Artist of the week - Girls Generation (SNSD/소녀시대/少女時代)

Profiles:

Stage Name: Taeyeon (태연)
Birth Name: Kim Taeyeon (김태연)
Group Position: Leader & Main Vocalist
Motto: Don’t do something that you’ll regret later.
Nicknames: Umma, Ajumma, Kid Leader, Tete, Taeng, Taengoo
Languages: Korean (Fluent) , English, Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: March 9, 1989
Homeplace: Jeonrado Jeonju
Height: 160cm
Weight: 44kg
Blood Type: O
Siblings: Older brother (Jiwoong), younger sister (Hayeon)
School: Jeonju Art High School
Hobbies: Swimming
Interests: Makeup, Perfume, Music
Casted: 2004 8th Annual Best Contest (Best Singer 1st Place & Grand Award)
Attended SM Academy
Experience:
-2004 Featured in The One’s song “You Bring Me Joy”
-2008 Featured on the ‘Hong Gil Dong’ soundtrack for ‘If’
-2008 Featured on the ‘Beethoven Virus’ soundtrack for ‘Can You Hear Me’
-2008-current Co-DJ of Chinhan Chingoo (Close Friends) Radio
Duration of Training: 4 years and 3 months

Stage Name: Jessica (제시카)
Birth Name: Jessica Jung Sooyeon (제시카 정)
Korean Name: Jung Sooyeon (정수연)
Group Position : Main Vocalist
Nicknames : Ice Princess, Sica, Sicachu, Ajumma, SergeantSic
Motto: Follow my heart ..
Languages : Korean (Fluent) , English (Fluent) , Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: April 18, 1989
Homeplace: San Fransisco, California
Height: 163cm
Weight: 45kg
Blood Type: B
Sibling: Younger Sister (Krystal)
School: Korea Kent Foreign School, Graduated
Casted: 2000 SM Casting System
Experience:
-2008 Featured on 8eight’s ‘I Love You’
Duration of Training: 7 years and 6 months

Stage Name: Sunny (써니)
Birth Name: Lee Sunkyu (이순규)
Group Position: Supporting Vocalist
Nickname: DJ Soon, Sunny Bunny
Motto: Everyday Sunny Day
Blood Type : B
Languages: Korean (Fluent) , English , Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: May 15, 1989
Height: 158cm
Weight: 43kg
Hobbies: Swimming, Video Games, Sports
Interests: Music, Fashion, reading magazines, dancing, singing & shopping.
School: Baehwa All-Girls High School
Experience:
-2008 DMB Chunbang Jichuk Radio DJ (with Super Junior’s Sungmin)
-2008 Featured on ‘Story of Wine’ soundtrack
-2008 Voiced for Super Junior’s ‘Cooking, Cooking’
-2008 Featured on ‘Working Mom’ soundtrack
Casted: 2007 SM Casting System
Siblings: 2 Older sisters

Stage Name: Tiffany (티파니)
Birth Name: Stephanie Hwang (스테파니 황)
Korean Name: Hwang Miyoung (황미영)
Group Position : Supporting Vocalist
Nicknames: Spongebob Hwang, Fany Fany Tiffany, Human Jukebox, Mushroom, Tiffiana, JumFany, AjumNy, Ddilfany, BamFany
Motto: Just work hard (Practice makes Perfect)
Languages: Korean , English (Fluent) , Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Basic), Spanish (Basic)
DOB: August 1, 1989
Height: 160cm
Weight: 50kg
Hobbies: Flute
School: Korea Kent Foreign School, Graduated, Middle School – South Pointe (US), High School – Diamond Bar (US)
Casted: 2004 SM Casting System; 2004 CJ/KMTV (USA-LA) Contest 1st Place
Experience:
-2007 Co-host of MNet’s SSGB countdown
-2008 Narration for Kim Dongwan’s ‘Secret’
Casted: 2007 SM Casting System
Siblings: Older Brother (Leo) & Older Sister (Michelle)
Duration of Training: 3 years and 7 months

