Johnny (singer)

Johnny
쟈니
Johnny in 2023
Born
John Jun Suh

(1995-02-09) February 9, 1995 (age 31)
Chicago, Illinois, US
Other nameSeo Young-ho
Occupations
  • Singer
  • television personality
  • host
Years active2013–present
Musical career
GenreK-pop
InstrumentVocals
LabelSM
Member of
Formerly ofSM Rookies
Korean name
Hangul
서영호
RRSeo Yeongho
MRSŏ Yŏngho

John Jun Suh, known professionally as Johnny (쟈니), is an American singer, television personality, and host. He rose to prominence as a member of the K-pop boy band NCT and its sub-unit NCT 127.

Born and raised in Chicago, Johnny started training under SM Entertainment in 2007 and began his career in 2013 as part of the label's official team of trainees, SM Rookies, appearing on television and touring both in South Korea and abroad. He made his debut in 2017 with NCT, which went on to achieve commercial success and become an influential K-pop act. Beyond his music career, Johnny has also hosted web shows and ventured into television, appearing on several variety shows.

Life and career

John Jun Suh was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 9, 1995. In 2007, encouraged by his mother, he auditioned for the SM Entertainment Global Audition. During his summer breaks, he traveled to South Korea to train. After graduating from Glenbrook North High School, he permanently moved to Seoul.

2013–2024: SM Rookies and NCT

SM publicly introduced Johnny as a member of its official training team, SM Rookies, on December 24, 2013, via its social media accounts. The agency's first program of its kind, SM Rookies allowed trainees to gain experience and public exposure before their debut, often grouping them by gender and concept into distinct units. As part of the team, Johnny appeared in the 2014 variety show Exo 90:2014 with the boy band Exo and served as an host on the variety show My SM Television, aired on Youku in 2016. He also participated in the concert tours SM Town Live World Tour IV (2014–2015), featuring several SM artists coming together to perform under the musical collective SM Town, and SM Rookies Show (2015–2016), held in South Korea and Thailand, in which the team covered songs by SM artists. Johnny performed his first DJ set at the Spectrum Dance Music Festival [ko] on October 1–2, 2016. Alongside the musicians and rappers Yoon Do-hyun, Inlayer, G2, and Reddy, he released the experimental single "Nightmare" on October 28, 2016, under the SM Station project.

In December 2016, SM announced that Johnny would join NCT, a boy band designed with a concept of unlimited members where smaller sub-units would debut independently and occasionally collaborate under the sub-unit NCT U. Johnny debuted on January 5, 2017, joining the group's second sub-unit, NCT 127, performing their second single, "Limitless", on the television music program M Countdown. Music critics described NCT 127 as the brand's flagship and most experimental unit, as well as the first SM group to base its sound primarily on hip-hop, often blending it with R&B and electronic music subgenres such as industrial and complextro. He contributed to the band's first full-group album, NCT 2018 Empathy (2018), and made his first appearance under NCT U with the track "Misfit", released in October 2020. Grammy.com stated that NCT became one of the most influential K-pop acts, achieving commercial success.

Johnny joined the cast of the OnStyle television series Lipstick Prince for its second season in March 2017. In November 2019, he joined the cast of the SBS Plus variety show Everybody Cha Cha Cha, where a team of entertainment personalities was formed to compete in soccer matches against national teams. Johnny briefly stepped back from promotional activities in June 2023 for a fractured clavicle.

2025–present: Television work and hosting

In June 2025, he appeared as a special judge on the reality competition series Be My Boyz alongside his bandmates Ten, Jungwoo, and Xiaojun. Later that September, he began hosting the second season of the Major League Baseball's talk show Merry Talk, accompanied by the former professional baseball players Kim Byung-hyun and Dustin Nippert. In October, he launched a YouTube channel called Johnny Says, starting a series where he talks to people on the street about their worries and offers them advice. That same month, he hosted the MBC Virtual Live Festival. He then joined the SBS variety show Rising Eagles [ko] in November, after being selected by the former basketball players Seo Jang-hoon and Chon Tae-poong to form a basketball team composed of entertainment industry personalities to compete in matches.

In July 2026, he starred in the ENA travel variety show All or Nothing, which followed the cast to Egypt, as they competed for the title of "prince". Later that September, Johnny launched his podcast Journey with Johnny on Spotify, where he talks about Korean culture as well as his personal experiences.

