Soyou

Kang Ji-hyun (; born February 12, 1992), in Jeju Island, South Korea. Before debuting, she was a licensed hairdresser and worked in a hair salon. Soyou was known as a Cube Entertainment trainee, who was originally supposed to debut as a member of 4Minute. Soyou has said that she didn't make it into the group because she was lacking in many ways and was originally supposed to be in Sohyun's place. Instead, Soyou auditioned for Starship Entertainment, singing a cover of Navi's "On The Road", and after her traineeship, she debuted as a member of Sistar in June 2010. The group gained significant popularity after the release of their hit single "So Cool" in 2011.

Soyou pursued her middle school at Mullae Middle School and completed high school at the Korean Arts High School with a specialization in theater and film. In 2012, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Applied Music degree from Sungshin Women's University.

Career 2010–2017: Original soundtracks, collaborations and Sistar disbandment

In August 2010, Soyou collaborated with Kan Jongwoo of J2 for the soundtrack for the drama Gloria. In September, she also sang a soundtrack for MBC's drama Playful Kiss. The song is titled "Should I Confess".

In November 2012, Soyou sang a duet with hip-hop duo Geeks. The song "Officially Missing You, Too" is a remake of Tamia's song of the same title. It is a part of Geeks' project album, Re;Code Episode 1. She also collaborated with fellow label mates, K.Will and Boyfriend's Jeongmin, for Starship Planet's yearly holiday release, titled "White Love".

In September 2013, it was revealed that Soyou and Mad Clown would release a duet called "Stupid in Love" on the 10th.

In February 2014, Soyou and Junggigo released a duet called "Some".

In January 2015, it was revealed that Soyou, together with Lee Hanee and Kim Jungmin, would be the new MCs of beauty tip program Get It Beauty. The new MCs' first episode aired on February 4, 2015.

In February 2017, Soyou and Baekhyun released a duet called "Rain".

In May 2017, Sistar released their last single "Lonely". The group performed their most successful summer hits – "Touch My Body", "Shake It", "Loving U", "I Swear" and also their last song "Lonely" on four major music shows, before concluding the schedule on Inkigayo on June 4, 2017 and officially disbanding.

In August 2017, Soyou was featured as the vocalist on Primary's song "Right?".

2017–2023: Solo debut

After Sistar disbanded in June 2017, Soyou debuted her solo career under Starship Entertainment. She was featured on K.Will's fourth album Part.1 Nonfiction, for the B-side track titled "Let Me Hear You Say", released on September 26. She released a collaboration track titled "Monitor Girl" with Geeks' Louie on October 26, it was their second collaboration since "Officially Missing You, Too" in 2012. On November 16, Soyou released "I Still" with Sung Si-kyung as pre-release track for her upcoming solo album. On November 28, Soyou was confirmed to become an MC for a new beauty program of JTBC titled SoyouXHani's Beauty View, which began airing on December 28. On December 13, Soyou released the first part of her solo album titled Re:Born with the single "The Night" featuring rapper duo Geeks and produced by Primary.

A year and nine months after her last release, Soyou released "Gotta Go" on June 28, 2020. The song is a reggaeton, dance hall style song and was accompanied by a music video, released through Starship Entertainment's YouTube channel.

After eight months, Starship Entertainment announced that Soyou is gearing up for her next comeback on March 11, 2021. Soyou's new single "Good Night My Love" was reportedly written by Lee Hyori and composed by Babylon.

On September 8, Soyou decided not to renew her contract with Starship Entertainment. Later on September 29, Soyou signed with BPM Entertainment.

On March 1, 2022, BPM Entertainment announced Soyou would hold her first solo concert 'THE LIVE: NIGHT' on April 2 and 3. On April 27, Soyou released her third EP Day & Night, with the lead single "Business", featuring Be'O.

2024–present: Business venture

On July 31, Soyou established the corporation So & You, wherein she was able to launch in November the whiskey-based "So Whiskey Highball" and the high-alcohol-based "So Goryangju Highball" in cans.

Other ventures Ambassadorship

In July 2014, Soyou became the promotional ambassador for the JTBC Seoul Marathon event, attended by 20,000 participants. Chosen by the event coordinator, Soyou's passion for running and commitment to self-care through exercise resonated with the event's theme, "Run As I Am."

