Korea 
Dean Muhsin’s Guide To ADE
11 years ago
Dean has established himself as a prominent South Korean alternative R&B artist, transitioning from a prolific songwriter and producer to a celebrated performer with a distinct musical identity.
Dean collaborated with Kolon Sport alongside Bae Doo Na in a campaign to protect Jeju Island's Leontopodium hallaisanense, an endangered flower species.
Kakaopay released a commercial featuring Dean and a track he produced for the collaboration (Get the Feeling). Dean also acted in the advertisement to promote the Korean digital wallet service.
Dean collaborated with Puma on a campaign called 'Run the Streets,' for which he produced a track and starred in a commercial video.
Dean and labelmate Miso participated in a music collaboration titled "Imagination" with GQ Korea and Burberry for the TB Summer Monogram Collection.
Dean became the face of the 'What's your favorite' campaign for the beer brand Guinness.
Kwon Hyuk, known by his stage name Dean, was born on November 10, 1992, in Hongeun-dong, Seoul. His early interest in American hip hop and rap in middle school evolved into singing during high school, initially viewing music as an escape rather than a career. At the age of sixteen, he began performing with hip-hop artist Keith Ape. By eighteen, operating under the moniker ‘Deanfluenza,’ he was already writing tracks for notable K-pop artists. His stage name, Dean, was inspired by James Dean’s rebellious persona, coupled with ‘influenza’ to symbolize his ambition for a widespread impact on the music industry. By twenty, he was working with Joombas Music Group CEO and producer Hyuk Shin, contributing to hits like EXO’s “Growl” and Justin Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl,” and receiving credits for tracks such as Exo’s “Black Pearl” and VIXX’s “Voodoo Doll”.
Dean officially debuted in the United States in July 2015 with “I’m Not Sorry,” featuring Grammy-winning artist Eric Bellinger. This was a notable move for a Korean artist, as he established his presence in the U.S. market before his home country. His collaborations that year included Mila J on “Here & Now” and Anderson Paak on “Put My Hands on You.” His South Korean debut in October 2015 saw the release of “Pour Up,” which later won Best R&B and Soul Song at the Korean Music Awards in 2016. He further expanded his collaborations in Korea with artists like Zion.T, Crush, Junggigo, Dok2, and Dynamic Duo, solidifying his role in the growing R&B and hip-hop scene. In 2016, Dean released his debut EP, “130 Mood: TRBL,” and continued his prolific work as a songwriter and producer for artists like Taeyeon, Heize, and Block B.
The period from 2017 to 2019 marked significant recognition and further collaborations for Dean. He released his solo single album “Limbo” in February 2017, with the title track “Come Over” quickly topping South Korean music charts. He served as a producer alongside Zico on “Show Me the Money 6” in 2017, leading their team to victory. His single “Instagram” released at the end of 2017 achieved widespread success, topping all local music charts in South Korea. Dean also engaged in brand campaigns, partnering with Kolon Sport in April 2017 to protect endangered flower species on Jeju Island, Kakaopay in July, and Puma in September for their ‘Run the Streets’ campaign. He continued to collaborate with artists such as Rad Museum, Sulli, ROMderful, and Tabber, demonstrating his diverse artistic reach and commitment to experimental music production within the K-R&B and hip-hop landscape.
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