The TRAX
Encyclopedia
TRAX is a South Korea
n rock band formed in the summer of 2004 by S.M. Entertainment
and formerly produced by X Japan
's co-founder Yoshiki. The name "TRAX" refers to "recording tracks", but also stands for the first letter of each original member's stage name, Typhoon of the Rose Attack on X-Mas. Originally a nu metal
/rock band, they changed to a straight pop
sound when drummer Rose left in 2006
vs. KangTa
Battle of the Century" along with TVXQ's Xiah
and Super Junior
's Sungmin
and Eunhyuk
.
's eleventh single "Rock With You" in December 2003. TRAX held its first concert on July 26, 2004 at Ziller Hall. They were featured in TVXQ
's first two albums, Tri-Angle and Rising Sun. The band promoted in both South Korea and Japan
with mixed success.
In May 2006, the drummer Rose left the band to pursue other interests. The band continued as a trio until 2007, when bassist Attack quietly disappeared from the group.
They released a digital single as a project band called TRAX+Air for the Korean drama Swallow the Sun.
S.M. Entertainment announced that the band was to release their first mini-album on January 25, 2010. The lead single, Let You Go, was promoted with an MV featuring Heechul of Super Junior
and Victoria
of f(x)
as the leads. The mini-album contains songs written and composed by both Typhoon and X-Mas, and will feature other artists such as Key of SHINee
, Wheesung
and Shin Min Chul of T-MAX.
In August 2010, TRAX became a special guest for Super Junior's third Asian tour, Super Show 3 in some tour dates, performing on the bridge of the song Don't Don
. Their second mini-album, Oh! My Goddess, was released on September 6, 2010. Seohyun
of Girl's Generation was featured in the MV of the same title.
They also sang the song "Tell Me Your Love" for KBS's drama Mary Stayed Out All Night, featuring Moon Geun Young and Jang Geun Seok.
In 2011 X-Mas teamed up with his label mate Heechul of Super Junior for the group M&D. M&D's first title track "뭘봐 (Close Ur Mouth/What Are You Looking At?)" was released on the June 22 online.
On November 10th, TRAX will be making a return with their 3rd Mini-Album,"Window", their first release in over a year.
(제이김), April 08, 1984 (age 27), is the leader and main vocalist of the band. He grew up in California
, United States
. An occasional actor, he was a supporting character in 2009 drama series Romance Zero
. He participated in musicals such as Brothers Were Brave and Rock of Ages
in 2010. He would be performing in a musical of The Three Musketeers
, along with Super Junior
's Kyuhyun
. He was cast to act alongside Super Junior
's Sungmin
in the KBS drama President. He plays the role of Sungmin's half-brother. The drama aired on December 15, 2010.
He also was in a group (S.M. The Ballad) along with Kyuhyun and SHINee
's Jonghyun
.
(노민우), May 29, 1986 (age 25), was the original drummer for the band as well as a back-up vocalist and guitarist. He left the group in 2006, and has attended Inha University
.
Rose recently resurfaced in 2009 as a member of the singing trio 24/7, as well as taking part in a single with Girls' Generation
's Sunny for Story of Wine
s soundtrack. In 2010, he starred as a chef in MBC drama series Pasta
along with his 24/7 members.
He is also in the 2010 drama My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox as one of the main characters. In December 2010, he starred in a special drama Rock Rock Rock as the legendary guitarist Kim Tae-won.
He has also appeared in the movie A Frozen Flower
.
In 2011, he is starring in another drama called Midas as one of the main characters alongside Jang Hyuk
, Kim Hee Ae and Lee Min Jung.
He is going to play in Fullhouse 2 that will be air on march 2012 in both Japan and South Korea, also he will be play as vampire in Vampire Idol that will be air on 5th dec 2011.
It has been confirmed that Attack left the group to pursue other interests, but it is unknown if he is still with S.M. Entertainment or not. He has had no activity with TRAX since 2007.
TVXQ - Volume 2 - Rising Sun (September 12, 2005)
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n rock band formed in the summer of 2004 by S.M. Entertainment
S.M. Entertainment
S.M. Entertainment is an independent Korean record label, talent agency, producer, and publisher of pop music, founded by Lee Soo-man in South Korea...
and formerly produced by X Japan
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
's co-founder Yoshiki. The name "TRAX" refers to "recording tracks", but also stands for the first letter of each original member's stage name, Typhoon of the Rose Attack on X-Mas. Originally a nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
/rock band, they changed to a straight pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
sound when drummer Rose left in 2006
Pre-debut
In 2000, S.M. Entertainment decided to produce a rock group, which took them four years to materialize. The TRAX members, Typhoon, Rose, and Attack first appeared in the "2002 Survival Audition HeeJunMoon Hee Jun
Moon Hee-joon is a South Korean pop/rock singer-songwriter, and formerly a notable boyband leader of the group H.O.T. He created PS Entertainment after leaving SM Entertainment. Currently he is under a company called Sidus HQ.- Criticism :...
vs. KangTa
Kangta
Ahn Chil-Hyun , better known by his stage name Kangta is a South Korean pop, R&B singer, first known as the lead singer the boy band H.O.T. ....
