JAY B

• Name — Jay B • Birth Name — Lim Jae-beom • Born — 6 January 1994 • Birthplace — Siheung, South Korea • Education — Konkuk University • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • actor • Years Active — 2012–present

Lim Jae-beom was born in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, and grew up in Goyang. When he was seven, after watching g.o.d. perform, he developed the dream of becoming a singer. He started b-boying in his third year of middle school after failing a school test, dancing with friends at Ilsan, Paju, Boramae and Jeongbalsan station, and taking part in competitions. As a b-boy, he used the stage name Defsoul, taking Musiq Soulchild's "Just Friends" music video as inspiration. In 2009 he was scouted by JYP Entertainment at a b-boy competition: he was not interested in attending the audition, but his father pushed him to do so. He subsequently passed the open audition, winning first place with Jinyoung over applicants. He became interested in musical composition and hip hop culture as a b-boy, but at the beginning of his idol training, he thought that learning to sing was meaningless, and concentrated only on dancing; however, after listening to D'Angelo, he started singing and composing his first songs.

In 2011, Jay B was cast in the role of Jang Woo-jae in the television drama Dream High 2, which began airing on January 30, 2012, on KBS for 16 episodes. In order not to be confused with singer Yim Jae-beom, he adopted the stage name of JB. In May 2012, he and fellow trainee Jinyoung debuted as the duo JJ Project with the single album Bounce. Their official music video for the title track "Bounce" was released on May 19. On March 11, 2013, it was announced that he would be appearing as Seo Mi-joon on MBC's new drama When a Man Falls in Love. On January 16, 2014, the two members of JJ Project debuted as part of a seven-member boy band called Got7.

• Illustration — Jay B in 2017 In 2015, he played the lead role in Dream Knight, a web drama, as a superhero version of himself, alongside his fellow Got7 members, featuring actress Song Ha-yoon as the female lead role. In 2016, with the extended play Flight Log: Departure, his self-written songs started being included in Got7's album under the pseudonym Defsoul or Def. In 2018, together with group mate Yugyeom, he participated in the art collaboration project Collaboran for carbonated mineral water brand Perrier with American multimedia artist Ben Jones. The creation process was later revealed through a reality show in May. On March 5, 2019, he and Yugyeom debuted as Jus2, a sub-unit of Got7, with their EP Focus and its lead single "Focus on Me". In December 2019, he launched the JB Collection, a summer-themed clothing line in collaboration with Represent, which went on sale for two weeks and sold 35,940 items. He also released two compilation extended plays with the Offshore crew, Scene #1 on June 24, 2019, and Scene #2 on March 26, 2020. As Def., he held his first photo exhibition named Alone from October 6 to 12, 2020, in Seoul.

On January 19, 2021, following the expiration of his contract, he left JYP Entertainment. With the release of Got7's single "Encore" on February 20, he started using the new stage name Jay B. On May 11, 2021, he signed an exclusive contract with H1ghr Music, debuting as a solo artist three days later by releasing the single "Switch It Up" featuring rapper Sokodomo, which entered at number 12 on the Gaon Download Chart. The R&B track was self-written and self-composed by Jay B with Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone, who also produced it, and talks about love, while the title conveys that his life is going to change. On May 25, 2021, Jay B became the first Korean soloist to enter the Billboard R&B Digital Song Sales Chart, debuting at number six. He also became the third Korean soloist to chart on Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Digital Song Sales Chart with "Switch It Up" entering at number 18. On July 30, 2021, he became the first cover star for the launching of TMRW Magazine Korea. The 100-page magazine had been curated with Jay B himself and featured an exclusive interview, photoshoot and his own film photographies. In August, he appeared on MBC's singing competition show King of Mask Singer as "Toad's House" on episode 319. On August 26, 2021, his first EP, SOMO:Fume and the music video of the title track "B.T.W (Feat. Jay Park)" were released both digitally and physically. As part of the album promotions, Jay B held his first solo global fan meeting, "SOMO:Fume, Style of My Own:Fume", on September 25 through online platform Bbangya TV, while the official merchandise launched to commemorate the release of the EP, which went on sale for one week from September 2, was sold out in five days. An offline pop-up store selling additional items was subsequently opened in Seoul for two weeks from October 1, 2021. In September, he participated in "Feel the Rhythm of Korea 2", a promotional campaign sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, for which he sang "I'm Surfin", a re-interpretation of traditional song "Niliria", which was released on September 3 along a music video. On September 27, Jay B launched his second clothing line with Represent, "Live Without Regrets", under his moniker Def. On October 18, he collaborated with Italian singer-songwriter and producer Fudasca on the single "Is It A Dream?", while in November, he starred in the new Adidas Originals winter campaign, "Open Spirit", along with Blackpink.

