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The Man Behind the Growl

March 4, 2014

Shin Hyuk’s Joombas Music Group is the label responsible for string of K-Pop hits

Shin said he achieved his lifelong dream of writing a Billboard-charted song when, in 2009, the A-Rex-produced “One Less Lonely Girl” was picked up by Justin Bieber and debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 100.

You may never have heard of Shin Hyuk, but you’ve definitely heard his music, which has been sung by pop stars from Justin Bieber to EXO to Girls’ Generation.

Shin, 29, headed the production team that produced popular K-Pop band EXO’s “Growl,” which topped charts in Korea as well as Billboard’s “2013 K-Pop Best 20” list.

The song drove the group’s first album “XOXO” to become the first K-Pop album to reach one million sales in 12 years, according to a statement released by SM Entertainment.

He established his Hollywood-and-Seoul-based record label, Joombas Music Group, in 2012. In addition to “Growl,” the label was responsible for a string of recent K-Pop melodies that include “Pretty Girl” by f(x), “Romantic St.” by Girls’ Generation and “G.R.8.U.” by VIXX, as well as songs by Teen Top and SHINee.

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, his career began in 2006 when he became one half of the producing duo A-Rex alongside songwriter Sean Hamilton.

Joombas now maintains a close relationship with the K-Pop industry, although he said he isn’t a prolific producer. In order for the K-Pop music market to grow, attention has to be given to high-quality music, he said.