Han Seung-yeon

This is a Korean name; the family name is Han.
Han Seung-yeon
Birth name Han Seung-yeon
Born July 24, 1988
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Genres K-pop
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 2007–present
Labels DSP Media
Associated acts Kara, SS501, Puretty, 4Tomorrow
Korean name
Hangul 한승연
Hanja 韓昇延
Revised Romanization Han Seung-yeon
McCune–Reischauer Han Sŭngyŏn

Han Seung-yeon (born July 24, 1988) is a South Korean idol singer, dancer, and actress. She is known for being the main vocalist of the girl group Kara, formed by DSP Media in 2007.

Career

Han Seung-yeon was born on July 24, 1988,[1] in Seoul, South Korea. She left South Korea to study at Tenafly High School in New Jersey, United States. However, she withdrew from high school mid-course in order to pursue a singing career.[2] After returning to South Korea, she debuted as a singer on March 29, 2007, as a member of the girl group Kara along with Park Gyuri, Nicole Jung and Kim Sunghee. During her time with the group, she passed a high school qualification exam, the College Scholastic Ability Test, and was accepted by Kyung Hee University, majoring in theater and film.[2]

Kara

Kara debuted as a quartet on M! Countdown in March 2007 with their debut single "Break It" from their first studio album entitled The First Blooming. In early 2008, however, member Kim Sunghee left the group due to parental pressure.[3] She was eventually replaced by Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung, and the group made their comeback as a quintet with "Rock U" in July 2008.

Solo artist

Due to Kara's debut album The First Blooming being relatively unsuccessful, Han went on to participate in many variety shows from late 2007 to early 2009 in order to keep the group recognizable to the public.[4] She was the VJ for MSL Break from 2007 to 2008. She replaced Tiffany of Girls' Generation as co-host of Boys and Girls Music Countdown in June 2008 with Kim Hye-sung,[5] and later with actor Kim Soo-hyun.[6] Their segment ended on May 8, 2009. From October to December 2008, she was part of the cast of the MBC Every 1 reality show I Need a Family - Season 2, where a group of celebrities would live life as a family, consisting of a father, mother, son and daughter.[7] She also became part of MBC's entertainment news show Section TV as a "pop correspondent," debuting on November 21, 2008.[8] On July 31, 2011, she became a co-host of SBS's Animal Farm.

Han was featured on rapper Nassun's single "Come to Play", which was released in March 2009, and was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Why Did You Come to My House? (2009), releasing her first solo song entitled "Miracle".[9] In October 2009, she became part of the "Dream Team Girl Group" named 4Tomorrow for Samsung's campaign Samsung Anycall. Their digital single "Tomorrow" was released on October 6, and the official music video for their single was released on the October 12, starring actor Lee Dong-gun.[10] In 2010, she recorded the song "Super Star" for the soundtrack of the KBS2 drama Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010). She performed the song as one of her solos during the South Korean leg of Kara's tour entitled Karasia in February 2012. In 2011, she recorded the song "Because of Love" for the soundtrack of the SBS drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo (2011).

In January 2012, it was announced that each member of Kara would be recording solo material for their upcoming concerts, and it was later revealed that Han's song was entitled "Guilty". She performed her solo song during the group's tour along with the other members and their respective solo songs. The Japanese version of "Guilty" was later included in Kara's special album Kara Collection in September 2012. It was released digitally in Japan on August 26, with the video being released on September 4.[11][12] The Korean version of the song was included in the group's compilation album Kara Solo Collection, which was released on December 4 in South Korea. The track was released digitally on November 30 along with its respective music video.[13] She made her solo debut with "Guilty" on MBC's Music Core on December 15.[14]

Acting

Han made her acting debut as a child actress in a bit part in Star in My Heart (1997).[15]

After cameos on the sitcoms More Charming by the Day (2010) and Salamander Guru and The Shadows (2012), she appeared as the protagonist's younger counterpart in the daily drama Pure Love (2013). Then in her first major supporting role, Han portrayed Choi Suk-bin in the period drama Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love (2013).[16]

Discography

Soundtrack appearances and solo performances

Year Album Song Duration Notes
2009 Nassun Happyface "Come To Play (놀러와)" 03:28 Duet feat. Nassun
Why Did You Come To My House OST" "Miracle" (기적) 03:55 Solo
N/A "Tomorrow" 03:15 Special Sub-unit feat. Uee, Hyuna & Ga In
N/A "My Ear's Candy" 03:40 Girl's 4 (SeungYeon, Uee, Hyuna & Ga In) feat. Taecyeon
2010 MBC Music Travel LaLaLa Live Vol. 7 "Gil (Road)" 04:00 No Brain feat. SeungYeon, Gyuri & Nicole
MBC Music Travel LaLaLa Live Vol. 11 "Bingeul Bingeul" (빙글빙글) 03:55 No Brain feat. SeungYeon & KARA
Mary Stayed Out All Night OST "Super Star" 03:40 Solo
2011 Warrior Baek Dong-soo OST "Because Of Love" (사랑 때문에) 04:40 Solo
N/A "White Winter" 03:15 Trio feat. Nicole & Jiyoung
2012 Kara Collection "Guilty" (유죄) 03:28 Solo
Kara Solo Collection "Guilty" (Japanese ver.) 03:28 Solo
2013 N/A "Strong Enough" 03:50 Solo
N/A "We Will Rock You" 03:57 Solo
Her Lovely Heels OST "Should I Love Alone" (나는 혼자 사랑해야) 03:31 Solo
2014 Secret Love OST "First Love" (첫사랑) 03:30 Duet with Gyuri
Blade Man OST "Hello" 03:02 Duet with Gyuri
W Foundation Campaign "Talk About Love" 04:56 With Various Artists
N/A "Goodbye Days" 04:32 Duet with Gyuri
N/A "Problem" 03:15 Solo
Foolish Victor OST "Duet" (두 사람) 01:58 Duet with Kim Soo Hyung
Guitar and Hot Pants OST "Can Be Heard From The Stars" (저 별까지 들리게) 03:32 Duet with Kim Da Hyun

