Ida Dene Simmons (born May 25, 1985) better known as Kim I-sak, is a German-born American singer, actress and radio personality based in South Korea. She was a member of South Korean R&B duo

Isak N Jiyeon Isak N Jiyeon (이삭 N 지연) was a South Korean R&B duo formed by SM Entertainment in 2002. The duo released one album, ''Tell Me Baby'', in September 2002 before disbanding two years later following Isak’s departure. Later on, Jiyeon joine ...

from 2002 to 2004. She left SM Entertainment in 2012. She has been a VJ for ''Pops in Seoul'' on

Arirang TV Arirang International Broadcasting is a South Korean-based broadcasting company operated by the International Broadcasting Exchange Foundation. It began as a cable TV service in South Korea on February 3, 1997, and opened Korea's first overseas ...

and is now a DJ for "Kpoppin" on

Arirang Radio Arirang Radio (, stylized as arirang) is an English-language South Korean television network based in Seoul and aimed at an overseas audience. It is operated by the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation and is financially supported by the Mi ...

Early life

Kim I-sak was born Ida Dene Simmons on May 25, 1985 in

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

, Germany. She left Germany and moved to Kansas with her mother. She left Kansas when she was years old to move to California and lived there until 1999. She emigrated to Korea later to learn about heritage and explore her music career in Korean pop music. Isak lived in a mostly white community with her mother. Upon arrival in Korea, she attended the Korea Kent Foreign School, where her classmates and friends included

Jessica Jung Jessica Jung (born Jessica Sooyoun Jung; April 18, 1989), also known by the mononym Jessica, is a South Korean-American singer, songwriter, actress, author, fashion designer and businesswoman known for her work as a former member of South Kor ...

and

Tiffany Young Stephanie Young Hwang (born August 1, 1989), known professionally as Tiffany or Tiffany Young, is an American singer-songwriter. Born and raised in California, she was discovered by South Korean entertainment agency SM Entertainment at the age ...

, the two future Korean American founding members of

Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensembl ...

. Tiffany lived with Isak initially when she moved to Seoul from Diamond Bar, California at the age of 15. Owing to their shared history and friendship, she has interviewed the duo mostly in English for Arirang's ''

Pops in Seoul ''Pops in Seoul'', airing from 1998 to 2021, has presented Korean pop music for the past eleven years on the network Arirang TV. The show's VJ presented current music, news about K-pop culture, and provided overseas viewers with the latest Korean ...

''.''Pops in Seoul'' – ''In the Booth'' with Isak, February 26, 2009: Tiffany and Jessica (Girls' Generation)
YouTube (originally broadcast by Arirang)

Isak N Jiyeon (2002–2004)

On September 3, 2002, Kim Isak debuted as a member of duo

with release of album

Tell Me Baby "Tell Me Baby" is a song from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' ninth studio album '' Stadium Arcadium''. The song was released as the follow-up to the hit single "Dani California" on July 17, 2006. The single was not as successful as their prior single ...

. The duo officially disbanded in 2004.

Discography

Filmography

Television dramas

Musical theater

Broadcasting activities

*2008: Arirang TV Pops in Seoul VJ *2012: Arirang Radio Kpoppin DJ

Music video appearances

*2007: Super Junior-T – Rokkugo

References

External links

Kim Isak Cafe Daum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Isak 1985 births Living people South Korean women pop singers South Korean female idols South Korean radio presenters German people of Korean descent German expatriates in South Korea 21st-century South Korean singers 21st-century South Korean women singers South Korean women radio presenters