Battle of the Century" along with TVXQ's Xiah
Xiah
Kim Junsu , also known by his stage name Xiah , is a South Korean singer-songwriter, composer and occasional actor...
and Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
's Sungmin
Sungmin
Lee Sungmin 이성민 , or most commonly known as Sungmin 성민, is a South Korean idol singer and actor. He is one of the four lead vocalists and one of the main dancer of the South Korean boy band Super Junior. He is also a member of Super Junior subgroup Super Junior-T, Super Junior-H and recently became...
and Eunhyuk
Eunhyuk
Lee Hyuk-jae , better known by his stage name Eunhyuk, is a South Korean idol singer, dancer, rapper, presenter, song writer, and occasional actor. He is a part of the thirteen member South Korean boyband Super Junior. His position in the group is the lead rapper and one of the three lead dancers...
.
2004–2007
The band made their first public appearance for BoABoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
's eleventh single "Rock With You" in December 2003. TRAX held its first concert on July 26, 2004 at Ziller Hall. They were featured in TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
's first two albums, Tri-Angle and Rising Sun. The band promoted in both South Korea and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with mixed success.
In May 2006, the drummer Rose left the band to pursue other interests. The band continued as a trio until 2007, when bassist Attack quietly disappeared from the group.
2008–present: Acting activities and comeback
From late 2008 to early 2009, vocalist Typhoon and guitarist X-Mas joined Super Junior members Heechul and Kangin as regulars in MNet's Band of Brothers. In 2009, X-Mas was also cast on a short-lived show called Oppa Band along with Super Junior member Sungmin.They released a digital single as a project band called TRAX+Air for the Korean drama Swallow the Sun.
S.M. Entertainment announced that the band was to release their first mini-album on January 25, 2010. The lead single, Let You Go, was promoted with an MV featuring Heechul of Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
and Victoria
Victoria Song
Song Qian , better known as Victoria Song or mononymously as Victoria was born February 2, 1987, is a Chinese singer, dancer and model, leader of the 5 member South Korean girl group f....
of f(x)
F(x) (band)
f is a five member South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2009. The name is a play on the mathematical notation for function, and when input with different 'x', there can be many different outcomes. f strives to be the kind of girl group that can change and adapt to many situations....
as the leads. The mini-album contains songs written and composed by both Typhoon and X-Mas, and will feature other artists such as Key of SHINee
SHINee
Shinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
, Wheesung
Wheesung
-EPs:*2006: Against All Odds*2008: 스마일 프로젝트 Vol.2 'Love Seat*2009: 휘성 with D.O*2009: Insomnia*2010: Realslow Is Back*2010: Winter Night*2011: Words That Freeze My Heart-OSTs:*2006: 중천의 기억*2009: 우리집에 왜 왔니...
and Shin Min Chul of T-MAX.
In August 2010, TRAX became a special guest for Super Junior's third Asian tour, Super Show 3 in some tour dates, performing on the bridge of the song Don't Don
Don't Don (song)
"돈 돈! ", literally translated to "Money, Money! ", is an R&B/rock song written by Yoo Young Jin and Groovie K for the Korean boy band Super Junior, which was released in their second album, Don't Don on September 20, 2007...
. Their second mini-album, Oh! My Goddess, was released on September 6, 2010. Seohyun
Seohyun
Seo Joo-Hyun , more commonly known as Seohyun , is a South Korean idol singer , dancer, actress, and spokesmodel. She is a member of the Korean girl group Girls' Generation and is the youngest member and one of the lead vocalists of the group....
of Girl's Generation was featured in the MV of the same title.
They also sang the song "Tell Me Your Love" for KBS's drama Mary Stayed Out All Night, featuring Moon Geun Young and Jang Geun Seok.
In 2011 X-Mas teamed up with his label mate Heechul of Super Junior for the group M&D. M&D's first title track "뭘봐 (Close Ur Mouth/What Are You Looking At?)" was released on the June 22 online.
On November 10th, TRAX will be making a return with their 3rd Mini-Album,"Window", their first release in over a year.
Typhoon
Jay "Typhoon" KimTyphoon (entertainer)
Jay Kim known under the stage name Typhoon, is a Korean-American singer and lead singer of South Korean rock band TRAX.-Background:...
(제이김), April 08, 1984 (age 27), is the leader and main vocalist of the band. He grew up in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. An occasional actor, he was a supporting character in 2009 drama series Romance Zero
Romance Zero
Romance Zero , also called Full Romance or Zero Flawed Task Force, is a 16-episode Korean TV drama that first aired on February 14, 2009 on MBC.-Storyline:...
