Lee Jong-hyun, also known as Jonghyun Lee, is a South Korean musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. He was born on May 15, 1990, in Busan, South Korea. He spent part of his childhood in Japan before returning to Busan to complete his education. Initially a judo athlete, he transitioned to music after a sports injury. He was scouted by FNC Entertainment and debuted with CNBLUE in Japan as an indie band in August 2009. They made their South Korean debut on January 14, 2010, with the single "I'm a Loner." As a member of CNBLUE, Jonghyun co-composed several successful tracks, including "Blind Love" and "Come On." In 2012, Jonghyun released his solo single "My Love" for the SBS drama A Gentleman's Dignity, which he also starred in. The song was a commercial success, earning him several award nominations and winning Best OST at the 2013 Seoul Music Awards. He formed the duo Romantic J with label-mate Juniel, releasing "Love Falls" in December 2013. Jonghyun made his solo debut with the album SPARKLING NIGHT in July 2016, reaching number 7 on the Japanese charts. His acting career began with the film Acoustic in 2010, and he gained recognition with roles in dramas such as A Gentleman's Dignity, Orange Marmalade, and Lingerie Girls’ Generation. In August 2019, Jonghyun left CNBLUE, focusing on his solo career. He completed his mandatory military service from August 2018 to March 2020.