Eric Nam Biography

(Singer-Songwriter and Television Personality)

Birthday: November 17, 1988 (Scorpio)

Born In: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

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Eric Nam is a Korean-American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur based in South Korea. He has two extended plays, six singles, six collaboration singles, five appearances in soundtracks and 12 music videos to his credit as of October 2017. The witty Nam sprinkles his songs with jazzy funk and feel-good electro-pop. Unlike many mainstream Korean artists, he doesn’t limit himself, and explores several genres like alt- synth-pop and R&B, and collaborates with other singers. He considers himself a bit older than many in the field and has not been through any training that most K-pop singers go through. He also takes interest in, and gets involved with his music production. Although he admits that he cannot emulate Korean style of singing as he was born and brought up in the US, his singing style is different from the others in the industry which gives him a unique advantage. While he has never made his Korean-American experience the subject of his music, it definitely impacts his creative process. A highly popular figure, he was named GQ Korea's Man of the Year in 2016 and was included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia in 2017.
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Quick Facts

Age: 36 Years, 36 Year Old Males

Family:

father: Nam Beom-jin

siblings: Eddy Nam

K-Pop Singers Rhythm & Blues Singers

Height: 5'9" (175 cm), 5'9" Males

City: Atlanta, Georgia

U.S. State: Georgia

More Facts

education: Boston College

  • 1

    Where did Eric Nam grow up?

    Eric Nam was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States.
  • 2

    How did Eric Nam start his career in the entertainment industry?

    Eric Nam started his career by auditioning for a talent competition in South Korea called "Birth of a Great Star 2" in 2012, where he gained recognition for his talent and charisma.
  • 3

    What languages does Eric Nam speak fluently?

    Eric Nam is fluent in both English and Korean, which allows him to connect with a diverse audience.
  • 4

    What inspired Eric Nam to pursue a career in music?

    Eric Nam's passion for music was sparked during his childhood when he performed in church choirs and school musicals. His love for music drove him to pursue a career as a singer.
  • 5

    How does Eric Nam engage with his fans outside of his music career?

