Cho Joong-hoon (Korean조중훈; born January 27, 1976), better known by his stage name Cho PD, is a South Korean record producer, rapper, and the founder of record label Stardom Entertainment.[1] Producing his own music for himself and his crew Stardom (his company's eponym), he rose to prominence through the internet then debuted in 1998. Later, he also would support other artists like Psy, Verbal Jint and a young Dok2 earlier in their careers. After twelve years, he briefly "retired" from music in 2010.[2] However, he came out of retirement in 2011 with his two studio albums, State of the Art and Art of Business.[3]

Cho PD
Cho in 2010
Cho in 2010
Background information
Birth nameCho Joong-hoon
Born (1976-01-27) January 27, 1976 (age 48)
OriginSouth Korea
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Record producer, rapper
Years active1998–2010; 2011–present

On November 23, 2018, Cho was found guilty of fraud by the Seoul Central District Court. The sentence concerned Cho withholding undisclosed assets worth ₩270,000,000 (approx. $238,116 USD) in July 2015 when he signed a contract to transfer the assets of Stardom Entertainment to a new unnamed company. These undisclosed funds were derived from Topp Dogg’s 2015 concert tour of Japan. Cho was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for 3 years.[4]

Since his sentencing, he made an attempt to reinvent his branding. In May 2019, he launched ChoCo Entertainment, which specializes in powering virtual AI-based K-pop idols.

In 2023, he announced the launch of a new K-Pop group called ChoCo[5] that will have various sub-units including: ChoCo1, ChoCo2,[6] and ChoCo1&2.[7]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[8][9]
In Stardom
Track listing
  1. 조PD Rules
  2. 이야기 속으로
  3. Break Free (Radio Edit)
  4. Party On! (feat. Ray Jay)
  5. 비애
  6. Real Love 2 (Remake)
  7. 썩은 XXX
  8. 이야기 속으로 2
  9. Real Love
  10. 2U, Playa Hataz
  11. 용의 눈물
  12. My Song
  13. Dear Friend
  14. Party On! (Remix)
  15. Break Free (Original Edit)
  16. 노출좋아
2
In Stardom Version 2.0
  • Released: August 24, 1999
  • Label: Stardom Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, cassette
Track listing
  1. 나의 라임 연습장 (Intro) (feat. Yoon Mi-rae)
  2. 악동이 (feat. Digital Masta, Ray Jay)
  3. Fever (feat. Lee Jung-hyun)
  4. 날 잊어 2
  5. 어른 아이
  6. Garden in My Mind
  7. 카사노바 (feat. Psy)
  8. 에피소드 1
  9. 돈아돈아 (feat. Ray Jay)
  10. 날 잊어 1
  11. Flame (feat. Gina)
  12. Dog 소리
  13. 2U, Playa Hataz 2
  14. 형장의 이슬
  15. 카사노바 끝 (Remix)
4
ChoPD.Net / Best In East
  • Released: December 27, 2000
  • Label: Stardom Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, cassette
Track listing
  1. Wise Guys (Intro)
  2. Wise Guyz
  3. 격+ (feat. Ray Jay)
  4. Episode II
  5. Sex and Da City
  6. 박하사탕
  7. Never Give Up II
  8. Fan Mail
  9. 3VIP F-3534.JP
  10. Skit-DM`s폭풍전야
  11. 폭풍전야 II
  12. 2U Playa Hataz III
  13. Do Da Right Thang (똑바로 살아라 )
  14. Outro - Death
  15. My Song (Remix)
  16. Ladyz Only
  17. Saga
16
Stardom In Future Flow
  • Released: December 12, 2001
  • Label: Future Flow
  • Formats: CD, cassette
Track listing
  1. Stardom's CEO (Intro)
  2. Bye Bye
  3. U
  4. Back in the Dayz
  5. Never Give Up 2
  6. Shame On You
  7. 이런말 하는 날
  8. My Style (feat. DJ Uzi, Wassup, DM)
  9. Keep On
  10. 비애 2
  11. Run
  12. 아가씨와 건달
  13. Skit
  14. Real Love 3
  15. 떠나야 할 땐 (Bonus Track)
26
Great Expectation
  • Released: March 23, 2004
  • Label: Future Flow
  • Formats: CD, cassette
Track listing

Part 1:

  1. 파괴본능
  2. Kool as Ice
  3. 비밀일기
  4. 데미안
  5. 전화
  6. 이야기 속으로 IV
  7. As You Like It
  8. 일탈
  9. 썩은 XXX2 (변태여우)
  10. Kiss My Ass
  11. 소리바다 항해하던 어느날 밤
  12. 소음공해
  13. 2U, Playa Hataz III
  14. 아침 (Prelude)

Part 2:

