The story told as by Tim has it that at the age of 20, Tim was approached by a Korean pop music producer (the son of a fellow church member). After listening to a tape, it was requested that Tim fly to Korea for a full audition to make a debut as a pop singer in Korea. Though he and his family had a very conservative background, Tim decided to fly to Seoul alone for the first time, give up his life as a college student and try his hand at becoming a Korean pop singer. Having never had visited Korea until he graduated high school, Tim spent the first two years in Korea focusing on learning the Korean language and preparing for his debut as a singer. While training for his debut album, Tim was very fortunate to have met Yoon Sang, one of the top songwriters in Korea and also a great senior and mentor as a singer. Yoon Sang wrote "사랑합니다 ("I Love You")," a soft ballad that matches Tim's voice and image perfectly. Tim was supported by Yoon Sang in creating his musical style, and his debut album (released April 21, 2003 by Yejeon Media) received great response. Tim began gaining great recognition in the local pop music market when senior ballad singers like Shin Seung Hun commented favorably on Tim's music. His second album "Second Breath" was able to mirror the success of his first album with the hits "Gomawottago. .. (I Was Thankful)" and "Iyagi (The Story)."