Lee Min-woo is a longtime member of the chart-topping South Korean boy band Shinhwa, as well as a solo artist who releases his own material under the alias "M." He was born on July 28, 1979, in Jeonju, North Jeolla. He joined Shinhwa's lineup in 1998 as a rapper, singer, dancer, and choreographer, then launched a solo career in 2003 with M's first album, Un-Touch-Able. The record reached number 3 in South Korea, where it sold more than 100,000 copies and was certified gold. Two years later, he scored a Top 5 hit with "If You…," which peaked at number 4. Continuing to enjoy success with both Shinhwa and his solo career, he reached number 4 with his second album, IInd Winds, in September 2005, then climbed to number 6 with a live record, Live Works 2006-2007, two years later. Also arriving in 2007 was his third full-length album, Explore M, which hit number 3. 2008's M Rizing stalled at number 27, but The Sentimental Reason — an EP that was released the same year — fared much better, reaching number 2. During the 2010s and 2020s, he returned his focus to Shinhwa while also appearing in variety shows King of Mask Singer and Seoul Mate.