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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-pop." Born and raised in
Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
, South Korea, BoA was discovered by
SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
talent agents when she accompanied her older brother, a music video director, to a talent search in 1998. She was trained for two years and made her debut in August 2000. BoA has released twenty studio albums, including ten in Korean, nine in Japanese, and one in English. On television, she appeared as a judge on the reality competition show ''
K-pop Star ''Survival Audition K-pop Star'' ( ko, 서바이벌 오디션 K팝 스타) is a South Korean reality TV competition series where three entertainment/talent agencies in South Korea hold worldwide auditions to find the next potential K-Pop stars. ...
'' (2011–2013), as an actress on the
television drama In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or docudrama, semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humour, humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms t ...
''
Listen to Love ''Listen to Love'' () is a 2016 South Korean television series starring Lee Sun-kyun and Song Ji-hyo about husbands who try to protect their marriage with the help of anonymous netizens, based on the 2007 Japanese TV series of the same title. It ...
'' (2016), as a host for the second season of ''
Produce 101 ''Produce 101'' is a reality television talent competition franchise created by South Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ E&M, based around the formation of a K-pop girl group or boy group. The format is noted for having no panel of judges, empl ...
'' (2017), and as a coach for the third season of ''
The Voice of Korea ''The Voice of Korea'' is a South Korean reality singing competition and local version of ''The Voice (franchise), The Voice'' first broadcast as ''The Voice of Holland''. Its The Voice of Korea (season 1), first season started on February 10, ...
'' (2020). BoA's ability to sing in Japanese, English and Mandarin has helped her find commercial success beyond South Korea, in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore. With the release of her debut Japanese studio album, '' Listen to My Heart'' (2002), BoA became the first South Korean pop star to break through in Japan following the fall of barriers that had restricted the import and export of entertainment between the countries since the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. She is the only foreign artist with three albums that have sold more than one million copies in Japan and one of only three female artists with six consecutive number-one studio albums on the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
charts since her debut, the others being Japanese singers
Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. By 2002, Hamasaki had earned the nickname "Empress of J-pop" due to her popularity in Japan and throughout Asia. Due to her success and relevanc ...
and
Hikaru Utada , who is also known by the mononym Utada, is a Japanese-American pop singer, songwriter and producer. By 2010, Utada had become one of the most influential, and best-selling, musical artists in Japan. Born in the United States to Japanese parent ...
.


