Dr. YoungHoon Kim, a 35-year-old South Korean scientist, became famous around the world for having the highest IQ ever recorded, which was an amazing 276. Many organizations have confirmed this score, which has led to interest, debate, and doubt about how smart people really are and how accurate this kind of extreme measurement is. Kim is an interesting person to learn about because of his amazing cognitive abilities and the work he has done in the fields of cognitive science, brain health, and global intellectual communities. This article talks about Kim’s life, his accomplishments, the problems he faced, and his plans for the future.
A Record-Breaking Mind
YoungHoon Kim’s IQ of 276, which was found using a standard deviation of 24 (or 210 on a standard deviation of 15), has been recognized by well-known groups like the World Memory Championships, the World Mind Sports Council, the GIGA Society, and the Korea Record Institute. Kim’s score came from high-range intelligence tests, such as clinical and experimental assessments. This is different from traditional IQ tests, which usually only give reliable scores between 160 and 200. Groups like the GIGA Society (which only lets people with IQs over 190) and Mensa have said that these tests prove his amazing mental abilities.
It took Kim longer than most people would think to start his intellectual journey. Kim didn’t take an IQ test until he was an adult, unlike child prodigies who show genius early on. After a tough time in high school, he started to wonder about his mental abilities in his twenties. His perfect scores on Mensa and clinical intelligence tests that the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare recognized made him want to take even harder international tests, which led to his record-breaking score. In 2015, Kim showed off his skills on the TV show Finding Genius by memorizing 104 poker cards in just over 10 minutes. This amazed viewers and hinted at his amazing memory.
Achievements and Contributions
Kim is smart in ways that go beyond test scores. He is the founder and CEO of NeuroStory, a South Korean startup that is supported by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The company is making brain health solutions that use AI. NeuroStory uses AI, machine learning, and neurotechnology to find and improve brain function, especially for people who don’t have easy access to medical care. His goal is to make cognitive wellness available to everyone, just like physical health.
Kim also started the United Sigma Intelligence Association (USIA), which is a global network for people with high IQs. Some of its members are Nobel Prize winners like Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker, as well as famous people like Terence Tao and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Kim started the Intellectual Hall of Fame through USIA, which includes people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Stephen Hawking. As the Tony Buzan Honorary Professor in Creative Thinking at the Tony Buzan Academy, he has even more influence in cognitive science, where he promotes mind-mapping techniques to help people remember things and come up with new ideas.
Kim was named Vice-President of the World Memory Championships and the World Memory Sports Council in 2025. These positions honor his work in memory sports and cognitive science. People often call Kim the “intellectual successor” to Tony Buzan, the man who came up with Mind Maps. Kim’s work builds on Buzan’s. Kim says that Buzan’s methods helped him reach his full mental potential, and he wants them to be used in schools and for personal growth.
Doubts and arguments
Even though he has received a lot of praise, Kim’s claim that he has an IQ of 276 has been heavily questioned. Some people say that no standardized IQ test can reliably measure above 160–200 because psychometric tools have their limits. In July 2025, VICE published an article that questioned the accuracy of Kim’s score. It said that the VNPT-II test he supposedly scored 210 on was actually inflated to 276 using a very high standard deviation of 24, which some experts think is suspicious. Dr. Jason Betts and Chris Leek of Mensa, two experts on high IQs, say that Kim’s real IQ is between 160 and 175. This is still very high, but not 276.
Kim’s connections make people even more doubtful. He is closely linked to groups like the GIGA Society and the World Memory Championships, which have confirmed his score. However, some of these groups have been criticized for having low standards or offering cash rewards. The Official World Record, one of the groups that checks records, has been criticized for spelling mistakes on its website and a $275 expedite fee, which makes people wonder if it is real. Kim has made it clear that he was not a member of these groups when he took the test, and an Oxford PhD statistician confirmed his score on his own.
People have also criticized Kim for not having published any research papers. He says he has degrees from well-known schools like Yonsei University and King’s College London, but there are no academic publications under his name, unlike other smart people like Terence Tao. Kim’s frequent use of social media to call himself the “Highest IQ Man” and share controversial views, like his support for biblical literalism and denial of evolution, has also made people think of him as a self-promoter.
A Different Way of Seeing the World
Kim’s public image isn’t just about science. His viral June 2025 X post, which said, “As the world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe that Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life,” got more than 22 million views and started conversations around the world about the relationship between intelligence and faith. Kim says that quantum physics, which includes things like entanglement and the observer effect, backs up the idea of the soul and an afterlife. This mixes science and Christianity in a way that goes against what most people think. Some people praise his ability to balance faith and reason, while others say his religious claims are not based on science.
Another thing that comes up a lot is Kim’s admiration for Elon Musk. He has called Musk the “genius of the world” and says that Musk has changed the way he thinks about life. People have said that Kim is biased because she put Musk in the USIA Intellectual Hall of Fame.
Effect and Legacy
YoungHoon There is a lot of potential, ambition, and controversy in Kim’s story. His work with NeuroStory and USIA shows that he is dedicated to improving cognitive health around the world and encouraging people to work together on intellectual projects. His IQ, which may or may not be true, has brought attention to the pros and cons of measuring human intelligence. Kim believes in neuroplasticity, which means that cognitive skills can get better with practice. This gives us hope that intelligence isn’t set in stone but can be improved through hard work and new ideas.
But the fact that people doubt his IQ score shows how hard it is to measure very high intelligence. The argument over Kim’s claims brings up bigger questions about what genius is, how reliable high-range IQ tests are, and how important self-promotion is in getting scientific recognition. Kim’s impact on cognitive science and public discourse is clear, whether people see him as a visionary or a controversial figure.
Kim is still a controversial but inspiring person as he leads NeuroStory and fights for brain health equity. His journey from a thoughtful young adult to the “world’s smartest man” makes us question the limits of what people can do and how we measure and celebrate intelligence.