. He participated in musicals such as Brothers Were Brave and Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages (musical)
Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Asia, among...
in 2010. He would be performing in a musical of The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
, along with Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
's Kyuhyun
Kyuhyun
Cho Kyuhyun , best known mononymously as Kyuhyun, is a Korean pop singer. He is the youngest member of a very popular boy band Super Junior. In Super Junior, he is a main vocalist. He is also one of the first four Korean artists to appear on Chinese postage stamps...
. He was cast to act alongside Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
's Sungmin
Sungmin
Lee Sungmin 이성민 , or most commonly known as Sungmin 성민, is a South Korean idol singer and actor. He is one of the four lead vocalists and one of the main dancer of the South Korean boy band Super Junior. He is also a member of Super Junior subgroup Super Junior-T, Super Junior-H and recently became...
in the KBS drama President. He plays the role of Sungmin's half-brother. The drama aired on December 15, 2010.
He also was in a group (S.M. The Ballad) along with Kyuhyun and SHINee
SHINee
Shinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
's Jonghyun
Jonghyun
Kim Jonghyun , also known monomously as Jonghyun, is a South Korean idol singer, songwriter and dancer. He is most famous for being a member of the quintet contemporary R&B and pop boy band, Shinee and project ballad group SM The Ballad, both under the SM Entertainment label in South Korea...
.
X-Mas
Kim "X-Mas" Jung Mo (김정모), March 26, 1985 (age 26), is the guitarist of the band. He uses a Zemaitis GZ501-Heart/BK electric guitar. Was part of the TV show Oppa Band with Super Junior's Sungmin.Rose
No "Rose" Min-wooNo Min-woo
No Min-woo is a South Korean actor. He debuted in 2004 with the stage name Rose as the drummer for the band The TRAX under S.M. entertainment until he left the group in 2006. After leaving the band, No Min Woo pursued a career in acting and has returned to the music scene, as the leader of 24/7...
(노민우), May 29, 1986 (age 25), was the original drummer for the band as well as a back-up vocalist and guitarist. He left the group in 2006, and has attended Inha University
Inha University
Inha University is a private, co-educational university located in Incheon, South Korea. It is owned by Hanjin Group.Inha University was established by the first president of South Korea, Syngman Rhee. It is a Korean-American collaboration school, even in its name: the Morpheme "In" comes from the...
.
Rose recently resurfaced in 2009 as a member of the singing trio 24/7, as well as taking part in a single with Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
's Sunny for Story of Wine
Story of Wine
Story of Wine is a 2008 South Korean film directed by Lee Cheol-ha and starring Lee Ki-woo .-Profile:* Movie: Story of Wine* Revised romanization: Seutori Obeu Wain* Hangul: 스토리 오브 와인...
s soundtrack. In 2010, he starred as a chef in MBC drama series Pasta
Pasta (TV series)
Pasta is a South Korean TV series broadcast by MBC from January 2010 to March 2010.-Synopsis:Pasta covers the dreams and success of a young woman who aspires to become an elite chef at La Sfera restaurant....
along with his 24/7 members.
He is also in the 2010 drama My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox as one of the main characters. In December 2010, he starred in a special drama Rock Rock Rock as the legendary guitarist Kim Tae-won.
He has also appeared in the movie A Frozen Flower
A Frozen Flower
A Frozen Flower is a 2008 South Korean film. It is directed by Yoo Ha and stars Zo In Sung, Ju Jin-mo and Song Ji-hyo. The historical film is set Goryeo Dynasty and is loosely based on the reign of Gongmin of Goryeo , but it does not strictly comply with historical facts...
.
In 2011, he is starring in another drama called Midas as one of the main characters alongside Jang Hyuk
Jang Hyuk
- Career :As a child, Jang Hyuk spent most of his life in his birthplace Busan, before making his drama debut in the SBS drama Model in 1997. Besides the TV drama School and a minor role in the little-seen film Zzang, Jang appeared in g.o.d.'s music video of their 1999 debut single To My Mother...
, Kim Hee Ae and Lee Min Jung.
He is going to play in Fullhouse 2 that will be air on march 2012 in both Japan and South Korea, also he will be play as vampire in Vampire Idol that will be air on 5th dec 2011.
Attack
Kang "Attack" Jung Woo (강정우), June 15, 1985 (age 26), was the original bassist for the band. He goes by both, his birth name and nickname "Dul Bong". He uses a ZON's Sonus5 (SVT Classic).It has been confirmed that Attack left the group to pursue other interests, but it is unknown if he is still with S.M. Entertainment or not. He has had no activity with TRAX since 2007.
Other works
TVXQ - Volume 1 - Tri-Angle (October 13, 2004)- Track 3 - Tri-Angle (feat. BoA and TRAX)
TVXQ - Volume 2 - Rising Sun (September 12, 2005)
- Track 10 - Free Your Mind (feat. TRAX)
- The TRAX also sang a rock version of "Don't Don 돈!돈!" by Super JuniorSuper JuniorSuper Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
, before Super Junior even released the album.