Artist of the week - Brown Eyed Girls

Oct 08, 2007

PROFILE:

Real Name: 김효진 (Kim Hyo Jin)
Stage Name: Je-A (제아)
Position: Leader
Birthday: September 18, 1983
Blood Type: O
Hobbies: Piano
Ideal Guy: Manly guy with comprehension
Favorite Musician: Eric Benet
Cyworld: www.cyworld.com/mynameisjea

Real Name: 박효진 (Park Hyo Jin)
Stage Name: Narcia (나르샤)
Position: Vocal
Birthday: December 28, 1983
Blood Type: A
Hobbies: Piano, Collecting CDs
Ideal Guy: Guy with sense
Favorite Musicians: Yoon Mirae (Tasha), Beyonce, In Soonee
Cyworld: www.cyworld.com/hjddabong

Real Name: 조미혜 (Jo Mi Hae)
Stage Name: Miryo (미료)
Position: Rapper
Birthday: November 2, 1983
Blood Type: A
Hobbies: Guitar, Listening to music
Ideal Guy: Guy who is refined and has a great sense of humor
Favorite Musicians: Seo Taiji and Kids, Michael Jackson
Cyworld: n/a

Real Name: 손가인 (Son Ga In)
Stage Name: Ga-In (가인)
Position: Vocal
Birthday: September 20, 1987
Blood Type: B
Hobbies: Interior designing, Dance, Watching movies
Ideal Guy: Guy that attracts you with one look
Favorite Musician: D-Sound
Cyworld: www.cyworld.com/SUPERIOR_

BIOGRAPHY:

Our featured artiste this week is the four-member R&B female group Brown Eyed Girls (BEG). In my opinion, they are the most talented female group in k-pop now. They are still very underrated but are starting to get more attention.

The making of the Brown Eyed Girls took about 3 years from the conception of a girl group carrying on the tradition made by Brown Eyes and Brown Eyed Soul, recruiting and training, to the production and release of their debut album. The production of the album alone took about a year and half. Je-A and Narcia have gone through many auditions and they have known each other since high school. Rapper Miryo is originally from the Honey Family, while the youngest member Ga-In was in Battle Shinhwa before joining BEG. Unlike other female groups, BEG already had a good foundation and stage experience even before debut. That’s why they already sounded like verterans when they debuted.

BEG called their genre of music “Hybrid Soul” in which R&B is combined with hip-hop. Like other groups previously under the "Brown Eyes" brand name, BEG were faceless when they released their 1st album. Still, it received pretty good responses. After about a month, BEG finally showed their faces and debuted on MBC’s Show Music Core with their first hit "Staying Close", an R&B ballad. Fans were very impressive with their performance.

In summer of 2006, BEG released a digital single "Hold The Line", featuring rapper Cho PD. That was an up-tempo song which was very different from their first hit. Later in 2006, BEG’s first album repackaged version was released. This time the album cover had the photo of the members. The song "Second" became another hit on the album. At year-end award shows, BEG were one of the winners on best new artiste awards.

Besides group activities, BEG members also started their solo work. First, it was leader Je-A dueting with See Ya’s Kim Yeon Ji with an R&B single album "The Day". Then Ga-In sang a duet with SG Wannabe’s Yong Jun, a Christmas melody song "Must Have Love". Miryo was the guest rapper on several different singers albums. Narcia was featured on the group IM’s debut song "Be My 1004", and also had a solo ballad song on KBS Drama "Dae Jo Young" OST.

After a brief layoff, BEG released another digital single "I Am Summer" in summer of 2007. The song "Oasis", featuring ex-Cool member Lee Jae Hoon, was a perfect hit for the hot summer season. BEG members said in an interview that they want to shed their serious image with a lighter up-tempo song which can show the fun side of the members. "Oasis" became their 2nd top 10 hit.

In September of 2007, BEG finally released their 2nd album. Title song "너에게속았다" (I Got Fooled By You) signifies their hybrid soul group image. They bring a lot of variety to this album. Besides R&B, we can also hear more traditional ballads, up-tempo songs, and also a solo song by Ga-In.

Brown Eyed Girls may not be the prettiest girl group out there, but their talents are unquestioned. Perhaps they are the only group that are proud to say that each member can be good enough to be a solo artiste, but even better within the group. They already proved it with their solo works or collaborations with other artistes. They are still a well kept secret, as they are not trying to push too hard just to be famous. Instead, they are trying to produce the best quality of music to fans. There are other female groups who are more famous now. But in the long run, BEG have the best potential to stay successful.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Your Story (1st album, 2006) : Second, Far Away, Everybody, Staying Close, Who Do You Love?,Watch Out, 1234, Timing, Finally I Can Talk About Love

Hold The Line (Digital Single, 2006) : Hold The Line (with Cho PD)

Your Story (1st album Special Repackage, 2006)

I Am Summer (digital single, 2007) : Oasis (with Lee Jae Hoon)

Leave Ms. Kim (2nd album, 2007) : I Got Fooled By You, Leave Ms. Kim, There Is No Man (feat. Young Ji), I Am Laughing (Ga-In solo), Oasis, Mine