2017–2019: Stray Kids In 2017, Kim competed in
Mnet's reality survival show
Stray Kids to become a member of the record label's forthcoming boy group
of the same name. In midst of the competition, the group made the single "Hellevator" available via
digital music stores on November 1. The nine-member lineup was confirmed in the final episode of the reality show and Stray Kids released their pre-debut
EP Mixtape and lead single "Beware" on January 8, 2018. |Kim with Stray Kids at the 2019
Golden Disc Awards Kim officially debuted with Stray Kids on March 25, 2018 with a debut showcase performance entitled
Unveil (Op. 01: I Am Not), at
Jangchung Arena. On the next day, Stray Kids released an EP titled
I Am Not and the lead single "District 9" which they showcased during the debut showcase. In this album, he also wrote the lyrics of song "Mixtape #1". On October 28, 2019, Kim left Stray Kids, with JYP Entertainment citing personal circumstances as the reason for his departure from the band. At the same time, JYP announced that their exclusive contract with Kim had been terminated. During his time as a member of Stray Kids, the group released six EPs, all of which were certified platinum by the
Korea Music Content Association.
2020–2023: Solo releases and acting debut In January 2020, Kim posted to a newly created
Instagram account with the phrase "Kim Woojin restart". He held a fan meeting in May and signed with the newly formed 10x Entertainment in August as the first artist on the label's roster. Ahead of his solo debut, Kim issued the pre-debut digital single "Still Dream" on July 8, 2021. His debut EP,
The Moment: A Minor, and its
lead single "Ready Now", were released on August 8. The EP peaked at number-seven on the
Gaon Album Chart. That November, he provided the song "Because It's You" to the soundtrack of
SBS TV drama
Let Me Be Your Knight. In December, Kim starred in the
web film 3.5th Period as the "sweet, handsome guy" Lee Han-ik. In addition to his acting role, Kim contributed the track "Timeless" to the film's official soundtrack. After a delay due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, Kim embarked on his first concert tour, the
Still Dream World Tour, in 2022. The tour supported
The Moment: A Minor and saw Kim visit nineteen countries and perform 33 shows across Europe, Latin America, North America, and Asia after beginning in July. News of Kim's acting debut came in April when it was announced that he was cast as the lead role in
HBO Max's then-upcoming Brazilian
romantic fantasy series
Além do Guarda-Roupa (). With this role, he became the first South Korean actor to be cast in an HBO Max series. Kim portrayed Kyung-min, a member of fictional K-pop boy group "ACT", and contributed three songs for the soundtrack. The series filmed throughout 2022, and began airing in July 2023. Kim's next soundtrack contribution, a song entitled "In the End", was released in December 2022 as part of the original soundtrack of
JTBC drama
Reborn Rich. In July 2023, Kim once again contributed to another JTBC drama with song "Dive" for the original soundtrack of
King the Land.
The Moment: Bounce, Kim's second EP, was released on August 30, 2023, along with its lead single "On My Way". The EP was described as an extension of his previous EP,
The Moment: A Minor, and presented a brighter sound than its predecessor. The EP peaked at number 19 on the
Circle Album Chart, and Kim supported it with
The Moment Tour, his first tour in India. Kim made his stage debut in late 2023, starring in the dual-role of twin brothers Adam and Eric Anderson in the musical
Sherlock Holmes: The Secret of the Anderson Family. The play ran from September to November 2023.
2024–present: Agency change and continued releases On March 18, 2024,
SM Entertainment announced that they had acquired Kim's agency, 10x Entertainment, and were folding it into their
Kreation Music Rights subsidiary under a new name, Kustomade. One week later, the label indicated that Kim would release the agency's first new music in April. Kim's third EP,
I Like the Way, was released on April 22, along with the lead single of the same name. The imagery related to the EP was said to symbolize a "fresh start" and be the singer's "declaration to break free from everything that has oppressed him and pave his path". The EP peaked at number-seven on the
Circle Album Chart, and was the largest first week sales of Kim's career. To promote the EP, Kim embarked on the
I Like the Way Tour in June 2024. ==Personal life==