Career


2000–2003: Debut and commercial success in South Korea and Japan

At age eleven, BoA accompanied her older brother to an SM Entertainment talent search. Though her brother was the one who auditioned as a break-dancer, SM
talent scouts Artists and repertoire (colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumentalist ...
instead took notice of BoA and offered her a contract on the same night as the auditions. Her parents initially opposed the notion of BoA leaving school to enter the entertainment business but eventually consented at her older brothers' persuasion. She has said that her early influence as a singer was
Seo Taiji Jeong Hyeon-cheol (Korean: 정현철; born February 21, 1972), better known as Seo Taiji or Seo Tae-ji (서태지), is a South Korean singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. After dropping out of high school to pursue a music career, ...
. BoA underwent two years of training (involving vocal, dance, English, and Japanese lessons), and at the age of thirteen she released her debut album ''
ID; Peace B ''ID; Peace B'' is the debut Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer BoA, released on August 25, 2000 by SM Entertainment. Commercially, it was only moderately successful in South Korea, peaking at number 16 on the Recording Industry A ...
'' in South Korea on August 25, 2000. The album was moderately successful; it entered the Top 10 of the South Korean charts and sold around 156,000 units. Meanwhile, her Korean record label, SM Entertainment, made arrangements with Japanese label Avex Trax to launch her music career in Japan. She was forced to quit school to prepare and in early 2001, BoA released her first
mini-album A mini-LP or mini-album is a short vinyl record album or LP, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered full-length. It is distinct from an EP due to containing more tracks and a slightly longer running length. A ...
, ''
Don't Start Now "Don't Start Now" is a song by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. Lipa wrote the song with Caroline Ailin, Emily Warren, and its producer Ian Kirkpatrick (record producer), Ian Kirkpatrick. The song was released for digital download and streami ...
''; it sold around 90,000 units. After its release, she took a hiatus from the Korean music industry to focus on the Japanese market at which time she worked to solidify her skills in Japanese. BoA began her Japanese music career singing at the Avex-owned club
Velfarre was a disco located in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, Japan. Velfarre was the self-professed "largest disco in Asia" with a capacity of 1,500 people, with three floors above ground and three floors below; owned by Tetsuya Komuro and Avex Trax. V ...
. Her debut Japanese album, '' Listen to My Heart'', was released on March 13, 2002. The album was a breakthrough in BoA's career, becoming an
RIAJ The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include p ...
-certified million-seller and debuted atop the Oricon, the first album by a Korean artist to do so. It was promoted with several singles: the Top 20 hit "
ID; Peace B ''ID; Peace B'' is the debut Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer BoA, released on August 25, 2000 by SM Entertainment. Commercially, it was only moderately successful in South Korea, peaking at number 16 on the Recording Industry A ...
" (originally from the eponymous album), "
Amazing Kiss "Amazing Kiss" is BoA's second single in Japan. It was released July 25, 2001, and went to number 23 on the Oricon chart. Track listing # Amazing Kiss (4:36) # Someday, Somewhere (4:07) # Amazing Kiss ~English Version~ (4:36) # Amazing Kiss (Ins ...
", "
Kimochi wa Tsutawaru is BoA's third single in Japan. It reached number 15 on the Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and ...
", the Top 5 hit "Listen to My Heart," and the Top 10 " Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi". After the
September 11, 2001 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
, BoA recorded the charity single "
The Meaning of Peace "The Meaning of Peace" (stylized as ''the meaning of peace'') is a single by Japanese R&B singer-songwriter Koda Kumi and South Korean pop singer-songwriter BoA. The single debuted on Oricon and No. 12 and remained on the charts for twelve weeks ...
" with
Kumi Koda , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. After debuting with the single "Take Back" in December 2000, Koda gained fame in March 2003 when the songs from her seventh single, "Real Emotion ...
as part of Avex's
Song Nation ''Song Nation'' (originally known as ''Various Artists Featuring Song Nation'') is a charity compilation album featuring some of the most important Japanese performers from the Avex Trax label. The CD was made to raise money for the September 11 ...
project to raise funds for charity. From 2001 to 2007, BoA hosted ''Beat it BoA's World'', a radio program on the
Japan FM Network is a commercial radio network in Japan. It was founded in 1981. TOKYO FM is the main station of the network. Japan FM Network stations Special station Originally in JFN, but now independent FM Fuji was a member from 1988 to 199 ...
. After the release of ''Listen to My Heart'', BoA released her second Korean studio album, '' No. 1'', a month later on April 12, 2002. The album sold around 544,853 units and became the fourth-best-selling record of the year in South Korea. ''Jumping into the World'' (a Japanese re-release of the mini-album ''Don't Start Now'') and the Japanese single "
Don't Start Now "Don't Start Now" is a song by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. Lipa wrote the song with Caroline Ailin, Emily Warren, and its producer Ian Kirkpatrick (record producer), Ian Kirkpatrick. The song was released for digital download and streami ...
" were released a month later on the same day. At the end of the year, BoA released her second Korean mini-album ''
Miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...
''. BoA's second Japanese studio album, '' Valenti'' (January 2003), became her best-selling album, with over 1,249,000 copies sold. Three singles preceded its release: " Valenti," which peaked at the number-two position on the Oricon chart, " Kiseki / No.1" and " Jewel Song / Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe", both which also peaked at the number-three position. In support of the album, BoA launched ''BoA 1st Live Tour Valenti'', her first Japanese concert tour. Later in the same year, BoA released her third Korean-language studio album, ''
Atlantis Princess ''Atlantis Princess'' is the third Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer BoA, released on May 30, 2003 by SM Entertainment. Several singles were promoted off the album, including the promotional single "Lights of Seoul", "Atlantis ...
'' on May 30, 2003 and then released a mini-album ''
Shine We Are! ''Shine We Are!'' is the third special album by Korean singer BoA, released on December 4, 2003. Some of her tracks contain Korean versions of her Japanese songs; the last track in the album features the Irish band Westlife. Track listing # "B.I ...
'' on December 4, 2003.The former was the fifth-best-selling South Korean record of the year with around 345,000 units sold; the latter sold around 58,000 units.


