Lee Hyo-ri (; born May 10, 1979) is a South Korean singer, record producer, activist, actress and television presenter. Dubbed as the "Nation's Fairy" during her ''
Family Outing
''Family Outing'' (; also known as ''Family Outing Season 1'') was a South Korean comedy-variety show; part of SBS's ''Good Sunday'' lineup, along with ''Gold Miss is Coming'' (골드미스가 간다). It first aired on June 15, 2008, and was ...
'' days, she debuted as a member of South Korean girl group
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L ( ko, 핑클) is a South Korean girl group formed by DSP Media in 1998 consisting of members Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Jin, and Sung Yu-ri. Fin.K.L was one of the most popular K-pop groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongs ...
, but has since become a solo artist. In 2003, she released her debut solo album ''
Stylish
Stylish is a user style manager that can change the appearance of web pages in a user's browser without changing their content by including user-supplied CSS style sheets with those supplied by the web site itself. The Stylish browser extens ...
'' which won several "Artist of the Year" awards. In 2006, Lee was the highest-paid female singer in South Korea when she signed a contract with
Mnet Media
Stone Music Entertainment (Hangul: 스톤 뮤직 엔터테인먼트), is a South Korean music distribution company under CJ ENM, along with music streaming store Genie Music. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea.
The ...
.
Biography
1979–1997: Early life
Lee was born in 1979 in Osong-ri,
Cheongwon County
Cheongwon County (''Cheongwon-gun'') was a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It was dissolved on July 1, 2014 and consolidated to Cheongju.
Cheongwon was Twin towns and sister cities, twi ...
,
North Chungcheong Province
North Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청북도, ''Chungcheongbuk-do''), also known as Chungbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Chungcheong has a population of 1,578,934 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Hoseo region in the s ...
, South Korea, as the youngest of three daughters. Lee grew up impoverished, in a barbershop of about 8
pyeong
A ''pyeong'' (abbreviationpy) is a Korean unit of area and floorspace, equal to a square '' kan'' or 36square Korean feet. The ''ping'' and ''tsubo'' are its equivalent Taiwanese and Japanese units, similarly based on a square '' bu'' ( ja:步) ...
(approximately 285 square feet). After being expelled from middle school once, Lee worked part-time at a restaurant and was scouted by an agency and cast by the manager of
H.O.T. (band)
H.O.T. (; pronounced "H. O. T.", acronym for Highfive Of Teenagers) was a South Korean boy band that was created by SM Entertainment in 1996. They are considered to be the first K-pop ''idol group'' and their successful formula became the model ...
. She prepared for a girl group debut while living as a trainee of
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 ...
before eventually debuting as the leader of
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L ( ko, 핑클) is a South Korean girl group formed by DSP Media in 1998 consisting of members Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Jin, and Sung Yu-ri. Fin.K.L was one of the most popular K-pop groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongs ...
.
1998–2002: Career beginnings in Fin.K.L
Lee began her career as part of South Korean pop girl group
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L ( ko, 핑클) is a South Korean girl group formed by DSP Media in 1998 consisting of members Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Jin, and Sung Yu-ri. Fin.K.L was one of the most popular K-pop groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongs ...
. As the eldest member, she was the leader of the group. Lee was discovered while taking sticker pictures with her friends and was the last member to join Fin.K.L, just before their debut in January 1998. Fin.K.L debuted officially on May 22, 1998, with their first single "Blue Rain". The second release from their debut album, ''
To My Boyfriend
"To My Boyfriend" () is a song performed by South Korean girl group Fin.K.L, released on May 25, 1998, as part of the group's debut studio album '' Blue Rain'' by DSP Media. Stylistically, "To My Boyfriend" is a summer-themed dance and bubblegum p ...
'', became the first of their multiple number one hits. Fin.K.L became one of the most popular and successful South Korean pop groups of all-time, rivaling fellow popular girl group
S.E.S.
2003–2005: Stylish
A year after Fin.K.L's fourth studio album ''
Forever
Forever or 4ever may refer to:
Film and television Films
* ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice
* ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama
* ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
'', her solo debut album was released in August 2003, entitled ''
Stylish
Stylish is a user style manager that can change the appearance of web pages in a user's browser without changing their content by including user-supplied CSS style sheets with those supplied by the web site itself. The Stylish browser extens ...
''. The lead single "
10 Minutes" became one of her signature hits and the singer nearly swept the Daesangs, the most prestigious South Korean music award, winning more than seven of them, including three of the four most prestigious Daesangs. ''Stylish'' sold 144,182 copies in South Korea alone, according to the Music Industry Association of Korea in 2003.
Her popularity in her various activities eventually was dubbed as the "Hyori Syndrome" in South Korea, and the Korean Media nicknamed 2003 "The Year of Hyori" as she was rarely out of the news all year.
In January 2005, Lee made her acting debut in the
SBS TV series ''Three Leaf Clover'', starring opposite
Ryu Jin
Ryu Jin (born Im Yoo-jin on November 16, 1972) is a South Korean actor.
