U-KISS ( ko, 유키스; ja, ユーキス) is a South Korean
boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
formed in 2008. Their name is an acronym, standing for Ubiquitous Korean International Idol Super Star. The group's current lineup is composed of Soohyun,
Hoon
A hoon is an Australian term describing a person who deliberately drives a vehicle in a reckless or dangerous manner, generally in order to provoke a reaction from onlookers.
Hoon activities (or hooning) can include speeding, burnouts, dough ...
,
Kiseop and
Jun.
Their breakthrough hit was "Man Man Ha Ni" (2009) from their EP ''ContiUKiss''. They released their first full-length album, ''
Only One'', on February 3, 2010. In September 2011, U-KISS released their second full-length album, ''
Neverland
Neverland is a fictional island featured in the works of J. M. Barrie and those based on them. It is an imaginary faraway place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, and some other imaginary beings and creatures live.
Altho ...
''. They made their formal debut in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in 2011 with the release of the single "Tick Tack".
Their second Japanese single was "Forbidden Love", while their first Japanese full-length album was ''
A Shared Dream
''A Shared Dream'' is the debut Japanese studio album by South Korean boy band U-KISS, released on February 29, 2012 by Avex Trax.
Background and development
In May 2011, U-KISS formally signed under Avex Japan for their Japanese debut. Soon ...
'' (2012).
Since their debut, U-KISS has released three full-length albums, twelve mini-albums/EPs, one special mini-album (created for their fans), and various singles. They have released seven Japanese full-length albums, one Japanese compilation album, and five Japanese mini-albums/EPs. The group and individual members have also participated in various musicals, radio programs, web shows, TV series, and films.
The group has recorded and/or performed songs in Korean, Japanese, Chinese,
English
and Spanish.
U-KISS has earned six entries on ''Billboard''
's World Albums chart and has had 9 songs on the
K-pop Hot 100
The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in South Korea, launched by ''Billboard'' in conjunction with ''Billboard'' Korea () on August 25, 2011. It is the second Asian ''Billboard'' chart after the Japan Hot 100. The chart used the same multime ...
chart.
In 2012, U-KISS was the first K-pop group to hold a fan meeting in Cambodia.
During that same year, U-KISS was not only the first K-pop act, but also the first Asian group, to perform at the "Los 40 Principales" concert in
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
.
In 2013, U-KISS was the second Korean artist to hold a solo concert in Mexico.
U-KISS was also one of the first K-pop groups to release original albums in Japanese. In Japan, they ranked #1 on the
Oricon Albums Chart
The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon Albu ...
with ''Action'' in 2015.
History
2008: Formation and Debut
U-KISS was formed as a six-member boy band in 2008.
Kibum
Kim Ki-bum (born August 21, 1987), known mononymously as Kibum, is a South Korean actor and singer. He was a member of Super Junior. After the release of Super Junior's third studio album ''Sorry, Sorry'' in 2009, Kim announced his leave from ...
and
Kevin
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
were previously members of the boy band
XING
XING is a Hamburg-based career-oriented social networking site, operated by New Work SE (until mid-2019 ''XING SE'').
The site is primarily focused on the German-speaking market, alongside XING Spain, and competes with the American platform Li ...
, but had left that group in early 2007. The other four members were all individually selected by
NH Media
NH Media (also known as NHemg) (, NH stands for Nam Hee) is a South Korean entertainment agency founded in 1998 by Kim Nam-hee.
In May 2016, Signal Entertainment Group acquired 50% of the company.
Former artists
* UN (2000–2005)
* Paran (2 ...
through auditions.U-kiss did their first showcase(mini-live) in August16th(originally planned to be on July 27) Tokyo Takeshiba NONAME.
U-KISS first performed on August 15, 2008, at Power of Atamix 08 in Japan. The group officially debuted in South Korea on August 28, with a live performance of their debut song, "Not Young", 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, ...
.