2004–2008: New image, foray into China, and creative control

Her third Japanese studio album, ''
Love & Honesty ''Love & Honesty'' is third Japanese studio album (sixth overall) by South Korean singer BoA, released via Avex Trax on January 15, 2004. The album also came in a "Perfect Edition" which had two discs—the standard CD and a DVD. ''Love & Honesty ...
'' (January 2004) was a musical "change in direction": it contained a rock-dance song ("
Rock with You "Rock with You" was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was released on November 3, 1979, by Epic Records as ...
") and "harder" R&B. Though the album failed to match ''Valenti'' in sales, it topped the Oricon chart for two weeks and became RIAJ-certified triple-platinum. In support of the album, BoA held a tour, ''Live Concert Tour 2004: Love & Honesty'', spanning nine performances and attracted approximately 105,000 attendants. In contrast with ''1st Live Tour'', which "emphasized exotic Asian design", the ''Love & Honesty'' tour had an "outer-space, sci-fi" theme; among the props were a three-storey-high
space ship Spaceship may refer to: Spaceflight * Space vehicle, the combination of launch vehicle and spacecraft * Spacecraft, a craft, vehicle, vessel or machine designed for spaceflight * Starship, a spacecraft built for interstellar flight Music Songs ...
and the robot Asimo. Her first
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
, ''
Best of Soul ''Best of Soul'' is Korean pop singer BoA's second Japanese greatest hits album. This is her first greatest hits album to contain her Japanese songs. The album was released on February 2, 2005, under Avex Trax. The album contains singles from h ...
'' (February 2005), however, sold over a million copies, making BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two million-selling albums in Japan. BoA reinvented her image for her fourth and fifth Korean albums, '' My Name'' (June 2004) and '' Girls on Top'' (June 2005), shedding the "cute" and "youthful" style that had characterized previous years and adopted a more "sexy" and "sultry" look. The sales of BoA's Korean albums began to decline: ''My Name'' sold 191,000 units and became the eleventh-best-selling South Korean album in 2004 while ''Girls on Top'' ranked fourteenth in 2005 with 113,000 units sold. In September 2004, BoA instigated controversy in Japan when she donated
The won sign , is a currency symbol. It represents the South Korean won, the North Korean won and, unofficially, the old Korean won. Appearance Its appearance is "W" (the first letter of "Won") with a horizontal strike going through the cen ...
50 million to a memorial project for
Korean independence The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of Korea from Japan. After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the March 1st Movement of 1919, which ...
activist and nationalist
An Jung-geun Ahn Jung-geun, sometimes spelled Ahn Joong-keun (; 2 September 1879 – 26 March 1910; baptismal name: Thomas Ahn ), was a Korean-independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist. He is famous for assassination of Itō Hirobumi, the first ...
. Her fourth Japanese studio album, ''
Outgrow Outgrow is the fourth Japanese studio album (ninth overall) by South Korean singer BoA. It was released on February 15, 2006, and features the singles " Do the Motion", " Make a Secret", "Dakishimeru", and " Everlasting". The album also features ...
'', (February 2006) reached the number-one spot on the Oricon chart for its first week of release, making it her fourth consecutive original Japanese album to do so. With 220,000 copies sold, it became her lowest-selling first-week debut for a studio album at that point. "
Do the Motion "Do the Motion" is BoA's 15th Japanese CD single (and first of 2005), and third highest selling. This was also BoA's first number one single, and made her the first non-Japanese Asian singer to top the Oricon charts in over 21 years. This single ...
", the first single from the album, reached the top spot, making her the fourth non-Japanese Asian to have a number-one single on the Oricon charts. "
Merry Christmas from BoA The discography of South Korean musician BoA consists of twenty-one studio albums (three of which were reissued), eight compilation albums, three extended plays (EPs) and numerous singles. BoA debuted as a musician through South Korean talent age ...
" (2005), the album's last single, was the singer's first digital single. That May, BoA renewed her contract with SM Entertainment until 2012. At the time it was noted that she had a shareholding in the company of 100,000 (Approximately worth $1m USD). She also voiced Heather the possum in the Korean and Japanese version of the animated film ''
Over the Hedge ''Over the Hedge'' is an American syndicated comic strip, written by Michael Fry, and drawn by T. Lewis. It tells the story of a raccoon, a turtle, a squirrel, and their friends, who come to terms with their woodlands being taken over, by subu ...
''. On September 21, 2006, she released her first digital single in Korea, a Korean version of " Key of Heart". In support of ''Outgrow'', BoA launched a special
Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music venues covering every area of the country. They play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which ...
tour, B0A The Live, on September 29, 2006, which lasted until October 29. She staged her first Christmas concert on December 7, 2006. Three singles preceded BoA's fifth Japanese studio album, '' Made in Twenty'' (January 2007): the Top 3 "
Nanairo no Ashita (Brand New Beat)/Your Color "Nanairo no Ashita: Brand New Beat / Your Color" is BoA's nineteenth Japanese single and her fifth double A-side single. It is her first single to be released in both CD and in CD+DVD formats. The former is an upbeat pop song while the latter is ...
," the Top 10 "Key of Heart," and the No. 2 hit "
Winter Love "Winter Love" is BoA's 21st Japanese single. It was released on November 1, 2006. It hit #2 on the Oricon Charts with sales of 42,481, making it the highest charting BoA single since " Do the Motion", which was released in March 2005. Formats are ...
." The album, which contained R&B and dance songs as well as ballads, debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making the album her sixth in a row to do so (including one compilation). Having previously compose the song "No More Make Me Sick" for ''Made in Twenty'', BoA assumed creative control over her sixth Japanese album, ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
'' (February 2008). The album debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making BoA one of only two artists in Japan to have six consecutive studio albums top the Oricon weekly charts (the other is
Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. By 2002, Hamasaki had earned the nickname "Empress of J-pop" due to her popularity in Japan and throughout Asia. Due to her success and relevanc ...
, who has eight consecutive number-one albums). On June 9, 2008, BoA and nine other artists from around the world recorded an English cover of Wei Wei's "Dedication of Love". Produced by
Roald Hoffmann Roald Hoffmann (born Roald Safran; July 18, 1937) is a Polish Americans, Polish-American theoretical chemistry, theoretical chemist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He has also published plays and poetry. He is the Frank H. T. Rhodes P ...
and Brian Alan, the single was used to raise funds for victims of the
Sichuan earthquake This is a list of earthquakes that occurred in Sichuan province of China. Earthquakes with magnitude of 7.0 or greater Earthquakes registering magnitudes between 6.0 and 6.9 See also * List of earthquakes in Yunnan References {{Earth ...
. But due to a tight schedule, BoA was pulled back from this project. Korean jewelry brand Ramee also released, "Ramee by BoA", a line of jewelry designed by the singer herself.


