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Kang Seul-gi (; born February 10, 1994), known
mononymously A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
as Seulgi, is a South Korean singer and dancer. She is a member of girl group Red Velvet, its sub-unit Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi, and the supergroup
Got the Beat Got the Beat (; stylized as GOT the beat) is a South Korean supergroup formed by SM Entertainment in 2022. It is the first sub-unit of project group Girls On Top, and consists of seven members: soloist BoA, Taeyeon and Hyoyeon from Girls' Gene ...
. She released her debut EP, '' 28 Reasons'', in 2022.


Life and career


1994–2014: Early life and career beginnings

Kang Seul-gi was born on February 10, 1994, in
Ansan Ansan (Hangeul: , ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies southwest of Seoul and is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4. It is situated on the Yellow Sea coast and ...
,
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. Her family consists of her parents and an older brother. She studied in Ansan Byeolmang Middle School and attended
School of Performing Arts Seoul School of Performing Arts Seoul ( ko, 서울공연예술고등학교), colloquially known as (SOPA) in South Korea, is an arts high school in Gung-dong, Guro District, Seoul. History SOPA was founded on March 6, 1966 as Jeonghui High Schoo ...
. She can speak both Korean and Japanese. Seulgi began training at
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 ...
in 2007. On December 2, 2013, she was one of the first three trainees introduced to the public through SM Entertainment's pre-debut project,
SM Rookies SM Rookies (, stylized as SMROOKIES) is a pre-debut training team created by South Korean entertainment agency SM Entertainment in 2013, composed of trainees who have yet to join an idol group. From 2013 to 2018, the team officially introduced 30 ...
, alongside now- NCT members Jeno and Taeyong. Various pre-debut clips of Seulgi were released by SM Entertainment, one of which was a dance performance of "Be Natural" by S.E.S. with Irene. In July 2014, Seulgi was featured on
Henry Lau Henry Lau (; ko, 헨리; born October 11, 1989), often mononymously referred to as Henry, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor based in South Korea and China. He debuted in 2008 as a member of Super Junior-M ...
's song "Butterfly" from his second EP ''
Fantastic The fantastic (french: le fantastique) is a subgenre of literary works characterized by the ambiguous presentation of seemingly supernatural forces. Bulgarian-French structuralist literary critic Tzvetan Todorov originated the concept, characte ...
''. She also appeared in the music video of his single "Fantastic". On August 1, 2014, Seulgi made her official debut as a member of Red Velvet.