[U-KISS Members](_blank)
''TVn E-News World''. Retrieved March 30, 2012. This was followed by the release of their first
mini-album
A mini-LP or mini-album is a short vinyl record album or LP, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered full-length. It is distinct from an EP due to containing more tracks and a slightly longer running length. A ...
, ''New Generation'' (N-Generation), on September 3.
Although they were newcomers in the industry, U-KISS was considered for a Japan-Korea collaborative project. A Japanese entertainment company, Yashimoto Group, invested 150 billion
KRW to groom U-KISS as an internationally known group.
2009–2010: Line-up change, ''Only One'', and first tours
On February 3, 2009, U-KISS released their second mini-album ''Bring It Back 2 Old School'', with the title song "I Like You", which gained them popularity, especially in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
.
On November 6, their third mini-album, ''ContiUKiss'', launched Kiseop as the seventh member of the group. The title track, "Man Man Ha Ni", was released following the change in their line-up.
On February 3, 2010, the group's first full-length album, ''
Only One'', was released, generating their highest chart-topping single in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, "Bingeul Bingeul". The song peaked at #2 on the MYX Music Channel Hit and International Top 20 charts for the period of April 25 - May 1. The support of Filipino fans helped it stay on the Philippines' MYX Music Channel charts for more than a month. The album also topped Hanteo Charts, Hot Tracks, Syn-nara Records, and Evan Records in just one day. U-KISS then played in Malaysia, Mongolia, and Japan to promote the album. U-KISS promoted the album in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
through a series of mall shows, where they sold more than 1,000 copies in one day, breaking the record for the highest sales in a launch and earning a million pesos. Due to its success, the group had their first major concert in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, later released on DVD as ''U-KISS First Kiss Tour in Manila''.
On October 4, their fourth EP, ''
Break Time'', was released along with the title track "Shut Up!". The U-KISS First Kiss Live in Tokyo & Osaka (2010) concerts were held December 6 in Osaka and December 10 in Tokyo. On December 10, their Japanese compilation album, ''First Kiss'', placed #2 on the
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
daily charts on the day of its release. In addition to their music career, U-KISS starred in their own variety shows, including ''All About U-KISS'', ''UKISS Vampire'', and ''Chef Kiss''.
2011–2012: Line-up changes, ''NEVERLAND'', and Japanese debut
![U-Kiss from acrofan (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/U-Kiss_from_acrofan_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In 2011, Soohyun was officially appointed the leader of U-KISS. Alexander and Kibum left the group, being replaced by former
Paran Paran (also Pharan or Faran) may refer to:
Places
* Paran, Egypt, an ancient site at the oasis of the Sinai's Wadi Feiran
*Desert of Paran, a location mentioned in the Hebrew Bible
*Paran, East Azerbaijan, a village in Iran
*Paran, Isfahan, a city ...
member Kim Jae-seop (AJ) and a former solo artist, Yeo Hoon-min (Hoon).
As a result, a U.S. album was canceled due to member termination of contract.
On March 30, the new formation of U-KISS released their fifth EP, ''
Bran New Kiss
''Bran New Kiss'' (Korean: '브랜드 뉴 키스') is the fifth extended play released by South Korean boy band U-KISS. It is the first EP to feature new members Hoon and AJ.
Background and release
In November 2010, the band's management announ ...
'', and a new ballad song, "0330".
U-KISS released the Japanese version of ''Bran New Kiss'' on August 24. The EP reached #3 on Japan's daily
Oricon Albums Chart
The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon Albu ...
. On September 1, U-KISS released their second full-length album, ''
Neverland
Neverland is a fictional island featured in the works of J. M. Barrie and those based on them. It is an imaginary faraway place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, and some other imaginary beings and creatures live.
Altho ...
'', with the singles "Neverland" and "Someday".
At the Asia Song Festival in October, The Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange selected U-KISS as an Asia Influential Artist. On December 14, U-KISS released their first Japanese single, "Tick Tack", which marked the group's official Japanese debut date after signing a contract with
Avex Trax. Also in 2011, member AJ was accepted to
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in 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 ...
