Younha

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Go Younha
고윤하
ユンナ
Promotional shot of Younha released by her company Stam Entertainment.
Promotional shot of Younha released by her company Stam Entertainment.
Background information
Birth name 고윤하 (Go, Younha)
Also known as Younha, ユンナ Yunna
Born April 29, 1988
Origin Seoul, South Korea
Genre(s) J-Pop/Rock, K-Pop
Occupation(s) Singer
Instrument(s) Singing, Piano
Years active 2004–Present
Label(s) Sony Japan (Japan)
Website Younha official website (Korean)
Younha official website (Japanese)
Younha
Hangul:
고윤하
Hanja:
高允河
Revised Romanization: Go Yun-ha
McCune-Reischauer: Ko Yunha

Younha (Japanese: ユンナ, Yunna, Korean: Go Youn-ha-고윤하), born April 29, 1988 in Seoul, Korea, is a K-Pop and J-Pop singer.

Younha made her debut as an artist at the young age of sixteen. Nicknamed the "Oricon comet" for her success in Japan[1], she has currently released eight singles and two albums with varying degrees of success; however, many of her songs have been featured in animes/dramas. Although she is often compared to BoA because she is a Korean who is active in Japan, speaks Japanese well, and is also one of the few Koreans to rank on the Oricon chart, there are significant differences in musical style and performance.

Younha began to compose her own music recently. The song "Kaerimichi" released on her fifth single "My Lover" is the first song released for which she wrote the lyrics and composed the music for. In addition, she composed the music for the song "homegirl" released on "Te wo Tsunaide".

Exactly 2 months after "Hakanaku Tsuyoku", Younha went back to her home country to release her first Korean Album entitled 고백하기 좋은 날 (Go Baek Ha Gi Jo Eun Nal, translated "A Good Day to Confess"). She recorded a MV for the third track "비밀번호 486" (Bi Mil Bun Ho 486, translated "Password 486") which stars fellow Stam artist Yoon Ji Hoo. The video featured many image changes for Younha which include her first ever kiss. The album also features a collaboration with Wheesung.

Younha is signed to Epic Records, which is owned by Sony Music Japan. Her Korean agency is Stam Entertainment.

Contents

[edit] Early Life

Born in South Korea to music loving parents, Younha began to play the piano at the age of 4. She developed an interest in Japanese Drama and began to teach herself Japanese. Before long, she was skilled enough to interpret to her school friends what would happen on Japanese television. What began as an interest in Japanese dramas developed into an interest in Japanese music. At the recommendation of an older student in her school's broadcasting club, she listened to such artists as Utada Hikaru and Misia and soon began to like Japanese music. Younha began to dream about debuting as singer alongside her favorite artists.

[edit] Early Career: ゆびきり(Yubikiri)

In order to realize her dream, she began to seek out auditions within Korea. She claimed that she went through as many as 20 auditions. She also commented in her interview that certain companies refused to sign her to their labels because they believed she was not "pretty" enough, although she sang pretty well. [2] Her mother also discouraged her dream and even locked her bedroom door to prevent Younha from leaving the house. Younha, however, climbed out the window and made it to the audition anyhow. At one audition, she made an overwhelming impression and signed a contract with a Korean company. Soon after, Younha's voice was heard by a company in Japan. In order to make her childhood dream of debuting in Japan come true, Younha underwent recording while going back and forth between Korea and Japan. Quickly, Younha's Japanese skills advanced so much that she surprised even the staff around her.

After a TV drama producer heard her demo tape, her single, "Yubikiri", was chosen as the insert song for the Fuji TV Monday drama Tokyo Wankei ~Destiny of Love~. In October of that same year, she debuted with her official first single, "Yubikiri -Japanese version-".

[edit] ほうき星 (Houkiboshi) to Go! Younha Era: Early Moderate Success

Younha's second single, "Houkiboshi", was used as an ending song for the popular TV anime Bleach. It became a hit, debuting on the Oricon chart at #15, and propelled Younha into the limelight. Between "Touch/Yume no Tsuzuki" and "Houkiboshi", she released "Motto Futari De". It flopped massively, only reaching #117 on the Oricon Charts due to no promotion. Her later single, "Touch/Yume no Tsuzuki", first charted at the #14, with the tie-in. Her first album Go! Younha reached the #12 spot on the weekly charts. Younha is the second female Korean after BoA to reach the top 20 on the Oricon album charts.

[edit] 手をつないで (Te wo Tsunaide) to 今が大好き (Ima ga Daisuki) Era: Later Struggles

My Lover was a re-cut single from Go! Younha, her debut album, and was re-cut because it was the theme to the Bleach GC: Tasogare Ni Mamieru Shinigami. It was limited to 70,000 copies and flopped, selling only about 2 000 copies, ranking at #58. Younha was also chosen to sing the ending theme to the TV anime Jyu Oh Sei (獣王星). The single, "Te wo Tsunaide" only did slightly better than "My Lover", just making it into the top 50 at #50. "Ima ga Daisuki" (今が大好き) was released, with more live performances than "Te wo Tsunaide", and a tie-in, and a slightly less rocky style than "Te wo Tsunaide", and more like "Motto Futari De". It seemed that Younha has a bigger budget on this single. It did significantly worse, as her 2nd worst ranking single, at #71.

[edit] 儚く強く (Hakanaku Tsuyoku) & Audition -Time 2 Rock- Era

Younha was once again chosen to be an anime theme songstress for Kiba. The song "Hakanaku Tsuyoku" (儚く強く) was used as the second opening for the show. The single was released on January 17, 2007. This single, unlike her other singles, has only 3 tracks. Surprisingly, this single appeared on the Top 20 Daily Charts for exactly one day, at #16. The Weekly rank was at an above-average #36, but sales were only slightly better.

