Xiumin: The Life Story Behind EXO's Oldest Star
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In a group of young stars, the oldest member has a special job. He is not always the one in the centre of the photo, and he is not always the one who gets the loudest cheer, but he is often the one who keeps the group steady. Xiumin is that person in EXO. He is the oldest member of one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, and for more than a decade he has been the calm, cheerful, hardworking presence that the group could always rely on. Fans know him for his bright smile, his round face, his strong voice, and his dancing, and they know that behind the smile there is a man who worked for years to earn his place.
His real name is Kim Min-seok, and he was born on 26 March 1990 in Guri, a city in Gyeonggi Province near Seoul. He grew up in an ordinary family, and he loved music from a young age. He was not a child star, and he did not grow up on television. He was a schoolboy who liked to sing, who joined in when music was playing, and who dreamed, quietly, of doing something more with that love. The road from Guri to the biggest stages in Asia was not short, and it was not easy, but Xiumin walked it step by step, and he never stopped smiling while he did it.
What makes his story interesting is that he was not the youngest or the flashiest trainee, and he was not the one people expected to become a star. He was older than the others, and in the world of K-pop, where stars often debut as teenagers, that can be a problem. Xiumin turned it into a strength. He became the big brother of the group, the one who looked after the younger members, the one who worked hard without complaining, and the one who showed that a singer can succeed by being reliable, warm, and good at his craft. This is the story of how a boy from Guri became a star who has lasted for more than a decade.
Growing Up in Guri and Finding Music
Kim Min-seok was born in Guri, a city close to Seoul, and he spent his childhood there in a normal Korean home. Guri is not a place famous for pop stars, and a child growing up there does not expect to end up on a world stage. For Xiumin, music was part of everyday life, something he enjoyed without thinking too much about where it might lead. He sang at home, he sang with friends, and he found that singing made him happy in a way that few other things did.
At school, he was a friendly and active boy, and he took part in the things that school offered. He was not the kind of student who sat quietly in a corner. He liked to be with people, he liked to laugh, and he liked to try new things. That openness would later help him on stage, because a performer needs to be comfortable with people, and Xiumin was. He also had a talent for sport and for physical activity, and he was known as someone with energy and strength, which would later show in his dancing.
His family supported him, as Korean families often do when a child shows a real talent. They did not push him into fame, and they did not treat him as a future star. They let him grow, let him study, and let him find his own path. That steady support mattered, because the road to becoming a singer in Korea is long and uncertain, and a young person needs people at home who believe in them. Xiumin’s family gave him that belief, and he carried it with him when he left home to train.
As he grew older, his love of singing became more serious. He began to think about whether he could make music his life, and he began to look for a chance to prove himself. In Korea, that chance often comes through an audition, and Xiumin decided to take his chance. He was not a child when he did it, and he knew that the odds were against him, but he also knew that he had a voice, a smile, and a willingness to work hard. Those three things, together, are a good place to start.
The Singing Contest That Changed Everything
In 2008, Xiumin took part in a singing contest run by SM Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in Korea. The contest was called the SM Everysing Contest, and it drew many young singers who hoped to be noticed by the company. Xiumin sang, and he finished in second place, which was enough to earn him a place as a trainee at SM. It was a small step, but it was the step that changed his life.
Becoming a trainee meant leaving behind the ordinary life he had known and entering a world of practice, discipline, and waiting. Trainees at SM spent their days singing, dancing, learning languages, and studying how to perform. They lived together, ate together, and practised together, and they did it for years without knowing whether they would ever debut. Xiumin was older than many of the other trainees, and that meant he had to work even harder to keep up, but he did not complain. He simply worked.
His training was long, and it tested him in many ways. He had to improve his dancing, because K-pop groups dance as much as they sing, and he had to learn to sing in Mandarin as well as Korean, because the group he would join was planned to work in China too. He also had to learn how to be on camera, how to speak in interviews, and how to handle the pressure of being judged every day. It was a hard life, but it was also a life that taught him discipline, patience, and the value of working with others.
During those years, he became known as a kind and friendly trainee, someone who helped others and who kept the mood light. That character would later make him popular with his fellow members, who saw him as a big brother they could trust. He was not the loudest trainee, and he was not the one who demanded attention, but he was the one who was always there, always working, always ready. When the time came to choose the members of a new group, SM chose him, and that choice showed that the company valued his steadiness as much as his talent.