.
[U-Kiss Member AJ Accepted Into Columbia University](_blank)
''KBS World News''. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
In 2012, U-KISS was chosen as the #1 Hallyu Group to Watch in Japan, while
Kevin
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
was chosen as the Luckiest Hallyu Star of 2012.
On February 8, U-KISS participated in the
Music Bank
Music Bank may refer to:
* ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS
**''Music Bank World Tour
The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...
concert held in
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
.
It featured a special presentation by Soohyun singing a duet with
Sistar
Sistar (, often stylized as SISTAR) was a South Korean girl group formed in 2010 by Starship Entertainment. The group consisted of Hyolyn, Bora, Soyou and Dasom. They made their official debut with the song " Push Push" on 3 June 2010. Their ...
's
Hyolyn
Kim Hyo-jung (; born December 11, 1990), better known by her stage name Hyolyn (효린), is a South Korean singer and songwriter, now under the management of her own self-started production company Bridʒ. She is a former member of the South Kor ...
of "Love Always Finds a Reason", with the original English lyrics.
On February 29, U-KISS released their second Japanese single, ''Forbidden Love'', simultaneously with their first Japanese full-length album, ''
A Shared Dream
''A Shared Dream'' is the debut Japanese studio album by South Korean boy band U-KISS, released on February 29, 2012 by Avex Trax.
Background and development
In May 2011, U-KISS formally signed under Avex Japan for their Japanese debut. Soon ...
''.
"Forbidden Love" ranked #9 on the Oricon Daily Single Chart, while ''A Shared Dream'' ranked #6 on the Oricon Daily Album Chart.
U-KISS held a sold-out concert tour,
"U-KISS 1st Japan Live Tour 2012", in
Zepp Hall venues across Japan.
The tour lasted from March 2–25. In the second week of June, two additional shows were also sold out. The U-KISS Japan Live Tour "A Shared Dream" (2012) held performances on March 2 in Sapporo, March 4 in Sendai, March 10 in Osaka, March 11 in Fukuoka, March 17 in Nagoya, and March 24–25 in Tokyo. Due to its success, more dates were added: July 7 in Hiroshima, July 8 in Osaka, July 14 in Sendai, July 16 in Nagoya, July 18 in Fukuoka, July 20 in Nagasaki, July 25 in Sapporo, July 27 in Niigata, and July 28–29 in Tokyo. A DVD titled ''U-KISS Days in Japan'' debuted at #8 on the Oricon Daily Chart published on March 30.
On April 25, U-KISS released their sixth EP in South Korea, ''
DoraDora
''DORADORA'' is the sixth extended play released by South Korean boy band U-KISS. It is the first EP to be released after their 8 months hiatus due to their activities in Japan. It was released on April 25, 2012.
Background
Just after they wrap ...
''.
In May, "DoraDora" gained the #1 spot on the German Asian Music Chart. On May 12, U-KISS became not only the first K-pop act, but also the first Asian group, to perform in
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
at "Los 40 Principales" (the biggest pop concert in Latin America) along with
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
.
The group released their seventh EP, ''The Special to Kissme'', on June 5. On June 1, the second single from it, "Te Amo", had been released on various music sites and immediately placed #4 on Soribada. On July 2, U-KISS performed at the 2012 K-POP Nation Concert in Macao, along with
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 ...
and
SHINee
Shinee ( ; ko, 샤이니, Syaini; ja, シャイニー, Shainī; stylized as SHINee) is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group's musical impact in their native country has earned them numerous accolades and th ...
. U-KISS released their third Japanese single, "Dear My Friend", on July 5. It was used as the theme song for a Japanese
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
movie, ''Stormy Night (Secret Friends)''. On July 29, it was announced during the Japanese Live Tour that AJ would be on hiatus for 5 months, and he would no longer attend U-KISS activities starting in August, in order to concentrate on his studies. According to
NH Media
NH Media (also known as NHemg) (, NH stands for Nam Hee) is a South Korean entertainment agency founded in 1998 by Kim Nam-hee.
