AKMU ( ko, 악뮤), also known as Akdong Musician ( ko, 악동뮤지션), is a South Korean sibling duo consisting of
Lee Chan-hyuk
Lee Chan-hyuk (; born September 12, 1996), is a South Korean singer-songwriter, producer and author. He debuted as a member of the sibling duo AKMU in April 2014, under YG Entertainment.
Life and career 1996–2013: Early life
Lee Chan-hyuk w ...
and
Lee Su-hyun
Lee Su-hyun (; born May 4, 1999), is a South Korean singer. Following her appearance on the second installation of SBS audition program ''K-pop Star'' alongside her brother, she debuted as the vocalist of the sibling duo AKMU on April 7, 2014, ...
who debuted under
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
in April 2014 with studio album ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
'' after winning SBS'
K-pop Star 2
The second season of the South Korean reality television competition show ''K-pop Star'' premiered on SBS on November 18, 2012, airing Sunday evenings at 4:55 pm KST as part of the ''Good Sunday'' lineup. Yoon Do-hyun returned as host and narr ...
.
Their debut album ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
'' was well received by the public and critics, having sold more than 6.9 million downloads, and was awarded "Best Pop Album" in the 12th
Korean Music Awards
The Korean Music Awards () is an annual South Korean music awards show that honors both mainstream and underground musical artists from a variety of genres. Unlike other major South Korean music awards, which largely rely on record sales to det ...
. The follow up albums ''
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season)
Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...
'' and ''
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...
'' furthered their success. As of March 2017, they have sold over 23 million digital sales in South Korea.
Career
Pre-debut: ''K-pop Star 2''
Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun lived with their
missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
parents in
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
for almost five years before returning to South Korea to pursue a career in the music industry.
While in Mongolia, they were home-schooled by their mother. The siblings, under the name Akdong Musician, joined their first label, the Proteurment agency and soon performed on several stages and even released an original song titled "Galaxy", which later was used as a soundtrack for a
Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is an Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics as the fourth smartphone of the Samsung Galaxy S series and was first shown publicly on March 14, 2013, at Samsung Mobile Unpacked in New York City. It is the succe ...
film commercial in May 2013.
In August 2012, the duo participated in the preliminary auditions of ''K-pop Star 2'', at
Jamsil Arena in Seoul.
They soon passed and were eligible to perform in the first round, where they sang a cover of
Miss A
Miss A (stylized as "MISS A" or "miss A", Hangul: ) was a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group debuted in July 2010 with the single "Bad Girl Good Girl" as a quartet consisting of Fei, Jia, Min, and Suzy. Their de ...
's "
Breathe" and an original song titled "Don't Cross Your Legs". One of the judges,
Park Jin-young
Park Jin-young (Hangul: 박진영; born December 13, 1971), also known by his stage names J. Y. Park and The Asiansoul or the initials JYP, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer, record executive, and reality television show ju ...
, praised the chemistry between the siblings and the techniques they had incorporated in their performances.
BoA
Kwon Bo-ah (; born November 5, 1986), known professionally as BoA, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress. One of the most successful and influential Korean entertainers, she has been dubbed the " Queen of K- ...
praised the lyrics of their original song, while
Yang Hyun-suk
Yang Hyun-suk (born January 9, 1970) is a South Korean music executive, rapper, dancer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys during the 1990s. After the group disbanded, he founded and became the Ex ...
, described them as "true artists". The duo continued to awe the judges, until after where their lack of confidence resulted in lukewarm performances in the succeeding rounds. In spite of this, they finished the competition in first place.
Some of their original songs performed were released under
LOEN Entertainment
Kakao M (; formerly Seoul Records, YBM Seoul Records and LOEN Entertainment) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Min Yeong-bin in 1978. It is currently one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The company op ...
, where "You are Attractive", for example, was released on 12 December and immediately reached number one on the
Gaon charts.
Despite not being signed under an agency, they participated in commercials and composed several songs, including "I Love You" for
tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
drama ''
All About My Romance
''All About My Romance'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Shin Ha-kyun, Lee Min-jung, Park Hee-soon and Han Chae-ah. It aired on SBS from April 4 to May 29, 2013, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 ( KST) for 16 episodes. ...
''.
On 24 May 2013, a month after winning, the siblings signed an exclusive contract with
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
.
