Drunken Tiger

A highly successful (if somewhat controversial) South Korean rap group, Drunken Tiger (main members: Tiger JK and DJ Shine) scored a record deal as a duo (Tiger JK had one album as a solo artist already under his belt) with Doremi Records in 1998. Their debut, Return of the Tiger, in 1999, was a hit, and the group was able to make some real connections to the Korean hip-hop scene. As part of the larger collective The Movement, Drunken Tiger was able to help promote Korean hip-hop on a nationwide level. The group would also have a hand in production of further Drunken Tiger records. Drunken Tiger released their second album, Great Rebirth, in 2000, but faced a bit of trouble when a narcotics conviction kept Tiger JK and DJ Shine from making any television appearances for the next two years. The third Drunken Tiger full-length, The Legend Of Drunken Tiger, was a huge hit, with the single "Good Life" hitting the top spot in the charts. Three more albums were to follow over the next few years (Foundation in 2003, One Is Not A Lonely Word in 2004, and 1945 Independence in 2005) but that was to be it for Drunken Tiger, as DJ Shine announced his departure from the group to focus on business interests in 2005.