2015–2018: Solo activities

In January 2015, Seulgi starred in the musical ''School Oz'', playing the lead role of Dorothy. From April to May, she was part of the variety show '' Off to School''. In July 2016, Seulgi released "Don't Push Me" with bandmate
Wendy Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries. In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...
as part of the soundtrack of the television series ''
Uncontrollably Fond ''Uncontrollably Fond'' () is a South Korean television series starring Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy. It aired from July 6 to September 8, 2016 on KBS2's Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 ( KST) time slot. Synopsis Shin Joon-young (Kim Woo-bin) an ...
''. In October, Seulgi competed on ''
King of Mask Singer ''The King of Mask Singer'' () is a South Korean singing competition program presented by Kim Sung-joo, with introductions by voice actor . It airs on MBC on Sunday, starting from April 5, 2015 as a part of MBC's '' Sunday Night'' programming ...
'' under the alias Cinema Heaven. On November 18, she sang the theme song of the
MMORPG A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game. As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a character (of ...
'' Blade & Soul'', "You, Just Like That" (그대는 그렇게), although it was not officially released as a digital single until 2017. On December 30, Seulgi released the digital single "Sound of Your Heart" with Wendy and other SM artists for the digital music project
SM Station SM Station is a digital music project by South Korean record label SM Entertainment. It undertook to release one digital single every Friday starting from February 3, 2016. The project's first season ended on February 3, 2017, with 52 songs. Its ...
. In January 2017, Seulgi released "You're the Only One I See" with Wendy as part of the soundtrack of the drama '' Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth''. As part of SM Station, she also released the duet "Darling U" with labelmate
Yesung Kim Kang-hoon (born Kim Jong-woon; August 24, 1984), better known by his stage name Yesung is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, radio personality and television presenter. He debuted in 2005 as a member of Super Junior and its subgroups ...
on January 22. In February, Seulgi and Hwang Chi-yeul collaborated on the song "Our Story", which served as the final track for Hwang's duet project ''Fall, in girl''. In March, Seulgi featured on labelmate
Mark Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fin ...
's "Drop", an original song performed on ''
High School Rapper ''High School Rapper'' (Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing sys ...
''. Seulgi was cast alongside six other female idols in the variety show '' Idol Drama Operation Team'', wherein they had to create their own television series, titled ''Let's Only Walk the Flower Road'', as scriptwriters and play fictional versions of themselves, who are part of a fictional music group. The group, called Girls Next Door, released the song "Deep Blue Eyes" and held their debut stage at '' Music Bank'' on July 14. On October 27, Seulgi released a remake of the 2001 song "Doll (인형)", originally by
Shin Hye-sung Jung Pil-kyo (; born November 27, 1979) is a South Korean singer-songwriter. He is best known as a member of the South Korean boy group Shinhwa. The main vocalist of Shinhwa, he debuted as a solo artist in 2005 and has since released multipl ...
and Lee Ji-hoon, along with
Kangta Ahn Chil-hyun (born October 10, 1979), known professionally as Kangta (stylized sometimes in all caps and formerly as KangTa), is a South Korean singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, actor and radio personality. He is well known as a ...
and Wendy as part of the second season of SM Station. An accompanying music video featuring footage from their live performance of the song at the SM Town Live Tour V in Japan was released on the same day. That same month, Seulgi featured on labelmate Taemin's song "Heart Stop" from his second studio album ''
Move Move may refer to: People *Daniil Move (born 1985), a Russian auto racing driver Brands and enterprises * Move (company), an online real estate company * Move (electronics store), a defunct Australian electronics retailer * Daihatsu Move Gov ...
''. In February 2018, Seulgi was confirmed as part of the cast of '' Law of the Jungle in Mexico''. In April, she was confirmed as part of the cast of the variety show ''Secret Unnie''. She featured on
Moonbyul Moon Byul-yi (, born December 22, 1992), better known by her stage name Moonbyul, is a South Korean rapper and singer signed under RBW. She is the rapper of the girl group Mamamoo and its sub-unit Mamamoo+. In May 2018, Moonbyul made her debut ...
's debut single "Selfish", which was released on May 23. Seulgi and Wendy starred in the special 100th episode of ''
Battle Trip ''Battle Trip'' () is a South Korean television entertainment program, distributed and syndicated by KBS. Season 1 was aired starting 16 April 2016 and ended on 3 April 2020 with 177 episodes and 4 special episodes. The program starred Kim So ...
'', which aired for the first time on July 21. In September, Seulgi released the digital single " Wow Thing" with Soyeon, SinB, and
Chungha Kim Chung-ha (, born Kim Chan-mi []; February 9, 1996), known mononym, mononymously as Chungha (stylized as CHUNG HA), is a South Korean Pop music, pop singer, dancer and choreographer signed under MNH Entertainment. She finished fourth in M ...
. In October, it was announced that Seulgi had been cast in the television show '' Cool Kids''. On October 15, she featured on
Zion.T Kim Hae-sol (born April 13, 1989), known as Zion.T (), is a South Korean hip hop and R&B singer signed to The Black Label, a subsidiary label of YG Entertainment managed by Teddy Park and Kush. He has released a studio album, ''Red Light'' ( ...
's "Hello Tutorial", which peaked at number two on the
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 ...
.