2014–2015: Debut with ''Play'' and first concert
![KOCIS Korea President Park Culture Day Movie (AKMU)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/KOCIS_Korea_President_Park_Culture_Day_Movie_%28AKMU%29.jpg)
Akdong Musician debuted with album ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
'' and three lead singles on 7 April, twelve months after winning ''
K-pop Star 2
The second season of the South Korean reality television competition show ''K-pop Star'' premiered on SBS on November 18, 2012, airing Sunday evenings at 4:55 pm KST as part of the ''Good Sunday'' lineup. Yoon Do-hyun returned as host and narr ...
''. All tracks were written and produced by Chan-hyuk.
The first single, "200%", was chosen by Yang Hyun-suk, "Melted", was chosen by Akdong Musician, and "Give Love", was determined by the fans. ''Play'' claimed number one on the Gaon Charts and number two on ''Billboard''
's
US World Albums Chart.
The duo's debut stage was on ''
K-pop Star 3
The third season of the South Korean reality television competition show ''K-pop Star'' premiered on SBS on November 24, 2013, airing Sunday evenings at 4:55 pm KST as part of the '' Good Sunday'' lineup. Jun Hyun-moo replaced Yoon Do-hyun as h ...
'' on 6 April.
The music video for "200%" was released on 7 April, where "200%" topped all South Korean charts, with all songs on ''Play'' also charting high.
The music video for "Melted" and "Give Love" was out on 14 April and 2 May respectively. "Give Love", became the third high-charting song, after "200%" and "Melted". On 16 June, they participated in YG Family's cover project of
Taeyang
Dong Young-bae (; born May 18, 1988), better known by his stage names Taeyang (meaning "sun" in Korean) and SOL (when performing in Japan), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer. After appearing in Jinusean's music video "A-yo", Tae ...
's "Eyes, Nose, Lips". Their first live concert tour, "AKMU Camp", began on 21 November at Blue Square Samsung Card Hall,
Hannam-dong
Hannam-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea. One of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country, it has been portrayed continuously in South Korea's popular culture as a wealthy and luxurious spot, and for this ...
, Seoul.
On 10 October, Akdong Musician released the digital single, "Time and Fallen Leaves", written and composed by Lee Chan-hyuk. Originally, it was planned as a lead single of ''Play'', but was held back for an October release due to suiting the autumn season more.
The song made an "all-kill" two consecutive days after release by ranking number 1 on nine major real-time music charts. It also ranked number one on the weekly
Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
the second week of release. The song was not given a music video so the listeners would imagine their own stories.
On 5 November, Su-hyun joined
YG Family
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
supergroup
Hi Suhyun
Hi Suhyun () was a South Korean duo formed by YG Entertainment in 2014, consisting of Lee Hi and Lee Su-hyun from Akdong Musician. They released the number one single, " I'm Different", in November 2014.
Discography
Singles
Awards and nomina ...
with labelmate
Lee Hi
Lee Ha-yi (; born September 23, 1996), known by her stage name Lee Hi, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. She first garnered attention as the runner-up of '' K-pop Star 1''. She debuted with single "1, 2, 3, 4" on October 28, 2012 and rea ...
. Their debut single, "
I'm Different"
(나는 달라), was released on 11 November, followed first stage at SBS' Inkigayo on 16 November and first win one week later. On 9 October 2015, the duo released the single "Like Ga, Na, Da"
(가나다같이) with a video in celebration of South Korea's "
Hangul Day
The Korean Alphabet Day, known as Hangeul Day () in South Korea, and Chosŏn'gŭl Day () in North Korea, is a national Korean commemorative day marking the invention and proclamation of Hangul (), the Korean alphabet, by the 15th century Korea ...
". It was a joint production of
YGE and Woori Card.
2016–2018: ''Puberty'' series and Military enlistment
![14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/14.11.18_%EB%A9%9C%EB%A1%A0_%EB%AE%A4%EC%A7%81_%EC%96%B4%EC%9B%8C%EB%93%9C_%EC%8B%9C%EC%83%81_%EB%B0%8F_%EC%88%98%EC%83%81.jpg)
On 4 May 2016, they released their first
EP titled ''
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season)
Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...
'', the first record on a new album series named ''Puberty''. The album was promoted with the release of two lead singles: "Re-Bye" and "How People Move". Ahead of comeback, the art film "Welcome Home" was released on 26 April. It starts out playful in a fantasy-like world until later the ending gives the feeling of an "Uncanny Valley" effect. All songs debuted within the top ten of the Gaon Chart, with "Re-Bye" becoming a chart-topper.