In May 2016, Signal Entertainment Group acquired 50% of the company.
Former artists
* UN (2000–2005)
* Paran (2 ...
, AJ would return in early 2013, therefore the U-KISS comeback in September 2012 would only feature six members.
Before AJ's temporary departure from the group, U-KISS attended the A-Nation opening ceremony at the
Tokyo National Stadium
The Japan National Stadium, officially named and formerly known as or , is a multi-purpose stadium used mostly for association football in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The facility served as the main stadium for the opening and ...
on August 3.
On August 9, 2012, U-KISS represented Korea in Asia Progress M, part of A-Nation, the biggest music festival in Japan.
On August 26, the group also performed with
Hamasaki Ayumi
is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model, spokesperson, and entrepreneur. By 2002, Hamasaki had earned the nickname "Empress of J-pop" due to her popularity in Japan and throughout Asia. Due to her success and relevanc ...
,
M-Flo
is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of record producer DJ Taku Takahashi, Verbal and Lisa.
Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists fo ...
, and
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 ...
at
Ajinomoto Stadium
, also known as Tokyo Stadium in AFC Champions League, is a multi-purpose stadium in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan. The stadium was founded at Kantō Mura, the redevelopment area formerly used by United States Forces Japan, in March 2001. It was the fi ...
.
On September 5, the group ended their Japanese tour with the U-KISS Japan Live In Budokan (2012), where they attracted an audience of 10,000, their biggest to date.
Meanwhile, the group released their fourth Japanese single, "One of You", on September 5. During its first week, it peaked at #1 on the Tower Records weekly chart. On September 14, U-KISS received a special achievement award in recognition of their contribution to the Hallyu Wave.
[유키스, 19일 문광부장관 한류특별공로상 수상](_blank)
''Sports Chosun''. Retrieved September 16, 2012 The group attended Arirang TV's celebration event for the milestone of reaching over 100 million clients.
At the event, U-KISS was awarded the Special Hallyu Achievement Award from the minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
On September 20, the group released their seventh EP, ''Stop Girl'', and planned to actively promote it in 10 countries including
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, 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 ...
, and
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 ...
.
[유키스, 한류붐 공로 인정 문화부장관상 수상](_blank)
''NATE''. Retrieved September 16, 2012 The mini-album also included an English version of the title track, "Stop Girl".
U-KISS released their fifth Japanese single, "Distance", on December 12.
2013–2014: ''Collage'' and Line-up changes
On January 19, 2013, U-KISS participated in the ''Dream KPOP Fantasy Concert'' in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, Philippines.
The Japanese single "Alone" was released on February 13. It was used as the theme song for NHK's TV drama, ''Bookstore Worker Michiru’s Personal Story''.
[U-Kiss to sing theme song for new Japanese drama](_blank)
''Daily K Pop News'' U-KISS released their third full-length album ''Collage'' on March 7, with the lead single, "Standing Still" (composed by Ryan Jhun), was released on March 6. The group also performed at the "Formula 1" event held at the
Petronas Tower
The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC Twin Towers, ( Malay: ''Menara Berkembar Petronas'') are 88-storey supertall skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, standing at . From 1998 to 2003, they were officially desig ...
in Malaysia on March 22, sharing the stage with K-pop 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 ...
and American artists
Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.
The gr ...
and
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
.
The sub-unit uBEAT debuted at the end of April, composed of Eli and AJ, with Kevin featuring as the main vocalist. In June, U-KISS went on tour in Latin America, traveling to Peru, Colombia, and Mexico. The group became the second Korean artist to have a solo concert in Mexico, after
JYJ
JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
's
Junsu
Kim Jun-su (; born December 15, 1986) or simply Junsu, also known by the stage name Xia (stylized as XIA; ; ko, 시아) is a South Korean singer, model, dancer and stage actor. He is a member of the Korean pop group and later duo JYJ, and was ...