2008–2012: American expansion and return to Asia

On September 2, 2008, it was announced that BoA would make her American debut under a new subsidiary label, SM Entertainment USA. Hoping to become a "world-renowned entertainer" in the vein of
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
, BoA's debut American single "Eat You Up," was produced by
Thomas Troelsen Thomas Troelsen (born 6 October 1981) is a Danish singer, songwriter, and producer from Skive. Troelsen has written and produced songs for Pitbull, Flo Rida, Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Lil Wayne, Drengene fra Angora, Nile Rodgers, Jason Derulo ...
, and released on October 21, 2008. It charted at No. 9 on the ''Billboard''
Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart. To promote the single, BoA performed "Eat You Up" as well as other songs at YouTube's Tokyo Live concert, and performed in New York City on December 3, 2008, as well as the
Jingle Ball iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbrella brand for iHear ...
at the Anaheim Honda Center on December 6, 2008. The following year, she released " Eien/Universe/Believe in Love" and was also featured in
Ravex Ravex (stylized as ravex; a portmanteau of rave and Avex Group, Avex) is a Japanese electronic music group, consisting of Shinichi Osawa, Fantastic Plastic Machine (musician), Tomoyuki Tanaka and record producer DJ Taku Takahashi. Established to ...
's single "Believe in Love." BoA's self-titled English album was released in the U.S. on March 17 and featured tracks by producers
Bloodshy and Avant Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and production duo consisting of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, Madonn ...
as well as a duet with
Sean Garrett Garrett Robin Hamler, known professionally as Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's " Yeah!" which ranks second on the ''Billboa ...
. Her second Japanese compilation album, ''
Best & USA ''Best & USA'' is a 2009 album by the South Korean pop singer BoA. A Japanese issue coinciding with the release of her American first album, ''BoA'', it contains the American album (''USA'') as well as a compilation of Japanese singles (''Best'') ...
'' was released on March 18 tying together a compilation of recent hits in Japan with her English-language debut. Though she stated that " has always been my dream to debut in America," she found English tougher to learn than Japanese and despite living in West Beverly Hills, found it difficult to make friends. BoA later headlined the San Francisco Pride Festival on June 28, 2009, alongside
Solange Knowles Solange Piaget Knowles (; born June 24, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, performance artist, and actress. Expressing an interest in music from an early age, Knowles had several temporary stints as a backup dancer for Destiny's Child, wh ...
and
The Cliks ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
, where she also performed the song "Energetic" for the first time in public, in addition to "Eat You Up" and "I Did It for Love." On August 31, SM USA released '' BoA Deluxe'', a repackaged version of her debut English album. The album contained two new tracks and the radio edit version of "Energetic". With her U.S. career struggling to gain traction, BoA returned to East Asia to release her seventh Japanese album, ''
Identity Identity may refer to: * Identity document * Identity (philosophy) * Identity (social science) * Identity (mathematics) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film * ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...
'' (February 2010). Promoted by the singles "
Bump Bump! "Bump Bump!" is BoA's twenty-eighth Japanese single. It was produced by Verbal (rapper), Verbal from M-Flo, who wrote both songs and featured as a rapper on both tracks. The single was released on October 28, 2009. Track list CD # Bump Bump! fe ...
" featuring Verbal from
M-Flo is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of record producer DJ Taku Takahashi, Verbal and Lisa. Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists fo ...
and " Mamoritai: White Wishes" (December 2009), the album only charted at No. 4, selling 37,606 copies in its first week. With little promotion from her label, it ended her run of six consecutive No. 1 albums, suggesting that it would be impossible for her to sustain her career in three territories simultaneously. Her first Korean album in five years, ''
Hurricane Venus ''Hurricane Venus'' is the sixth Korean language studio album (fourteenth overall) by South Korean singer BoA, released on August 2, 2010, by SM Entertainment, to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the singer's career. It is BoA's first major ...
,'' was released on August 5, 2010, and sold 55,776 units making it the 22nd best selling album in South Korea for 2010. She also represented South Korea and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival, organized by ''Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange'', at the
Seoul Olympic Stadium The Seoul Olympic Stadium (), also known as Jamsil Olympic Stadium (formerly romanised as ''Chamshil''), is a multi-purpose stadium in Seoul, South Korea. It is the main stadium built for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1986 Asian Games, 10th ...
. BoA made her Hollywood movie debut in the dance film ''
Make Your Move 3D ''Make Your Move'' (formerly called ''Cobu 3D'', also known as ''Make Your Move 3D''), is a 2013 independent dance film starring K-pop singer BoA and ballroom dancer Derek Hough. The film was directed by Duane Adler, who wrote the script for ''Sav ...
'', playing the character Aya opposite
Derek Hough Derek Bruce Hough (; born May 17, 1985) is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor and singer. From 2007 to 2016, Hough was a professional dancer on the ABC dance competition series ''Dancing with the Stars'', wi ...
. Although production ended in 2011, the film was released in 2013. The movie received mixed reviews, with Inkoo Kang of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' praising the choreography but stating that " enever actor Derek Hough and BoA stop leaping and twirling, tis an underwritten mess." To celebrate the 10th anniversary of her Japanese debut, BoA released "
Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway line, canal or boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks; or they can give their position on the route relative to so ...
," which ranked at No. 4 on the Oricon Weekly Music-DVD charts. She also held her 10th anniversary concert on December 10–11 at Tokyo International Forum. Following the concert, BoA shifted her activities to her native county, joining the judging panel on SBS's audition program ''
K-pop Star ''Survival Audition K-pop Star'' ( ko, 서바이벌 오디션 K팝 스타) is a South Korean reality TV competition series where three entertainment/talent agencies in South Korea hold worldwide auditions to find the next potential K-Pop stars. ...
'' as a representative of S.M. Entertainment, alongside
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 ...
from
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 ...
and
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 ...
from
JYP Entertainment JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
. BoA received praise for her ability as a judge with her insightful comments and discerning eyes, and also sang the theme song "One Dream." For her seventh Korean album, ''
Only One Only may refer to: Music Albums * ''Only'' (album), by Tommy Emmanuel, 2000 * ''The Only'', an EP by Dua Lipa, 2017 Songs * "Only" (Anthrax song), 1993 * "Only" (Nine Inch Nails song), 2005 * "Only" (Nicki Minaj song), 2014 * "The Only", by S ...
'' (July 2012), BoA wrote and composed its title track, while its dance steps choreographed by NappyTabs, who has previously worked with BoA in ''Cobu''. Upon its release, "Only One" achieved an all-kill on several music charts. She followed this up with the second "The Shadow," was released August 18, 2012. Additionally, she recorded the song " Lookin'" featuring
The Quiett ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
for Hyundai's 'Premium Younique Lifestyle' campaign.


