Paul Kim marks 10th debut anniversary with Japanese singles, performances, and commemorative album

Paul Kim — real name Kim Tae-hyung — is moving into the Japanese market as he approaches his 10th debut anniversary. He's releasing Japanese-language singles, including a Japanese version of 너를 만나 and original new songs, while booking performances, showcases, and fan meetings for Japanese fans. A 10th-anniversary commemorative album is also underway.

He debuted in 2014 with the single album 커피 한 잔 할래요. The 2018 drama OST 모든 날, 모든 순간 changed everything: it landed in the top tier of both the Melon and Gaon annual charts, held a spot in the annual chart TOP 10 for two consecutive years, and has since crossed 300 million streams on Gaon to earn triple platinum certification.

비, released in 2016 without much initial traction, found its audience from 2018 onward. Its chart position climbs every time it rains. It now sits above 200,000 hearts on Melon. 너를 만나, out October 29, 2018, hit No. 1 on Melon's November monthly chart, stayed inside the top 40 for over a year, and cleared 300,000 Melon hearts. 초록빛 reached No. 1 on Melon's domestic daily chart. 헤어질 걸 알아 peaked at No. 3 on the real-time chart.

The Hotel Del Luna OST 안녕 ran four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Melon's weekly chart and topped the September 2019 monthly chart. (That's a lot of chart-toppers for one guy without a dedicated fandom machine behind him.) The Japan push now gives that catalog a new audience to find it.