Prior to 'Bo go ship da' (보고싶다), another of Kim's songs, "Promise", from the album of the same name, had also been used for the popular MBC drama, Watch and Watch Again (1999), establishing Kim's staple image as a ballad singer. Critic and Writer Catherine Chan recalls the feeling surrounding the song as a 'sentimental lovers' favorite,' describing how the song 'had all the ingredients - a tender voice, lovely melody and dreamy lyrics.'

Kim is the first Korean Artist to make a mark on the North American music charts, with his song "Hello Goodbye Hello" ranked at the 51st spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2001.

Kim returned to his music career after he completed his military Service. His sixth album, released in 2008, was titled The Practical Usage of Sadness(슬픔활용법). While delivering several powerful ballads on this album, he also branched out into new genres, such as on the country tune "님아."

Kim continues to do performances in several countries within East Asia, but also in other parts of the world—notably in North America, where Korean pop culture (drama and music) has skyrocketed in popularity within the last decade. Past events have been held in Hawaii, New York, Los Angeles, and Boston, as well as in parts of Canada.