2013–2015: Music production, television role, and 15th anniversary

BoA launched her first Korean tour with BoA Special Live 2013: Here I Am tour at the Olympic Hall, and released the song "
Disturbance Disturbance and its variants may refer to: Math and science * Disturbance (ecology), a temporary change in average environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in an ecosystem * Disturbance (geology), linear zone of faults and folds ...
," which she wrote and composed, to commemorate her first concert tour in South Korea. In September 2013, BoA starred in KBS' two-episode drama special ''Expect to Date'' alongside Choi Daniel and Im Si-wan, her full first role in a drama, following a string of cameo appearances. She received praise for her acting performance. She also participated in ''Infinity Challenge, Infinity Challenge's'' bi-annual song festival and was paired with Leessang's Gill (musician), Gil, with the two co-produced the song "G.A.B". In March 2014, BoA was appointed as a de facto creative director in S.M. Entertainment, alongside labelmate Kangta; she was placed in charge of mental care of artists who debut at a young age. The singles for BoA's eighth Japanese album, ''Who's Back?'' (September 2014), were released over a span of four years prior to the album's release:"Woo Weekend" and "I See Me" in 2010, "Milestone" in 2011, Only One (BoA song), Only One," "Tail of Hope" and "Message / Call My Name" in 2013, and "Shout It Out (BoA song), Shout It Out" and "Masayume Chasing" in 2014. To promote the album, she embarked on her BoA Live Tour 2014 Who's Back? tour in September, her first Japanese tour in four years. After the tour concluded, BoA starred in her first Korean film, ''Big Match (film), Big Match'' alongside Lee Jung-jae and Shin Ha-kyun though a Japanese single "Fly" was released on December 3, 2014. Her eighth Korean album ''Kiss My Lips'' (May 2015) became her first entirely self-written, self-produced album, working alongside American producers The Underdogs and Stereotypes. The single "Who Are You" (feat. Gaeko) was released prior to the album's unveiling, along with its accompanying music video, which starred EXO's Oh Se-hun (singer), Sehun as the male lead. The rest of the album was unveiled on May 12 along with an official music video of the eponymous title track. ''Billboard'' called the singer a promising songwriter despite moments of musical blandness. In July, she performed at the BoA Special Live 2015: Nowness to commemorate her 15th anniversary. The concert took place on August 22 and 23 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in South Korea, making BoA the first female idol to hold a solo concert at the venue. This was followed by BoA Special Live 2015: Nowness in Japan which took place on December 11, 2015, at Tokyo International Forum Hall-A. Her 15th anniversary in Japan the following year was celebrated in a similar fashion, including the release of the song "Lookbook", and a 15th anniversary edition of BoA's Japanese Winter hit, "Meri Kuri." As part of S.M. Entertainment's special winter project, ''Winter Garden (S.M. Entertainment), Winter Garden,'' BoA released a digital single entitled "Christmas Paradise."


