Seohyun

This is a Korean name; the family name is Seo.
Seohyun
Background information
Birth name Seo Ju-hyun (서주현)
Born June 28, 1991
Origin Seoul, South Korea
Genres K-pop
Occupation(s) Singer, actress
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2004–present
Labels S.M. Entertainment
Associated acts
Website girlsgeneration.smtown.com
Korean name
Hangul 서주현
Revised Romanization Seo Ju-hyeon
McCune–Reischauer Sŏ Chu-hyŏn
Stage name
Hangul 서현
Revised Romanization Seo-hyeon
McCune–Reischauer Sŏ-hyŏn

Seo Ju-hyun[1] (born June 28, 1991), better known by the stage name Seohyun, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is the youngest member of both the South Korean girl group, Girls' Generation and its subgroup TTS.

Early life

Seohyun was born on June 28, 1991,[2] in Seoul, South Korea.

Her mother, Kim Young-ah is a piano teacher and taught Seohyun when she was 5. In 2009, Girls' Generation appeared on an episode of Kim Jungeun's Chocolate and as a special guest, Seohyun's mom joined the idols on stage.[3]

As an elementary school student, Seohyun was discovered by a talent staff while riding in a subway train, who encouraged her to audition for SM Entertainment. In 2003, Seohyun auditioned and joined the company under the SM Casting System. She is known for singing children's songs for her audition unlike other applicants who usually sing pop and dance songs.[4] She attended Seoul Middle School and Daeyoung High School, then transferred and graduated from Jeonju Arts High School on February 9, 2010.[5] On August 21, 2014, she graduated from Dongguk University,[6][7] receiving a degree in acting and an Achievement Award at the University's graduation ceremony.[8][9] Her Girls' Generation's bandmate Yoona also attended the same university.

Seohyun named United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as her life mentor and role model, stating that his book, at one point in time, had helped her endured through the hard times.[10][11]

Music career

Girls' Generation

Main article: Girls' Generation

Seohyun started her training under SM Entertainment after joining the agency. In 2007, she was chosen to be a member of the girl group Girls' Generation. The 9-member girl group debuted on August 5, 2007.

Subgroup: TTS

Main article: Girls' Generation-TTS

Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun formed a subgroup called TTS in 2012, releasing their first mini-album titled Twinkle during the same year. The subgroup has a different musical direction and style concept from the 9-member Girls' Generation,[12] placing their focus on each member's vocal ability while the latter group emphasizes the songs and uniform group performances.[13] In 2014, the group released their 2nd mini album, Holler.[14]

Solo activities

Over the life of her career, Seohyun has released several songs for various television dramas and movies. A couple of them are her solos, while others are collaborations with fellow Girls' Generation members and other artists.

Her solos include "It's Okay Even If It Hurts" for the 2010 MBC's drama Kim Soo Ro,[15] and "I'll Wait for You" for the 2012 SBS's Fashion King.[16]

Some of her duets include "Journey" with TVXQ for the 2011 SBS's drama Paradise Ranch,[17] "Dreams Comes True" with Super Junior's Donghae for the 2011 Asia Song Festival, a fundraising project by UNICEF for East Africa,[18] "The Magic of Yellow Ribbon" with Kim Hyun Joong as the theme song of the commercial The Face Shop, and "Don't Say No" with Brown Eyes's Yoon Gun.[19][20] She also sang a duet with trot singer Joo Hyun-mi called JjaRaJaJja (Korean: "짜라자짜").[21] which earned her a nomination at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards for Trot Music of the Year.[22]

Her other collaborations include "Oppa Nappa" and "It's Fantastic" with fellow Girls' Generation members Jessica and Tiffany,[23][24] "Let's Go" for the purpose of increasing public participation in the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit,[25] and "S.E.O.U.L" with Super Junior and other fellow Girls' Generation members to promote tourism for the city of Seoul in South Korea.[26]

Songwriting

Seohyun is the fifth member of Girls' Generation to be credited as a songwriter after Yuri, Sooyoung, Tiffany and Jessica.[27] In Girls' Generation's fourth Korean studio album, I Got a Boy, she co-wrote two songs "Baby Maybe" with fellow group members Yuri & Sooyoung and "XYZ" with Yuri.