In September 2018, Soyou became the public relations ambassador for the Seoul branch of the Korean Red Cross, appointed by its Chairman. She has been supporting the Seoul branch since 2015, aiding underprivileged groups like undernourished children, child-headed households, elderly individuals living alone, and multicultural families.

Endorsements

In September 2014, Soyou collaborated with the "비커즈 (bcuz)" brand, known for its "wrap jeans," a popular fashion item at the time. She continued her promotions with the brand, which had become a household name for its sportswear, by introducing and releasing new products for its 2015 S/S season. In June 2015, Soyou teamed up with Sung Si-kyung as endorsers for CJ CheilJedang's 'Bibigo Wanggyoja,' a side dish ideal for pairing with beer. The duo filmed TV commercials and advertisements together.

In July 2017, she was chosen as a model for GRN's health supplement products. She specifically endorsed well-known celebrity diet products such as Green Tea Catechins and Mister Red Power Up. In the following years, Soyou continued promoting the brand, later adding their anti-aging supplement products to her list of endorsements, before parting ways at the end of 2021. Later in 2017, Soyou, a singer born in Jeju, was selected by E'Mart as their endorser for their new liquor product called "Blue Night," which originated from Jeju. As part of the promotion, she released the single "Blue Nights of Jeju Island" alongside commercials and remained an active endorser until 2019.

In September 2018, she participated as an endorser in Lotte Rental's summer vacation season exhibition for their lifestyle platform "MYOMEE." The platform allows users to rent a variety of products and goods necessary for traveling through their app for a reasonable period of time.

In May 2020, the food corporation "Cookat" launched their new PB (Private Brand) products, 'Mukbang Tteokbokki Chicken Feet' and 'Grilled Chicken Tail Bones.' The launch is in collaboration with Soyou, who is one of the entertainment industry's leading 'chicken feet enthusiasts'. Soyou participated in the entire product development process such as recipe development, package design, and product capacity setting. In March 2021, Soyou, alongside Iz*One, was selected as Pepsi Zero Sugar's 2021 K-POP partners, releasing the single 'ZERO: ATTITUDE' as part of the 'Pepsi 2021 K-POP Campaign.'

Later in August 2021, Soyou, along with comedian Yoo Se-yoon, was selected as an endorser for the 'healthy active vacation' campaign by Frip, a tourism venture founded by the Korea Tourism Organization. In September 2023, Saint Satin selected Soyou as the brand's exclusive model for their Fret Acupressure Slippers, which can be worn all year round, and Fret's Indoor shoes that prevent noise between floors.

In March 2024, Soyou filmed commercials promoting the beverage 'Refreshingly Empty Barrel Light' (hereinafter referred to as Barrel Light) by Donghwa Pharmaceutical, a functional beverage product for constipation. In May, Soyou was selected by BlingU Co., Ltd. as the endorser of their "calf and shoulder massager" product, which was first introduced by the home appliance brand "Iyuz" and has been the top pick in the Korean Consumer Preferred Brands of small massagers. In October 2024, Soyou endorsed the "30-Second Quick Bubble Mask" product by the skincare brand "Menokin," a brand that has grown more than three times since its launch in 2023.

Philanthropy

In May 2017, Soyou donated million won to the Korean Red Cross to support the underprivileged. On the same day, the organization revealed that she had been a part of the "Philanthropy and Culture Committee" of the Seoul branch since 2015, a group composed solely of high-value donors. In the following year, she was recognized as part of their 'Seoul Red Cross Pine Tree Club,' which is composed of individuals with cumulative donations totaling more than million won.

In January 2018, Soyou held a flea market at Cure Coffee Bar with the theme "All About Soyou," where clothes, shoes, and items from her personal collection and sponsors were sold. All proceeds were then donated to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation. In April 2019, she donated million won through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association, requesting that it be used to aid residents affected by large-scale forest fires in Gangwon-do. In February 2020, Soyou donated million won through Good Neighbors, an international relief and development NGO, to help prevent COVID-19 among Daegu residents.

In September 2022, Big Planet Made announced that Soyou donated million won to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association by adding donations to the entire sales proceeds from the flea market she held under her name in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Later in November, she donated a total of million in scholarships to twenty underprivileged university students in Seoul through the Korean Red Cross Society for which Soyou acts as a public relations ambassador.