Other ventures

Fashion and endorsements

In May 2022, Johnny was the only K-pop artist to attend the annual Met Gala, as the first guest of the fashion designer Peter Do; Paper reported that he was the most mentioned celebrity of the event on social media. In February 2023, he made his first appearance at the New York Fashion Week, attending Thom Browne's fashion show. The following year, he began collaborating with the Swedish fashion house Acne Studios, attending its fashion shows at the Paris Fashion Week. Acne Studios officially appointed Johnny as its global brand ambassador in February 2025, citing his influence, physique, and expressiveness. Starting in August 2025, he starred in a promotional campaign for the Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker. Johnny has also appeared on the cover of fashion magazines wearing Longines and Golden Goose.

Philanthropy

In March 2025, Johnny donated ₩50 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to aid recovery efforts for the wildfires that broke out that month.

Discography

Singles

List of singles, with year of release and associated album
Title Year Album
"Nightmare"
(with Yoon Do-hyun, Inlayer, G2, and Reddy)		 2016 Non-album single

Other charted songs

List of other charted songs, with year of release, selected chart positions, and associated album
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
KOR
DL
"Good to Be Alive"
(with Hyo, Key, Chen, Ningning, Ginjo, Raiden, Imlay, and Mar Vista)		 2022 113 2022 Winter SM Town: SMCU Palace

Writing credits

Key
Indicates songs in which writers are credited specifically for the Korean lyrics
List of songs by name, with credited artist(s), lyricist(s), composer(s), associated album, and year of release
Title Artist(s) Lyricist(s) Composer(s) Album Year Ref.
"Beautiful" NCT 2021 Yoo Young-jin
Taeyong
Mark
Johnny
Jeno
Hendery		 Yoo Han-jin [ko]
Yoo Young-jin		 Universe 2021
"I Mean, It's About Time" NCT 127 Wutan
Hwaji
Johnny
Taeyong		 Bea Wheeler
Jack LaFrantz
Ido Zmishlany
Whitney Phillips		 Blingy 2026
"Love Song" (우산) Seo Ji-eum
Taeyong
Mark
Johnny		 The Stereotypes
Deez
Bianca Atterberry		 Neo Zone 2020
"Pandora's Box" (낮잠) JQ
Hyeon Ji-won
Kim Hye-ji
Taeyong
Mark
Johnny		 Erik Lidbom [ja] Neo Zone 2020

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Lipstick Prince Cast member Season 2
2019–2020 Everybody Cha Cha Cha (다함께 차차차)
2025 Be My Boyz Special judge Episodes 2–3
2025–2026 Rising Eagles [ko] (열혈농구단: 라이징이글스) Cast member
2026 All or Nothing (왕자와 거지)

Web

Year Title Role Ref.
2025–2026 Merry Talk (메리톡) Host
2025 MBC Virtual Live Festival (MBC 버추얼 라이브 페스티벌)

Podcast

Year Title Role Ref.
2026 Journey with Johnny Host

Music videos

Year Title Artist Ref.
2016 "Ready for Your Love" J-Min

Accolades

Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations, with name of the award, year of ceremony, recipient, category, and result of the nomination
Award Year Recipient Category Result Ref.
Korea Grand Music Awards 2025 Johnny Trend of the Year – K-pop Solo Nominated [unreliable source?]

Listicles

List of listicle placements, with name of the publisher, year of listing, name of the listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Billboard 2024 K-Pop Artist 100 78th

