Lee Hyori, The Music Producer

Debuting in 1998 as part of Fin.K.L, Lee Hyori, the original fairy, made a strong impression on Korean pop music scene with her solo debut song “10 Minutes” in 2003. Since then, Lee Hyori has spent the last ten years active in various fields, as a solo singer, entertainer, fashionista (and activist), making the leap from the music industry to the bigger entertainment scene and as earning her the title of issue maker. Of course, her marriage in September to singer-songwriter Lee Sang Soon became a hot topic of conversation.

However, there is something that industry insiders and fans may be missing out on. In the last 15 years in the entertainment industry, Lee Hyori has been working hard to develop her music capabilities. She was directly involved in producing her fifth solo album, released in May, and was in charge of producing fellow B2M Entertainment girl group Spica’s new album, released in the summer. She also wrote and composed Spica member Kim Bo Hyung’s solo ballad “Crazy Girl.”

“Crazy Girl,” released on October 17, has special meaning for Lee Hyori. While she has gone on from being a popular solo dance singer to her future as a producer, it’s a significant fact that that was where she started out from.

Another important point to note is that Lee Hyori’s first step in her transformation was by taking the plunge with a 19-and-over ballad.

From the title to music video, the song has received a 19-and-over restricted rating from broadcasting companies. Those around have advised her that if she just changed the title of the song, she might be able to avoid the 19-and-over rating. However, Lee Hyori thought that the title was necessary for expressing the character of the song, and chose not to avoid it. It can be seen that Lee Hyori is stubborn with respect to her music.

Lee Hyori requested for those around her not to reveal that the song was self-composed and self-written, to avoid so-called “media play.” She wanted the song to be judged on its own merits.

For this reason, producer Lee Hyori’s 19-and-over ballad has received more attention.

In related news, Lee Hyori and her husband Lee Sang Soon are in the middle of their vacation in Europe.