyun)		 2016 — — Non-album single
"We, the Reds" (우리는 하나)
(with Sejeong)		 2018 — 2018 National Football Team Cheering Album 'We, the Reds'
"Feel Love" 2019 — Space Project (공간) part 3.
Soundtrack appearances
"I Belong to Me" (나는 나만의 것) 2019 — — Musical Elizabeth 2018
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Compilation appearances
Title Year Peak chart position Sales Album
KOR
"The Last Game" (마지막 승부)
(with Rich)		 2016 — — King of Mask Singer Episode 49
"To Heaven" — King of Mask Singer Episode 50
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that reg

Songwriting credits
See also: List of songs recorded by VIXX
Year Album Song Artist Lyrics Music Notes
Credited With Credited With
2015Boys' Record"On a Cold Night"VIXXYesRavi (rap)Yes—[46]
Beautiful Liar"Words to Say"VIXX LRYes—Yes—[47]
"My Light"YesRaviYesMELODESIGN
2016Depend on Me"Shadow"VIXXYes—Yes—Limited Edition A Bonus Track[48]
Hana-Kaze (花風)"Moonlight"Yes—Yes—
That's All"That's All"Leo x Park So-hyunYes—YesJo Yong-ho[49]
Kratos"Romance is Over"VIXXYesRaviYes—[50]
2017Whisper"Beautiful Night"VIXX LRYesRaviYesAVGS
"Feeling"YesRaviYesAVGS
2018 Canvas "Touch & Sketch" Leo Yes — No Andreas Stone Johansson, Matt Wong, Jamie Jones, G'harah "PK" Degeddingseze [51]
"Cover Girl" (ft. LE) Yes LE (rap) Yes AVGS
"Free Tempo" Yes — Yes AVGS
"Give me something" Yes — No Kevin Charge, Justin Reinstein
"Nowadays" (나는 요즘) Yes — Yes Ryan IM
"Gesture" Yes — Yes AVGS
"Dream" (꿈) Yes — Yes AVGS

Notes

  1. "That’s All" was Part 2 of SBS Power FM's 20th Anniversary Song Project.[45]

Filmography
For Leo's Filmography with VIXX, see VIXX videography.

Television series
YearTitleRoleNotes Ref.
2014 The Heirs Himself Cameo ep. 4

Web series
Year Title Role Ref.
2022 Happy Ending Outside the Fence Kim Jung-hyun [52]

Television shows
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 King of Mask Singer Contestant as "Heungbu Be Stifled" Episodes 49–50 [53][54]
2017 Singing Battle – Victory Contestant Episodes 16–17

Musicals
Year Title Role Notes
2014 Full House Lee Young-jae Lead role, credited as Leo
2016–17 Mata Hari Armand
  • Lead role, credited as Jung Taek Woon
  • Returned for a second run in 2017[55]
2016–17 Monte Cristo Albert Supporting role, credited as Jung Taek Woon
2017–18 The Last Kiss Prince Rudolf Lead role, credited as Jung Taek Woon
2018–19 Elisabeth Der Tod Lead role, credited as Jung Taek Woon
2019 Marie Antoinette Count Axel Von Fersen Lead role, credited as Jung Taek Woon[56]
2021 Frankenstein Henri Dupre Credited as Jung Taek Woon[57][58]
2022 Bungee Jumping of Their Own Seo In-woo [59]
2022–23 West Side Story Riff [60]

Awards and nominations
See also: List of awards and nominations received by VIXX

References
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  3. Hong, Grace Danbi (March 5, 2014). "B2ST Yang Yo Seop, A Pink Jung Eun Ji, VIXX Leo, Joo, and More to Star in Musical Full House". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. "A Bitter Serenade". Ceci Magazine (in Korean). September 2014.
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  59. Kim Hyun-jung (May 9, 2022). "이창용·정택운·렌·위키미키 지수연 등 '번지점프를 하다' 캐스팅 [공식입장]" [Lee Chang-yong, Jung Taek-woon, Ren, Weki Meki Ji Soo-yeon, etc. Casting 'Bungee Jumping [Official position]] (in Korean). xportsnews. Retrieved May 9, 2022 – via Naver.
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