The contest was not only a test of singing. It was also a test of nerve, because singing in front of judges who have heard thousands of singers is frightening, and a young singer must stay calm enough to show what they can really do. Xiumin stayed calm, and his voice did the talking. He sang with a clear tone and a steady pitch, and the judges heard a singer who could be trained into something special. Second place was a strong result, and it opened a door that would not have opened on its own. From that day on, he was no longer only a boy from Guri who liked to sing. He was a trainee at one of the biggest companies in Korea, and his life had a new direction.
He also learned something important from the contest, which is that a single moment can change a life, but only if you are ready for it. He had spent years singing at home and at school, and those years were the reason he could sing well when it mattered. If he had waited until the contest to start practising, it would have been too late. His story shows that preparation matters, and that the work you do when nobody is watching is the work that prepares you for the moment when everybody is watching.
Debut With EXO-M and the First Years
EXO was introduced to the public in late 2011 and early 2012, and the group made its official debut in April 2012 with the mini-album Mama. The group had twelve members, split into two units, and Xiumin was placed in EXO-M, the unit that would promote in Mandarin in China. He was the oldest member of the whole group, and he took on the role of looking after the younger members, especially when they were far from home.
The debut song Mama was dramatic and powerful, with strong vocals and a serious mood. It was not a simple pop song, and it showed that EXO was meant to be a group with real talent. Xiumin sang and danced in the song, and fans quickly noticed him. His bright smile stood out, and his voice was clear and steady. In a group of twelve, it is easy to be lost, but Xiumin was not lost. People remembered him, and they liked him.
The first years of EXO were busy and demanding. The group promoted in Korea and China, appeared on television, and built a fan base that grew quickly. Xiumin travelled a great deal, sang in a language he had worked hard to learn, and performed on stages that got bigger every year. He did it with a smile, and he rarely showed how tired he must have been. That ability to keep going, and to keep smiling, became part of who he was as a performer.
Those early years also taught him how to live as a public person. He had to handle cameras, interviews, and the attention of fans, and he had to do it while still growing as a singer and dancer. He handled it well, because he was older and more settled than many of his fellow members, and because he had learned patience during his long training. He was not in a rush to be the star. He was happy to be part of the group, and to do his job well.
Growl and the Rise to the Top
The real breakthrough came in 2013, with the album XOXO and the song Growl. Growl was smooth, confident, and catchy, and it became one of the most famous K-pop songs of its time. It won many awards, it was played everywhere, and it turned EXO from a promising new group into one of the biggest acts in Korea. For Xiumin, it was the moment when his work reached millions of people who had never heard his name before.
The success of Growl changed everything. EXO began to sell albums in numbers that had not been seen in Korea for years, and the group filled bigger venues and won the biggest prizes. Xiumin sang and danced on every stage, and his energy became part of the group’s sound and look. The group followed Growl with more hits, including Overdose in 2014, Call Me Baby in 2015, and Love Me Right, and each song showed a different side of EXO.
During these years, Xiumin also became known for his variety show appearances and his cheerful personality. He appeared on television shows, he joked with hosts, and he showed that he was not only a singer but also an entertainer. Fans loved that side of him, because it made him feel real and approachable. He was not a distant star. He was a friendly young man who happened to be famous, and that made people want to support him even more.
The group also began to tour the world, playing concerts in Asia and beyond. On stage, Xiumin was the member who gave everything, dancing hard, singing clearly, and smiling at the fans. He understood that a concert is not only about the music, but about the feeling in the room, and he worked to make that feeling happy. Fans who saw him live often said that his smile was one of the best parts of the show, and that is a kind of praise that cannot be bought.
The tours also taught him how to look after himself on the road, which is a skill that many young stars learn the hard way. A tour means long flights, strange hotels, little sleep, and a performance every night, and a singer must still sound good at the end of it. Xiumin learned to rest when he could, to warm up his voice properly, and to save his energy for the stage. He also learned that a group on tour is like a family on a long journey, and that kindness matters more than ever when everyone is tired. He looked after the younger members, he kept the mood light, and he made sure that the hard days did not break the group apart.