  1. Show Must Go On..
  2. Frozen
  3. Club Night
  4. 친구여 (feat. Insooni)
  5. So Nice (PD Remix, feat. MRJ)
  6. (When I Need...) Somebody (feat. Yuna)
  7. Great Expectation (What It Takes 2 B Me)
  8. 파라다이스 (feat. Soy)
  9. Autumn Breeze
  10. Church 2 Da Streets
  11. Daydream (Interlude)
  12. Luv Flow
  13. My Song 2
9
Money Talks
  • Released: October 22, 2007
  • Label: Future Flow
  • Formats: CD
Track listing
  1. Season 6
  2. Make It Hot
  3. Korea City
  4. 내 생의 나날
  5. 첫사랑
  6. Money Over Life
  7. 나이테
  8. 된장 신드롬
  9. 럭셔리 신드롬
  10. 추월선
  11. Music is Dead
  12. Pride
6
Part 1: State of the Art
Track listing
  1. I’m Ur Dream (2008)
  2. The Wall (2010)
  3. WW III (2009)
  4. Confession (2009)
  5. PPL R PPL (2008)
  6. Do Or Die (2010) (feat. Basick)
  7. We R History (2008)
  8. Where I’m From (2010) (feat. Dok2, Mino)
  9. The Doctors (2010) (feats Swings, San E)
  10. Thrilla (2010) (feat. Zico, Park Kyung, Hanhae)
  11. And The Winner Is… (2010) (feat. Zico, Outsider)
  12. Ratz N Snitches Interlude (2010) (feat. Verbal Jint)
  13. Ratz N Snitches (2011)
  14. Same Shit Different Day (2006)
  15. Letter (2007)
  16. Back On The Map (2007)
31
Part 2: Art of Business
  • Released: October 12, 2011
  • Label: Brand New Stardom
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. 공부하세요 (2004)
  2. Dreams Come True (2004)
  3. Family Man (2009) (feat. Lee Tae-il of Block B)
  4. Hey June (2005)
  5. Take A Bow (2009) (feat. Kimmaster)
  6. Sense Of Time (2010)
  7. Cloud (2006)
  8. Fever II (2011) (feat. Skull, Park Kyung, P.O)
  9. Bitch (2006) (feat. Jubee of Sunny Hill)
  10. Time (2006)
  11. Designer’s Rock (2005)
  12. 랄라랜드 (2010) (feat. JeA and Narsha)
  13. Devil’s Advocate (2007)
  14. Mother Earth (2010)
  15. Red And Green Pills (2009)
  16. Life Goes On (2006)
32

Extended plays

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[9]
Victory
  • Released: March 8, 2010
  • Label: Brand New Stardom
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. 한국힙합에 바란다 (feat. 블록버스터)
  2. 보란듯이 (feat. 정슬기)
  3. 빅토리 2010 (feat. Koreana)
  4. 가을의 전설 (feat. Humming Urban Stereo)
  5. R.O.K (with Insooni)
  6. 가을의 전설 (Inst.)
  7. R.O.K (Inst.)
  8. 빅토리 2010 (Inst.)
  9. Sex Sex Sex (feat. 샛별)
  10. 빅토리 2010 (Song Ver.) (feat. Koreana)
20
The Hard Way
with Verbal Jint
  • Released: April 15, 2010
  • Label: Brand New Stardom
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. Map Music (feat. Zico)
  2. Super Hero (feat. Venus)
  3. Man Up (feat. Park Mi-Kyung)
  4. Origin of the Species (feat. Swings, Blockbuster)
  5. Map Music (instrumental)
  6. Super Hero (instrumental)
  7. Man Up (instrumental)
  8. Origin of the Species (instrumental)
10
In Stardom V3.0
  • Released: September 16, 2013
  • Label: Stardom Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. Intro: Resume
  2. 달라진 건 없어 (feat. Jinggo of Super Kidd, Deepflow)
  3. It was a very good year (feat. DEEZ)
  4. Made in 이태원 (feat. Jinbo)
  5. 이건 아니지 않나 싶어
  6. 썩은 XXX 3
25
The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs Part 1
(황금알을 낳는 Part 1)
  • Released: March 18, 2015
  • Label: Stardom Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Track listing
  1. 영혼 없다
  2. Candy (feat. Bada)
  3. My Style (feat. Kidoh, Sangdo, Seogeung, KURO, X)
  4. 친구여 (feat. Son Seung-yeon)
23

Awards

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Year Category Work Result
2002 Music Video of the Year (daesang) "My Style"[17][18] Won
Best Hip Hop Performance Nominated
Special Jury Prize Nominated
2003 Best Hip Hop Performance "Secret Diary" (비밀일기)[19][20] Nominated
Special Jury Prize Won
2004 Best Hip-Hop Video "Friend" (feat. Insooni)[21] Won
2005 Judges' Choice Award "My Old Story" (나의 옛날 이야기)[22] Won

References

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  1. ^ "조pd(ZoPD) 소개". Mnet (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  2. ^ "Cho PD takes his new release to Twitter". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  3. ^ "Album Review: Cho PD - Art & Business, Parts 1 & 2". Hello Kpop. 2011-10-28. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  4. ^ "조피디, 그룹 '탑독' 투자금 부풀려 소속사 양도…사기혐의 1심 집행유예". Seoul Economy (in Korean). 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  5. ^ Kairui (2023-04-26). "ChoCo Entertainment Plans Debut For Upcoming Rookie K-Pop Group 'ChoCo'". K-Pop Concerts. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  6. ^ YuJun (2023-05-16). "Who Are The Members Of ChoCo? Meet The Super Talented Members Of The K-Pop Group ChoCo". Kpopmap. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  7. ^ "초코1&2, 6월1일 '엠카'서 '프루티 룹스' 무대 최초 공개". 뉴스1 (in Korean). 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  8. ^ "K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  9. ^ a b "Gaon Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  10. ^ "May 1999 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  11. ^ "October 1999 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  12. ^ "January 2001 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  13. ^ "February 2002 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2005-03-31. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  14. ^ "June 2004 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  15. ^ "October 2007 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  16. ^ "September 2013 Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  17. ^ "2002 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived 2014-10-09 at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  18. ^ "2002 MMF part 1" Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine. Mwave. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
  19. ^ "2003 MMF part 1"[permanent dead link]. Mwave. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
  20. ^ "2003 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived 2012-10-29 at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  21. ^ "2004 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived 2012-10-29 at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  22. ^ "2005 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived 2013-02-19 at archive.today. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-12.