. All 4,000 tickets were sold out, and fans who couldn't buy tickets sang along with the songs outside the concert hall. U-KISS performed a Spanish version of "Dear My Friend", specially prepared for their Latin American fans. Just the previous year, U-KISS had launched their official South American fan club.
Avex Trax announced that U-KISS would release their second full-length Japanese album, "Inside øf Me", on July 24. The U-KISS Japan Live Tour "Inside Of Me" (2013) held performances on July 27 in Yokohama, July 30–31 in Tokyo, August 7 in Fukuoka, August 12–13 in Osaka, August 22 in Hokkaido, August 26 in Tokyo (added because two previous Tokyo concerts sold out), and August 30 in Aichi. In October 2013, Dongho was leaving the group, due to health and personal issues. On October 30, U-KISS released their eighth EP, ''Moments'', along with the music video for “She’s Mine”. This single mixed R&B and hip-hop, which were genres that the group hadn't tried before. On December 15, U-KISS participated in the 15th Korea-China Music Festival in Beijing. It featured a special presentation by Soohyun singing a duet with
Wanting Qu
Wanting Qu (; born October 10, 1984), known simply as Wanting, is a Chinese-born singer-songwriter and pianist who is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Career
Wanting Qu was born and raised in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, w ...
of "You Exist in My Song", with the original Chinese lyrics.
In January 2014, U-KISS toured America, making stops in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Presales of VIP tickets sold out in just 30 seconds for the Los Angeles date, and eight minutes for the one in New York. U-KISS also made media appearances along the way, including an interview on ABC's national TV program, ''Good Morning, America''. On May 15, NH Media introduced new member Jun through U-KISS' official Korean website to replace the positions of AJ due hiatus for continued his studies at Columbia University. On June 2, Jun made his debut with UKISS. They released their 9th EP, ''Mono Scandal'', along with the 19+ rated MV for "Quit Playing". With this song, U-KISS become the first boy band to be temporarily banned from broadcast in South Korea for “inappropriate choreography”, causing them to make changes to the original dance routine.
The "U-KISS JAPAN LIVE TOUR 2014" started with a performance in Tokyo on July 16, toured 12 cities, and attracted a total of about 120,000 attendees. U-KISS finished the tour with their 2nd performance at the Budokan on September 12, which was called "U-KISS Japan ~Returns in Budokan~". The U-KISS "Scandal" In Europe Tour (2014) held performances on September 21 in Moscow, September 24 in London, and September 28 in Paris. In Paris, they were the subject of an exclusive video documentary.
2015: ''Always''
U-KISS made an appearance on M! Countdown with a performance of their single "Playground" on January 22, 2015. This single was later released along with their tenth mini-album, ''Always'', on January 23. On March 3, U-KISS accepted SBS MTV's The Show - China Choice award for "Playground", their 1st trophy won on a weekly music show. U-KISS' 4th Japanese album, ''Action'', was released on March 18. It charted #2 on the Oricon Daily Chart the day of release, and then topped the chart at #1 on the day after release. It also ranked at #4 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, with 20,297 copies sold.
The U-KISS Japan Live Tour "Action" (2015) held performances on August 16 in Osaka, August 18–19 in Tokyo, August 22 in Hokkaido, August 24–25 in Aichi, August 27 in Osaka, August 28 in Fukuoka, and August 30 in Miyagi. U-KISS released their 11th Japanese single, "Stay Gold", on September 9. It charted #2 on the Oricon Daily Chart and #3 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, with a total reported sales of 44,418. On December 23, U-KISS continued their Japanese promotions with the release of their first Christmas mini-album, simply titled ''The Christmas Album''.
