Tablo is a South Korean-Canadian rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, actor, and radio personality who goes by the names Daniel Armand Lee and Lee Seon-woong. His extensive list of accomplishments includes his time as the leader and producer of the hip-hop group ‘Epik High.’ Tablo had a hectic upbringing due to his father’s business, which required him to move from country to country. He began performing music at a young age, beginning with the piano and violin. This early passion for music lasted until he graduated from college in 2003, when he created the band Epik High and published their debut album, ‘Map of the Human Soul,’ in South Korea. The music was greatly influenced by western music and did not perform well in South Korea. His next few albums, on the other hand, gradually gathered up steam, and Tablo established himself as a multi-talented artist. With the 2005 sitcom ‘Nonstop,’ he transitioned to acting, and a few subsequent roles cemented his reputation as a popular South Korean celebrity.
Childhood and Adolescence
Tablo was born on July 22, 1980, in Seoul, South Korea, to a middle-class family. Because to his father’s job, he was always on the move, and the family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, shortly after Tablo was born. The family resided there for three years, then moved back and forth between Hong Kong and Switzerland for the next three years, until settling in South Korea for a brief length of time. Tablo is the family’s youngest child, with an elder brother and sister.
Tablo’s family relocated to Canada when he was eight years old. He received his early schooling in Canada and attended Seoul International School for his secondary education. Following that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Stanford University. After that, he took a three-year creative writing course.
Pablo later said in interviews that his turbulent childhood had a negative impact on his mental health, and he had been depressed for a long time. He turned to music to cope with his feelings of loneliness and depression, and by the age of six, he could play the piano fairly effectively. He had learnt to play the violin by the time he was ten years old.
He began composing poetry when he was 16 years old, and when one of South Korea’s most well-known musicians, Kim Gun-mo, read his work, he became an instant fan and commissioned him to write the song “Rainy Christmas.”
Before pursuing a career in music, he battled depression and had conflicts with his parents. He also ran away from home on a number of occasions. Tablo was also made emotionally unpleasant when one of his closest friends died of cancer. Despite this, he moved to South Korea to pursue his passion of being a musician and began practicing his craft.
Career of Tablo
Tablo met Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz, two struggling musicians working in the underground South Korean music scene, in 2003. In the same year, they met and founded the band Epik High, and they immediately began work on their debut album. They were apprehensive about the fact that the popular music culture in South Korea was very different from what they were doing, but it seemed like a gamble worth taking to them.
Woolin Entertainment chose to support the group’s debut attempt after much battle, and the group released their debut album, ‘The Map of the Human Soul,’ in 2003. As expected, the record was not well received by South Koreans. The album had underground hip-hop as well as western rock influences, however Epik High’s talent was scorned by the Koreans.
This disaster destroyed Tablo’s confidence, and he pondered returning to Canada to pursue another professional route, but he persisted in finishing the trilogy of records. The public and critics liked their second album, ‘High Society,’ a little better than the first. This instilled confidence in Epik High, and with the publication of the group’s third and ostensibly final album, everything changed. The CD ‘Swan Songs’ was a huge success with both critics and listeners.
Epik High became one of the most sought-after musical groups in the country with the success of their fourth album, ‘Remapping the Human Soul.’ They sold over 90,000 copies in the first month alone, and by the end of the year, the album had become the year’s third best-selling album.
A year later, Tablo tried his hand at writing, and his debut novel, ‘Pieces of You,’ became a bestseller in Korea, with an English version that did well in other markets. For a first-time author, critics appreciated Tablo’s writing style, making him a respected artist in South Korea and neighboring nations, where his fan base expanded in numbers.
Tablo signed a deal with YG Entertainment in 2011 for the publication of his solo album, which was also supposed to mark his solo debut as a musician.
This sparked speculation that Tablo was leaving Epic High, but he ignored the rumors and recorded his debut solo album, ‘Fever’s End.’ It was released in two parts, and it was a moderate economic and critical success.
Tablo announced Epic High’s return to the music market in October 2012 with ’99,’ the new album, following an almost three-year hiatus. The album was a hit with critics, who gave it a decent rating.
Tablo collaborated with Joey Badass, an American rapper, on a track in August 2015. The song was dubbed ‘Hood,’ and it was well-received by critics. Apart from his musical accomplishments, Tablo has remained a staple of South Korean television by starring in a number of variety shows over the years. He debuted in 2004 with ‘Epik High’s Love and Delusion,’ and has since been on series such as ‘Non Stop,’ ‘High Kick!,’ ‘Happy Together,’ and ‘Show me the Money,’ among others. He also appeared in the show ‘The Return of Superman’ with his real-life daughter, which was well-received by his admirers throughout the world.
Personal Experiences of Tablo
Tablo was involved in a debate about his educational background. Tablo’s claims that he studied at Stanford University were discovered to be false. In response, Tablo released his documents on the internet, and many of Tablo’s university professors and classmates claimed that he was indeed a student there.
In October 2009, Tablo married his long-time fiancée Kang Hye-jung, and the couple welcomed their first child, Haru, a year later.
Estimated Net Worth
Tablo is one of the wealthiest rappers and one of the most popular. Tablo’s net worth is estimated to be $1.4 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.