After signing with his independent label 528Hz in April 2026, Jay B released his third EP TR.EE on June 10. On June 20 and 21 he held the first two stops of the Tape: Roots concert at Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul; he then toured Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Tokyo from July to early September. The North American leg will be held in the second half of September.

Jay B was diagnosed with clinical depression as well as panic disorder, and has since taken prescribed medication for them. In 2016, he was unable to participate in several Got7's Fly Tour concerts and a M!Countdown performance due to a spinal disc injury. He returned for the Fly in Singapore concert at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on June 24, two months after the injury.

During his younger years, his parents divorced due to his father's drinking problem, and his mother later remarried. His family runs a tomato farm in Ilsan. Jay B majored in film at Konkuk University.

Jay B has cited D'Angelo as the artist that inspired him to take on singing and music composition. He also likes Ray Charles, James Brown, and R&B and soul music from South America. Although he has listened to a variety of different genres to produce music for Got7, for his solo work he prefers R&B, influenced by soul and lo-fi. Regarding his second persona, Def., he has described it as a way to release the music he really likes and experiment with songs not catering to the general public. Def. tends to create "something very up close and personal... in the R&B, alternate pop and indie genres". Vogue Korea commented that "While Jay B in Got7 is as powerful and refreshing as the moment when you open a can of soda, Def. is as mellow as a dawn after a dewy night". His music blends "emotional honesty, genre experimentation, and sophisticated R&B influences". To write lyrics, he first senses the song's mood, then thinks about past events, current experiences, or things he has seen in movies or read in books.

On November 24, 2017, it was revealed that he had donated to the Pohang Earthquake Relief Fund under his real name. On February 27, 2020, he donated to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. After being appointed an ambassador for ChildFund Korea (Green Umbrella Children's Foundation) in 2018, Jay B has continued to donate to the organization over the years to help underprivileged children. In 2021 he donated the profits from the sales of his SOMO:Fume merchandise and his Def. Represent collection to support families in need caused by COVID-19 and abused children, reaching and thus being appointed as an official member of the Green Noble Club in December. On January 18, 2022, he donated for the Goyang Love Sharing Hope campaign to establish an emergency support system for gaps in welfare in Goyang. On February 10, 2023, the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation announced that he had donated to help children around the world and that the donation would be used mainly for the victims of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. He donated another ₩60 million on November 29, 2025 to the Green Umbrella Santa Expedition campaign.

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and sales figures • Title — Details — Peak chart positions — Sales • KOR • [[Archive 1: Road Runner | Archive 1: [Road Runner]]] — * Released: November 27, 2024 * Label: Mauve Company * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 13 — * KOR: 43,308

List of extended plays, with selected chart positions and sales figures • Title — Details — Peak chart positions — Sales • KOR — JPN • SOMO:Fume — * Released: August 26, 2021 * Label: H1ghr Music * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 5 — 33 — * KOR: 99,367 * JPN: 1,268 (Phy. Physical) • Love. (as Def.) — * Released: January 26, 2022 * Label: 528Hz * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 3 — — — * KOR: 52,724 • Be Yourself — * Released: September 21, 2022 * Label: CDNZA Records * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 7 — — — * KOR: 51,453 • Abandoned Love. (as Def.) — * Released: October 17, 2022 * Label: 528Hz * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 11 — — — * KOR: 14,234 • TR.EE — * Release date: June 10, 2026 * Label: 528Hz * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 8 — — — * KOR: 41,343 • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

List of single albums, with selected chart positions and sales figures • Title — Details — Peak chart positions — Sales • KOR • Seasonal Hiatus — * Released: February 14, 2023 * Label: CDNZA Records * Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — 25 — * KOR: 11,429 • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