Discography Extended plays Title Details Peak chart positions Sales KOR Re:Born Released: December 13, 2017 Label: Starship Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 19 KOR: 2,352 Re:Fresh Released: October 4, 2018 Label: Starship Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 19 KOR: 1,870 Day & Night Released: April 27, 2022 Label: BPM Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 90 Summer Recipe Released: July 26, 2023 Label: BPM Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 97 KOR: 897 Off Hours Released: April 29, 2026 Label: Magic Strawberry Sound Formats: CD, digital download

Singles + List of singles, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album KOR KORHot "The Night" 2017 23 32 KOR: 103,392 Re:Born "My Blossom" 2018 50 — "All Night" 59 — Re:Fresh "Gotta Go" 2020 157 98 "Good Night My Love" 2021 — — "Business" 2022 — — Day & Night "Some 2" — — "Aloha" — — Summer Recipe "Love, ing" 2024 — — "PDA" 2025 "See Through" 2026 — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.* Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 was discontinued in April 2022.

As featured artist + List of features, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album KOR USWorld "Simsim" 2015 60 — KOR: 51,626 Man on the Moon "Right?" 2017 27 — KOR: 105,072 Pop "Let Me Hear You Say" 57 — KOR: 192,272 Part.1 Nonfiction "Forever Yours" 2018 — 14 Face "Walking" 2020 — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Collaboration singles + List of collaboration singles, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album KOR KORHot "Officially Missing You, Too" 2012 2 2 — KOR: 2,971,434+ Re;code "White Love" 6 7 — KOR: 818,220+ Starship Planet "Goodbye" 2013 10 8 —

KOR: 1,991,920+ "Some" 2014 1 1 19 KOR: 2,898,043+ "The Space Between" 2 — — KOR: 1,035,053+ "Pillow" 2015 5 — — KOR: 768,684+ NO.MERCY Pt. 2 "Lean on Me" 2 — — KOR: 1,307,880+ "Runnin'" 2016 — — — KOR: 30,801+ SM Station Season 1 "Love Is One More Than Farewell" 28 — — KOR: 67,070+ Inkigayo Music Crush Part.3 "Rain" 2017 2 — —

KOR: 16,816+ "Monitory Girl" — — — "I Still" 6 10 — KOR: 389,115+ Part.1 RE:BORN "Rain Drop" 2019 19 — — "Beginning" 94 — — The Love Of Autumn "Bangkok" — — — "On the Road" 131 — — X-Mas Project Vol. 1 "Don't Wake Me Up" 2022 71 — — XbyX [꿈] "Fine" — — — "Love Recipe" 2024 — — — WONDO Project: LOVE RECIPE, Vol.1 "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.* Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 was discontinued in July 2014.

Soundtrack appearances

KOR: 492,400+ Empress Ki OST "Diamond" — — — KOR: 37,005+ The Snow Queen 2 OST "You Don't Know Me" 2015 4 — — KOR: 914,444+ She Was Pretty OST "Tell Me" 2016 41 — — KOR: 125,029+ Lucky Romance OST "No Sleep" 5 — — KOR: 554,277 + Love in the Moonlight OST "I Miss You" 5 — 11 KOR: 1,253,414+ Goblin OST "First Love" 2018 — — — Two Yoo Project Sugar Man OST "Silence" — — — Life OST "Shout Myself" — — — Road to Ithaca OST "When It Rains" — — — The Third Charm OST "Good to Be with You" 2019 — — — When the Camellia Blooms OST "Before Sunrise (Prod. Kiggen)" 2020 — — — Traveler – Argentina OST "Goodbye" — — — Oh My Baby OST "The Only One" — — — 18 Again OST "Puzzle" 2021 — — — Mr. Queen OST "Don't Smile at Me" — — — Hello, Me! OST "Breath" — — — Morning Kiss at Tiffany's OST "Paradise" — — — Idol: The Coup OST "Only You" 2022 — — — The Golden Spoon OST "Good Bye" — — — Love Is for Suckers OST "Take Me Back in Time" 2023 — — — Joseon Attorney OST "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.* Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 was discontinued in July 2014.