Subsequently, in TTS's 2nd mini album Holler, Seohyun wrote the lyrics for the song "Only U". She expressed "The lyrics are about the sincerity of love, about a true love. That you fall in love many times, but there's always going to be that special someone you won't forget. And that I want to find that special someone, out of all those people you have to meet through, and keep them in my life forever."[28]

Acting career

Seohyun and her bandmate Taeyeon were cast as voice actors for the Korean-dubbed versions of the computer-animated films Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2. Tae-yeon and Seohyun dubbed the voices for the characters Margo and her younger sister, Edith, respectively.[29][30] In 2013, Seohyun made her television acting debut in the SBS's drama Passionate Love. She played a supporting character, Han Yoo Rim, who is the first love of the male lead, portrayed by actor Sung Hoon.[31] She and her bandmate Sunny also served as the background narrators for the MBC variety show Real Men.[32]

Seohyun has, on a few occasions, expressed her affection in doing musicals. The singer even confessed her wish to be able to play the adaptations of Chicago, Wicked and 42nd Street someday.[33][34][35] In 2014, Seohyun made her musical theatre debut in the recent musical, Moon Embracing the Sun, which was adapted from a novel of the same name. She played the lead role alongside Kyuhyun of Super Junior.[36] She later got cast in the Korean adaptation of Gone with the Wind, playing the female lead role.[37]

Hosting career

In February 2012, Seohyun, along with her fellow Girls' Generation bandmates Taeyeon and Tiffany became the hosts for the MBC's music show Music Core.[38] After hosting for more than a year, they gave their farewell to the show in April 2013, performing TTS's "Goodbye, Hello" as a special stage.[39]

Seohyun was also the occasional host for the MBC's 2012 Gayo Daejun music program along with Lee Joon, Boom and Lee Hwijae.[40]

Variety show appearances

2010: We Got Married 2

Apart from her appearances with other Girls' Generation members on various shows, she partnered with singer and actor Jung Yong-hwa, who is the main singer of the idol band CN Blue, as a virtually married couple for MBC's TV show We Got Married. The two became known as the YongSeo Couple. The couple first met on 11 February 2010, and filmed their final episode on White Day, 14 March 2011, and left the show on April 2, 2011, when their final episode aired.

2014: The TaeTiSeo

The TaeTiSeo, featuring Seohyun and fellow Girls' Generation members Taeyeon and Tiffany, premiered on August 26 and consisted of 8 episodes. The show took on a more close-up and personal side of the three singers, revealing how they live their normal everyday lives and what they do in their free time.[41] When speaking of their own subgroup, TTS, Seohyun stated "We are Girls' Generation, but I think that a musical color unique to only TaeTiSeo (TTS) is forming."[42][43]

2014–2015: Infinity Challenge

Seohyun appeared as a replacement for Eugene in the Korean group S.E.S. who could not perform due to her pregnancy in episodes 409 through 411 of the variety show Infinity Challenge from 20 December until 3 January 2015 in their Saturday's: I am a Singer special.[44][45]

Philanthropy

In 2010, Seohyun was appointed by the Seoul Metropolitan Office as the South Korea's Goodwill Ambassador for Student Fitness.[46] In 2011, she, who has previously worked with the UNICEF's “Help Children in Africa” project, was then inaugurated as a UNICEF envoy.[47] Subsequently, Seohyun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador at the United Nations Pavilion Expo 2012.[48][49] In 2013, as an effort to help less-fortunate students with their studies, she donated 100 million Korean won to Dongguk University. Seohyun expressed, “I learned many things while studying at Dongguk. I wished to be of help to students who have a big dream, and yet don’t have a choice but to give up education because of family matters.”[50] In 2014, Seohyun participated in the charity concert “Happy Day,” donating some of her possessions in order to raise funds in support of Syrian refugee children.[51][52]