EXO-CBX, Musicals, and Acting
As EXO grew, its members began to work in smaller groups and on solo projects, and Xiumin was ready for that step. In 2016, he joined the sub-unit EXO-CBX, with two other members of the group, and the unit released music in Korea and Japan. The songs were lighter and more playful than much of EXO’s work, and they showed that Xiumin could sing in a different style, with a brighter and more relaxed feeling. The unit toured and performed, and fans enjoyed seeing him in a smaller group where his voice and personality had more room to shine.
Xiumin also turned to musical theatre, which is a demanding art that needs singing, acting, and dancing all at once. He appeared in the musical School OZ in 2015, and later in the military musical Return: The Promise of the Day. Musicals are different from pop concerts, because the singer must stay in character for hours, and must sing live without the help of a big group. Xiumin did it well, and it showed that his talent went beyond K-pop.
He also tried acting on screen, appearing in a web drama and in television work. Acting was a new challenge, and it asked him to be someone else for a while, to learn lines, and to work with cameras in a different way. He did not become a full-time actor, but the work showed that he was willing to try new things and to grow. That willingness to learn is one of the reasons his career has lasted so long.
Through all of this, he kept his place in EXO, and he kept singing with the group. He was the oldest member, but he did not act old. He kept his energy, kept his smile, and kept working as hard as the youngest members. That example mattered to the group, because a group needs someone who shows, by their actions, that hard work never stops.
Military Service and a Quiet Return
In May 2019, Xiumin began his mandatory military service, as all healthy young men in South Korea must do. He was the first member of EXO to enlist, and his departure was a sad moment for fans, because it meant the group would be without its oldest member for a long time. He served for about a year and a half, and he was discharged in December 2020.
Military service is a pause in a singer’s career, and it can be a worrying time, because fans may move on and the industry may change. For Xiumin, the pause was also a chance to live a more ordinary life for a while, to serve his country, and to rest from the pressure of fame. He took part in a military musical during his service, which meant he kept singing even while he was away from the pop world.
When he came back, his fans were waiting, and he returned to music with fresh energy. He rejoined EXO’s activities, and he began to think about his solo career as well. The return showed that his place in the group was secure, and that his fans had not forgotten him. In a fast-moving industry, that is not a small thing. It is a sign that his work had meant something to people, and that they were happy to see him back.
The years after his return were also a time of change for EXO, as more members went to the military and the group had to find new ways to work. Xiumin, as the oldest, helped to hold the group together through those changes, and he did it in the same quiet, steady way he had always done it. He did not make a fuss. He simply kept working, and kept smiling.
Solo Music and a New Chapter
In September 2022, Xiumin released his first solo mini-album, Brand New, with a title song of the same name. It was a bright and happy song, and it suited his personality perfectly. The album sold well, and it showed that Xiumin could stand alone on a stage and carry a whole show by himself. Fans who had loved him in EXO now had a chance to see him as a solo singer, and they liked what they saw.
The solo album was important because it proved that Xiumin was not only a group member. He was a singer in his own right, with his own sound and his own style. The songs were light, cheerful, and full of energy, and they showed a different side of him from the serious songs of EXO. He performed them with joy, and that joy came through in the music.
In the years that followed, his career entered a new chapter. In 2024, he parted ways with SM Entertainment, the company that had trained him and launched him, and joined a new agency. It was a big change, and it showed that Xiumin was ready to take more control of his own career. He continued to release music, to hold fan concerts, and to meet his fans, and he did it on his own terms.
Today, Xiumin stands as one of the most loved members of EXO, and as a solo artist in his own right. He is not the loudest star, and he does not seek attention for its own sake. He is the singer who worked hard for years, who smiled through the hard days, and who built a career on being reliable, warm, and good at his craft. His story is a reminder that being the oldest, or the steadiest, is not a weakness. It is a strength, and it is a strength that lasts.
My Take:
I think Xiumin is one of the most underrated members of EXO, and I want to explain why I feel that way. When people talk about EXO, they often talk about the members with the most dramatic voices or the most striking looks, and Xiumin is not always the first name they mention. But when I watch EXO perform, I always notice him, because he is the one who seems happiest to be there, and the one who works hardest to make the show good. That kind of joy is not easy to fake, and it is not a small thing. It is the difference between a performer who is going through the motions and a performer who truly loves what they do.
