Steve Sueng Jun Yoo
(born December 15, 1976), also known as his
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
name Yoo Seung-jun (), is a Korean-American singer and actor who became one of South Korea's most popular
K-pop
K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
singers after his debut in 1997. Yoo's singing career ended in 2002 when he was accused of evading
South Korean mandatory military service by becoming a U.S. citizen. He was subsequently banned from entering South Korea, becoming the only person in history to be banned from the country for acquiring another citizenship.
Since then, Yoo has been working as an actor in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
Early life
Yoo was born on December 15, 1976, in
Seoul, South Korea
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
. He and his family immigrated to the United States when he was thirteen and settled in
Buena Park, California
Buena Park (''Buena'', Spanish for "Good") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census its population was 84,034. It is the location of several tourist attractions, namely Knott's Berry Farm. It is about 12 mi ...
. Yoo made demo tapes of his rapping and dance skills and sent these to Brothers Entertainment, where he was eventually scouted and left California to start his career as a singer.
Career
1997: Debut
Yoo made his South Korean debut as a singer in 1997. His first album ''West Side'' was a hit with the debut single "Gawi" ("gawi" is the Korean word for "scissors" - in this context it translates to "nightmare" as South Koreans use the word to describe the rigid sleep paralysis which sometimes accompanies bad dreams). Along with another single "I Love You, Noona," he won "Best Newcomer of the Year" at many award ceremonies. Yoo gained popularity with his signature dance move "Gawi," in which he and his backup dancers lined up diagonally to perform the same moves in unison. "West Side" sold a million copies.
1998
In the summer of 1998, he released his second album ''1998 V2 for SALE'' with "Na Na Na" ("나나나") as its lead song, where it and the music video topped the charts. In the video, it featured actress
Choi Ji-woo
Choi Ji-woo (born Choi Mi-hyang on June 11, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful women, she has received critical acclaim for her work in a wide range of melodramas, most notably '' Beautiful Days'' (2 ...
, who played as the internship teacher while he played as the troublesome student. Many consider this album as the most successful of his career, as it won him ''Best Artist of the Year'' in multiple award ceremonies. The album again sold 1 million records.
1999
In 1999, he went on to release his third album ''Now Or Never'', which contained the hit single "Passion". Later that year, Yoo released his fourth album, "Over and Over," which contained the hit single "Vision."
2000
During this time, he began to expand his career into China and Taiwan, with the release of the single "Can't Wait", which was a collaboration with Taiwanese singer
Yuki. ''Now or Never'' topped the South Korean charts with first week sales of 879,000 albums sold. Setting a record for the highest first week sales ever at the time. The album eventually sold close to 1.5 million units. He also released music videos for two of his
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
songs that year for "찾길 바래" () & "어제 오늘 그리고" (), the latter showing off a more sophisticated image.
2001
In 2001, he released the single "Wow" from his sixth album "Infinity." Though considered a disappointment critically and commercially compared to his last three albums, "Infinity" still debuted at No. 1 on the charts with first-week sales of 359,961 units. The album went to achieve sales of over 600,000.
2002: banishment
Yoo had repeatedly stated on television that he would fulfill his
mandatory military service
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
. But in 2002, just before he was to be drafted, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. As a result, the
South Korean government
The Government of South Korea is the union government of the South Korea, Republic of Korea, created by the Constitution of South Korea as the executive, legislative and judicial authority of the republic. The president acts as the head of sta ...
considered it an act of desertion, and deported him, permanently banning him from entering the country.
Post-banishment
In 2006, he was featured on rapper
H-Eugene
Heo Eugene (born April 6, 1979), better known by his stage name, H-Eugene (Hangul: H-유진), is a South Korean rapper known for his collaborations with K-pop stars. The musicians he has collaborated with include MC Mong, Teddy Park, Miryo of B ...
's song "독불장군" (). The song's music video does not show Yoo's face, but shows him dancing and his silhouette.
In 2007, he released his seventh album ''Yoo Seungjun Vol. 7 - Rebirth of YSJ'' for his fans who stood by him through the highs and lows of his career. The album was produced under the collaboration of production teams from the United States, China, and South Korea. He released singles such as "Missing U," "Breakin' Love," "One For Me" and "Fireworks."
He earned a role in an untitled Taiwanese drama loosely based on
Bret Easton Ellis
Bret Easton Ellis (born March 7, 1964) is an American author, screenwriter, short-story writer, and director. Ellis was first regarded as one of the so-called literary Brat Pack and is a self-proclaimed satirist whose trademark technique, as a w ...
's novel ''
Less than Zero''. In June 2008, Yoo signed a 15-year contract with
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
's entertainment management company to become an actor. He has since attempted to establish a name for himself in mainland China while continuing his singing and acting career.
In February 2010, Yoo made his film debut in
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
's ''
Little Big Soldier
''Little Big Soldier'' () is a 2010 action comedy film directed by Ding Sheng and produced and written by Jackie Chan, also starring Chan and Leehom Wang. The film was produced with a budget of US$25 million and filmed between January and April ...
'' as Prince Wen.
In 2015, it was announced that Yoo would appear in the film ''
Dragon Blade''.