Stage Name: Hyoyeon (효연)
Birth Name: Kim Hyoyeon (김효연)
Group Position: Supporting Vocalist & Main Dancer
Nicknames: Princess Fiona, Dancing Queen, Hyorengi (Tiger)
Motto: Everyone that works hard will succeed.
Languages: Korean (Fluent) , English (Basic) , Chinese (Fluent) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: September 22, 1989
Height: 158cm
Weight: 48kg
Blood Type: AB
School: 2004.3~8 Studied Mandarin Chinese in Beijing, China
Casted: 2000 SM Casting System
Experience/Acknowledgments:
-Best SM Town Dancing Trainee
-2005 M.Net/KM Music Festival – BoA’s ‘Over the Top’ silhouette dancer
Duration of Training: 6 years and 1 month

Stage Name: Yuri (권유리)
Birth Name: Kwon Yuri (권유리)
Group Position : Supporting Vocalist & Lead Dancer
Nicknames: Black Pearl, Yul, Kkabyul, Kwon Seobang
Languages: Korean (Fluent), English, Chinese (Fluent), Japanese
DOB: December 5, 1989
Height: 167cm
Weight: 45kg
Blood Type: AB
School: Neunggok High School, Graduated (2008)
Casted: 2001 SM 1st Annual Youth Best Contest <Best Dancer, 2nd Place>
Siblings: Older Brother
Experience:
-2005 KM Super Junior Show ‘The King’s Boyfriend’
-2006 DBSK’s Beautiful Life MV
-2006 Orion Chocopie Chinese CF w/ Jang Donggun
-2006 Dongil Highvill CF
-2007 DBSK’s Second Concert guest appearance
-Hot Choco Mite CF
-2007 Attack on the Flower Boys Movie cameo
-2007/2008 MBC Sitcom: Unstoppable Marriage
-2008 Featured on ‘Working Mom’ soundtrack with Sooyoung
Duration of Training: 5 years and 11 months

Basic Profile;

Stage Name: Sooyoung (수영)
Birth Name: Choi Sooyoung (최수영)
English Name: 썸머 Summer
Group Position: Supporting Vocalist
Nickname: ShikShin (Food God), NaSoo (Interrupter)
Motto: Let’s not procrastinate
Languages : Korean (Fluent) , English, Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Fluent)
DOB: February 10, 1990
Height: 170cm
Weight: 48kg
Blood Type: O
School: Jungshin All-Girls High School
Casted: 2000 SM Open Audition
2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo Audition
Experience:
-2002 Debuted in Japan in the duo Route 0
-2003 Samsung AnyCall CF w/ Park Jungah
-2003 Japan Chubbygang Clothing Model
-2004 Skoolooks Uniform Model
-2005 M.Net Hello Chat VJ
-2007 DMB ChunBangJiChuk Radio DJ (with Super Junior’s Sungmin)
-2007/2008 MBC Sitcom: Unstoppable Marriage
-2008 Featured on the ‘Working Mom’ soundtrack with Yuri
-2008 Movie: Pure Manwha/ Comic Strip – Happily Ever After (co – star)
-Featured on ‘Inyuasha’ soundtrack for ‘I AM’
Sibling: Older Sister (Soojin)
Duration of Training: 6 years and 3 months

