While a young Chang-kyun once considered pursuing science or education like his father, he began his K-pop journey as a teenager. Known by his given name Changkyun, he was first selected as a member of the five-member boy band Nu’Bility, formed by a company named Special K Entertainment. While they held different events, performances and uploaded content throughout 2013 and 2014, Nu’Bility never officially made their debut and little is known about what happened to the group.

I.M eventually made his way to K-pop agency Starship Entertainment that was home to chart-topping acts such as K.Will and Sistar. In late 2014, the label prepared to form a new boy band through the singing competition survival show No.Mercy that originally pitted 12 trainees against each other for spots in the group.

His role in Monsta X

While I.M’s main role in Monsta X is lead rapper, he is also a great vocalist – and his skills are on full display on the group’s pop-focused English album All About Luv.

Despite joining the No.Mercy competition late as well as being the youngest member of Monsta X, I.M has been heavily involved in his group’s music from the beginning. I.M had writing credits on five tracks on their first EP, Trespass, and has continued to be a consistent lyricist for Monsta X, even helping to produce some of their tracks.

Another unexpected role for I.M has been acting as the main representative of Monsta X overseas. The band’s first US performance came just months after their debut and has led to regular tours of America. While the youngest member usually follows the lead of the older members, I.M needed to step up and not only speak for the group, but act as a translator and interpreter for his bandmates in English-speaking countries.

His image

I.M can be considered the “voice” of his group for more reasons than one.

In 2019, I.M recorded an audiobook for Korean technology platform Naver and earned praise from listeners for his easy-on-the-ears voice. I.M said he accepted the project thinking about how he could personally reach those with visual impairments.

But whether it comes from his facial expressions or blunt answers in interviews, I.M is also known for being brutally honest. When speaking to the British edition of GQ in 2019, he said masculinity was defined by “having a [penis]” – making “his bandmates’ jaws drop and shocked laughter ripple around the table”, according to the article.

His solo work

I.M’s growing solo work has shown the different sides of what he offers as an artist. He rapped and sang on the 2016 track Madeleine, released with his Starship label mate and singer-songwriter Brother Su.

I.M’s later work has revealed his more personal and artistic sides, including Fly With Me (a mellow hip-hop track about his inner desires released on a 2018 mixtape) and his all-English track Horizon (a dreamy 2019 mixtape cut that features American rapper Elhae).

In his own words

While his dream of being a scientist like his father didn’t last, I.M has spoken about how his dad inspires him today.

“My father is always challenging himself in every moment,” he told Refinery29.com in 2019. “He’s 56 and I know that the older you get, the harder it is to do fresh new things, but he keeps finding ways to try.”

I.M has also stressed the importance of what he and Monsta X are doing on an international level.

“Creating a strong and respected reputation is not an easy thing,” I.M told Teen Vogue in 2018 when they were the only Asian act on the Jingle Ball tour in America alongside artists such as Shawn Mendes, 5 Seconds of Summer and Camila Cabello.

“We’re kind of representing K-pop and Asia, acting as an ambassador for Asia. The pressure has to always be on our shoulders and that’s why we don’t do things very simply and easily – we can’t. We always have a responsibility for our culture. I think that always has to be there. I don’t take these things lightly or do it with ease.”