Younha released a digital Korean single titled "Audition". The single includes "Audition (Time 2 Rock)", a pop-rock song and "Waiting" (기다리다), a ballad. Although it was released as a digital single, very limited hard copies of the single were available as well.

[edit] Japanese Singles

  • Yubikiri - Japanese Version (ゆびきり - 日本語 version) Used in the Japanese drama Tokyo Wankei 10.20.04
  1. Yubikiri - Japanese Version (ゆびきり - 日本語 version)
  2. Hana no You ni (花のように)
  3. Yubikiri - Japanese Version (instrumental) ((ゆびきり - 日本語 version)(instrumental)
  4. Hana no You ni (instrumental) (花のように (instrumental))
  • Houkiboshi (ほうき星) - Used in the anime Bleach as the third ending song 06.01.05
  1. Houkiboshi (ほうき星)
  2. Ashita, Tenki ni Nare (あした、天気になれ)
  3. Omoide ni Dekinai (思い出にできない)
  4. Houkiboshi (instrumental)(ほうき星(instrumental)
  • Motto Futari de (もっとふたりで) 07.13.05
  1. Motto Futari de (もっとふたりで)
  2. If - Japanese Version (If - 日本語 version)
  • Touch / Yume no Tsuzuki (タッチ / 夢の続き) 09.07.05
  1. Touch (タッチ)
  2. Yume no Tsuzuki (夢の続き)
  3. Touch (instrumental) (タッチ(instrumental))
  4. Yume no Tsuzuki (instrumental) (夢の続き(instrumental))
  • My Lover (マイ☆ラバ) 12.07.05
  1. My Lover (マイ ラバ)
  2. Mafuyu no Veil (真冬のVeil)
  3. Kaerimichi (かえり道)
  4. My Lover (instrumental) (マイ ラバ(instrumental))
  • Te wo Tsunaide (手をつないで) - Used in the anime Jyu Oh Sei as the ending song 06.07.06
  1. Te wo Tsunaide (手をつないで)
  2. Rock Star
  3. homegirl
  4. Te wo Tsunaide (instrumental) (手をつないで(instrumental))
  • Ima ga Daisuki (今が大好き) - Both songs are used in the anime Shojo Changumu no Yume as the opening and ending songs 09.06.06
  1. Ima ga Daisuki (今が大好き)
  2. Inori (祈り)
  3. Ima ga Daisuki - Korean Version (今が大好き - 韓国語 Version)
  4. Inori - Korean Version (祈り - 韓国語 Version)
  5. Ima ga Daiksuki (instrumental) (今が大好き (instrumental))
  6. Inori (instrumental) (祈り(instrumental))
  • Hakanaku Tsuyoku (儚く強く) - 2nd Opening to the anime Kiba.
  1. 儚く強く (Hakanaku Tsuyoku)
  2. 会いたい (Aitai)
  3. 儚く強く (Hakanaku Tsuyoku) -instrumental-

[edit] Korean Singles

  • Yubikiri (ゆびきり) - Used in the Japanese drama Tokyo Wankei 09.01.04
  1. Yubikiri (ゆびきり)
  2. If
  3. Yubikiri (instrumental) (ゆびきり(instrumental)
  4. If (instrumental)
  • Audition (December 4, 2006)
  1. Time 2 Rock
  2. Waiting
  3. Time 2 Rock (Instrumental)
  4. Waiting (Instrumental)

[edit] Albums

After releasing several Japanese singles, Younha released her first official album, Go! Younha (a pun on her surname).

  • Go! Younha released October 5, 2005
  1. Houkiboshi - Album Mix Version (ほうき星 - Album Mix Version)
  2. Motto Futari de (もっとふたりで)
  3. Orenji no Hatsukoi (オレンジの初恋)
  4. Aoi Lemon (碧い檸檬)
  5. Yubikiri - Japanese Version (ゆびきり - 日本語version)
  6. Himawari (向日葵)
  7. My Lover (マイ☆ラバ)
  8. Yume no Tsuzuki - Album Version (夢の続き - Album Version)
  9. Ashita, Tenki ni Nare (あした、天気になれ)
  10. Aiaigasa (相合傘)
  11. Negai wa Hitotsu (願いはひとつ)
  12. Omoide ni Dekinai (思い出にできない)
  13. Touch (タッチ)

Shortly after her Korean debut with "Audition", Younha released her first Korean album called "A Perfect Day to Say I Love You".

  • 고백하기 좋은 날 (Go Baek Ha Gi Jo Eun Nal) released March 15, 2007
  1. Delete
  2. Ggo Ma - I cry (꼬마 - I cry)
  3. Bi Mil Bun Ho 486 (비밀번호 486)
  4. Go Baek Ha Gi Jo Eun Nal (고백하기 좋은 날)
  5. Hello beautiful day
  6. Oh Neul Mahn (오늘만)
  7. Yuhn Eh Jo Gun (연애조건)
  8. Fly
  9. Sok Ma Eum (속마음)
  10. Uh Rin Yohk Shim feat. Wheesung (어린욕심 feat. 휘성)
  11. Alice (앨리스)
  12. Ggo Ma - I cry (Instrumental)
  13. Bi Mil Bun Ho 486 (Instrumental)

[edit] Collaborations

Younha sang the song Boku wa Koko ni Iru on the tribute album to Masayoshi Yamazaki, "One More Time, One More Track". (12.21.05)

Younha was selected as one of 14 artists to perform in new Princess Princess cover album "14 Princess ~Princess Princess Children~", where she performed the song Diamonds. (03.08.06)

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../y/o/u/Younha.html"
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