2019–present: Red Velvet sub-unit, Got the Beat and solo debut

On February 12, 2019, Seulgi released "Always", a ballad about eternal love, for the soundtrack of ''
The Crowned Clown ''The Crowned Clown'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Sang-kyung, and Lee Se-young. A remake of the 2012 film '' Masquerade'', the series centers on the tale of a Joseon King and his doppelganger, a clown ...
''. On April 20, 2020, SM Entertainment confirmed that Seulgi would be part of Red Velvet's first sub-unit, alongside bandmate Irene. Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi debuted on July 6 with the extended play (EP) ''
Monster A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
''. The EP contained the studio version of Seulgi's solo song "Uncover", which was first revealed during Red Velvet's third concert tour La Rouge. She and Irene starred in the spin-off of Red Velvet's reality show '' Level Up Project!''. On November 23, it was announced that Seulgi would translate the series of art essays ''Art Gallery By My Side: Love, Happiness, Sleep''. On January 25, 2021, Seulgi featured in the music video for labelmate
Yunho Jung Yun-ho (; born February 6, 1986), also known by his stage name U-Know Yunho () or simply U-Know, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor, and a member of the pop duo TVXQ. Born and raised in Gwangju, South Korea, Yunho started his musi ...
's "Eeny Meeny". On February 1, Seulgi and rapper
Bewhy Lee Byung-yoon (Hangul: 이병윤; born June 15, 1993), better known by his stage name BewhY (Hangul: 비와이), is a South Korean rapper and member of '$exy $treet & Yello Music crew'. Initially he chose 'BY' as a stage name, but changed it ...
released a music video for the song "Born Confident" for a Volkswagen campaign. On March 30, it was announced that Seulgi would feature on Wendy's song "Best Friend" from her debut EP '' Like Water''. On April 2, it was announced that Seulgi would host a web music program, ''The Wise Music Encyclopedia''. On June 1, she started hosting her own live show, ''Seulgi.zip'', on Naver Now. On June 7, Seulgi teamed up with NCT's Taeyong on the release of the demo song "Rose" on
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
. The duo co-composed the song with producer SQUAR. On December 28, Seulgi featured on BamBam's song "Who Are You" from his second EP ''B''. On December 27, Seulgi was revealed as a member of the
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...
Got the Beat Got the Beat (; stylized as GOT the beat) is a South Korean supergroup formed by SM Entertainment in 2022. It is the first sub-unit of project group Girls On Top, and consists of seven members: soloist BoA, Taeyeon and Hyoyeon from Girls' Gene ...
, alongside bandmate Wendy. The group debuted on January 3, 2022. On September 13, 2022, it was announced that Seulgi would debut as a soloist with the release of her first EP, titled ''28 Reasons'', on October 4, led the single of the same.


Public image and influence

From performance to visual media, Seulgi is an all-rounder artist. Brands often cite her positivity, creativity, passion for her craft, unique sensibility and style and cultural influence (especially among young Koreans) as reasons for why they choose her to represent them. In Gallup Korea's Idol Preference poll, before its discontinuation in 2020, Seulgi ranked as one of the most popular idols. She topped the monthly "Individual Girl Group Members Brand Power Ranking" published by the Korean Corporate Reputation Research Institute several times. In a survey among soldiers doing mandatory military service in South Korea in 2019, Seulgi ranked as the fourth most popular female K-pop idol. She has also consistently placed high in the Korea Queer Women Community's annual poll due to admiration for her "girl crush" image. Seulgi has also been recognized for her fashion sense. Her casual, chic and trendy style has made her an emerging leader in casual fashion and a reference for the MZ generation in South Korea. In particular, her influence on the rise of minimalist fashion among Koreans in their 20s and 30s has been highlighted. In her show ''Seulgi.zip'', a mainly fashion-themed program, Seulgi discussed fashion items, style points and favorite trends with her guests and gave advice to her listeners. Seulgi became the first K-pop act to be selected as global ambassador for Italian luxury brand
Salvatore Ferragamo Salvatore Ferragamo (5 June 1898 – 7 August 1960) was an Italian shoe designer and the founder of luxury goods high-end retailer Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. An innovative shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo established a reputation in the 1930s. ...
. A brand representative stated that they selected for her popularity as a fashion icon, a successful performer, and an influential entertainer.