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Epic (2013 film) Mary Katherine (M. K.)
2013 KARA The Animation Herself Japanese dubbed version

Television drama

Year Title Network Notes
1997 Star in My Heart MBC As orphan
2010 "More Charming By The Day" Cameo
2011 URAKARA TV Tokyo Seungyeon
2012 Salamander Guru and The Shadows SBS cameo with SeungYeon
2013 "A Bit Of Love" KBS2 Kim Sun Mi
Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love SBS Choi Musuri
2014 "Her Lovely Heels" Shin Ji Hoo
Jang Bo-ri is Here! MBC Lee Ga-Eul
Secret Love DRAMAcube Ji Hye
Guitar and Hot Pants MBC Anna

Korean Movies

Year Title Network Notes
1993 "Dead Ends" N/A N/A
1995 "Summer Showers" N/A N/A

Music video appearances

Year Song title Artist Role
2008 "Lucky Days" SS501 Herself
2012 "Cheki☆Love" PURETTY Herself

Variety/Reality shows

Year Title Network Notes
2007 - 2008 "Han Seung Yeon MSL Break" MBC Game MC
2008 Star King SBS Episodes 86, 145
"I Need A Family - Season 2" MBC Every 1 Herself
2008 - 2009 Boys and Girls Music Countdown" KMTV MC
"Section TV" MBC Pop correspondent
2009 "Quiz Sixth Sense" SBS with SS501
Strong Heart Episodes 4, 5, 29, 30, 144, 145
2010 MBC Every 1 My Pet MBC Every 1 with JiYoung
Family Outing SBS Episode 81, 82
2011 - 2013 "Animal Farm" MC
2011 We Got Married - Pit A Pat Shake" MBC Special Edition
2012 Running Man SBS Episode 93, 94
2013 - 2014 All The K-pop MBC MC with Gyuri
2014 Weekly Idol Guest with KARA
Yoo Jae Suk's I Am A Man KBS Guest with KARA

Events shows hosting

Year Title Network Role
2012 "Dream Concert 2012" SBS Host with Taecyeon and Siwan
2013 "Seoul Inetrnational Drama Awards" Host
"2013 Hallyu Dream Concert" Host with Gyuri, Seulong and Jo Kwon

Radio shows

Date Name Note
January, 2010 - April, 2010 SS501 Music High with SS501's Park Jungmin
May, 2010 - June, 2010 "Radio Maybee's Volume Up"

Audiobook

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Mark Russell (29 April 2014). K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. Tuttle Publishing. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-4629-1411-1.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 (Korean) Kara's Han Seung-yeon - "I know I was privileged to attend Tenafly High School"
  3. ↑ http://coolsmurf.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/kim-sung-hee-leaves-kara-idol-competitions-a-new-phenomenon-in-the-industry/
  4. ↑ (Korean) Myung-Hwa Jung Han Seung-yeon admits to having 2 difficult years. joynews.inews24.com. November 4, 2009. Retrieved July 21., 2010.
  5. ↑ (Korean) Kara's Han Seung-yeon is Tiffanys successor on "Sonyeon Sonyeo Gayo Baekseo". IB Times. June 25, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  6. ↑ http://global.mnet.com/news/newsdetail.m?searchNewsVO.news_id=201202080930_3307
  7. ↑ (Korean) Hongryeol Lee and Bora Keum star together as a couple. Isplus.com. October 7, 2008.
  8. ↑ (Korean) Jang, Suh-yoon. "Section TV" Panel Overhaul... Kara's Han Seung Yeon Debuts as Reporter. MyDaily. November 17, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2008.
  9. ↑ (Korean) Kara "Thank you fans". Nate. September 28, 2009.
  10. ↑ (Korean) Lucky Lee Dong-gun, What Connection with Han Seung-yeon. Joins.com/Newsen. October 12, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  11. ↑ http://recochoku.jp/song/S21487744/
  12. ↑ http://www.universal-music.co.jp/kara/news/2012/08/20120822topics/
  13. ↑ http://nbiz.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20121127000363
  14. ↑ http://www.koreaboo.com/index.html/_/music-shows/han-seungyeon-makes-solo-debut-with-guilty-r19248
  15. ↑ http://news.nate.com/view/20111007n13588
  16. ↑ Sunwoo, Carla (4 February 2013). "KARA's Han to work with Kim Tae-hee". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  17. ↑ "Han Seung-yeon donates talent for Joachim de Posada audiobook". Daum (in Korean). 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2011-09-20.

External links

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