The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 17, on the first episode of Mnet’s Stray Kids in October, Park Jin-young chose the boys’ project team as JYP’s next new act, and nine members including Hyunjin were confirmed. Korea Economic TV reported that Hyunjin drew attention for his looks on the show.
In March 2018, the year he turned 18, he debuted with the mini album I Am Not. The music video for the title track “District 9” passed 4.27 million views within 24 hours, and the album reached No. 1 on the iTunes album charts in 10 regions. In 2019, the group released the mini album Clé: Levanter and announced its Japanese debut for March 2020.
In 2020, the group released its first studio album and “God’s Menu.” The Chosun Ilbo writes that the song drew worldwide attention to the group. On MBC’s year-end show MBC Gayo Daejejeon he covered “Beach Again” with Jang Won-young and Hyunjae.
In February 2021, the agency announced a halt to his activities over rough and inappropriate words he used in middle school. He returned to group activities in June with the single “Mixtape: Oh,” and in August the second studio album Noeasy passed 1.1 million in shipments.
In March 2022, the year he turned 22, Oddinary reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, a first for the group and a third for a K-pop act after BTS and SuperM. In October, Maxident returned to No. 1 six months and three weeks later, and in December he put the solo song “Love Untold” on SKZ-Replay. In 2023, the third studio album 5-Star set a K-pop first-week record, and in July he was named a Versace global ambassador.
In July 2024, Ate reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a fifth straight time, and in August the dominATE world tour began in Seoul. He joined Cartier as an ambassador in September, and in December Hop was a sixth straight No. 1. In 2025, the fourth studio album Karma came out, and a concert in Incheon in October ended the dominATE tour of 56 shows in 35 locations.
In August 2026, the year he turned 26, This & That became the group’s ninth No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and they were the first overseas male act to hold a solo concert at the National Stadium in Tokyo. In September, they headlined Straycity in Colombia and Rock in Rio in Brazil.
Hyunjin (born Mar 20, 2000) became known on Oct 17, 2017, the year he turned 17, when he was confirmed for JYP’s debut team on the first episode of Mnet’s Stray Kids, and debuted with Stray Kids on Mar 26, 2018, the year he turned 18. In 2022, the year he turned 22, the group reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the first time with Oddinary.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.