Discography

Solo discography

Year Title Song Duration Artist
2007 SBS Thirty Thousand Miles in Search of My Son "Touch the Sky" 03:49 With Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny and Tiffany
2008 Roommate "Love Hate" 03:45 With Jessica and Tiffany
It's Fantastic "It's Fantastic" 03:40 With Jessica and Tiffany
KBS Hong Gildong OST "The Little Boat (작은 배)" 03:27 With Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny and Tiffany
N/A "Haptic Motion" 01:31 With Taeyeon, Jessica and Sunny
2009 Jjarajajja "Jjarajajja" 02:58 With Joo Hyun-Mi and Davichi
MBC Heading to the Ground OST "Motion" 04:06 With Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny and Tiffany
N/A "S.E.O.U.L." 03:47 With Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny and Kyuhyun, Sungmin, Ryeowook, Donghae and Leeteuk of Super Junior
N/A "I Can't Bear Anymore (Bear Song)" 02:43 With Taeyeon, Jessica and Sunny
2010 N/A "Cabi Song" 03:19 With Taeyeon, Tiffany, Jessica, Sunny, Yuri, Chansung, Junsu, and Taecyeon
N/A "Cooky" 02:50 With Tiffany, Jessica and Sunny
My Friend Haechi "Haechi Song" (해치송)[53] 03:26 With Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany
Kim Soo Ro OST "It's Okay Even If It Hurts" 04:37 Solo
Let's Go "Let's Go" 03:31 With Various Artists
2011 N/A "Dreams Comes True" 03:26 With Lee Donghae
N/A "The Magic of Yellow Ribbon" 02:42 With Kim Hyun-joong
Keep Your Head Down "Journey" 04:33 With TVXQ
2012 N/A "Don't Say No" 03:25 With Yoon Gun
SBS Fashion King OST "I'll Wait for You" 04:46 Solo
2013 N/A "T'PLE Couple Song" 02:44 With Cho Kyuhyun
SBS Gayo Daejun: Friendship Project "You Are A Miracle" 06:11 With Various Artists
2014 Make Your Move "Cheap Creeper" 03:01 With Jessica, Taeyeon, Tiffany & Sunny

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Despicable Me Edith Voice-over for the Korean-dubbed version
2012 I AM. – SM Town Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden Herself Biographical film of SM Town[54]
2013 Despicable Me 2 Edith Voice-over for the Korean-dubbed version
2014 My Brilliant Life Herself Cameo along with Taeyeon and Tiffany[55]

Television drama

Year Title Network Role Notes
2008 Unstoppable Marriage KBS Bulgwang-dong's Seven Princesses Gang Cameo
2013 Passionate Love SBS Han Yoo-rim Supporting role

Reality and variety shows

Aside from television appearances with Girls' Generation, Seohyun also appeared in the following television shows.

Year Title Network Role Notes
2010–2011 We Got Married (Season 2) MBC Regular Cast YongSeo
2012–2013 Show! Music Core MBC Co-host with Taeyeon and Tiffany
2013 Real Men MBC Narrator With Sunny
2014 The TaeTiSeo OnStyle Regular Cast with Taeyeon and Tiffany (8 Episodes)

Musical theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Moon Embracing the Sun Heo Yeon-woo Lead Role
2015 Gone with the Wind Scarlett O'Hara Lead Role[37]

Awards and nominations

Year Organization Category Nominated Work Result
2009 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards Trot Music of the Year "JjaRaJaJja" (Shared with Joo Hyun-Mi and Davichi) Nominated[22]
2010 South Korea Ministry of Culture Recognition Award Herself Won[56]
MBC Entertainment Awards 2010 Most Popular Couple YongSeo (Shared with Jung Yong-hwa) Won[57]
2011 Mnet 20's Choice Awards Hot Campus Goddess Herself Nominated[58]
Mnet Media Awards Most Cute and Gorgeous Lady Nominated[59]
2013 Seoul Drama Awards Best Song from a Series "I'll Wait for You" Nominated[60]