''
Billboard'' named ''Spring'' the fourth best K-pop album of the year, where the record "boast a more theatrical feel to them to show the young duo is growing an exciting pace." To promote ''Spring'', the duo performed at the
Seoul Forest
Seoul Forest () is a large park in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is open year-round, and admission is free. Seoul Forest opened in June 2005. The city government spent 235.2 billion won in development. It is the third largest park in Seo ...
park in front of 10,000 people. Later in the year, they toured throughout Asia, holding showcases at
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
,
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, su ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
and
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
.
On 1 January 2017, they released the short film "Spring of Winter" ahead of comeback for their second seasonally themed album, ''Winter''.
In the film, playing themselves, they argue and disband Akdong Musician, while songs from the new album act as the soundtrack. On 3 January, the duo released their second studio album ''
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...
'', the second in a conceptual two-part album series ''Puberty''. with lead singles "Last Goodbye"
(오랜 날 오랜 밤) and "Reality"
(리얼리티).
Both lead singles were chosen by fans through the live broadcast of MBC's
My Little Television
''My Little Television'' () is a South Korean television program which has been broadcast since February 2015, and features personal internet broadcasting similar to the likes of afreecaTV, Twitch or Daum tvPot. This program is inspired by real ...
. "Last Goodbye" became the second best-selling song within the first half of 2017, earning "Song of the Year" for the month of January at the
Gaon Chart Awards
The Circle Chart Music Awards (), formerly known as the Gaon Chart Music Awards, are a major music awards ceremony that is presented annually in South Korea by the Korea Music Content Association primarily based on the commercial performance of t ...
and a digital bonsang at the
Golden Disc Awards
The Golden Disc Awards (, formerly spelled the Golden Disk Awards before 2015) is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promo ...
. The duo began a tour holding concerts in seven cities nationwide, including eight sold-out shows in Seoul from 23 March onward. The siblings choose small yet multiple venues so they are able to interact and be more intimate with the audience.
![160505 AKMU 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/160505_AKMU_01.png)
On 15 March 2017, Akdong Musician released a digital single in collaboration with
Yang Hee-eun
Yang Hee-eun (; born August 13, 1952) is a South Korean singer and songwriter. Her syndicated radio show ''Women Era'' has aired via the MBC Standard FM since 1999.
Awards and honors
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yang, ...
called "The Tree"
(나무). On 20 July, the siblings released their first single album titled ''
Summer Episode'', with lead singles "Dinosaur" and "My Darling". Notably, the single "Dinosaur" marks the duo's first time experimenting with the genre
EDM
EDM or E-DM may refer to:
Music
* Electronic dance music
* Early Day Miners, American band
Science and technology
* Electric dipole moment
* Electrical discharge machining
* Electronic distance measurement
*Entry, Descent, and landing demonstrat ...
, whereas "My Darling" is an upbeat acoustic track. They decided not to promote the singles on music shows as they believed the single "Dinosaur" would not fit well with the music program's fancy stages, further adding the key is too high for a live performance thus wasn't viable. On 13 September, YG Entertainment confirmed Chan-hyuk would enlist for his mandatory military enlistment on 18 September with the Korean Marines, thus halting all Akdong Musician activities. Meanwhile, Su-hyun occupied her time with solo activities as a radio DJ at
KBS Cool FM
KBS Cool FM (Hangul : KBS 쿨FM)(also known as KBS 2FM Hangul : KBS 제2FM방송) is a 24-hour Hot AC music radio station of the Korean Broadcasting System. It plays mostly older K-pop Music from the 90s compared to KBS Happy FM which plays th ...
's ''
Volume Up'', permanent cast member on JTBC's
''Begin Again'', soundtrack release for
tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
drama
''Mr. Sunshine'' and more.
2019–present: ''Sailing'' and continued success
On 29 May 2019, Chan-hyuk successfully fulfilled his mandatory military service with the
Republic of Korea Marine Corps
The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC; ko, 대한민국 해병대, Daehanminguk Haebyeongdae), also known as the ROK Marine Corps or ROK Marines, is the marine corps of South Korea. The ROKMC is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy respo ...
and was discharged, thus also simultaneously resuming the activities of Akdong Musician. While serving, they officially chose Chan-hyuk's self-written and produced song to represent the Corps. Su-hyun first revealed the song through
KBS Cool FM
KBS Cool FM (Hangul : KBS 쿨FM)(also known as KBS 2FM Hangul : KBS 제2FM방송) is a 24-hour Hot AC music radio station of the Korean Broadcasting System. It plays mostly older K-pop Music from the 90s compared to KBS Happy FM which plays th ...