Stage Name: Yoona (윤아)
Birth Name: Im Yoona (임윤아)
Nick names: Deer Yoona, Him Yoona (Strength Yoona), Goddess Yoong, Yoong
Motto: Be confident in everything
Group Position: Supporting Vocalist
Languages: Korean (Fluent) , English, Chinese (Basic) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: May 30, 1990
Height: 168cm
Weight: 47kg
Blood Type: B
School: Daeyoung High School (Graduated)
Casted: 2002 SM Saturday Open Casting Audition
Experience:
-2004 TVXQ’s Magic Castle MV
-2006 Sanyo Eneloop CF
-2006 Teun Teun English ‘Follow Me’ CF
-2006 TVXQ First Concert guest appearance
-2006 Super Junior’s U MV
-2006 TZSX’s ‘My Everything’ MV
-2007 Elite CF with SS501
-2007 Sunkist Lemonade CF w/ Super Junior’s Kangin, Heechul | Version 2
-2007 Clean and Clear CF
-2007 MBC drama – 9 Hits, 2 Outs
-2007 Super Junior’s Marry U mv
-2008 Lee Seungchul’s ‘Propose’ MV
-2008 Sola VitaminC CF
-2008 YeJiMiIn wise beauty CF
-2008 Clean and Clear CF
-2008 MBC – Park Jung Geum cameo
-2008 KBS drama – You are my Destiny
-Cindy the Perky, eCole, Dasoo magazines as a model
Duration of Training: 7 years and 2 months

Stage Name: Seohyun (서현)
Birth Name: Seo Joohyun (서주현)
Nickname : Maknae, Seororo
Motto: If your dream is alive, then one day it will come true.
Group Position: Lead Vocalist
Languages: Korean (Fluent) , English, Chinese (Fluent) , Japanese (Basic)
DOB: June 28, 1991
Height: 168cm
Weight: 48kg
Blood Type: A
School: Daeyoung High School
Casted: 2003 SM Casting System
Experience:
-2004 SMART Uniform Model
-2009 Featured on Jo Hyunmi’s ‘Jjalalajja’ single
Duration of Training: 6 years and 6 months

Awards:

2007
01. Song of the Month for the month of August 2007 from Cyworld <Into the New World>
02. 14th Annual Korean Entertainment Awards: Best New Female Group
03. #1 on M!Countdown for <Into the New World> on October 11th, 2007
04. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Girls’ Generation> November 25th, 2007
05. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Girls’ Generation> on December 2nd, 2007
06. #1 on M!Countdown for <Girls’ Generation> on December 6th, 2007
07. 2007 M.NET Golden Disk Awards: Anycall Popularity Award on December 13th, 2007
08. 2007 M.NET Golden Disk Awards: Anycall Newbie Award on December 13th, 2007

2008
09. 17th Seoul Gayo Awards: High1 Music Award on January 31st, 2008
10. 17th Seoul Gayo Awards: Best New Artist Award on January 31st, 2008
11. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Kissing You> on February 3rd, 2008
12. #1 on M!Countdown for <Kissing You> on February 14th, 2008
13. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Kissing You> on February 17th, 2008
14. #1 on M!Countdown for <Kissing You> on February 28th, 2008
15. #1 on Music Bank for <Kissing You> on February 29th, 2008
16. Song of the Month for the month of February 2008 from Cyworld <Taeyeon – IF>
17. #1 on M!Countdown for <Baby Baby> on April 10th, 2008
18. MNet 20’s Choice: Hot Sweet Music award <Kissing You> on August 23rd, 2008
19. MNet 20’s Choice: Hot DJ <Taeyeon> on August 23rd, 2008
20. Korean Drama Festival 2008: Netizen Popularity Award <Yoona – You Are My Destiny> on November 1st, 2008
21. 15th Annual Korean Entertainment Awards: Best Female Group
22. 2008 M.NET Golden Disk Awards: Yepp Popularity Award <Taeyeon – Can You Hear Me> on December 10th, 2008
23. KBS Drama Awards: Best New Actress <Yoona – You Are My Destiny> on December 31st, 2008
24. KBS Drama Awards: Netizen Popularity Award <Yoona – You Are My Destiny> on December 31st, 2008

2009
25. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on January 16th, 2009
26. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Gee> on January 18th, 2009
27. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on January 23rd, 2009
28. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on January 30th, 2009
29. Song of the Month for the month of January 2009 from Cyworld <Gee>
30. SBS Inkigayo Mutizen Award for <Gee> on Feburary 1st, 2009
31. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on Feburary 6th, 2009
32. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on Feburary 13th, 2009
33. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on Feburary 20th, 2009
34. #1 on Music Bank for <Gee> on Feburary 27th, 2009
35. 45th Annual Baeksang Awards: Netizen Popularity Award <Yoona – You Are My Destiny> on February 27th, 2008
35. 45th Annual Baeksang Awards: Best New Actress Award <Yoona – You Are My Destiny> on February 27th, 2008