2016–present: Musical projects, television production, and acting debut

On January 12, 2016, BoA released an English-language single "Make Me Complete", which serves as the theme song for the Fuji TV special drama ''Ooku'', starring Sawajiri Erika and Watanabe Mayu. In June, she collaborated with Korean rapper Beenzino for S.M. Entertainment's ''SM Station'' project. The duo released the single "No Matter What," which ranked atop five domestic charts. BoA worked with BeatBurger for another ''SM Station'' single titled "Music Is Wonderful", where she participated in the composing and writing of the track. From October to November 2016, BoA starred in JTBC's romance melodrama ''
Listen to Love ''Listen to Love'' () is a 2016 South Korean television series starring Lee Sun-kyun and Song Ji-hyo about husbands who try to protect their marriage with the help of anonymous netizens, based on the 2007 Japanese TV series of the same title. It ...
'', returning to the small screen after three years. The following year, BoA became one of the producers for Mnet (TV channel), Mnet's boy group Reality television#Reality competition.2Fgame shows, survival reality show, ''Produce 101 Season 2'', which aired from April 7 to June 16. BoA later released another song for ''SM Station'', "Spring Rain", an R&B number produced by Kenzie. In May, BoA embarked on her BoA The live in ''Billboard'' Live Tour, held in Tokyo and Osaka. She also released the single "Camo," a dance song with a heavy emphasis on bass and synthesizer sounds, which was a change in sound from her previous materials and produced by The Underdogs. In July, she released the Japanese single "Right Here, Right Everywhere" for the soundtrack of drama ''Yaneura no Koibito''. She later starred in the film ''Autumn Sonata'' alongside Lee Hak-joo, playing a terminally ill patient. In 2018, BoA returned to Japan and released her ninth Japanese album ''Watashi Konomama de Iinokana'' on February 14, 2018, followed by EP ''Unchained'' in March. To accompany the release of the EP, she embarked on the BoA The Live 2018: Unchained Tour from March 15 to April 4. People who attend the concerts received a copy of ''Unchained''. On January 31, she released "Nega Dola", which served as a single for BoA's then-upcoming first extended play. The EP, ''One Shot, Two Shot'', was released on February 20, alongside its titular lead single and the song's music video. The EP peaked at number six at the South Korean Gaon Album Chart and number seven at the ''Billboard'' World Albums Chart. On October 24, she released her ninth Korean album ''Woman (BoA album), Woman'' alongside a lead single of the same name. The album peaked at number six at the Gaon Album Chart, number eleven at the ''Billboard'' World Albums Chart. On June 4, 2019, she released the single "Feedback", which features rapper Nucksal, alongside the song's music video. BoA embarked on her #Mood Tour, which had six dates in Japan and two dates in Seoul, from September to October 2019. On October 23, she released a new Japanese single, "Wishing Well," which she earlier debuted on the tour. On December 11, 2019, she released her second extended play ''Starry Night (BoA EP), Starry Night''. In May 2020, BoA was featured as one of the coaches for the third season of
The Voice of Korea ''The Voice of Korea'' is a South Korean reality singing competition and local version of ''The Voice (franchise), The Voice'' first broadcast as ''The Voice of Holland''. Its The Voice of Korea (season 1), first season started on February 10, ...
, alongside Dynamic Duo (South Korean duo), Dynamic Duo, Sung Si-kyung, and Kim Jong-kook (singer), Kim Jong-kook. On December 1, 2020, she released her tenth Korean album ''Better (BoA album), Better''. SpoTV News shared BoA to join as a judge for Mnet Dance program "Street Woman Fighter". It is a female dance crew competition premiering in August 2021. On November 5, 2021, BoA released the Japanese single, "My Dear", to commemorate her 20th anniversary. BoA was revealed as a member of the supergroup Got the Beat on December 27, 2021. The group debuted on January 3, 2022. To celebrate her 20th anniversary, BoA released the Japanese compilation album ''The Greatest'' on May 30, 2022.