References

  1. ↑ Fragassi, Selena (January 6, 2023). "NCT 127 Chicago show a homecoming for member Johnny Suh". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Choi, Jin-sil (December 24, 2013). SM루키즈, 쟈니·유타·텐 공개 '다국적 글로벌 루키' [SM Rookies Unveil Johnny, Yuta, and Ten: 'Multinational Global Rookies']. Ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ "S.M. Focuses on Internship Program for Trainees". Kpop Herald. March 2, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  4. ↑ Kim, Min-ji (August 15, 2014). SM루키즈 5인, H.O.T. '아이야' 퍼포먼스 '강렬'(엑소902014) [5 SM Rookies, H.O.T.'s 'I Yah!' Performance 'Intense' (EXO902014)]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  5. ↑ Kim, Eun-jung (November 8, 2016). '사이좋은 주당 형제' 강타X토니안, 이상형은 "술 좀 마시는 여자"(feat.my SMT) ['Friendly Drinking Brothers' Kangta X Tony An, Ideal Type is "A Woman Who Can Drink a Little (feat. my SMT)"]. Herald Muse (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  6. ↑ Choi, Jin-sil (August 16, 2014). SM 콘서트, SM의 어제 오늘 그리고 내일을 보여주다 [SM Concert: Showcasing SM's Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022 – via Naver.
  7. ↑ "SM Rookie's First Overseas Concert Successful". Kpop Herald. February 18, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 Jeon, Hyo-jin (October 26, 2016). 윤도현X레디X지투X인레이어X쟈니, SM 스테이션으로 뭉쳤다 [Yoon Do-hyun, Reddy, G2, Inlayer, and Johnny Have United as SM Station]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  9. ↑ Lee, Ah-jin (May 1, 2026). [ⓓ포커스] "우리의 서사도, Neo다"...NCT, 10년의 증명 [[ⓓFocus] "Our Narrative Is Also Neo"... NCT, 10 Years of Proof]. Dispatch (in Korean). Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Hong, Se-young (December 27, 2016). NCT 127, 쟈니·도영 합류... 1월 9인조로 전격 컴백 [공식] [NCT 127, Johnny and Doyoung Join... Surprise Comeback as a 9-Member Group in January [Official]]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  11. ↑ Jeon Won (January 2, 2017). "군무 끝판왕이 온다"...NCT127 '엠카'로 '무한적아' 첫무대 ["The Ultimate Synchronized Choreography is Coming"... NCT 127's First Performance of 'Limitless' on M Countdown]. My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  12. ↑ NCT의 '네오'한 음악은, 관습에 안주하지 않는 과감함[파고들기] [NCT's 'Neo' Music Is a Boldness that Does Not Settle for Convention [Digging Into]]. No Cut News (in Korean). April 2, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026 – via Nate.
  13. 1 2 Morales, Ivan (August 29, 2023). "Breaking Down the NCT System, from the Rotational NCT U to the Upcoming NCT Tokyo". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  14. ↑ Hong, Dam-young (March 15, 2018). "Global Boy Band Project NCT on Attack as Full Group". The Korea Herald. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  15. ↑ Lee, Woo-joo (September 29, 2020). NCT, 10월 12일 정규 2집 Pt.1 발매... 콘셉트 티저 공개 [공식] [NCT to Release 2nd Full Album Pt.1 on October 12... Concept Teaser Revealed [Official]]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  16. ↑ Herman, Tamar (December 11, 2021). "BTS, NCT Dream, Stray Kids Have 2021's Bestselling K-pop Albums, and Exo Member Baekhyun Is Top Solo Artist". South China Morning Post. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  17. 1 2 Yoo, Ji-hye (March 10, 2017). [공식입장] '립스틱프린스2' 엔XNCT 쟈니 합류...30일 첫방송 [[Official Statement] N x NCT's Johnny Joins Lipstick Prince 2... First Broadcast on the 30th]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  18. 1 2 Park, So-young (November 12, 2019). '다함께 차차차' 첫 경기 1:32 대패..유승우 감격의 첫골+딘딘 벌칙 [종합] [Everybody Cha Cha Cha First Match Crushing 1:32 Defeat... Yoo Seung-woo's Emotional First Goal + DinDin's Penalty [Roundup]]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  19. ↑ Jang, Woo-young (January 8, 2020). ['다함께 차차차' 종영①] 열정으로 뭉친 'Goal 미남', 원팀으로 이뤄낸 성과‧가능성 [[Everybody Cha Cha Cha Finale ①] 'Goal Handsome Men' United by Passion, Achievements and Potential Achieved as One Team]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  20. ↑ Ziwei, Puah (June 12, 2023). "NCT's Johnny Suh Fractures Collarbone, to Halt Activities". NME. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  21. 1 2 Kim, Chae-yeon (June 22, 2025). 첫방 '비 마이 보이즈' 어땠나..첫 1위 카이→리더 이준명, NCT·미연에 '눈도장' [종합] [How Was the First Episode of Be My Boyz? Kai Takes First Place → Leader Lee Jun-myeong Makes an Impression on NCT and Miyeon [Roundup]]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  22. 