References

  1. ↑ "According to the Seohyun Official Instagram, Seohyun real birth name is Seo Ju-hyun.".
  2. ↑ Mark Russell (29 April 2014). K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. Tuttle Publishing. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-4629-1411-1.
  3. ↑ 'Dear Mom': A Peek Into Girls' Generation And Their Mothers
  4. ↑ "MTV Girls' Generation Episode 4". MTV Girls' Generation (in Korean). October 11, 2007. SBS MTV. Seoul Broadcasting System.
  5. ↑ Seohyun graduates from high school on February 9 "All Girls' Generation members are now 20+" (in Korean) Star.mt.co.kr (January 12, 2010). Retrieved on December 14, 2014.
  6. ↑ (Korean) Kim, Hyeong-wu. 소녀시대 서현 졸업사진 공개 화제 ‘청순 풋풋 매력발산’ (SNSD Seohyun's Graduation Photo Revealed, "Innocent, Youthful and Charmful"). Newsen. February 5, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  7. ↑ Kim, Ji-yeon. (Korean) '입학' 서현 "대학생활 열심히..좋은 추억만들고파" ("Admission" Seohyun: "I Will Study Hard in University...and Wish to Make Many Memories"). SPN Daily/Money Today. February 23, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  8. ↑ Girls' Generation's Seohyun to receive an Achievement Award at Dongguk University's Graduation Ceremony (in Korean) Osen.mt.co.kr (August 20, 2014). Retrieved on August 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun to Receive Achievement Award at University Graduation Ceremony Soompi (August 20, 2014). Retrieved on August 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Recalls Her Meeting With Mentor Ban Ki-moon (in Korean) Star.mt.co.kr (September 14, 2011). Retrieved on November 27, 2014.
  11. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Recalls Her Meeting With Mentor Ban Ki-moon Soshified.com (September 14, 2011). Retrieved on November 27, 2014.
  12. ↑ Subgroup "TTS", formed by Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, Tiffany & Seohyun, debuts in May (in Korean) Daum.net (April 19, 2012). Retrieved on April 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Tiffany's Interview". Korea InStyle Magazine (August 2014). August 2014.
  14. ↑ Girls' Generation-TTS to release new album next week Globalpost.com (September 11, 2014). Retrieved on September 11, 2014.
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ Wonder Girls’ Sunye & Girls’ Generation member Seohyun to release new OST tracks
  17. ↑ (Korean) 소시 서현, 2인 동방신기 도우미로..신곡 피처링 Daum. January 11, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Music and charity as Asia Song Fest wraps up its eighth year" Joongang Daily. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-27
  19. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and Yoon Gun Hint at Collaboration Song
  20. ↑ Yoon Gun and Girls' Generation Seohyun to Release Duet Single "Don't Say No" on February 13
  21. ↑ (Korean) 주현미 -소녀시대, 트로트 싱글 `짜라자짜` 발표 (Joo Hyun-mi-Girls' Generation Announce Trot Single "Jjarajajja"). Korea Economic Daily. February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 (Korean) M.net Asian Music Awards 2009 official website Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  23. ↑ (Korean) Kim Hyeong-wu. 소녀시대 티파니 “‘오빠나빠’ 활동 당시 성대결절 고생” (Girls' Generation's Tiffany: "Bad Older Brother' Activities Were Difficult on Vocal Nodules"). JoongAng Ilbo/Newsen. February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  24. ↑ Girls' Generation Jessica, Tiffany and Seohyun released a game theme song (in Korean) Newsen.com (August 1, 2008). Retrieved on December 1, 2014.
  25. ↑ "20 idol singers unite to sing the G20 Seoul Summit theme song". allkpop.com. September 30, 2010. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  26. ↑ Girls' Generation and Super Junior's "Seoul Song" on SM Entertainment's Official YouTube Channel YouTube.com (July 7, 2011). Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
  27. ↑ (Korean) SNSD's return! 4th album to hit the music industry in 2013 'I Got a Boy', 1 1 released!, leesmusic.co.kr, December 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012
  28. ↑ Girls' Generation-TTS on Why New 'Holler' EP Represents Their 'Mind, Body and Soul' Billboard (September 16, 2014). Retrieved on September 17, 2014.
  29. ↑ Girls' Generation's Taeyeon and Seohyun cast as voice actors for Despicable Me (in Korean) Newsen.com (May 17, 2010). Retrieved on May 17, 2010.