Filmography Television drama
*'' Be My Dream Family'' (KBS, 2021)
*''Homemade Love Story'' as Son Jeong-hoo (KBS, 2020–21)
*''Run, Jang-mi'' (SBS, 2014-2015)
*'' Into ...
,
Kim Jung-hwa
Kim Jung-hwa (born September 9, 1983)is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in the 2002 sitcom '' Nonstop 3'', and has since played leading roles in the television series ''Something About 1%'' (2003) and ''Snow White: Taste Sweet Love'' ( ...
,
Kim Kang-woo
Kim Kang-woo (born July 11, 1978) is a South Korean actor. He is best known from his roles in '' The Taste of Money'' and '' The Missing''.
Career
Kim Kang-woo majored in Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University. In early, Kim work as singer in ...
, and Lee Hoon. However, the 16-episode
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
received low ratings (less than 10%) and Lee was criticized for her acting, with viewers saying she was miscast as a downtrodden but cheerful steel mill worker.
On August 8, 2005, she co-hosted the annual
Korean Music Festival
The Korea Times Music Festival (originally titled Korean Music Festival until 2013) is an annual event held at the Hollywood Bowl in the United States. Featuring artists from South Korea's K-pop music industry, the organizers describe it as one o ...
for the second year running.
2006–2007: Signing with Mnet and ''Dark Angel''
![Lee Hyori at SBS Inkigayo in 2007 08](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Lee_Hyori_at_SBS_Inkigayo_in_2007_08.jpg)
In February 2006, Lee released her follow-up album, ''
Dark Angel''. The first single, "Get Ya!", was accused of being plagiarized by the songwriters of
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
' single "
Do Somethin'
"Do Somethin" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her first greatest hits album, '' Greatest Hits: My Prerogative'' (2004). It was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (known collectively as Bloodshy & Ava ...
".
It was reported that Lee had signed a three-year contract with Mnet Entertainment (currently
Stone Music Entertainment
Stone Music Entertainment (Hangul: 스톤 뮤직 엔터테인먼트), is a South Korean music distribution company under CJ ENM, along with music streaming store Genie Music. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea.
The ...
) for ,
becoming the highest-paid female singer in South Korea (approx. per year).
Despite the failure of her previous drama ''Three Leaf Clover'', in 2007, Lee starred opposite
Lee Dong-gun
Lee Dong-gun (, ; born 26 July 1980) is a South Korean actor and singer.
Career
Lee Dong-gun made his debut in the entertainment industry in 1998 as a singer, but he would later gain fame as an actor, starring in television dramas such as ''Sw ...
in the mini-drama ''If in Love... Like Them''.
Although originally announced as being only one episode long, it aired for four episodes on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
. An edited two-episode version of the drama also ran on SBS. During filming, part of a roof Lee was standing on collapsed. Only her foot fell through, but reportedly the fall might have been fatal if co-star Lee Dong-gun had not rescued her.
In February 2007, Lee announced her new digital single which would essentially be the soundtrack to ''If in Love... Like Them''. She performed all three main tracks from the single on ''
Inkigayo
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
'' on February 25, 2007. The lead song was "Toc Toc Toc" (). Despite the single's genre being R&B, Lee began to sing more ballads afterwards, slowly moving away from her "sexy superstar" image.
The single, although initially given a digital-only release, was given a limited retail release of only 30,000 copies. It was released on March 6, 2007, and in addition to the three tracks found in the digital single, it included a reworked version of "Toc Toc Toc." It was the best-selling album for that month, selling 27,845 copies.
Although her single was commercially successful, her drama was heavily penalized for violating advertising guidelines, as ''If in Love... Like Them'' had several instances of overt product placement, in addition to using Lee's songs in the soundtrack. The Korean Broadcasting Committee ruled that the drama should not be aired in South Korea again, and that the network must apologize to its viewers.
Lee also did promotions in Japan when Japanese network
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
aired ''If in Love... Like Them'', where Lee was given the same VIP treatment offered to other international stars.
The drama was broadcast on CS Fuji, a smaller satellite channel that Fuji TV owned.
2008–2009: TV hosting and ''It's Hyorish''
During breaks in her solo music career, Lee also hosted various television programs, including ''Time Machine'' and ''
Happy Together'', which she co-hosted with
Yoo Jae-suk
Yoo Jae-suk (; or ; born on 14 August 1972) is a South Korean comedian, host and television personality. He has hosted several variety television shows in South Korea, including ''Infinite Challenge'', '' Running Man'', '' Happy Together, and ...
in 2006. On April 8, 2008, she joined
KBS's ''Sang Sang Plus'' as a co-host alongside Country Kkokko members
Shin Jung-hwan
Shin Jung-hwan (Hangul: 신정환; born 10 May 1974) is a South Korean singer and entertainer. He debuted as a singer in 1994 as a member of the K-pop group Roo'ra, and later became a frequent guest on South Korean variety shows. His career w ...
and Tak Jae-hoon. She was one of the original co-hosts of ''Change'', a show on SBS's ''
Good Sunday
''Good Sunday'' ( ko, 일요일이 좋다) is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the SBS network, which competes directly against MBC's '' Sunday Night'' and KBS2's ''Happy Sunday'' line-up. The program has suffered from the competit ...
