Kim Ho Joong is a South Korean singer, first trained as a classical singer but now focusing on trot music. He graduated from Gimcheon Arts High School.

From an early age, he was a problematic child, always fighting in school, but got interested in classical music after listening to Luciano Pavarotti singing "Nessun Dorma". He began taking vocal lessons but, due to his poor background, could only afford one lesson per week. After getting in more trouble, it was the death of his grandmother who changed him and put him in the right path.

In 2008, he won the Sejong Music Competition and the National Suri Music Competition, and he was invited to appear in the show "Star King" in 2009. He lived in Germany for some time to continue training in classical music. He officially made his debut in 2013 with the digital single "My Person". The 2013 movie "My Paparotti" is allegedly based on his life, but it has never been made official by the movie company. He then began appearing in several shows and gained more popularity after competing in "Mr. Trot" in 2020, but was involved in several illegal betting and gambling scandals during that time. He was found guilty of gambling but managed a deferred sentence. To avoid controversy, he decided to complete his military service as a social worker and was enrolled from September 2020 until June 2022. He returned to TV, trying to restore his image.

However, in May 2024, he was involved in a new scandal when he allegedly caused a traffic accident while driving under the influence and fled the scene without taking the required measures. The case sparked widespread public outrage after authorities uncovered organized efforts to obstruct the investigation, as a staff member from his agency claimed to be the driver and the vehicle's black box memory card had been removed and damaged by an agency employee. After denying the claims, he finally accepted his responsibility and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. He applied for parole in mid-2025, but it was denied. He re-applied in June 2026, and it was accepted, so he was released on June 30, 2026, after serving nearly 2 years in jail.

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