What I admire most about Xiumin is his attitude. He was older than the other trainees, and in K-pop that can feel like a disadvantage. Many people would have worried about it, or tried to hide it, or given up. Xiumin did none of those things. He turned his age into a role, the big brother, the steady one, the person the younger members could trust. I think that takes a special kind of wisdom, the wisdom to accept who you are and to make the best of it, instead of wishing you were someone else. That is a lesson I think many people need, not only in music but in life.
I also think about how long he trained, and how patient he must have been. Imagine being a young man, practising every day, not knowing if you will ever debut, watching younger trainees come and go, and still showing up with a smile. Most people would become bitter. Xiumin did not become bitter. He stayed kind, stayed friendly, and stayed ready. When his chance finally came, he was ready for it, and that readiness was not luck. It was the result of years of quiet work that nobody saw. I find that deeply moving, because it reminds me that the years nobody sees are often the years that matter most.
His smile is something I think about a lot, because it is easy to dismiss a smile as unimportant. But in a world where fame can make people cold and distant, a warm smile is a real gift. Xiumin’s smile makes fans feel welcome, and it makes a concert feel like a happy place. I do not think he smiles because someone told him to. I think he smiles because he enjoys performing, and because he is grateful to be there. That gratitude comes through, and it is one of the reasons his fans love him so much. A singer who is grateful is a singer who will keep working hard, and Xiumin has kept working hard for more than a decade.
I also respect the way he handled military service. He was the first member of EXO to enlist, and that meant he had to go first, without knowing exactly what it would be like. He went, he served, he sang in a military musical, and he came back. He did not complain, and he did not try to avoid his duty. That is a simple thing, but it matters, because it shows that he takes his responsibilities seriously. In Korea, military service is something every young man must do, and doing it with grace is a mark of character. Xiumin did it with grace, and his fans respected him for it.
When I listen to his solo album Brand New, I hear something that makes me happy. The songs are bright, they are light, and they are full of energy. They do not try to be deep or dramatic. They try to make the listener feel good, and they succeed. I think that is a brave choice, because many singers want to be taken seriously by making sad or serious music. Xiumin chose to make music that is joyful, and that joy is honest. It suits him, and it suits the person his fans know. I would rather listen to a happy song that is honest than a sad song that is fake, and Brand New is honest.
His work in musicals also tells me something important about him. Musicals are hard. You must sing live, act, dance, and stay in character for hours, and there is no group to hide behind. Xiumin took on that challenge, and he did it well. That tells me he is not afraid of hard work, and he is not afraid to try something new. Many pop stars stay in their comfort zone, doing the same thing year after year. Xiumin stepped outside his comfort zone, and he grew because of it. I admire that, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who feels stuck. Try something new, even if it is hard, because that is how you grow.
I also think about what it means to be the oldest member of a group. It is not only about age. It is about responsibility. The oldest member is the one the younger ones look to when things are hard, and the one who sets the example. Xiumin set a good example. He worked hard, he was kind, he was patient, and he did not let fame change him. That example helped EXO to last, and it helped the younger members to grow up well. I think that is a quiet kind of leadership, and it is often more powerful than loud leadership, because it works through actions, not words.
There is a sadness in his story too, and I do not want to ignore it. Being a K-pop star is not easy, and the pressure to always smile, to always perform, to always be perfect, must be heavy. Xiumin has carried that pressure for more than a decade, and he has done it while smiling. I sometimes wonder what it costs a person to always be cheerful, to never show how tired they are. I hope he has people around him who look after him, and I hope he knows that it is all right to be tired sometimes. A smile is a gift, but it should not be a burden, and I hope his smile is still real.
If I had to choose one thing to show someone who had never heard of Xiumin, I would show them a live performance, because that is where he shines. I would ask them to watch the way he dances, the way he sings, and the way he smiles at the fans, and I would tell them that this is what a performer looks like when they love their job. I think most people, once they see him, would understand why EXO needed him, and why his fans have stayed with him for so long.
I also think his story has a lesson for anyone who feels too old to start something. Xiumin was older than the other trainees, and he could have decided that he had missed his chance. He did not. He kept going, he earned his place, and he built a career that has lasted for more than a decade. That tells me that it is never too late to follow a dream, if you are willing to work for it. Age is not a barrier. Giving up is the barrier, and Xiumin did not give up.