2016–2017: ''Stalker'' and Line-up changes
On February 23, 2016, U-KISS released their 12th Japanese single ''Kissing to Feel'', and their fifth Japanese album, ''One Shot One Kill'', on March 23. U-KISS' 11th Korean EP, ''Stalker'', was released on June 7. On August 29, AJ announced that his contract had expired with NH Media, and he officially left the group. The U-KISS Japan Best Live Tour ~5th Anniversary Special~ (2016) held performances on December 2 in Fukuoka, December 4 in Hiroshima, December 9–10 in Hyogo, December 15 in Aichi, December 23 in Miyagi, and December 25 in Kanagawa.
On March 2, 2017, Kevin announced his official departure from the group after his contract had expired with NH Media. U-KISS continued to be active as a five-member group. Soohyun and Eli, the remaining original members, renewed their contracts with NH Media. On May 5, U-KISS was the headline act for a K-pop concert that was a finale of the week-long Seoul Food Festival. They were supported by their label mates,
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".
His ...
. U-KISS contributed a song, "RUN A WAY", to the OST for KBS2's TV drama ''Manhole'', which aired August–September and starred
Jaejoong
Kim Jae-joong (; born January 26, 1986), also known mononymously as Jaejoong in South Korea and in Japan, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and director. He is a member of the Korean pop group JYJ and was one of the original members ...
from
JYJ
JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
. On August 20, 2017, U-KISS performed at The Star of Asia music festival in Kazakhstan, where they were presented with a special prize trophy during the broadcast on KAZAKH TV. On September 6, NH Media reported that Kiseop had suffered second degree burn injuries due to an explosion that took place during the group's "FLY" music video filming. They went on to explain that ten fragments of material had become lodged in his body and that he had been transferred to a hospital in Incheon to receive treatment.
U-KISS held a tour of Japan called "U-KISS LIVE EVENT 2017 ~Stay with U~", performing September 30 in Chiba, October 7 in Saitama, and October 9 in Osaka. On October 10, U-KISS' Japanese single, “FLY”, ranked #3 on the daily
Oricon Singles Chart
The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track download sales. In J ...
. This achievement was even more meaningful because all the members took part in producing the EDM-influenced song and its accompanying tracks. U-KISS contributed an English-language cover version of
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
's "Try Everything" (from the movie ''
Zootopia
''Zootopia'' (titled ''Zootropolis'' in various regions) is a 2016 American computer-animated buddy cop action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 55th Disney animated feature film, ...
'') to the compilation album ''Thank You Disney'', which was released on October 25.
On November 20–21, U-KISS held the "2017 U-KISS FANMEETING IN KOREA ~KISS HOLIC~". On December 9, U-KISS put on a special concert in Tokyo for an ongoing endorsement with CHIC-Smart electric scooters.
On December 26, U-KISS released a Korean digital single, “Ready for U”. On December 28, Soohyun enlisted in the Army for 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 ...
.
2018–2019: 10th anniversary and members departure
On March 31, 2018, U-KISS released their 7th Japanese full-length album, ''LINK'', which included songs recorded by Soohyun before his enlistment. It ranked #3 on the daily
Oricon Albums Chart
The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon Albu ...
. All the members of U-KISS (including Soohyun, who was on temporary leave from military duty) celebrated the 10th anniversary of their Korean debut. On October 10, the group returned with their 15th Japanese single "Scandal", which ranked #8 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart. On December 19, U-KISS released their 8th Japanese full-length album, ''Glory'', which featured a Christmas song for the title track. The song was used in an endorsement for Huis Ten Bosch, one of the biggest theme parks in Japan.
On March 18, 2019, Hoon enlisted in the Marine Corp for 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 ...
.
On May 16, nhemg (NH Media) announced that Eli and Kiseop left the group after their contracts expired with the agency. On September 1, Soohyun completed 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 ...
and was discharged from the Army. Soon after, "Soohyun & Jun (from U-KISS) Fan Meeting in SEOUL ~autumn memory~" was held on September 22–23. To honor the 8th anniversary of U-KISS' Japanese debut on December 14, Soohyun will hold an anniversary talk and video screening of "JUN (from U-KISS) 1st Event 2019 ~Phenomenal World~" in Tokyo.