• Title — Album details — Track listing • 1/? vol. 1 — * Released: December 31, 2016 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Holic" #"Don't Worry" #"Sin" feat. Jomalxne #"Lost" #"Bad Habit" feat. Jomalxne • 1/? vol. 2 — * Released: January 22, 2018 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Intro" #"Think of You" #"Channel" feat. Jeebanoff, Jomalxne #"Don't Touch Me" #"Pray" #"Outro" • 1/? vol. 2 (Remix) — * Released: April 30, 2018 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Don't Touch Me (Deepshower Remix)" #"Channel (BRLLNT Remix)" #"Think of You (Plan8 Remix)" • 1/? vol. 3 — * Released: November 10, 2018 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Sometime" #"Be With You" #"Don't Care" #"Island" feat. Jomalxne #"Blind" • 1/? vol. 4 — * Released: August 4, 2019 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Something Special" #"Desire" #"Deeper" #"Runaway" #"Stopline" feat. Rick Bridges • 1/? vol. 5 — * Released: October 28, 2019 * Label: – * Format: Streaming — #"Ring" #"Diary" #"Nothing" #"Curiosi" #"Come Back to Me"

• Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Sales — Album • KOR • As lead artist • "Rainy" — 2018 — — — rowspan="16" — Hyena on the Keyboard Part. 4 • "Switch It Up" (feat. Sokodomo) — 2021 — — — SOMO:Fume • "B.T.W" (feat. Jay Park) — 130 • "Fame" (feat. Junny) — — • "Is It a Dream?" (Def. and Fudasca) — — — Non-album single • "Sunset with You" (Def.) — 2022 — 152 — Love. • "Hello 2.0 (Legends Only)" (James Reid, Jay B and ØZI) — — — rowspan="2" • "BRB" (Cha Cha Malone, GroovyRoom, Haon, Sik-K, Trade L, Big Naughty, PH-1, Park Hyeon-jin, Jay Park, Jay B) — — • "Lone Wolf (3:00 AM)" (풀리지 않는 고민 (3:00 am)) (Skinny Brown, Kim Seungmin, Jay B, Big Naughty) — — — Listen-Up EP.3 • "Rocking Chair" — — • "Go Up" — 2022 — — — Be Yourself • "Will Spring Come?" (Def.) — — • "About You" (Soulbysel, Def.) — 2023 — — — Soulbysel Compilation 04 • "Crash" — 2024 — — — Archive 1: [Road Runner] • "Cloud Nine" — — • "Layback" — 2026 — — — TR.EE • As featured artist • "Just Because" (Baek A-yeon feat. JB of Got7) — 2016 — 12 — * KOR: 185,203 — Non-album single • "Hush" (Primary feat. JB of Got7) — 2017 — 99 — * KOR: 24,686 — Pop • "Celebrate" (Jomalxne feat. Yonko, Def.) — — — rowspan="13" — $ummertime Mixtape • "Higher" (Deepshower feat. JB) — 2018 — — — Colors • "Callin'" (Jeebanoff feat. Def.) — 2020 — — — Good Thing. (Remix) • "Dream" (Wavycake and Ovus feat. Def.) — — — REALusion • "In December (Sad Night)" (12월엔 (Sad Night)) ($ün feat. Def.) — — — White • "Memory" (s/s feat. Def.) — 2021 — — — Seesaw • "P.S". (Mirani feat. Jay B) — — — Uptown Girl • "Thought of You" (Ourealgoat feat. Jay B) — — — Non-album single • "Nostalgia" (Junny feat. Jay B) — — — Nostalgia • "Night" (NXPS feat. Def.) — 2022 — — — Non-album single • "Windy Day" (Bigone feat. Jay B) — — — BIGONEISTHENAME • "I'll Be Fine" (SMMT feat. Jay B) — — — Mr. Hollywood • "GZRGH" (Jomalxne feat. Jay B) — — — Sky Walker • As part of Offshore • "Surfin" (Mirror Boy feat. Def., Jomalxne) — 2019 — — — rowspan="15" — Scene #1 • "Laze" (Roseinpeace feat. Def., Jomalxne) — — • "Play" (Roseinpeace feat. Jomalxne, Def., HNMR) — — • "Simple" (Def.) — 2020 — — — Scene #2 • "Smoke" (Def., Jomalxne) — — • "Take a Walk" (iHwak, HNMR, Def.) — — • "Sweet Dream" (Def.) — — — Cut #1 • "Just Stay" (Def., Junny) — — • "Cold Night" (Def., HNMR, Jomalxne) — 2021 — — — Scene #3 • "Just Stay" (Remastered) (Def., Junny) — — • "Call Me" (Jomalxne, Def.) — — • "Sweet Dream" (Remastered) (Def.) — — • "Favorite" (Def., Junny, iHwak, Royal Dive) — 2023 — — — Scene #4 • "Bada" (Def., Leon, Mirror Boy) — — • "Hell of a Life" (iHwak, Def., Junny, Mirror Boy) — — • Soundtrack appearances • "New Dreaming" (with Park Seo-joon) — 2012 — — — rowspan="9" — Dream High 2 OST • "Together" (with Park Ji-yeon) — — • "Forever Love" — 2015 — — — Dream Knight OST • "U&I" (with Jackson Wang) — 2017 — — — The Package OST • "U&I (Chinese Version)" (with Jackson Wang) — — • "Be With You" — 2019 — — — A Day Before Us Zero OST • "Dive Into You" — 2022 — — — Crazy Love OST • "Closer" (with Youngjae) — — — Good Job OST • "Velvet Trigger" — 2025 — — — Exchange 4 OST • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 2012 — Dream High 2 — JB/Jang Woo-jae • 2013 — When a Man Falls in Love — Seo Mi-joon • 2015 — Dream Knight — JB — Korean-Chinese online drama by JYPE and Youku Tudou