Discography:

Group Albums/Mini-albums/Singles
Girls’ Generation – 1st Single Into the New World
Girls’ Generation – Vol 1
Girls’ Generation – Vol 1 Repackaged Baby Baby Album
Girls’ Generation Mini Album – Gee

Special albums from SM
2007 SMTown Winter Album
Heart 2 Heart with Girls’ Generation
Sweet Memories with Girls’ Generation

Soundtracks

Thirty Thousand Miles in Search of My Son
01 . Touch The Sky (Original Ver.) (소녀시대)

Hong Gil Dong
02 . 만약에 – 노래 : 소녀시대 태연 (If – SNSD Taeyeon)
05 . 작은 배 – 노래 : 소녀시대 (Little Boat – SNSD)

Working Mom
01 . 꼭! (노래:소녀시대) (Kkok – SNSD [Yuri & Sooyoung]
02 . 사랑을 몰라요(Wang Ji Ta) (노래:소녀시대) (Sunny)

Beethoven Virus
07 . 들리나요… – 소녀시대 태연 (Can You Hear Me… – SNSD Taeyeon)
13 . 사랑은 선율을 타고(Day by Day) – 소녀시대

Features

Kang Ta Mini Album – Eternity
05 . 7989 (Duet: 소녀시대 – 태연) (Duet: SNSD Taeyeon)

Kim Dong Wan Vol. 2 – The Secret ; between us
02 . 비밀 (Narr. 소녀시대 티파니) (Secret – Narration SNSD Tiffany)

Super Junior – Happy 1st Mini Album – Cooking? Cooking!
01 . 요리왕 (COOKING? COOKING!) (Narration: Sunny)

RoomMate Mini Album (Limited Edition)
06 . 오빠 나빠(제시카&티파니&서현 of 소녀시대) (Oppa Nappa – Jessica & Tiffany & Seohyun of SNSD)

Yoon Sang – Song Book
03 . 랄랄라_소녀시대+윤상 (La La La)

Digital Singles:

I can’t bear it anymore! (Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny and Seohyun)
짜라자짜 (Jjalajajja) (Joo Hyunmi featuring Seohyun)
Mabinogi (It’s Fantastic!) – Mabinogi Digital Single (Jessica, Tiffany and Seohyun)
I Love You – 8eight (featuring Jessica)

Biography (Group):

The nine girls who always shine the brightest together. With each member possessing distinctive personalities and different talents in the field of singing, dancing, acting, modeling, and so forth, 소녀시대 (Girls’ Generation, So Nyuh Shi Dae) have proved that sometimes strength does lie in numbers. Even though the girls do well individually, there’s an indescribable feeling when all 9 are on stage or  on shows together because of their family-like bond.

Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun are the nine beautiful girls that make up SM Entertainment’s talented, Girls’ Generation. The group was creating buzz all around the internet even before debut and all had their own prior-to-debut experience with the the entertainment industry. It wasn’t until they debuted on Aug 5, 2007, on SBS Inkigayo with their debut single ‘Into the New World (다시 만난 세계)’ (single release was Aug 2) that the girls were able to perform on stage together as one. Leading up to their debut, MNet cameras followed them around on their very own documentary ‘Girls Go to School’, where fans were able to see them prepare for their debut and see how much dedication and time they put into the song that they spent 1 year practicing to debut with. Initially, ITNW received mixed reviews and plenty of criticism for the girls’ singing and dancing. Taeyeon, as the group leader, addressed them and said that constructive criticism was the only way for them to improve, so she was thankful for them. The single went on to sell almost 60,000 copies, proving that they were a marketable group.

