Crush

Crush's real name is Shin Hyo-seob (신효섭). He performs professionally under the stage name Crush, which has become closely associated with contemporary Korean R&B.

He was born on May 3, 1992. His Western zodiac sign is Taurus, and his Chinese zodiac sign is the Monkey.

Crush grew up in Seoul, South Korea. He developed an interest in hip-hop and R&B while still young.

He began writing and recording music during middle school. His early experiments with music production helped shape his later career as a singer-songwriter.

He studied applied music at Hoseo University. His education complemented his growing interest in music production and performance.

Crush made his recording debut in December 2012. His early single "Red Dress" featured Korean rapper TakeOne.

His first studio album was Crush on You. Released on June 5, 2014, the album helped establish him as a solo R&B artist.

"Sometimes" was one of his early breakthrough songs. Released in 2014, the track introduced a wider audience to his soulful vocal style.

Crush was originally signed to Amoeba Culture. The agency was also associated with influential Korean hip-hop artists, including Dynamic Duo.

He joined P NATION in July 2019. The company was founded by Korean singer and producer PSY.

Crush is associated with the music collective VV. The collective has included artists such as Zion.T, Gray, Loco and Elo.

He is also associated with FANXY CHILD. The hip-hop collective includes musicians such as Zico, DEAN, PENOMECO and Millic.

His song "Beautiful" became one of his most recognizable OSTs. The track appeared on the soundtrack of the 2016–2017 fantasy romance drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, commonly called Goblin.

He collaborated with Taeyeon on "Don't Forget." The 2016 single brought together two prominent Korean vocalists.

His 2020 EP with HER featured female artists. Collaborators included Taeyeon, Lee Hi, BIBI, Lee So-ra and Yoon Mi-rae.

Crush has a distinctive deep speaking voice. His conversational voice contrasts with the flexible vocal style he uses in recordings.

His music draws inspiration from American R&B and soul. He has spoken about the influence of international artists on his creative process.

He has expressed an interest in recording jazz music. Jazz influences can be heard in parts of his discography.

Crush has two sisters. His older sister, Shin Jung-eun, is also a singer-songwriter and performs under the name nov.

His cousin Yankie is a rapper. The two are part of a family with multiple connections to the Korean music industry.

He is known for his affection for dogs. His pets have included dogs named Doyou, also translated as Soy Milk, and Rose.

Crush enjoys zombie movies. His interest in the genre is one of the personal details he has shared in interviews.

He once won a Korean spacing-out competition. The unusual contest rewards participants for remaining still and mentally disengaged for a period of time.

He served as a vocal mentor on Under Nineteen. The survival program featured young male contestants competing for a place in an idol group.

Crush completed his mandatory military service. He began serving in November 2020 and was discharged in August 2022.

He collaborated with BTS's j-hope on "Rush Hour." Released in September 2022, the song marked one of his major post-military releases.

His 2023 album wonderego contains 19 tracks. The project features collaborations with artists including Dynamic Duo, PENOMECO and Lee Hi.

He sang "Love You With All My Heart" for Queen of Tears. The 2024 OST became one of his notable contributions to Korean drama soundtracks.

Crush released the EP FANG in August 2025. The six-track project includes collaborations with SUMIN, Loco and Tabber.

He announced a collaboration with IU in October 2026. Their upcoming single "seesaw" is scheduled for release on October 21, 2026, marking their first official song released together.