Promotional single + List of promotional singles, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak positions Sales Album KOR "Blue Nights of Jeju Island" 2017 100

Compilation appearances + List of compilation appearances, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak positions Album KOR Down. "I Knew I Would Fall In Love" 2021 107 Begin Again Open Mic Episode. 10 "Love Story" 2022 164 Hidden Singer 7 Compilation "Dolls" 51 Star, Again Compilation "An Obvious Break-Up" 2023 133 The Ultimate Karaoke Battle: VS Episode 1

Other charted songs + List of other charted songs, showing year released, with selected chart positions, and name of the album Title Year Peak positions Sales Album KOR Down. "Grown-up" 2017 98

Filmography Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2014 Wishing Star Co-host 2015 Get It Beauty MC Episodes 1–27, 31–32, 35, 37 2016 Baek Jong-won's Top 3 Chef King Regular member Episodes 52–61 2017 Law of the Jungle in New Zealand Cast member Episodes 270–273 Battle Trip Trip planner With Kim Da-som; episodes 42–45 2018 Produce 48 Vocal trainer 2019 Produce X 101 Special vocal trainer Episodes 1–2 Matching Survival 1+1 Host With Lee Soo-geun, Kim Hee-chul, P.O The Call S2 Regular member Episodes 1–10 2020 Yacht Expedition: The Beginning Regular member 2021 Love Mafia Host 2022 Global Donation Show W (Double-U) Special host Youth Star Youth mentor Scance, not Hocance Host Hole-in-One with Kim Sung-joo God Saeng Tour 2023 Super Karaoke Survival: VS Producer with Lim Han-byul

Web shows Year Title Role 2022 Love Mafia Host Nostalgic Again

Videography Music videos

Concert and tours Solo concert Title Date Venue Ref The Live: Night April 2, 2022 Sogang University Mary Hall April 3, 2022

Concert participation Title Date Venue City Country Ref Starship X Concert December 5, 2014 Walker Hill Theater Seoul South Korea 2022 BNF Festival June 4, 2022 Lake 88 Waterside Park June 5, 2022 K-Concert : Vocalist Live in Japan February 18, 2023 Toyosu PIT Tokyo Japan

Affiliated concert Year Title Note 2017 Junggigo Live Concert < 2017 > Guest 2018 K.Will National Tour Concert 2021 MC Mong Concert〈MC Mong 20th Anniversary Concert: It begins now! 〉 Wonho Concert〈'WE ARE YOUNG'〉 2022 MC Mong Concert 〈Monster Co., Ltd. - 2nd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders: Halloween Workshop〉 Lee Mu-jin National Tour Concert〈Supplementary Book〉

Awards and nominations

+ Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Gaon Chart Music Awards 2013 Artist of the Year – September "Stupid in Love" (with Mad Clown) 2014 Long-Run Song of the Year "Some" (with Junggigo) Song of the Year – February Golden Disc Awards 2015 Digital Bonsang Trend of the Year KBS Music Awards 2014 Grand Prize (Daesang) "Some" (with Junggigo) Korea Drama Awards 2016 Best Original Soundtrack "Tell Me" 2017 "I Miss You" Korea First Brand Awards 2019 Best Female Solo Singer Soyou Best Female Entertainer Korean Music Awards 2015 Best Pop Song "Some" (with Junggigo) Song of the Year (Daesang) Group Musician of the Year Soyou (with Junggigo) Melon Music Awards 2014 Hot Trend Award "Some" (with Junggigo) Best R&B/Soul Award Song of the Year 2017 Top 10 Artist Soyou 2018 Hot Trend Award "I Still" (with Sung Si-kyung) Mnet Asian Music Awards 2014 Best Collaboration "Some" (with Junggigo) UnionPay Song of the Year 2015 Best Collaboration "Lean on Me" (with Kwon Jeong-yeol) UnionPay Song of the Year 2017 Best Collaboration Rain (with Baekhyun) Song of the Year 2019 Best Collaboration "Rain Drop" (with Ovan) SBS Gayo Daejun 2014 Best Song (Daesang) "Some" (with Junggigo) Seoul International Drama Awards Outstanding Korean Drama OST "Once More" Seoul International Youth Film Festival Best OST by a Female Artist Seoul Music Awards 2015 Best Song Award "Some" (with Junggigo) Soribada Best K-Music Awards 2018 Bonsang Award Soyou Style Icon Awards 2014 Top 10 Style Icons of the Year

Listicles Publisher Year Category Placement GQ Korea 2014 Woman of the Year Placed