'' line-up, before leaving in early July. She is also a former cast member of the variety show ''
Family Outing
''Family Outing'' (; also known as ''Family Outing Season 1'') was a South Korean comedy-variety show; part of SBS's ''Good Sunday'' lineup, along with ''Gold Miss is Coming'' (골드미스가 간다). It first aired on June 15, 2008, and was ...
'', appearing in only the first season. Mnet ran a 12-episode show called ''Off the Record: Lee Hyori'', which documented Lee's life on-set for three months; the show's purpose was to lessen the gap between the singer and her fans/anti-fans by letting them see that she is just another human being like everyone.
On December 20, 2008, Lee held her first solo concert ''Lee Hyori the Invincible'' at the
Jamsil Arena
Jamsil Arena (), also known as Jamsil Indoor Stadium, is an indoor sporting arena. It is part of Seoul Sports Complex, located in Seoul, South Korea. The capacity of the arena is 11,069 for basketball and was built from December 1976 to April 19 ...
. Upon release, tickets to the concert sold out in five minutes.
Her third studio album, ''
It's Hyorish
''It's Hyorish'' is the third studio album by South Korean singer-songwriter Lee Hyori. It was released by Mnet Media on July 15, 2008. The album contains 13 tracks, including the singles "U-Go-Girl" and "Hey Mr. Big". It explores a variety of mu ...
'', was released on July 14, 2008. "U-Go-Girl", the first single from the album, peaked at number 1 on online and offline charts, including various television music shows.
In November 2009, her contract with Mnet Media was set to expire. Lee planned to sign a contract with Gil Entertainment (currently
B2M Entertainment
B2M Entertainment () was a South Korean record label founded in 2010 by Gil Jong-hwa.
History
B2M Entertainment was originally founded as Gil Entertainment. The company changed its name to B2M Entertainment right after Lee Hyori joined it. The c ...
) and work with Gil Jong-hwa, Fin.K.L's co-manager who had worked with the group since its debut. However, her 2010 album was released under the label of Mnet Media.
2010–2015: ''H-Logic'', Album plagiarism controversy and ''Monochrome''
![Lee Hyori from acrofan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Lee_Hyori_from_acrofan.jpg)
Almost two years after her previous album, Lee returned with ''
H-Logic
''H-Logic'' is the fourth studio album by South Korean singer Lee Hyori. It was released on April 12, 2010. The album has 14 tracks, including collaborations with Daesung from Big Bang, Jiyoon from 4Minute, Bekah from After School, Gary from ...
'' on April 12, 2010. The album has 14 tracks, including collaborations with
Daesung
Kang Dae-sung (Hangul: 강대성; born April 26, 1989), better known mononymously as Daesung and his Japanese stage name D-Lite, is a South Korean singer, actor and television personality who made his musical debut in 2006 as a member of the Sou ...
from
Big Bang
The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
,
Jeon Ji-yoon
Jeon Ji-yoon (born October 15, 1990), professionally known as Jiyoon or Jenyer, is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter and actress known for her work as a former member of South Korean girl group 4Minute. She debuted as a solo artist on No ...
from
4Minute
4Minute (, often stylized as 4MINUTE) was a South Korean girl group formed in 2009 by Cube Entertainment. The members of the group were Son Ji-hyun, Nam Ji-hyun, Heo Ga-yoon, Jeon Ji-yoon, Hyuna, Kim Hyuna and Kwon So-hyun. The group was known ...
,
Bekah
Rebecca or Rebekah (Hebrew: רִבְקָה (''Rivkah'')) is a feminine given name originating from the Hebrew language. The name comes from the verb רבק (''rbq''), meaning "to tie firmly"; Jones' ''Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names'' an ...
from
After School, Gary from
Leessang, and Sangchu from
Mighty Mouth
Mighty Mouth ( ko, 마이티 마우스) is a South Korean duet male group made up of Sangchu ( ko, 상추) and Shorry J ( ko, 쇼리 J). Debuted in 2008 with their ''Energy'' album featuring Yoon Eun Hye for "I love you", Sunye of the Wonder G ...
. The singer worked also with
E-Tribe
E-Tribe (Hangul: ) is a South Korean record artist and music duo consisting of Ahn Myung-won and Kim Young-deuk. They are most known for producing " Gee" by Girls' Generation, "U-Go-Girl" by Lee Hyo-ri, "Yayaya" by T-ara, " It's You" by Super ...
, the team behind "U-Go-Girl", the lead single from her previous album.
A music video was released for "Swing" (), featuring
Gary from
Leessang, on March 31, 2010. The lead single "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and its music video were released soon after. The self-penned song, which features Ceejay (from Freshboyz), was released the same day as her album. She won two Mutizen Song awards on ''The Music Trend'' for her lead single within two weeks.
Soon after the release of the album ''H-Logic'', seven of its songs, composed by
Bahnus
Bahnus (Korean: 바누스) whose real name is Lee Jae-young (Korean: 이재영) is a South Korean composer and producer. Until May 10, 2010, he was a member and leader of Bahnus Vacuum, a group which consisted of seven composers. Bahnus Vacuum di ...