His decision to leave his old company and start a new chapter is another thing I respect. After so many years, it would have been easy to stay where he was, safe and comfortable. But he chose to take control of his own career, to make his own choices, and to see what he could do on his own. That takes courage, especially when you are leaving behind the place that made you famous. I think he made the right choice, because a singer should be able to choose their own path, and Xiumin has earned that right.
In the end, I think Xiumin’s career is a reminder that being kind, being steady, and being joyful are not small things. They are the things that make a career last, and they are the things that make people love you. Xiumin has all three, and he has used them well. I hope he keeps singing, keeps smiling, and keeps showing the world that the oldest member can also be one of the brightest. His story makes me happy, and I think it will make many other people happy too, because it is a story about a boy from Guri who worked hard, stayed kind, and became a star.
I also think about the way Xiumin treats other people, because that is something I notice in every interview and every show he appears on. He is polite, he is warm, and he seems genuinely interested in the people around him. In an industry where stars can become cold and distant, that warmth is rare, and it is valuable. Fans can tell when a star is being kind because they mean it, and when they are being kind because someone told them to. Xiumin’s kindness feels real, and I think that is why people have stayed loyal to him for so long.
His story also makes me think about what it means to grow older in a young industry. K-pop is a world of teenagers, and a star in their thirties can feel out of place. But Xiumin shows that age can be a strength, because with age comes experience, patience, and a better understanding of who you are. He is not trying to be a teenager. He is a grown man who sings, dances, and performs with joy, and that is a different and better thing. I hope more stars follow his example, and I hope fans learn to value singers who grow up with them, instead of always looking for someone younger.
I also want to say something about his dancing, because it is easy to forget that Xiumin is a dancer as well as a singer. K-pop choreography is hard, fast, and precise, and it takes years to learn. Xiumin learned it, and he performs it with energy and precision, even though dancing was not his first strength. That tells me he is willing to work on his weaknesses, not only on his strengths, and that is a mark of a true professional. Many people only practise what they are already good at. Xiumin practised what was hard, and he became good at it.
When I think about the future, I hope Xiumin keeps making music that makes people happy, and I hope he does it for many years. He does not need to prove anything to anyone. He has already proved that a boy from Guri can become a star, that the oldest member can be one of the brightest, and that a smile and a strong work ethic can carry a career for more than a decade. If he releases a cheerful song tomorrow, I will listen, and I think many others will too, because joy is something the world always needs.
In the end, the thing I take from Xiumin’s life is simple. Be kind, work hard, stay patient, and do not be afraid to be the steady one. The world often praises the loudest and the flashiest, but it is the steady ones who hold things together, and who are still there when the noise fades. Xiumin is still there, still singing, still smiling, and that is a wonderful thing.
One last thought stays with me. Xiumin’s career reminds me that a person does not need to be the centre of attention to matter, and that the quiet work of looking after others, showing up every day, and doing a job well is a kind of greatness in itself. I will remember that the next time I feel unnoticed, and I hope other readers will remember it too, because steady kindness deserves to be noticed and praised.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Xiumin and when was he born?
Xiumin, whose real name is Kim Min-seok, was born on 26 March 1990 in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. He is the oldest member of EXO, a fact fans often mention when they talk about his role as the group’s big brother.
How did Xiumin join SM Entertainment?
Xiumin joined SM Entertainment after taking part in the SM Everysing Contest in 2008, where he finished in second place. He then trained with the company for several years before debuting with EXO in 2012.
What is Xiumin’s role in EXO-CBX?
EXO-CBX is a sub-unit of EXO formed in 2016, and Xiumin is one of its three members. The unit released music in Korea and Japan, with a lighter and more playful style than much of EXO’s main work.
When did Xiumin release his first solo album?
Xiumin released his first solo mini-album, Brand New, in September 2022, with a title song of the same name. The album showed his bright and cheerful style as a solo singer.
When did Xiumin do his military service?
Xiumin began his mandatory military service in May 2019 and was discharged in December 2020. He was the first member of EXO to enlist, and he took part in a military musical during his service.
What has Xiumin done since leaving SM Entertainment?
After parting ways with SM Entertainment in 2024, Xiumin joined a new agency and has continued his solo career, releasing music and holding fan concerts. He remains active as a singer and performer.