  30. ↑ Girls' Generation's Taeyeon and Seohyun discuss dubbing for 'Despicable Me 2' Allkpop.com (September 12, 2013). Retrieved on August 5, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Leading lineup of SBS drama 'Passionate Love' confirmed". allkpop. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  32. ↑ Sunny and Seohyun to narrate new MBC variety ‘Real Men’, allkpop.com, April 12, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013
  33. ↑ PlayDB Interviews Seohyun for ‘Moon That Embraces the Sun’ Musical Soshified.com (January 28, 2014). Retrieved on November 27, 2014.
  34. ↑ "The TaeTiSeo Episode 5". The TaeTiSeo (in Korean). September 30, 2014. approx. 28 minutes in. OnStyle (온스타일).
  35. ↑ "Sunny's FM Date". Sunny's FM Date (in Korean). September 19, 2014. approx. 30 minutes in. MBC FM4U.
  36. ↑ 슈주 규현-소시 서현 ‘해를 품은 달’이 되다 (in Korean). news.hankooki.com. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Seohyun to star in first Korean Gone with the Wind musical MSN (November 10, 2014). Retrieved on November 24, 2014.
  38. ↑ Taeyeon and Seohyun to join Tiffany as new 'Music Core' MCs Allkpop.com (January 31, 2012). Retrieved on July 31, 2014.
  39. ↑ Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun give their farewell greetings on 'Music Core' Allkpop.com (April 13, 2013). Retrieved on August 3, 2014.
  40. ↑ Seohyun to Emcee ’2012 MBC Gayo Daejejun’
  41. ↑ Girls Generation New Reality Show 'The Taetiseo', Stars Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun Breathecast.com (August 18, 2014). Retrieved on August 18, 2014.
  42. ↑ TaeTiSeo discuss the surprises throughout their career Allkpop (September 2, 2014). Retrieved on September 5, 2014.
  43. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun: "We are Girls' Generation, but I think that a musical color unique to only TaeTiSeo is forming." (in Korean) Newsen.com (September 2, 2014). Retrieved on September 2, 2014.
  44. ↑ ""Infinity Challenge" Scores Its Highest Rating of 2014 with 90′s Music Special, Tops Music Charts along the Way". soompi.com. December 27, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Seohyun to take Eugene's place in S.E.S. on 'Infinity Challenge's year-end special". allkpop. December 12, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  46. ↑ (Korean) 박태환ㆍ서현 `서울학생 체력증진' 홍보대사 (Park Tae-hwan of Seoul students 'fitness and Seohyun' Ambassadors.) Yonhap News. April 13, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  47. ↑ 'Photos from Seohyun and Donghae’s ‘UNICEF’ envoy inauguration ceremony'
  48. ↑ Seohyun Appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the UN 2012 Yeosu Expo (in Korean) Asiatoday.co.kr (May 3, 2012). Retrieved on November 28, 2014.
  49. ↑ Seohyun to Promote UN Pavilion in Yeosu Expo as Goodwill Ambassador Mwave.interest.me (May 3, 2012). Retrieved on November 28, 2014.
  50. ↑ Seohyun Donates 100 Million Won to Dongguk University Soshified.com (November 20, 2013). Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
  51. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Donates Goods to Raise Funds for Refugee Children in Syria Soompi (August 20, 2014). Retrieved on August 20, 2014.
  52. ↑ Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Donates Goods to Raise Funds for Refugee Children in Syria (in Korean) Media.daum.net (August 21, 2014). Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
  53. ↑ "내친구 해치 (My Friend Haechi) [Original Soundtrack] – Single". iTunes US Apple. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  54. ↑ "Documentary Shows Top K-Pop Singers Behind the Scenes". Chosun Ilbo. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  55. ↑ TaeTiSeo makes a cameo appearance in Kang Dong Won's movie My Brilliant Life (in Korean) Hankooki.com (August 21, 2014). Retrieved on August 21, 2014.
  56. ↑ . SONEms: Ministry of Culture.
  57. ↑ "Yoo Jae Suk wins Daesand Adam and Khuntoria couples also win at the MBC Entertainment Awards". Allkpop. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  58. ↑ (Korean) Mnet’s 20’s Choice Awards 2011 official website Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  59. ↑ Mnet Media Awards 2011 nominees has just been released. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  60. ↑ Seoul Drama Awards Retrieved December 25, 2013.

External links

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