, were accused of plagiarism (among the allegedly plagiarized songs was "Bring It Back," performed by Canadian girl group Cookie Couture). On June 21, 2010, Lee admitted that the plagiarism accusations against her album were true, saying she had been "deceived"; she temporarily stopped all her activities as a singer and suspended her TV appearances.
While on hiatus, Lee began to grow as a cultural influence. She wrote online columns for vernacular newspapers such as
The Hankyoreh
''The Hankyoreh'' (, literally "The Korean Nation" or "One Nation") is a centre-left liberal daily newspaper in South Korea. It was established in 1988 after widespread purges forced out dissident journalists, and was envisioned as an alternati ...
that mixed her thoughts on life and career with social commentary, and was well reviewed for her simple prose, humor and intelligence.
She also became an increasing presence in the civic community, emerging as one of the country's most high-profile
animals rights activists
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
. In 2011, Lee released two charity songs for donation to animal shelters, "Please Stay Behind" () and "Remember" ().
Beginning March 4, 2012, she and singer-songwriter/pianist
Jung Jae-hyung
Jung Jae-hyung (; born January 12, 1970) is a South Korean pop singer-songwriter, pianist and film music composer. Currently, his agency is the Antenna.
Biography
Jung Jae-hyung was born in Seoul and graduated from Hanyang University's Colleg ...
hosted the music show ''
Jung Jae-hyung & Lee Hyo-ri's You and I'' on SBS. The show aired its final episode on October 14, 2012, ending its ten-month run due to low ratings.
After her comeback was pushed back several times throughout 2012, it was announced that Lee would return to the stage with her fifth full-length album in May 2013. Five video teasers were released on YouTube on April 23, 2013. On May 6, 2013, she released her pre-release track for the album, titled "Miss Korea" (). Lee herself wrote and composed the sophisticated retro-jazz song (it was arranged by her then-boyfriend, guitarist Lee Sang-soon), and the full-version music video released on the same day was a
black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
video depicting Lee as a circa 1950s-type glamorous
Miss Korea
Miss Korea ( ko, 미스코리아) is a national beauty pageant in South Korea.
Lee Seung-hyeon won the title on October 26, 2022.
History
The first Miss Korea competition took place in 1957 and was sponsored by the Korean newspaper Hankook I ...
pageant crown holder. She personally selected 30 non-celebrity women "with love and respect for themselves" who she saw as the genuine Miss Korea's to perform the song with her on stage at the 2013
SBS Gayo Daejeon
''SBS Gayo Daejeon'' (, broadly ''SBS'' '' Battle of the Bands'') is an annual televised music festival that is broadcast by the Seoul Broadcasting System at the end of each year. The program first aired in 1997, and awards were given to musica ...
televised concert.
Her fifth studio album, ''
Monochrome
A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, monochrom ...
'', was released on May 21, 2013. Lee wrote the lyrics for eight of the 16 tracks on the album, and reportedly used a full band instead of using
electronically generated sounds for the songs. Upon its release, eight tracks were ranked in the top 10 on Bugs, Olleh and
Naver
Naver (Hangul: 네이버) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. It was launched in 1999 as the first web portal in South Korea to develop and use its own search engine. It was also the world's first operator to in ...
Music, while its lead track, "Bad Girls" topped the charts on
Melon
A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo". The ...
, Naver, Olleh and Bugs. She performed "Bad Girls" as part of a highly praised collaboration stage at the 2013
SBS Gayo Daejeon
''SBS Gayo Daejeon'' (, broadly ''SBS'' '' Battle of the Bands'') is an annual televised music festival that is broadcast by the Seoul Broadcasting System at the end of each year. The program first aired in 1997, and awards were given to musica ...
televised concert along with
CL from girl group
2NE1
2NE1 (, ) was a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, which was active between 2009 and 2016. The group was composed of four members: Bom, CL, Dara, and Minzy. Known for breaking typical stereotypes of K-pop, musical experiment ...
, who had also released a bad girl themed song that year called
The Baddest Female
"The Baddest Female" (Korean: 나쁜 기집애; ''Nappeun Gijibae'') is a song by South Korean artist CL, a member of 2NE1. It was produced by long-time collaborator and fellow YG Entertainment label mate Teddy Park. The single was released on ...
.
On April 2, 2014, SBS announced she and actress
Moon So-ri
Moon So-ri (born July 2, 1974) is a South Korean actress, film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her acclaimed leading roles in ''Oasis'' (2002) and ''A Good Lawyer's Wife'' (2003).
Career
After graduating with a degree in Educa ...
would host a talk show ''
Magic Eye
''Magic Eye'' is a series of books that feature autostereograms.
After creating its first images in 1991, creator Tom Baccei worked with Tenyo, a Japanese company that sells magic supplies. Tenyo published its first book in late 1991 titled ''M ...
''. The show started filming in April. Due to low ratings, the show aired its final episode on November 18, 2014.
