Baek A-yeon

Baek A-yeon (; born March 11, 1993) is a South Korean singer and songwriter signed under Eden Entertainment. She is best known as the second runner-up contestant in season 1 of K-pop Star. As a soloist, she has released a total of five extended plays and a total of ten singles, after her contract with JYP Entertainment expired in 2019, she subsequently joined EDEN Entertainment.

Early life and education Baek was born on March 11, 1993, in Seongnam, South Korea. During her fifth year of elementary school she underwent treatment for cancer. She is currently studying at the Department of Practical Music at Howon University.

Career 2011–2012: K-Pop Star

Baek participated in the first season of competition television show K-pop Star. She was one of the top three contestants, along with Park Ji-min and Lee Hi. After she was eliminated she was approached by a number of entertainment agencies seeking to sign her. Baek eventually signed with JYP Entertainment, the company of K-pop Star judge JYP.

2012–2014: I'm Baek, A Good Girl and original soundtrack Baek released her debut EP, I'm Baek, on September 10, 2012, with a total of five tracks including the lead single "Sad Song". On September 16, Baek made her official debut stage on the music program Inkigayo with performances of "Stay" and "Sad Song".

On December 15, Baek released her first original soundtrack "Daddy Long Legs" for the SBS drama Cheongdam-dong Alice.

In April 2013, Baek recorded "Introduction to Love," for MBC's drama When a Man Falls in Love. Baek released her second EP, A Good Girl, on June 17, 2013, with the lead single "A Good Boy". One months later, she recorded "Tears Are Also Love", for the MBC's drama Goddess of Fire OST. Following the success of the song, she began promotions for it on music programs beginning with Show! Music Core on June 13. Later in the year, she contributed her vocals to the song "So We Are" for the SBS drama Yong-pal.

In May 2016, Baek released a digital single album, consisting of the lead track "So-So", composed and written by herself, as well as side track "Something to Say". "So-so" followed the success of "Shouldn't Have", securing the top spot on all major Korean music charts within a day of its release. Later that year, she released holiday single, "Just Because" (featuring Got7's JB), on November 30.

Baek's third EP, Bittersweet, was released on May 29, 2017, leading to the media coining the name "May Queen" for her consistency in releasing music during that month. The EP contained six tracks, with the lead single "Sweet Lies" featuring vocal trio The Barberettes. While Bittersweet did not have the same success chart-wise as its predecessors, the album was praised for its quality with Billboard including it among their top five critic's picks of the K-pop albums released that year. "The album as a whole, is hypnotic in its pop glory, and lives up to Baek's reputation within Korea as one of the country's most captivating young female soloists. As a whole, Bittersweet features a wide array of sounds that blend to create an otherworldly listening experience."

- T.H., Billboard Later that year, she was confirmed to have landed a role in Korea's first virtual reality (VR) musical film, "Anna, Mari", which won Korea Creative Content Agency's 2018 "VR Frontier Content Project".

On September 16, 2019, it was revealed that Baek A Yeon's contract with JYP Entertainment had come to an end. She chose not to renew her contract, and left the company. On December 7, she formally announced that she had joined Eden Entertainment.

On July 13, 2021, Baek A Yeon was supposed to release her fifth EP, Observe, with the lead single "0%", but it was delayed due to rising cases of COVID-19 in Korea. It was later announced that the new release date would be September 7.

On August 17, 2022, Baek released the track "Doctor", a track that was included in the Pokémon Exhibition Track.

On October 21, 2022, it was announced that Baek has renewed her contract with Eden Entertainment.

Personal life On February 28, 2023, Baek's agency confirmed that she is in a relationship with her non-celebrity boyfriend. On March 2, 2023, Baek announced in a handwritten letter that they will be holding their wedding ceremony. The couple married on August 12, 2023.

Baek announced her pregnancy on April 30, 2024. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, on September 12, 2024.