2020-present: Reunions and departure from NH Media
Kevin temporarily rejoined U-KISS as a duo with Soohyun as part of a special throwback-themed "Guilty Pleasures" concert from
SBS and its variety show ''MMTG'' in October 2020. The duo also performed "Shut Up!!" with
Teen Top
Teen Top () is a South Korean boy band formed by TOP Media in 2010. The group is composed of five members: C.A.P, Chunji, Niel, Ricky and Changjo. Originally a six-piece group with L.Joe, the former member had filed for contract termination in ...
in a special collaboration stage.
On October 20, Hoon completed 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 ...
and be discharged from the Marine Corp.
On October 21, 2020, Soohyun and Jun released the Japanese single 'Eyes on Me', which also contained the Ballad track '星も見えない夜に'.
U-KISS' second sub-unit,
Soohyun & Hoon, was formed and released the single 'I Wish' in both Korean & Japanese in 2021. The Korean version was released on January 27, and the Japanese version on February 24. Soohyun left NH Media on April 15 following his contract expiration, however he stated he will remain as part of U-KISS. In August, Hoon and Jun also left NH Media after their contracts expired.
On January 24, 2022, Soohyun, Hoon, and Kiseop signed exclusive contracts with Tango Music, with Kiseop officially rejoining U-KISS. In May 2022, U-KISS launched a YouTube channel official and announcement of various activities.
Philanthropy
On June 7, 2011, U-KISS – along with other K-pop groups including
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 ...
,
MBLAQ
MBLAQ ( ko, 엠블랙, ja, エムブラック; an acronym for Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality) is a South Korean boy band created by South Korean singer Rain under J. Tune Camp. The group consists of Seungho, G.O, and Mir, and formerly L ...
,
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 ...
,
F.T. Island
F.T. Island ( ko, 에프티 아일랜드, or FT아일랜드, short for Five Treasure Island), is a South Korean rock band formed by FNC Entertainment in 2007. The band currently consists of main vocalist Lee Hong-gi, bassist Lee Jae-jin, and ...
and
B2ST
Highlight (Korean: ) is a South Korean boy band formerly known as Beast (Korean: 비스트). The band consists of four members: Yoon Doo-joon, Yang Yo-seob, Lee Gi-kwang, and Son Dong-woon. Originally a six-piece band, Jang Hyun-seung departe ...
– held a special show called "Seoul-Osaka Music of Hearts", raising funds to help victims of the
2011 Japan earthquake. Earlier in March of that year, U-KISS had volunteered to take part in another fundraising concert put on by veteran Korean singers for the same cause, where they worked together with several boy and girl bands to answer donation phone calls.
On June 18, 2012, U-KISS became the first K-pop group to hold a fan meeting in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
, called "Share The Love Charity Concert". The fan meeting led to a charity organization in a nearby school, where members interacted with the children, passing out baseball bats and other baseball equipment. The show, as a part of the benefit project, was sponsored by famous Cambodians and was even attended by the
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
of Cambodia,
Hun Sen
Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
.
On February 1, 2013, Soohyun and Kevin hosted a charity event for Jakarta after the heavy flooding in Indonesia. They auctioned 2 CDs, with which they interacted to raise the value, along with clothing that they'd worn. Two albums were auctioned live, with total proceeds of Rp3.500.000 (roughly US$350). The two members also held a press conference explaining why their showcase would be postponed to April. Along with the press conference, they also visited Pluit, where they held the charity session and interacted with kids who were affected by the flooding.
On June 6, 2016, U-KISS revealed that a portion of the proceeds from their ''Stalker'' album sales would be donated to the Culture and Arts Education Division of AbleArt Center, which helps handicapped artists.
Endorsements
Photos of the members were featured on Visa credit cards issued by The Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (one of Japan's top three banks). Card users accumulated points that could be redeemed for U-KISS merchandise. U-KISS was the first K-pop band to be featured on Sumitomo's Visa cards. U-KISS also collaborated with Dresscode Inc to create special clothing for their Korean album, ''Only You''.