In 2022, Steve Yoo is currently an enrolled student in
Westminster Seminary California
Westminster Seminary California is a Reformed tradition, Reformed and Presbyterianism, Presbyterian Christianity, Christian seminary in Escondido, California. It was initially a branch campus of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia un ...
.
Personal life
In 2011, in response to an announcement by South Korean television network
Seoul Broadcasting System
Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) () is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. The broadcaster legally became known as SBS in March 2000, changing its corporate name from Seoul Broadcasting System (서울방송). Its f ...
on holding a public poll on whether South Koreans think Yoo should be allowed to come back to South Korea, he said he had no plans to return.
In December 2013, rumor had it that the ban on Yoo was lifted and that he could enter South Korea. In January 2014, however, South Korea's Military Manpower Association released a statement firmly denying the allegation.
On May 19, 2015, Yoo appeared in a video where he opened up on his side of the story regarding his evading military service back in 2002. He appeared getting down on his hands and knees begging to be accepted back into South Korea promising that he would "do whatever it takes" and that he would accept any condition the South Korean government allowed.
On February 23, 2017, following a court hearing, Yoo lost his second and final appeal for having his entry ban lifted, and is no longer allowed to return to South Korea, nor he is able to appeal his entry ban in the future.
On July 11, 2019, the South Korean Supreme Court sent Yoo's previously closed case back to the Seoul High Court.
On November 15, 2019, an appeals court reversed its earlier decision and ruled in favor of Yoo, which could finally allow him to visit South Korea.
Ever since his banishment from South Korea in 2002, Yoo has made residence in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Soon after, he moved back to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to live in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. Yoo married Christine Oh in 2004 with whom he has 4 children. In October 2019, Yoo launched his
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel where he posted videos of his daily workout routine.
Yoo is a practitioner of
Taekwondo
''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. T ...
유승준, 태권도 연습 중 "몇 단이게요?"
/ref> which he has been a practitioner of during the height of his celebrity days which he featured his skills on some of the Korean TV shows of the time. In 2010 when he was invited as a guest on the show Asia Uncut
''Asia Uncut'' was a variety chat show hosted by Jon Niermann, the president of Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee ...
, he stated he (at the time of filming) holds 3rd Dan
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
black belt.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Compilations and live albums
* ''98 Live Album'' (1998)
* ''New Release + English Version'' (1999)
* ''All That Yoo Seung Jun'' (1999)
* ''Gold Techno Remix'' (2000)
* ''Hidden Story'' (2001)
* ''Best & J Duet Collection'' (2001)
* ''Yoo Seung Jun 2002 Liv''e (2002)
Filmography
Movies
* ''Little Big Soldier
''Little Big Soldier'' () is a 2010 action comedy film directed by Ding Sheng and produced and written by Jackie Chan, also starring Chan and Leehom Wang. The film was produced with a budget of US$25 million and filmed between January and April ...
'' (2010)
* ''He-Man
He-Man is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the sword and planet ''Masters of the Universe'' franchise, which includes a toy line, several animated television series, comic books and a feature film. He-Man is characterized by h ...
'' (2011)
* ''Scheme With Me'' (2012)
* ''Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac is a traditional classification scheme based on the lunar calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle. Originating from China, the zodiac and its variations remain ...
'' (2012)
* ''Man of Tai Chi
''Man of Tai Chi'' is a 2013 Chinese-American martial arts film directed by and starring Keanu Reeves in his directorial debut and co-starring Tiger Chen, Iko Uwais, Karen Mok, and Simon Yam. A multilingual film featuring dialogue in Mandarin, En ...
'' (2013)
* '' The Wrath of Vajra'' (2013)
* ''Long's Story'' (2014)
* ''The Break-Up Artist'' (2014)
* '' Dragon Blade'' (2015)
* ''Taste of Love'' (2015)
* ''Crazy Fist'' (2017)
* ''Romantic Warrior'' (2017)
* ''Invictus Basketball'' (2017)
* ''Blade Master Li Bai'' (2019)
Television
*''The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty
''The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty'' () is a 2020 Chinese television series based on the novel of the same name by Meng Xishi. Produced by Jackie Chan, it stars Darren Chen, Fu Meng-po and Liu Yaoyuan in the lead roles. The drama premiered on iQIY ...
'' (2020)
* ''The Patriot Yue Fei
Patriot Yue Fei is a 2013 Chinese television series based on the life of Yue Fei, a Song dynasty general widely regarded as a patriot and national hero in Chinese culture for his role in defending the Song empire against the Jurchen campaigns. Whi ...
'' (2013)
Awards and nominations
Golden Disc Awards
The Golden Disc Awards (, formerly spelled the Golden Disk Awards before 2015) is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promo ...
Mnet Asian Music Awards
The MAMA Awards (formerly Mnet Asian Music Awards) is a major music awards ceremony presented annually by entertainment company CJ E&M. First held in South Korea, the majority of prizes has been won by K-pop artists, although there are other As ...
Seoul Music Awards
The Seoul Music Awards (; SMA) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper ''Sports Seoul''. The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and expert judges' op ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yoo, Steve Suengjun
1976 births
Living people
Draft evaders
American musicians of Korean descent
South Korean emigrants to the United States
People from Buena Park, California
People who lost South Korean citizenship
Naturalized citizens of the United States
People from Seoul
South Korean male idols
Gangneung Yoo clan