1 2 Lee, Hyung-seok (September 14, 2025). NCT 쟈니 MLB 인기 콘텐츠 '메리톡' 새 MC 발탁 [NCT's Johnny Selected as New MC for Popular MLB Content Merry Talk]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  23. ↑ Jo, Ye-won (October 10, 2025). "술 안 먹었는데 돈을 왜 내"...쟈니의 직진 상담 '쟌소리' ["Why Do I Have to Pay When I Didn't Drink?"... Johnny's Straightforward Counseling, Jyansori]. My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  24. 1 2 Jin, Hyang-hee (October 15, 2025). NCT 쟈니, 예능·스포츠·MC까지...'쟌소리' 오늘 오후 6시 첫 공개 [NCT Johnny, from Variety Shows and Sports to MCing... Jyansori Premieres Today at 6 PM]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Jeong, Hee-yeon (November 26, 2025). 서장훈 농구 예능 어게인...민호→쟈니 '열혈농구단' 이렇게 진심 (종합)[DA:현장] [Seo Jang-hoon Returns to Basketball Variety... Minho → Johnny Rising Eagles So Sincere (Roundup) [DA: On-site]]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Yoo, Ji-hye (August 3, 2026). '왕자와 거지' 본격 게임 개막...아이돌 이색 조합 눈길 [All or Nothing Game Begins in Earnest... Unique Idol Combinations Draw Attention]. JTBC News (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  27. 1 2 Hwang, Yu-mee (September 10, 2026). "NCT's Johnny to Launch Podcast". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  28. ↑ Yang, Haley (May 3, 2022). "Hoyeon and NCT's Johnny Suh Represent Korea at Met Gala in New York". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  29. ↑ Kessler, Alex (May 3, 2022). "K-Pop Star Johnny from NCT Is Dapper in Peter Do at the Met Gala". Vogue. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  30. ↑ "NCT's Johnny Suh Was the Met Gala's Most Talked-About Person". Paper. May 5, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  31. ↑ "NCT's Johnny Suh Takes Us to New York Fashion Week with His Photo Diary". Teen Vogue. February 17, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  32. 1 2 Jo, Yeon-gyeong (February 27, 2025). NCT 쟈니, 아크네 글로벌 앰버서더 선정...패션 아이콘 각인 [NCT's Johnny Selected as Acne Global Ambassador... Emphasizing His Status as a Fashion Icon]. JTBC News (in Korean). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  33. ↑ Son, Bong-seok (August 21, 2025). 조니워커 블루, 배우 조인성, NCT 쟈니, 댄서 허니제이, 손종원 셰프 등 앰버서더와 함께 신규 캠페인 '치얼스 투 마이 석세스' 스타트 [Johnnie Walker Blue Launches New Campaign 'Cheers to My Success' with Ambassadors Including Actor Jo In-sung, NCT's Johnny, Dancer Honey J, and Chef Son Jong-won]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  34. ↑ Kang, Ga-hee (October 4, 2023). NCT 쟈니, 압도적 비율..몽환적 눈빛의 우아함[화보] [NCT Johnny, Overwhelming Proportions... Elegance with a Dreamy Gaze [Pictorial]]. Herald Muse (in Korean). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  35. ↑ Jang, Da-hee (April 5, 2024). NCT 쟈니, 봄처럼 화사한 미소...'엘르' 디 에디션 커버 공개[화보] [NCT Johnny, a Smile as Radiant as Spring... Elle The Edition Cover Revealed [Pictorial]]. IMBC (in Korean). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  36. ↑ Kim, Su-jeong (March 29, 2025). NCT·에이티즈·트와이스·(여자)아이들...산불 성금 기부 "힘 됐으면" [NCT, Ateez, Twice, (G)I-dle... Donate to Wildfire Relief Funds: "Hoping It Helps"]. No Cut News (in Korean). Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Download Chart – Week 53, 2022". Circle Chart. Retrieved September 15, 2026.
  38. ↑ NCT (2021). Universe (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment.
  39. ↑ NCT 127 (2026). Blingy (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ↑ NCT 127 (2020). Neo Zone (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  41. ↑ Cho, Seung-un (January 10, 2026). "이제부터 진짜 시작" 서장훈 호, 15,000명 관객 앞에서 빅 매치 (열혈농구단) ["The Real Start Begins Now" Seo Jang-hoon's Team, a Big Match in Front of 15,000 Spectators (Rising Eagles Team)]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  42. ↑ Lee, Ji-seok (August 9, 2016). SM 솔로 여가수 제이민, 오늘 SBS MTV '더 쇼' 통해 컴백 무대 [SM Solo Singer J-Min to Make Comeback Stage on SBS MTV The Show Today]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  43. ↑ Mathew, Ilin (November 15, 2025). "Korea Grand Music Awards 2025 Winners". International Business Times. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  44. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff (February 27, 2024). "The 2024 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.