Joshua Hong

Biography

Joshua Hong (born December 30, 1995), known mononymously as Joshua (Korean: 조슈아), is an American singer based in South Korea. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is a member of the South Korean boy band Seventeen and its vocal team.

Early life

Joshua Hong was born in Los Angeles on December 30, 1995. He attended Downtown Magnets High School and graduated in 2013. Growing up, he attended church in Los Angeles' Koreatown.

2013–2014: Pledis training and pre-debut

In 2012, at the age of 16, Joshua was approached by a K-pop scout while attending the Los Angeles Korean Festival. The scout arranged for him to record an audition video for Pledis Entertainment, after which he was invited to South Korea for the company to assess his potential. He was given a plane ticket to South Korea, and moved from Los Angeles to Seoul in 2013. He trained with Pledis for about a month before being accepted as a trainee.
Although Joshua had learned some Korean through a Korean church before moving to South Korea, he struggled with the language after arriving, improving through singing practice, studying lyrics and conversations with the other members.
As a trainee, he joined from the second season onwards of Seventeen TV, an online reality show that introduced Pledis' trainees and showed potential members of the boy group Seventeen before their official debut. The show was broadcast periodically on Ustream, where the trainees showed themselves training, singing, creating choreographies and playing games. The online show also included participation in concerts, titled Like Seventeen.

2015–present: Seventeen and solo activities

In 2015, Joshua debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group Seventeen with the extended play 17 Carat on May 29.
In 2020, Joshua and bandmate DK collaborated with American musician Pink Sweats on a remix of his song "17". In June 2022, Joshua released a cover of Dhruv's "Double Take" as a part of Seventeen's #17Studio series. In 2023, Joshua and his bandmate Hoshi were cast in TVING's reality show Bro and Marble in Dubai alongside Yoo Yeon-seok, Lee Dong-hwi, Kyuhyun, Jee Seok-jin, Jo Se-ho and Lee Seung-gi. The show began airing in July that year, with Joshua and Hoshi's performances being well received.
In March 2023, Joshua released two song covers as part of Apple Music's Home Session series. He was the first K-pop artist to be featured in the series. In July 2023, Joshua worked with Apple Music again, alongside bandmate Vernon, hosting an Apple Music 1 summer themed radio show titled Summer Vacation With Joshua and Vernon of Seventeen. In August, alongside bandmates DK and Dino, Joshua was featured on New Kids On The Block's remix to their 2008 song "Dirty Dancing", released as a part of a commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the album The Block's release.

2024–present: Solo activities, global collaborations, and soundtracks

In May 2025, Joshua released his definitive official studio solo track, "Fortunate Change," as part of Seventeen's 10th-anniversary studio album, HAPPY BURSTDAY. The indie-pop track showcased his distinct acoustic sensibilities and vocal progression over his decade-long career.
Joshua aggressively expanded his global profile through international collaborations during this period. In early 2025, he partnered with American electronic duo SLANDER for a vocal remix of their anthem "Love Is Gone." He also collaborated with the indie artistic collective Lola James Harper on the track "So Many Roads."
In May 2026, Joshua made his official feature film soundtrack debut on the Netflix musical comedy-drama film K-Pops!, directed by Anderson .Paak. He collaborated with American singer Corbyn Besson (formerly of Why Don't We) on the leading soundtrack single "One More Dance," a mid-tempo R&B-funk track.
On July 6, 2026, Pledis Entertainment officially announced that Joshua would be making his first standalone sub-unit debut alongside fellow vocalist Jeonghan. The agency stated that the duo are actively preparing a new unit album slated for an October 2026 release, marking Seventeen's seventh official sub-unit project.

Endorsements

In May 2022, Joshua, alongside bandmate Seungkwan, was announced as a model for Laneige's "Neo Cushion" line. In December 2023, Joshua was announced as an ambassador for Givenchy Beauty.
In March 2026, Joshua expanded his global commercial footprint in the beauty and skincare industries. On March 3, 2026, he was announced as the brand ambassador for the Korean medical skincare brand Real Barrier across South Korea and Japan, with the parent company citing his stable and clean public image. On March 18, 2026, French luxury cosmetics brand Make Up For Ever officially appointed Joshua as their regional brand ambassador.

Fashion

In February 2023, Joshua attended Italian fashion house Marni's Fall/Winter 2023 runway show in Tokyo. Later that year, he attended the brand's womenswear Spring 2024 show in Paris.
In March 2024, Joshua was announced as the newest brand ambassador for Scottish cashmere brand Barrie.
Joshua has established a prominent solo portfolio within international luxury fashion and beauty. In 2025, he actively expanded his global fashion footprint by attending Milan Fashion Week on September 24 to represent Onitsuka Tiger for their Spring/Summer 2026 showcase, followed by a high-profile appearance at Paris Fashion Week on October 3 for the Givenchy Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 runway show.
In February 2026, Joshua traveled to San Francisco to attend the gray carpet and live presentation for the second annual GQ Bowl x Thom Browne Fall 2026 fashion show held at the Legion of Honor Museum. In May 2026, he participated in the prominent Vogue China Vacation "Vogue Valley Holiday" event, held at Rissai Valley in Jiuzhaigou, China.
In June 2026, Joshua was officially announced as a "Friend of the House" for the Swiss luxury watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the partnership launched alongside the brand's intimate video profile series The Hour Before. That same month, he traveled to Paris Men's Fashion Week to represent the American luxury fashion house Amiri as a primary guest at their Spring/Summer 2027 runway presentation.

Composition credits

All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association unless stated otherwise.