Image and artistry

BoA lists hip hop as her main musical influence, though she also enjoys R&B. Her favorite musicians are Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Ne-Yo; as a result, much of BoA's music is either dance-pop or R&B. Because she also sings ballads, she is often compared to Japanese singers Namie Amuro and
Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. By 2002, Hamasaki had earned the nickname "Empress of J-pop" due to her popularity in Japan and throughout Asia. Due to her success and relevanc ...
. Her debut album, ''ID; Peace B'', contained urban pop, "slickly produced" ballads, and "upbeat dance tunes". As her career went on, she began experimenting with different styles: ''Valenti'' contained mostly ballads; ''Love and Honesty'' was an experiment with "harder" R&B and rock music. ''The Face'' was influenced by electropop and included "happy spring" songs ("Sweet Impact" and "Bad Drive"), a guitar-driven "groovy dance" song ("Lose Your Mind"), and ballads. Because the composition and writing of BoA's songs is handled mostly by her staff, BoA has been criticized as being a "manufactured pop star".BoA has contributed to the writing and composition of 49 songs to date since the start of her career, and self-produced her seventh Japanese studio album ''IDENTITY'' In response to such criticism, BoA said that "if one person were to force their own will on something, then things that should have gone right could easily go wrong" and that she is "not all that unhappy with the expression that [she is] a manufactured star. In a way, that is true. Because SM Entertainment created the environment and all the surrounding conditions, [she is] able to be successful in the way [she is] now." She later assumed creative control with ''The Face,'' while ''Kiss My Lips'' became her first entirely self-written, self-produced album. BoA has collaborated with high-profile artists. Among the Japanese artists she has performed with are the hip hop group
M-Flo is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of record producer DJ Taku Takahashi, Verbal and Lisa. Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists fo ...
(for the single "The Love Bug"), pop singer
Kumi Koda , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. After debuting with the single "Take Back" in December 2000, Koda gained fame in March 2003 when the songs from her seventh single, "Real Emotion ...
, and house music, house DJ Mondo Grosso. She has performed with Western artists: the song "Flying Without Wings" from her album ''Next World'' was a collaboration with Irish band Westlife covering the Flying Without Wings, original song; the Bratz single "Show Me What You Got (Bratz song), Show Me What You Got" was performed with Howie D of the American band Backstreet Boys. She also worked with Akon, singing the song "Beautiful (Akon song), Beautiful", which was featured on the Japanese release of his third album, ''Freedom (Akon album), Freedom''. Other artists she has collaborated with are Soul'd Out, Dabo, Verbal (of M-Flo), Rah-D, Seamo, TVXQ, Yutaka Furakawa (of the band Doping Panda), and Crystal Kay (for her single After Love: First Boyfriend/Girlfriend). American rock band Weezer covered "Meri Kuri" on the Japanese version of their album ''Weezer (The Red Album), Weezer''.


Endorsements

Because of her wide appeal, BoA has appeared in advertisements for many brands. Among the brands she has promoted are Olympus Corporation, Olympus, Lotte (conglomerate), Lotte, Nike (company), Nike, L'Oréal, Japanese cosmetic company KOSÉ, Skechers, Audio-Technica, GM Daewoo and L'Occitane. Several of her songs have been used in affiliation with television shows. "Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi" was used as the ending theme for the anime ''InuYasha''; "Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe" was used as the opening theme for the anime ''Monkey Typhoon''; "Key of Heart" was the theme song for the Japanese release of ''
Over the Hedge ''Over the Hedge'' is an American syndicated comic strip, written by Michael Fry, and drawn by T. Lewis. It tells the story of a raccoon, a turtle, a squirrel, and their friends, who come to terms with their woodlands being taken over, by subu ...
''; "Your Color" was the theme song of the video game ''Ninety-Nine Nights''; "Mamoritai: White Wishes" was the theme song of the video game ''Tales of Graces,''. "Tail of Hope" was used as the theme for the Japanese drama "''Hakui no Namida,''" and "Masayume Chasing" was used as the 15th opening theme song for the anime "''Fairy Tail.''" In 2007, Anycall (a Samsung brand) signed BoA, Xiah (of TVXQ), Tablo (of Epik High), and jazz pianist Jin Bora onto "Anyband", a band created specifically to promote Anycall. The band released only one single, "AnyBand (song), AnyBand". In December 2010, she recorded "I See Me (BoA song), I See Me" for to promote Audio Technica headphones in Japan. The song "Woo Weekend" was used to promote Disney on Ice's 25th Anniversary in Japan while "Lookbook" served as the ending theme for the NTV Kei program ''Tokui to Goto to Uruwashi no SHELLEY ga Konya Kurabete Mimashita.'' In August 2017, it was announced that BoA was chosen as promotional ambassador for Jeju Biennale, an inaugural international art event on the resort island of Jeju. In Her widespread popularity has also made her a "cultural ambassador"; she has represented South Korea in inter-Asian musical events and has appeared in an Oxford University Press-published English-language textbook.