Members
Current
* Soohyun (수현)
*
Hoon
A hoon is an Australian term describing a person who deliberately drives a vehicle in a reckless or dangerous manner, generally in order to provoke a reaction from onlookers.
Hoon activities (or hooning) can include speeding, burnouts, dough ...
(훈)
*
Kiseop (기섭)
*
Jun (준)
Former
*
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
(알렉산더)
*
Kibum
Kim Ki-bum (born August 21, 1987), known mononymously as Kibum, is a South Korean actor and singer. He was a member of Super Junior. After the release of Super Junior's third studio album ''Sorry, Sorry'' in 2009, Kim announced his leave from ...
(기범)
* AJ (에이제이)
*
Kevin
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
(케빈)
*
Dongho (동호)
*
Eli
Eli most commonly refers to:
* Eli (name), a given name, nickname and surname
* Eli (biblical figure)
Eli or ELI may also refer to:
Film
* ''Eli'' (2015 film), a Tamil film
* ''Eli'' (2019 film), an American horror film
Music
* ''Eli'' (Jan ...
(일라이)
Timeline
ImageSize = width:600 height:175
PlotArea = width:400 height:150 left:75 bottom:20
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:08/28/2008 till:2022
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:2009 gridcolor:black
PlotData =
color:red width:7 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from
bar:Alexander from:start till:03/26/2011
bar:Kibum from:start till:03/26/2011
bar:Dongho from:start till:10/16/2013
bar:Kevin from:start till:04/25/2017
bar:Eli from:start till:05/16/2019
bar:Soohyun from:start till:12/28/2017
bar:Soohyun from:12/28/2017 till:09/01/2019 Color:black
bar:Soohyun from:09/01/2019 till:end
color:orange width:7 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from
bar:Kiseop from:11/06/2009 till:03/21/2019
bar:Kiseop from:03/21/2019 till:05/16/2019 Color:black
bar:Kiseop from:01/24/2022 till:end
color:yellow width:7 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from
bar:AJ from:03/26/2011 till:08/15/2012
bar:AJ from:08/15/2012 till:02/16/2013 Color:black
bar:AJ from:02/26/2013 till:01/15/2014
bar:Hoon from:03/26/2011 till:end
bar:Hoon from:03/18/2019 till:10/20/2020 Color:black
color:green width:7 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from
bar:Jun from:05/15/2014 till:end
Discography
;Korean albums
* ''
Only One'' (2010)
* ''
Neverland
Neverland is a fictional island featured in the works of J. M. Barrie and those based on them. It is an imaginary faraway place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, and some other imaginary beings and creatures live.
Altho ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Collage
Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. ...
'' (2013)
;Japanese albums
* ''
A Shared Dream
''A Shared Dream'' is the debut Japanese studio album by South Korean boy band U-KISS, released on February 29, 2012 by Avex Trax.
Background and development
In May 2011, U-KISS formally signed under Avex Japan for their Japanese debut. Soon ...
'' (2012)
* ''Inside øf Me'' (2013)
* ''
Memories
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
'' (2014)
* ''Action'' (2015)
* ''One Shot One Kill'' (2016)
* ''U-KISS Solo & Unit ALBUM'' (2017)
* ''Link'' (2018)
* ''Glory'' (2018)
Filmography
Reality shows
* 2009: ''You Know U-KISS''
* 2009: ''All About U-KISS''
* 2010: ''U-KISS Vampire''
* 2010: ''Chef KISS''
* 2013: ''U-KISSme?''
* 2013: ''Kanzume!! TV Magazine Show''
* 2014: ''Go U-KISS!''
* 2014–present: ''U-KISS no Teatarishidai''
* 2019: ''U-KISS no MassisoU''
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:U-Kiss
South Korean boy bands
Musical groups established in 2008
Avex Trax artists
K-pop music groups