Other ventures


Endorsements

Aside from various endorsements with her bandmates, Seulgi has served as brand ambassadors individually. In March 2018, she was selected to model
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
's collection for the
South Korea national football team The South Korea national football team (; recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA) represents South Korea in men's international football and is governed by the Korea Football Association. South Korea has emerged as a major football power in Asia ...
, the Red Devils 2018 Collection. Since August 2018, Seulgi has been the face of
Converse Converse may refer to: Mathematics and logic * Converse (logic), the result of reversing the two parts of a definite or implicational statement ** Converse implication, the converse of a material implication ** Converse nonimplication, a logical ...
Korea as their first female brand ambassador. Starting with the "One Star" campaign under the slogan "no one can evaluate me", Seulgi and Converse have campaigned for support on one's own values and standards. On December 23, 2019, Seulgi was announced as the face of
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlan ...
's 2020 campaign "Little Big Moments" along with actor
Park Bo-gum Park Bo-gum (; born June 16, 1993) is a South Korean actor. He gained recognition for his diverse range of roles in film and television, notably, a psychopathic lawyer in '' Hello Monster'' (2015), a genius Go player in ''Reply 1988'' (2015– ...
. Several days later, French retailer L'Occitane debuted a new campaign featuring Seulgi, as well as two other artists, art director Cha In-cheol and illustrator Kim Se-dong. Seulgi served as ambassador for L'Occitane and OMY's "City Palette" campaign for their shea butter hand cream. In January 2021, Seulgi became the new ambassador of
Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post- ...
. She served as the face of a new campaign for their new T-Roc model and helped promote it with original music and video for their slogan "Born Confident". In February, Seulgi was officially announced as the South Korean brand ambassador of the Italian luxury brand
Salvatore Ferragamo Salvatore Ferragamo (5 June 1898 – 7 August 1960) was an Italian shoe designer and the founder of luxury goods high-end retailer Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. An innovative shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo established a reputation in the 1930s. ...
through a photoshoot with ''Harper's Bazaar'' and was later on announced on June 29 as a global brand ambassador through their shoe capsule collection campaign, "Let's Dance". In April, Seulgi was announced as the newest model for cosmetics brand AMUSE. In December, she became the muse of Istkünst, a Korean unisex streetwear brand.


Arts and photography

In addition to her work as a dancer and vocalist, Seulgi has earned praise from various online communities for her art and photography skills. In 2016, Seulgi was chosen as the honorary ambassador for the 18th
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (), or BiFan, is an international film festival held annually in July in Bucheon, South Korea. Prior to 2015, it was known as the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival or PiFan. Inaugurate ...
to help spread the festival's mission to spread public awareness on animated films and help students and lesser known artists in the field gain more opportunities. In 2019, Seulgi voiced an audio guide in M. Chat exhibit's of world class graffiti artists at Seoul Arts Center. French company L'Occitane collaborated with Seulgi in 2019 for their "City Palette" campaign. Seulgi designed a city map for eco bags to convey the beauty of nature in cities that are heavily affected by pollution. Due to Seulgi's love for the arts, Maronie Books asked Seulgi to translate their ''Art Museum By My Side'' project in 2020. The series is a collection of 35 artworks for each theme of Love, Happiness and Sleep, aiming to serve as guide to those who find it difficult to enjoy art due to lack of professional knowledge. Seulgi's translation of the book, originally written in English by Shana Gozansky, presented both the text and Seulgi's interpretations and featured notes on her personal favorites. In November 2021, Seulgi joined the Lacoste and ''Peanuts'' "We Play Collective" campaign that aimed to promote harmony among diverse people, wherein participants selected famous ''Peanuts'' quotes and expressed them through drawings with motifs that symbolize Lacoste. On February 10, 2022, Seulgi published a poster book with her very own artworks that she stated convey personal moments of happiness. In August, the luxury jewelry brand Fred Paris collaborated with Seulgi on their first emoji brand campaign, named "Seulggomi" after her bear nickname from fans. From production planning to final design of the character and Kakaotalk stickers, Seulgi personally participated to help demonstrate Fred's brand identity through representative collections worn by her and the character itself.


Discography


Extended plays


Singles


Non-commercial releases


Filmography


Film


Television series


Television shows


Web shows


Radio shows


Music videos


Theatre


Awards and nominations


Notes


References


External links

* {{Authority control Red Velvet (group) members South Korean female idols 1994 births Living people People from Ansan SM Rookies members South Korean guitarists People from Seoul South Korean women pop singers South Korean female models South Korean television personalities South Korean dance musicians South Korean musical theatre actresses 21st-century South Korean women singers