During the same time period, SM Entertainment was promoting the group as a fresh and new talented girl group, with each member having her own special talents and personalities. Also the promotion of the girls and their varying knowledge of different languages was also another topic of discussion. They continued to promote their personalities and song through music and variety shows. After promoting the single for a couple of months the girls took a short break.

They returned shortly on Nov 1, 2007 with their debut self-titled first album, Girls’ Generation (소녀시대). The title track from the single was a remake of the classic hit song with the same title by Lee Seungchul. He praised the girls and said that he supported their rendition of the song with great enthusiasm. The highlight of the song and music video was their cute doll-like nature and the “Angtal Dance”. The song was very well-received by the general Korean public because of how they managed to modernize an old classic. Both the song and album were a complete hit. Within a few months, the album was listed as the 12th best-selling album of 2007. By 2008, the girls broke records by selling over 120,000 copies of the album, and being the first pop girl group since S.E.S in 2002 to do so.

However the success of ‘Girls’ Generation’ paled in comparison to the booming amount of attention and adoration that ‘Kissing You’ received. By the end of their ‘Kissing You’ promotion period, they were able to grab the No. 1 spot from the three big broadcasting stations, SBS Inkigayo, KBS Music Bank, and MNet M!Countdown. The girls were able to show admirable live performances during this time and it was obvious that they were working hard on improving as a group.

They were able to show an adorable side to them with this lollipop single. In March the same year, SM decided to promote yet another track from their first album, ‘Baby Baby’. Although the song wasn’t as well received as ‘Kissing You’, it still managed to win MNet M!Countdown, and once again the girls broke a record by being the first female artistes to have 3 No. 1 songs from the same album. The rest of 2008 was dedicated to the girls showing the Korean music industry their own individual strengths. Jessica, Tiffany, & Seohyun received a lot of attention for their digital single from Roommate, ‘Oppa Nappa’. Yoona won multiple awards for her first leading role in the KBS daily drama ‘You Are My Destiny’. Sooyoung filmed her first movie. Taeyeon became the queen of soundtracks with ‘If’ and ‘Can You Hear Me’. Although the members were on a promotional break (with SNSD) and all doing their own little thing, their bond and family-like mentality through their group CFs. With talks of their comeback constantly being pushed back, good news still came out in 2008, as SNSD’s official fanclub was announced. Their fanclub name S♥NE (소원), literally means Wish in Korean, but SM released that the S represented SNSD and the ♥NE part is supposed to be ONE but with a heart to represent that SNSD & their fans will always be one.

Leading up to their official comeback, they then filmed yet another documentary with MNet, one that put them in the new roles as fashion editors for Elle Magazine, in ‘Factory Girl’. The show was a hit in ratings for the cable company and showed that the public was waiting for the girls and their new album.

The wait was over on Jan 5, 2009, and ‘Gee’ was released in its digital form. Within the same day it was ranked No. 1 on Cyworld. Then it went on to top all of the major online sites. This was a big accomplishment for the girls because although their album sales were solid, the girls had been unable to do well on digital downloads. Their mini-album ‘Gee’ is predicted to be the first album in 2009 to sell over 100,000 copies. The girls came back and were stronger than ever. They broke records left and right with this new single and were requested by many variety shows to come on and promote it. Their MV became GOMTv’s first ever Diamond track with over 5 million views since its release and holds the record for most-viewed video on the portal site. During the first week of release, they were No. 1 on Music Bank but weren’t able to attend to receive their award. Last weekend they ended up snagging their 7th consecutive win on the show, tying with Jewelry’s ‘One More Time’ for the record on the show. ‘Gee’ now holds the record for longest No. 1 song on the MNet Music portal site. During the break, the girls had said that their relationship with each other grew wonders as they were able to find out about their backgrounds, where they came from, and where they are today. They attributed a lot of their improvement in every aspect of a group to the fact that they were now so much closer together. Their popularity has sky-rocketed thanks to the immense success of ‘Gee’, both in the domestic and international markets.

credits to Soy + Soshified.com