2015–2017: ''Black''
In February 2015, Lee's representatives announced that her contract with B2M Entertainment had expired in 2013. In May 2015, Lee announced that she closed her blog as well as her Twitter account. Along with shutting down her social media, she stopped all of her television activities. In October of that year, Lee's representative told media outlets that she would be taking a 2-year hiatus from her entertainment career, "in order to have time for herself."
In October 2016, Lee hinted at working on new music. In November, it was confirmed that Lee had signed with Kiwi Media Group with a new album due in 2017. In December, Lee made a return to social media with posts on Instagram.
In January 2017, Kwi Media's CEO Kim Hyung Suk revealed on MBC's ''Video Star'' that Lee was taking on the bulk of the responsibility for her new album as executive producer while working with him and "10 Minutes" songwriter Kim Dong Hyun.
In April 2017, it was announced that Lee would be starring with her husband in a new variety show entitled ''
Hyori's Homestay''. In June, Lee's agency confirmed her comeback for early July as she prepared to film a music video for the single. Later the same month, her agency announced that singer-songwriter
Lee Juck
Lee Juck (; born February 28, 1974) is a South Korean singer, lyricist, composer and arranger.
Biography
Lee Juck was born in Seoul and attended Banpo High School. He graduated from Seoul National University with a major in sociology.
He made ...
would be featured on one of the tracks.
A few days later, Lee released a teaser image and video teaser for the album's pre-release track "Seoul". The self-composed electro-R&B song was released on June 28, 2017, alongside the music video featuring the contrasting visuals of Seoul and Jeju Island. The album's tracklist was revealed along with a series of visual teasers for the album a few days before the album's release.
On July 4, 2017, her sixth studio album, ''
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
'', was released alongside the rustic-themed official music video for the title track. The mature, experimental sound started with ''Monochrome'' continues as Lee wrote eight and composed nine of the ten album tracks.
2017–present: Reality show, SSAK3 and Refund Sisters
Lee and her husband, Lee Sang-soon, turned their house in Jeju Island into a guest house to film
Hyori's Homestay. In season 1,
IU joins the show as an employee. In season 2, the employee position was replaced by
YoonA
Im Yoon-ah (; born May 30, 1990), known mononymously as Yoona, is a South Korean singer and actress. After training for five years, she debuted as a member of girl group Girls' Generation (and later its subgroup Girls' Generation-Oh!GG) in Augu ...
, also in this season
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– ...
came to worked as a temporary employee.
In 2019, Lee reunited with
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L ( ko, 핑클) is a South Korean girl group formed by DSP Media in 1998 consisting of members Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Jin, and Sung Yu-ri. Fin.K.L was one of the most popular K-pop groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongs ...
in a new reality show “Camping Club”.
On May 15, 2020, Lee announced that she had signed a contract with
ESteem Entertainment. Through MBC's ''
Hangout with Yoo
''Hangout with Yoo'' () is a South Korean reality/variety show
broadcast by MBC TV. It premiered on July 27, 2019, and airs on Saturdays at 18:30 ( KST).
Synopsis
This is a show that was started in order to find out what Yoo Jae-suk would be ...
'', she, under the stage name ''Linda G'', founded the summer project co-ed trio named
SSAK3 with
Rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
and
Yoo Jae-suk
Yoo Jae-suk (; or ; born on 14 August 1972) is a South Korean comedian, host and television personality. He has hosted several variety television shows in South Korea, including ''Infinite Challenge'', '' Running Man'', '' Happy Together, and ...
. They released a debut single "Beach Again" on July 18, 2020 and officially debuted on July 25 with a debut stage on Music Core. SSAK3 is a special summer project, and they announced that all proceeds from their songs and promotions will be donated to communities in need.
After SSAK3 project, ''Hangout with Yoo'' programme has a spin-off from Lee naming
Uhm Jung-hwa
Uhm Jung-hwa (; born August 17, 1969) is a South Korean singer, actress and dancer. Uhm is considered to be one of the most influential women in the Korean entertainment industry, finding rare success in both music and film. Her legacy and car ...
,
Jessi
Jessi may refer to:
People
* Jessi (musician) (born 1988), Korean-American rapper, singer, and songwriter
* Gianluigi Jessi (born 1945), Italian basketball player
* Jessi Alexander (born 1976), American country music artist
* Jessi Colter (born ...
and
Hwasa
Ahn Hye-jin (, born July 23, 1995), known professionally by her stage name Hwasa (), is a South Korean singer, rapper, and television personality currently signed to RBW. She debuted as a member of the girl group Mamamoo in 2014. She made her ...
as the members she wanted in her dream girl group during the SSAK3 segment. The four women formed another girl group named
Refund Sisters
Refund Sisters () is a seasonal South Korean supergroup formed on the MBC variety show ''Hangout with Yoo''. The group is a spin-off of SSAK3 – another group formed on ''Hangout with Yoo''. They made their debut with the single "Don't Touch M ...
(환불원정대) with
Yoo Jae-suk
Yoo Jae-suk (; or ; born on 14 August 1972) is a South Korean comedian, host and television personality. He has hosted several variety television shows in South Korea, including ''Infinite Challenge'', '' Running Man'', '' Happy Together, and ...
as a producer. They released a debut single "Don't Touch Me" on October 10, 2020.