Impact

Dubbed the "Queen of K-pop", BoA is considered one of this century's top artists in East Asia; her popularity in the latter is attributed to her linguistic skills (she speaks and records in Japanese, Korean, and English) and a Japanese Korean Wave, interest in Korean pop culture started in the early 2000s when the two countries began promoting cultural exchanges. BoA's popularity extends throughout East Asia; she has fans in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. She had expressed plans to enter a global market; in June 2006, the music video of her Korean song "My Name" became the first music video ever shown on MTV K, an MTV music channel directed at Korean Americans. In 2021, ''South China Morning Post'' estimated her net worth to be over United States dollar, US$25 million. Though her earlier releases were marked by a "cute" and "youthful" style, BoA began to present a more "mature" image starting from the album ''My Name''. In a ''Talk Asia'' interview, Anjali Rao noted that some felt that ''My Name'' marked the beginning of BoA's decline in popularity and asked if the public would always see the singer as "Little Baby BoA"; BoA replied, "So while I apologize to those people who still want the baby BoA, in fact, what can I do? I just keep growing up! I can't stop that from happening." Various artists have cited BoA as an influence and role model, such as Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, Sunny (singer), Sunny, Tiffany Young, Tiffany, Kim Hyo-yeon, Hyoyeon, Seohyun, Shinee's Key (entertainer), Key, Exo's Oh Se-hun, Sehun, Red Velvet (group), Red Velvet's Irene (singer), Irene, I.O.I's Chungha, Billlie's Tsuki, and Aespa's Karina and Winter.


Discography

Korean albums * ''
ID; Peace B ''ID; Peace B'' is the debut Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer BoA, released on August 25, 2000 by SM Entertainment. Commercially, it was only moderately successful in South Korea, peaking at number 16 on the Recording Industry A ...
'' (2000) * '' No. 1'' (2002) * ''
Atlantis Princess ''Atlantis Princess'' is the third Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer BoA, released on May 30, 2003 by SM Entertainment. Several singles were promoted off the album, including the promotional single "Lights of Seoul", "Atlantis ...
'' (2003) * '' My Name'' (2004) * '' Girls on Top'' (2005) * ''
Hurricane Venus ''Hurricane Venus'' is the sixth Korean language studio album (fourteenth overall) by South Korean singer BoA, released on August 2, 2010, by SM Entertainment, to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the singer's career. It is BoA's first major ...
'' (2010) * ''
Only One Only may refer to: Music Albums * ''Only'' (album), by Tommy Emmanuel, 2000 * ''The Only'', an EP by Dua Lipa, 2017 Songs * "Only" (Anthrax song), 1993 * "Only" (Nine Inch Nails song), 2005 * "Only" (Nicki Minaj song), 2014 * "The Only", by S ...
'' (2012) * ''Kiss My Lips'' (2015) * ''Woman (BoA album), Woman'' (2018) * ''Better (BoA album), Better'' (2020) Japanese albums * '' Listen to My Heart'' (2002) * '' Valenti'' (2003) * ''
Love & Honesty ''Love & Honesty'' is third Japanese studio album (sixth overall) by South Korean singer BoA, released via Avex Trax on January 15, 2004. The album also came in a "Perfect Edition" which had two discs—the standard CD and a DVD. ''Love & Honesty ...
'' (2004) * ''
Outgrow Outgrow is the fourth Japanese studio album (ninth overall) by South Korean singer BoA. It was released on February 15, 2006, and features the singles " Do the Motion", " Make a Secret", "Dakishimeru", and " Everlasting". The album also features ...
'' (2006) * '' Made in Twenty'' (2007) * ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
'' (2008) * ''
Identity Identity may refer to: * Identity document * Identity (philosophy) * Identity (social science) * Identity (mathematics) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film * ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...
'' (2010) * ''Who's Back?'' (2014) * ''Watashi Kono Mama de Ii no Kana'' (2018) English albums * ''BoA (album), BoA'' (2009)


Awards


Filmography


Film


Television drama


Television shows


Tours


See also

* Contemporary culture of South Korea * Korean Wave * J-pop


Footnotes


References


External links

* {{Authority control BoA, 1986 births 20th-century South Korean women singers 21st-century South Korean women singers Avex Trax artists English-language singers from South Korea Grand Prize Seoul Music Award recipients Japanese-language singers of South Korea Mandarin-language singers of South Korea Living people Korean Mandopop singers K-pop singers MAMA Award winners People from Gyeonggi Province SM Entertainment artists SM Town South Korean child singers South Korean dance musicians South Korean expatriates in Japan South Korean expatriates in the United States South Korean expatriates in China South Korean female idols South Korean women pop singers South Korean women singer-songwriters South Korean film actresses South Korean J-pop singers South Korean rhythm and blues singers South Korean singer-songwriters South Korean television actresses Synth-pop singers World Music Awards winners