    Eric Nam is known for his active presence on social media platforms, where he interacts with his fans through live streams, Q&A sessions, and sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of his life and work.
Childhood & Early Life
Eric Nam was born on November 17, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. His father is Nam Beom-jin and his brothers are Eddie Nam and Brian.
He was passionate about music from a very young age. He started playing the piano when he was four and switched to the cello when he was about nine. He would memorize Korean folk songs from the beginning to end. When he was in school, he was a part of the Atlanta Boy Choir and toured in Italy, where sang at the St. Peter’s Basilica mass in Rome.
While in middle school, he started listening to K-Pop and followed musicians like Shinhwa, BoA, Fly to the Sky, etc. He watched shows like ‘Music Bank,’ ‘Inkigayo,’ and ‘Music Core.’
Eric went to Mexico after 9th grade, and spent two months in Panama in a rural village, where he did community development services. Next summer he worked a few weeks in Guatemala in a soup kitchen for the elderly and homeless people, and also taught trade skills to elementary kids.
As a teenager he recorded cover songs and posted them on YouTube. A JYP representative called him after watching his cover songs, and asked him to participate in a JYP audition in New York. However, he decided finish his studies first.
In 2007, Eric graduated from the Lovett School, where he played soccer and was involved in the orchestra band. He graduated from Boston College in 2011 with a major in International Studies, and a minor in Asian Studies. He also studied for a year at Peking University in Beijing, China.
While he was studying in Beijing, he realized the impact of Hallyu on the Chinese culture, and started following groups like Wonder Girls, Big Bang, Girls’ Generation, 2NE1, 2PM, and 2AM.
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Career
Eric Nam obtained the position of a Business Analyst at Deloitte Consulting in New York City after completing his studies. After sometime, one of his YouTube covers went viral, and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation invited him to Seoul to take part in a competition program, ‘Birth of a Great Star 2’. He was placed in the Top 5 contestants. After the show was over in April 2012, he got an offer from a music company to start his career in South Korea.
After resigning from his New York job, he moved to South Korea in June 2012, and started meeting more companies. He released a digital single ‘Blue Night in Jeju Island’ with a project group named ‘Namaste’ through his mentor’s label during this period.
In September 2012, he signed with B2M Entertainment, a South Korean management agency and music label, as a solo artist. In January 2013, he released his first mini-album ‘Cloud 9’, with the title track ‘Heaven's Door’.
For 2013 to 2016, he served as the MC of Arirang TV's popular live programs, ‘After School Club’, and its spinoff, ‘The ASC After Show’, a show for K-pop artists and their fans, which was broadcast in 188 countries.
He interviewed several celebrities in South Korea like Miranda Kerr, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Noel Gallagher, and many others while he was on MBC's Section TV, ‘Entertainment Relay’. His international and Korean interviews have garnered positive reviews due to his wit and ability to connect with the interviewees on a personal level.
In April 2014, he started concentrating on his music, and returned to Korea's music scene with his first digital single, ‘Ooh Ooh’. He did a stage show at the Seoul Jazz Festival, along with Chris Botti, Jamie Cullum, Damien Rice, Paolo Nutini, and Craig David. The show was a major hit.
In December 2014, he released his second digital single ‘Melt My Heart’. He was featured on Amber Liu's mini-album ‘Beautiful’ on the song ‘I Just Wanna’ in February 2015. He released a new single ‘I'm OK’, along with a music video in March.
In May 2015, he released his single ‘Dream’ that featured 15&'s Park Ji-Min for Charity Project. In December, he signed an exclusive contract with CJ E&M.
On March 4, 2016, Eric took part in SM Entertainment's digital music channel SM Station, and released ‘Spring Love’, a duet track with Red Velvet's Wendy. He released his second mini-album, ‘Interview’ on March 24, which included the title track ‘Good For You’.
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Wanting to penetrate the US music scene, he collaborated with the electronic band, KOLAJ, and released his first US single, ‘Into You’, on June 10, 2016. The single premiered worldwide on Beats 1 Radio and The Fader.
On April 16, 2016, he hosted and performed at SNL Korea, and received one of the highest ratings of the season. In the same month, he joined the virtual marriage show ‘We Got Married, a South Korean reality variety show, where he was paired with Solar, a South Korean singer and actress. He was nominated for an MBC Entertainment Award for the show.
In July 2016, he released another digital single ‘Can't Help Myself’, the lyrics of which was written by Epik High's Tablo. It also featured AOMG rapper Loco. He participated at KCON LA 2016, an annual Korean wave convention held in different locations across the world. He performed ‘Can't Help Myself’ and ‘Into You’ with KOLAJ, and the show was a great success. In November 2016, he along with comedian Yang Se-Hyung hosted a new Mnet's talk show ‘Yang and Nam Show’.
In January 2017, he worked with Gallant and Tablo, and released a single ‘Cave Me In’ and its music video. On March 9, 2017, he collaborated with Jeon So-Mi for the release of the single ‘You, Who?’ Eric Nam was featured on DJ/dance producer, ARTY's single ‘Idea Of You’ on June 9, 2017.
Major Works
Eric Nam’s first US single ‘Into You’ peaked at number 1 on the music blog aggregator ‘Hype Machine.’ After the success of the track, he received coverage from media houses like Buzzfeed, TIME Magazine, LA Times, NBC News, Hypebeast, Fuse TVFusion, USA Today, and many others.
His single ‘Cave Me In’ was premiered worldwide on Zayn Lowe's Beats 1 Radio Show in January 2017. It trended globally on YouTube and Facebook for over 72 hours immediately after its release.
Awards & Achievements
Eric Nam was named the GQ Korean Man of the Year in 2016. The following year he was listed in Forbes 30 Under 30.
Personal Life
Eric Nam is very secretive when it comes to his love life. He maintains a very low profile as an individual and reveals no details about his love life to the media.
Facts About Eric Nam
Eric Nam is fluent in English, Korean, and Spanish, showcasing his impressive language skills.
He once worked as a business consultant before pursuing a career in music, demonstrating his versatility and determination.
Eric Nam has a passion for cooking and often shares his culinary creations on social media, revealing his creative side beyond music.
He is known for his philanthropic efforts, including participating in various charity events and advocating for important causes.
Eric Nam is also a talented host and has appeared on numerous variety shows, showcasing his charismatic personality and quick wit.

See the events in life of Eric Nam in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Eric Nam Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eric-nam-34309.php

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