On October 13, 2021, it was announced that Lee will be hosting the
2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards
The 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards ceremony, also known as 2021 MAMA, organized by CJ E&M and broadcast through its music channel Mnet, took place live on December 11, 2021. The ceremony was held at CJ ENM Contents World in Paju, South Korea. The ...
on December 11, 2021, making her the first woman to host the show solo.
Artistry and image
After the disbandment of Fin.K.L., Lee's style has been categorized as
Urban Pop
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
and
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
. With the release of ''H-Logic'', Lee began to experiment with her sound by incorporating
hip-hop into her music. Later releases have been influenced by
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
,
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
,
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
and rock music. At the beginning of her solo career, Lee would sometimes write or co-write material for her albums alongside other songwriters. Later in her career, she began self-composing and producing much of her own material. Thematically, Lee's songs have ranged from love and heartbreak to empowerment to social commentary with a female perspective.
Lee's vocal range can be classified in the
mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
range. In spite of her sexy image, she has been recognized for her emotional delivery
in songs like "Swing" and "Amor Mio". Lee has been criticized for her vocal ability, which she responded with "I think everyone thinks differently, so they can think so. Before, I felt like I was hiding behind the instruments. It felt uncomfortable otherwise. But starting from a point, I started liking my voice. Since I like it, it didn't really matter what other people thought."
Lee has been influenced by fellow Korean singer
Uhm Jung-hwa
Uhm Jung-hwa (; born August 17, 1969) is a South Korean singer, actress and dancer. Uhm is considered to be one of the most influential women in the Korean entertainment industry, finding rare success in both music and film. Her legacy and car ...
.
Image
As a member of Fin K.L, Lee became known for her sex appeal.
This image has allowed Lee to lend her face and image to advertising for various company endorsement deals, and in 2005 she was chosen in a consumer survey as the female entertainer with the strongest brand power. In late 2003, Lee signed an advertising contract with
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
, for which she would make three musical commercials and songs for their
Anycall
Anycall () was a South Korean mobile phone brand established by Samsung Electronics in 1993. Like other mobile phone brands in South Korea, they provide technology such as cameras, internet access, and digital TV through Digital Multimedia Broadc ...
cell phones, which became some of her most prominent commercials. The first commercial and song, "Anymotion", was released in early 2005, featuring
Eric Mun
Eric Mun (born Mun Jung-hyuk on February 16, 1979) is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and actor. He is a member and leader of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. He is also well known for several dramas such as '' Phoenix'' (2004), ''Super R ...
from
Shinhwa
Shinhwa () is a South Korean six-member boy band based in Seoul, composed of Eric Mun, Lee Min-woo, Kim Dong-wan, Shin Hye-sung, Jun Jin, and Andy Lee. Launched by SM Entertainment on March 24, 1998, the group signed with Good Entertainment in ...
. In early 2006, the follow-up commercial "Anyclub" featuring
Teddy Park
Teddy Park (born Park Hong-jun on September 14, 1978), is a Korean–American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Park moved to the United States with his family as a young child. When he was 17 years old, P ...
from
1TYM
1TYM (Korean: 원타임, pronounced as "One Time") was a four-member South Korean group. They were Teddy Park (also known as Park Hong-jun), Oh Jinhwan, Song Baekyoung, and Danny Im (also known as Im Taebin).
History
In the late 1990s, YG CE ...
was released in two parts; the music video starred Eric Mun and actor
Kwon Sang-woo
Kwon Sang-woo (in Korean: 권상우, ''Kweon Sang-u''; born August 5, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He rose to stardom in 2003 with the romantic comedy film ''My Tutor Friend'' and the melodrama series ''Stairway to Heaven''.
Career
Kwon Sang- ...
. The songs from the commercials served as singles for Lee in between her albums. The final commercial was released in December 2006, titled "Anystar" and differed from the first two in that it featured mostly dialogue. The commercial starred actor
Lee Joon-gi
Lee Joon-gi (born 17 April 1982) is a South Korean actor, singer, dancer, and model. He rose to fame on his first leading role playing a clown in the critically acclaimed film ''The King and the Clown'' (2005) and gained further recognition in ...
and
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 ...
trainee
Park Bom
Park Bom (born March 24, 1984), previously known mononymously as Bom, is a South Korean singer. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group 2NE1.
Park began her musical career in 2006, featuring on singles released by labelma ...
(
2NE1
2NE1 (, ) was a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, which was active between 2009 and 2016. The group was composed of four members: Bom, CL, Dara, and Minzy. Known for breaking typical stereotypes of K-pop, musical experiment ...
). Her contract with Samsung ended in December 2007.
For five years, Lee was the model for
Lotte Liquor
Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., Ltd. is one of the largest drink manufacturers in South Korea and is part of the Lotte Corporation. The name ''Chilsung'' (''chilseong'', , ) means "Big Dipper" (literally seven stars), and the company's logo is an ...
, making her its longest-serving endorser. According to Lotte, the market share of the company's
soju
(; Hangul: ; Hanja: ) is a clear and colorless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.9% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV), although since 2007 low alcohol soju below 20% h ...
brand rose from 11 to 15 percent while Lee modeled for it. Her contract ended in November 2012.