Discography Extended plays Title EP details Peak chart positions Sales I'm Baek Released: September 10, 2012 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 11 KOR: 2,148+ A Good Girl Released: June 17, 2013 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 14 KOR: 1,765+ Bittersweet Released: May 29, 2017 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download — Dear Me Released: November 21, 2018 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download — Observe Released: September 7, 2021 Label: Eden Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download —

Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album As lead artist "Sad Song" 2012 2 11 KOR: 995,710+ I'm Baek "A Good Boy" 2013 12 26 KOR: 346,987+ A Good Girl "Shouldn't Have" 2015 1 —

KOR: 1,070,347+ "Just Because" 12 — KOR: 185,203+ "Sweet Lies" 2017 5 — KOR: 278,224+ Bittersweet "The Little Match Girl" 55 — KOR: 59,483+ SM Station "Sorry to Myself" 2018 — — Dear Me "Looking for Love" 2020 47 — "I Need You" — — "Fickle Person" 2021 — — The Late Kim Hyun Sik's 30th Anniversary Memorial Album "0%" 113 — Observe As featured artist "Pursuit of Happiness" 2012 — — TO... "Please Come Back" 2014 — — Go Crazy! (Grand Edition) "Kibuntat" 2015 39 — KOR: 51,563+ F/W Pre-debut singles "Atlantis Princess" 2012 154 — K-Pop Star Top 8 "Can't Fight the Moonlight" 100 — KOR: 45,274+ K-Pop Star Top 7 "Saving All My Love for You" 93 — KOR: 46,548+ K-Pop Star Top 6 "Run Devil Run" 55 97 KOR: 111,780+ K-Pop Star Top 5 "I Miss You" 23 37 KOR: 325,867+ K-Pop Star Top 4 "Ma Boy 2" 50 67 KOR: 116,457+ K-Pop Star Special No. 3 "I Was Wrong" — — K-Pop Star Top 3

Other charted songs Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumKORGaon I'm Baek "Love, Love, Love." 44 65 KOR: 81,151+ "Always" 55 — KOR: 70,219+ "You're Leaving" 59 — KOR: 68,973+ "The First Time I Met You" 2015 49 — KOR: 51,089+ 투유 프로젝트 - 슈가맨, Pt. 4 "Something to Say" 2016 29 — KOR: 102,393+ So-So "Screw You" 2017 81 — KOR: 34,548 "Bittersweet" "Just Friends" 94 — KOR: 30,231 "Jealousy" 27 — KOR: 71,801 "Magic Girl" — — KOR: 21,070

Soundtrack appearances Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumKORGaon Cheongdam-dong Alice OST "Introduction to Love" 2013 37 KOR: 170,436+ When a Man Falls in Love OST "Tears Are Also Love" — Goddess of Fire OST "The Three Things I Have Left" 2014 11 KOR: 232,433+ Angel Eyes OST "Morning of Canon" 70 KOR: 79,425+ You Are My Destiny OST "So We Are" 2015 14 KOR: 265,169+ Yong-pal OST "A Lot Like Love" 2016 25

Concerts and tours Headlining Baek A Yeon 1st Concert "Whispering the First Story" (2015) Baek A Yeon 2nd Concert "Whisper, Whisper - The 2nd Story" (2016)

Concert participation 2014 JYP Nation ONE MIC (Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bangkok) 2016 JYP Nation Mix & Match (Seoul and Tokyo)

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2019 Princess Aya Princess Aya animated, Korean dubbed, Officially released in 2022 Anna, Marie

Variety programs Year Title Role Notes 2011 K-pop Star season 1 Contestant 2015 100 People, 100 Songs Episode 34 2015 Idol Star Athletics Ssireum Basketball Futsal Archery Championships Participant Sugar Man Show Man with Hwang Chi-yeol Remake a song (The First Time I Met You) by Park Jun-ha 2016 Show Man with Sandeul B1A4 Remake a song (Gift) by UN Duet Song Festival Duet with Park Soon-ho Song choice (Please) by Lee So-ra King of Mask Singer Contestant as "I Will Back Music Box" Episodes 83–84

Music video appearance Year Song title Artist Role 2013 "Somebody" 15& Herself

Theatre Year Title Role 2015 Cinderella Cinderella 2021–2022 Theatrical Boy Radio ONAIR DJ

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2013 Best New Artists 2015 7th MelOn Music Awards Top 10 Artists Best Ballad Song Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Song Of the Year Best Vocal Performance – Female Sina Weibo Global Fan's Choice – Female 2016 25th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang Award Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Popularity Award Hallyu Special Award 30th Golden Disk Awards Digital Bonsang Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Popularity Award (Korea) Global Popularity Award Discovery of the Year – Hot Trend Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Best Female Artist Best Vocal Performance – Female So-So 2017 31st Golden Disk Awards Digital Bonsang Asian Choice Popularity Award 26th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang Award So-So Best Ballad Award Popularity Award Hallyu Special Award Song of the Year – May So-So