''Volume Up''. The sibling duo's first appearance since hiatus was on
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTB ...
variety show ''
Knowing Bros
''Knowing Bros'' (), also known as ''Men on a Mission'' or ''Ask Us Anything'', is a South Korean television entertainment program produced by SM C&C that premiered on December 5, 2015, and currently airs on Saturdays at JTBC. Although the sho ...
'' with
Jeon So-mi
Ennik Somi Douma (born March 9, 2001), known professionally by her Korean name Jeon Somi (), is a Korean and Canadian singer, rapper and dancer signed under The Black Label. Jeon shot to domestic stardom as the first-place winner of the sur ...
on 8 June. Filming took place a day after release. The duo performed at the 2019 Someday Festival on 31 August, where they also revealed an unreleased song titled "시간을 갖자", later revealed to be on their album ''Sailing''.
On 4 September 2019, it was announced Akdong Musician will return with their first comeback since 2017 in late September. Ahead of their comeback, a mood teaser was released with Su-hyun's voice among crashing waves and an acoustic guitar, followed concept teaser "Begin Sailing." The sibling duo released their third studio album ''Sailing'' on 25 September with lead single "How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love"
(어떻게 이별까지 사랑하겠어, 널 사랑하는 거지). Through
''Nylon'', Chan-hyuk revealed he wrote most of the songs on ''Sailing'' inside a ship over two years in midst of enlistment inspired by the new profound experience. Ahead of release, their lead single was first performed on 19 September at the 2017 Someday Festival. Notably, this release marks Su-hyun's first participation among their albums with song "작별 인사", where she was credited as the arranger. Their lead single reigned as the number one spot on all seven major music streaming platforms in South Korea upon release, alongside the rest of the tracks also charting relatively high. The lead single went on to claiming the number one spot on the Gaon Digital, Download, and Streaming chart for the month of October. The same day, they also announced they would primarily go by AKMU, to symbolize their growth, as their original name translated to "mischievous child." The duo further elaborated the decision was made in order to not be limited in their future music. The duo held a live stage titled ''Sailing On A Fall Night'' at Yeouido Hangang Park on 29 September garnering over 30,000 people, 7-8 times larger than the size of the venue.
On 8 November 2020, it was announced that they would make their comeback on 16 November 2020 with the single "Happening". According to Chanhyuk, the single plays the role of "connecting to our next full-length album."
On 26 January 2021, they re-signed with YG Entertainment for 5 more years.
On July 26, 2021, AKMU's second EP ''
Next Episode
''Next Episode'' (french: Prochain épisode) is the debut novel by French Canadian author Hubert Aquin, published in 1965.
Plot summary
The narrator, like Aquin himself, turns his adventures into a spy thriller to while away the time he is for ...
'' was released, with "Nakka" featuring
IU as its lead single. Described as a "collaboration album", the EP comprises seven songs, with each track featuring a different artist. "Nakka" debuted at number three on
Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
for the week ending July 31, 2021. The following week, "Nakka" rose to the number one spot on the chart, becoming the duo's seventh number one single.
Members
*
Lee Chan-hyuk
Lee Chan-hyuk (; born September 12, 1996), is a South Korean singer-songwriter, producer and author. He debuted as a member of the sibling duo AKMU in April 2014, under YG Entertainment.
Life and career 1996–2013: Early life
Lee Chan-hyuk w ...
(이찬혁) – lead vocals, rap, lyricist, composer, producer
*
Lee Su-hyun
Lee Su-hyun (; born May 4, 1999), is a South Korean singer. Following her appearance on the second installation of SBS audition program ''K-pop Star'' alongside her brother, she debuted as the vocalist of the sibling duo AKMU on April 7, 2014, ...
(이수현) – main vocals
Discography
* ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
'' (2014)
* ''
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...
'' (2017)
* ''
Sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...
'' (2019)
Filmography
Concerts and tours
AKMU 1st Live Tour "AKMU Camp"
AKMU Studio
AKMU "Diary"
AKMU Sailing Tour
Publications
* ''Raise Your Voice High!''
(목소리를 높여 high! (열림과 성장의 악동뮤지션 음악 에세이)) (Maribooks, )
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akdong Musician
K-pop music groups
K-pop Star winners
Musical groups established in 2012
Sibling musical duos
South Korean musical duos
South Korean expatriates in Mongolia
South Korean pop music groups
YG Entertainment artists
2012 establishments in South Korea
Korean Music Award winners
Melon Music Award winners
South Korean co-ed groups
Pop music duos
Male–female musical duos