In 2007, she starred in a commercial with
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba ( ; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in '' Camp Nowhere'' and '' The Secret World of Alex Mack'' (1994), and rose to prominence at age 19 ...
for South Korean cosmetics company
Ĭsa Knox
Isa Knox is a South Korean cosmetics company. It is owned by LG Household & Healthcare Ltd. Celebrity endorsements include Hyori Lee and Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba ( ; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She beg ...
, which was shot in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, British Columbia, Canada. Lee also modeled for cosmetics company
Biotherm
Biotherm is a French skin care company owned by L'Oréal under the Luxury Products division. Biotherm was acquired by L'Oréal in 1970.
Biotherm originated from mineral water. In the early 20th century, the French doctor Jos Jullien discovered m ...
(her contract ended in February 2007), and Black Bean Therapy, a health drink. She then signed with KB Card, and has starred in commercials along with
Rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
. She was a model for
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
Jeans, modeling for the "Pure Calvin" Collection. She was also briefly featured in a 2010
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
commercial. Over the years, Lee has appeared in music videos for artists like
Davichi
Davichi () is a South Korean pop duo formed in 2008. The duo consists of vocalists Lee Hae-ri and Kang Min-kyung. Their name, "Davichi", is derived from the Korean phrase "shining over everything" ( 다 비치).
The duo has released three studi ...
and
Leessang.
Stage name controversy
During an episode of ''Hangout with Yoo'', Lee Hyori was brainstorming stage names for the project group Refund Sisters. During this conversation she said, “How about a Chinese name, since we could go global? How about ‘Mao’?” In response to this, Chinese viewers of the show expressed their discontent as the name was reminiscent of
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
.
Impact
Lee Hyori has appeared on the
Korea Power Celebrity 40 multiple times throughout her career, including placing within the top 15 in 2009–2011. Lee has been citied as an inspiration or influence by numerous artists, including
Kara
Kara or KARA may refer to:
Geography Localities
* Kara, Chad, a sub-prefecture
* Kára, Hungary, a village
* Kara, Uttar Pradesh, India, a township
* Kara, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province
* Kara, Republic of Dagestan, a rural locality in Da ...
,
Jeon Somi
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 surv ...
,
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 Mn ...
,
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 ...
,
Dalshabet,
Nada
Nada may refer to:
Culture
* Nāda, a concept in ancient Indian metaphysics
Places
*Nada, Hainan, China
*Nada, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the United States
*Nada, Nepal, village in Achham District, Seti Zone
* Nada, Texas, United S ...
,
Cherry Bullet
Cherry Bullet () is a South Korean girl group formed by FNC Entertainment and managed under their sub-label FNC W. They debuted on January 21, 2019, with their first single album titled '' Let's Play Cherry Bullet.'' The group currently consists ...
's Jiwon,
Oh My Girl
Oh My Girl (, also stylized as OH MY GIRL and OMG) is a South Korean girl group formed by WM Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Hyojung, Mimi, YooA, Seunghee, Yubin and Arin. Originally an eight-piece group, JinE left the g ...
's Jiho,
Laboum
Laboum (; stylized as LABOUM) is a South Korean girl group currently under Interpark Music Plus. They debuted in 2014 under NH Media and Nega Network's joint venture Global H. Their name is taken from the French term meaning "The Party".
Hist ...
's
Solbin
Ahn Sol-bin (; born August 19, 1997), known mononymously as Solbin, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is a member of the girl group Laboum
Laboum (; stylized as LABOUM) is a South Korean girl group currently under Interpark Music ...
,
Elris
Alice (; formerly known as Elris), is a South Korean girl group. The group consists of seven members: EJ, Do-A , Chaejeong, Yeonje, Yukyung, Sohee, and Karin. They debuted on June 1, 2017, with their first extended play, ''We, First''.
History
...
's
Sohee
So-hee, also spelled So-hui, is a Korean feminine given name. Its meaning depends on the hanja used to write each syllable of the name. There are 45 hanja with the reading " so" and 24 hanja with the reading " hee" on the South Korean government's ...
,
Jung Eun-chae
Jung Eun-chae (born Jung Sol-mi on November 24, 1986) is a South Korean actress, model and TV host. Jung began her career as a model (profession), model, then made her acting breakthrough as the titular character in ''Nobody's Daughter Haewon'' ...
,
Jin Se-yeon
Jin Se-yeon (born Kim Yoon-jung on February 15, 1994) is a South Korean actress. Some of her notable television dramas are ''Bridal Mask'' (2012), ''Doctor Stranger'' (2014), ''Flowers of the Prison'' (2016), ''Grand Prince'' (2018) among othe ...
, and
Huh Chan-mi
Huh Chan-mi (; born April 6, 1992), is a South Korean singer. Huh made her debut in 2010 as a member of a South Korean co-ed group Coed School. She was also a member of Coed School's female unit F-ve Dolls from 2011 until her departure from th ...
.
