Kim Jin-woo

Kim Jin-woo (; born September 26, 1991), also known mononymously as Jinu, is a South Korean singer, actor and member of Winner under YG Entertainment. The band debuted on August 12, 2014, with the full-length album entitled 2014 S/S. Kim also debuted as a soloist on August 14, 2019, with the single album titled Jinu's Heyday. Life and career 1991–2012: Early life Kim Jin-woo was born on September 26, 1991, in Imja Island, Sinan County, South Jeolla, South Korea, and resided in Mokpo since the age of seven (Korean age) with his family of which he is a middle child of amid two sisters. Kim was raised by his grandmother for most of his childhood and adolescence and whom he felt most attached to amongst members of his family. His father was often found absent within the household due to his line of business in fisheries as the captain of a fishing boat and its cycle of sailing for three or six month intervals before his return. He and his younger sister of eight years, were also distant by his truancy from each others lives. In the midst of his senior year of high school his curiosity and admiration for the late veteran actress Choi Jin-sil stemmed an interest for acting which led the 19-year-old (Korean age) to join an acting institute in Mokpo. Kim soon enrolled for its vocal and dance lessons and learned all of its branches were owned by Seungri of Big Bang – notable attendees include BTS' J-Hope and Mijoo of Lovelyz. Kim was scouted by the celebrity and travelled to Seoul to attend a private audition for YG Entertainment with his referral and waited six months before his recruitment into its trainee program in August 2010. Ahead of his acceptance, he had previously auditioned for a large-scale company besides YG Entertainment but did not pass and also declined an offer to join a different agency through casting.