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 2012 — The Romantic & Idol — Regular member — with Jun. K, Mir, Park Hyung-sik, Son Ji-hyun, Oh Seung-ah, Jei and Shin Hye-jeong (Season 1) • 2016 — Celebrity Bromance — Cast member — with Yoo Youngjae (B.A.P) (Season 12) • 2017 — Law of the Jungle — in Cook Islands (Episode 293–298) • I Can See Your Voice — with BamBam, Youngjae, Yugyeom, Jinyoung, and Mark • 2018 — Hyena on the Keyboard — Producer — Episode 6–8 • 2019 — Prison Life of Fools — Cast member — Episode 1–6, 13–18, 23–24 • 2021 — King of Mask Singer — Contestant — as Toad's House (Episode 319) • 2022 — Artistak Game — User agent

• Year — Title — Role — Ref. Reference(s) • 2022 — The Origin — Judge

• Year — Title — Role — Note — Ref. Reference(s) • 2015 — Kiss the Radio — Special host — with Youngjae (October 15) • 2020 — Idol Radio — with Yugyeom (Episode 571, April 26) with Youngjae (Episodes 572, 574, April 27 to 28) • 2021–2022 — StationZ: Jay B's R&B — DJ — Every Wednesday (September 8, 2021 to April 27, 2022)

• Year — Title — Artist — Director — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 2012 — "Together" — Jay B, Jiyeon — Dream High 2 OST • 2017 — "U & I" — Jay B, Jackson — 'The Package' OST • 2018 — "Sunrise" — Got7 — Naive Creative Production — Solo song from Got7's album Present: You • 2019 — "Be With You" — Jay B — A Day Before Us Season ZERO OST • 2021 — "B.T.W" — Jay B feat. Jay Park — Beomjin (Paranoid Paradigm) • "AM PM" — Jay B feat. Wheein • "Fame" — Jay B feat. Junny • "Thought of You" — Ourealgoat feat. Jay B — Sillyello • "Nostalgia" (Lyric Video Ver.) — Junny feat. Jay B • 2022 — "Sunset With You" — Def. — It's Not Spring • "Hello 2.0 (Legends Only)" — James Reid, Jay B and ØZI • "Windy Day" — Bigone feat. Jay B — Oh Ji-hwan • "Dive Into You" — Jay B — Crazy Love OST • "Rocking Chair" — It's Not Spring • "Closer" — Jay B and Youngjae — Good Job OST • "Go Up" — Jay B — Hobin • "My Abandoned Love" — Def. — It's Not Spring • "My Abandoned Love" (Mdnght ver.) • 2024 — "Crash" (Director's Cut) — Jay B — Hobin • 2025 — "Layback"