Other activities
Activism
Lee has been recognized as one of South Korea's leading
socialtainer
Socialtainer () is the Korean language term for an entertainer or celebrity who is invested in social issues. The word is used heavily in South Korean media, especially in newspapers, and show business.
History
The term has been defined as "cele ...
s for her charity work and raising her voice for social causes.
She adheres to a
pescetarian
Pescetarianism (; sometimes spelled pescatarianism) is the practice of incorporating seafood into an otherwise vegetarian diet. Pescetarians may or may not consume other animal products such as eggs and dairy products. Approximately 3% of adult ...
diet according to her personal ethics and health beliefs and is an advocate for
animal welfare
Animal welfare is the well-being of non-human animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures such as longevity ...
and
animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
. In 2012 she published ''Closer'', a
photo-essay A photographic essay or photo-essay for short is a form of visual storytelling, a way to present a narrative through a series of images. A photo essay delivers a story using a series of photographs and brings the viewer along a narrative journey.
E ...
book that focuses on her everyday life with her dog Soonshim whom Lee adopted from an animal shelter. In the book Lee wrote her thoughts on animal rights and animal shelters as well as her sentiments toward wearing animal fur. She has given money to shelters along with taking in stray and abused animals. Her work in animal activism has led her to interviewing
Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall (; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on 3 April 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. Seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best know ...
.
When
SsangYong Motor
The SsangYong Motor Company ( ko, 쌍용자동차 주식회사) is a South Korea–based automobile manufacturer. It traces its origins back to a manufacturer established in 1954. The name SsangYong appeared in 1988, after its acquisition by the ...
laid off workers in December 2014, Lee gave public support of the workers via Twitter, announcing that she wanted to see the new car
Tivoli sell well so they would be hired again, adding that, if it happened, she would dance in front of the car in a
bikini
A bikini is a two-piece swimsuit primarily worn by women that features two triangles of fabric on top that cover the breasts, and two triangles of fabric on the bottom: the front covering the pelvis but exposing the navel, and the back coveri ...
.
During
the 2012 presidential elections, Lee encouraged her fans to vote through a series of tweets and re-tweets. This drew both admiration and annoyance from others on social media.
In a June 2012 poll by Panelnow, Lee was listed as one of "the socialtainers that best represents Korea" alongside broadcaster
Kim Je-dong
Kim Je-dong (born 3 February 1974) is a South Korean comedian, variety and talk show host on television.
He is best known for hosting the talk show ''Healing Camp, Aren't You Happy'' on SBS.
Background
Kim is also famous for being one of ...
, singer
Kim Jang-hoon
Kim Jang-hoon (; born 14 August 1963) is a South Korean singer, known for his rock ballads.
Early life and education
Kim dropped out of school and worked as a DJ at cafes. In 1991, he released his debut album. Cho Dongik mainly wrote and arra ...
, and actress
Kim Yeo-jin
Kim Yeo-jin (born June 24, 1972) is a South Korean actress and activist. Kim made her acting debut in the stage play ''What Do Women Live For'' in 1995, and has since remained active in film and television, drawing praise for her supporting role ...
.
Personal life
She married musician
Lee Sang-soon, guitarist of rock band Roller Coaster, on September 1, 2013, at their vacation home on
Mt. Halla in
Jeju Island. Both of them are members of an animal rights group and began dating after they collaborated in July 2011 on a song that Lee recorded to support animal shelters. In 2021, ''
South China Morning Post
The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remained ...
'' estimated her net worth to be around
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
30–40 million.
Discography
* ''
Stylish...E'' (2003)
* ''
Dark Angel'' (2006)
* ''
It's Hyorish
''It's Hyorish'' is the third studio album by South Korean singer-songwriter Lee Hyori. It was released by Mnet Media on July 15, 2008. The album contains 13 tracks, including the singles "U-Go-Girl" and "Hey Mr. Big". It explores a variety of mu ...
'' (2008)
* ''
H-Logic
''H-Logic'' is the fourth studio album by South Korean singer Lee Hyori. It was released on April 12, 2010. The album has 14 tracks, including collaborations with Daesung from Big Bang, Jiyoon from 4Minute, Bekah from After School, Gary from ...
'' (2010)
* ''
Monochrome
A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, monochrom ...
'' (2013)
* ''
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
'' (2017)
Concerts and tours
*
The First Concert: Lee Hyori the Invincible (2008)
Filmography
Television
Web shows
Film
Hosting
Video games
Bibliography
*
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
Hyolee WorldLee Hyoridiscography at MusicTea
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Hyori
1979 births
English-language singers from South Korea
Fin.K.L members
Grand Prize Seoul Music Award recipients
Kookmin University alumni
Living people
Animal rights activists
Progressivism in South Korea
South Korean progressives
Singers from Seoul
South Korean activists
South Korean women activists
South Korean environmentalists
South Korean women environmentalists
South Korean dance musicians
South Korean female idols
South Korean female models
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean record producers
South Korean television presenters
South Korean women television presenters
MAMA Award winners
20th-century South Korean women singers
21st-century South Korean singers
21st-century South Korean women singers
South Korean women record producers
South Korean mezzo-sopranos
SSAK3 members