[Female Vocalists from Korea] Singers and Solo Artists Who Color the World of K-POP

어머나jang yunjong (chan yunjon)

가요무대 – 어머나 – 장윤정.20161010

Jang Yoon-jeong, a female singer who brought a fresh breeze to the Korean trot scene.

Although she made her debut after winning the Grand Prize at the MBC Gangbyeon Song Festival in 1999, her full-fledged activities began in 2003.

With a bright personality loved by younger generations and songs that modernized traditional trot music, she achieved a major breakthrough with “Oh My!” in 2004.

She continued her energetic career, releasing the album “Jang Yoon-jeong Twist” in 2008 and a duet with Namjin in 2009.

She has won numerous awards, including the Grand Prize in the Adult Music category at the 2004 Seoul Music Awards.

Cherished as the “Fairy of Trot,” Jang Yoon-jeong’s voice overflows with the charm of a perfect harmony between tradition and innovation.

Love Like ThisHyolyn

[MV] Hyolyn(효린) _ Love Like This (Feat. Dok2)

This is a solo song by Hyolyn, who was the main vocalist of SISTAR, which disbanded in 2017.

The R&B-style melody paired with Hyolyn’s husky voice is very pleasing to the ear, and it’s the kind of song that becomes addictive after just one listen.

Since she established her own agency after SISTAR disbanded, I’m excited to see her future activities.

Cinderella TimeNC.A

[HIT] 뮤직뱅크 – 앤씨아(NC.A) – 통금시간(Cinderella Time).20150327

While attending a music school, Encia was scouted after her singing caught the eye of the president of her current agency, leading to her debut in 2013 while she was still a high school student.

Starting in 2017, she appeared on the idol reboot program “The Unit,” where her dedicated effort to improve at the dancing she found challenging won her popularity.

Hopefully skyJeong Eun Ji

Jeong Eun Ji 1st Mini Album [Dream] ‘하늘바라기 (feat.하림)’ M/V

Eunji, the main vocalist of Apink.

Possessing one of the top-tier vocal abilities in the K-pop idol scene, she originally aimed to become a vocal trainer, so she initially struggled with singing in a typical “idol-like” style.

There’s even a candid story that she only started selling well after she began singing more like an idol because she wasn’t gaining much popularity.

Her straightforward, boyish personality is also one of the reasons she’s so popular.

HOLIDAYSuzy

SUZY (수지) ‘HOLIDAY (Feat. DPR LIVE)’ M/V

Suzy from miss A, which disbanded in 2017, released her first solo song after the breakup, singing with the concept of a leisurely day off.

Known as the “Nation’s First Love,” she has a strong image of being pure and beautiful, but her slightly offbeat remarks on variety shows are also entertaining, and that gap is part of her charm.

Beauty AdvisoryDooRi

[MV] DooRi(두리) _ Beauty Advisory(예쁨주의보)

Dooree, a skilled singer from Gwangju Metropolitan City, debuted in 2018 as a member of the girl group GBB.

The following year, she placed seventh on ‘Miss Trot Tomorrow,’ gaining attention in the trot scene.

With her elegant looks and powerful vocals, she masterfully covers a wide range of genres from pop to trot.

In 2021, she won the Grand Prize in the Trot Singer category at the Super Influencer Brand Awards.

She is also active beyond music, serving as a promotional ambassador for the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, among other roles.

Her beautiful vocal tone, dazzling stage presence, and versatility across uptempo numbers and ballads captivate not only trot fans but music lovers of all kinds.

THE BADDEST FEMALECL

CL – 나쁜 기집애(THE BADDEST FEMALE) M/V

This is a solo song by CL, the leader and rapper of 2NE1, which disbanded in 2016.

Although she is strongly associated with her rapper image, she is also an outstanding vocalist.

In her solo career, she has expanded overseas and was ranked No.

2 on the Washington Post’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World.” She performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

I think I’m in loveJUNIEL

[MV] JUNIEL _ I think I’m in love(연애하나 봐)

Juniel has a rare style in South Korea: singing while playing the guitar.

She reportedly admired BoA as a child, but gave up because she didn’t have a knack for dance, which led her to become interested in being a singer-songwriter.

Before debuting in Korea, she studied music in Japan as an exchange student, won the grand prize at an audition there, and made her major debut in Japan as well.

Dont’ Touch MeAilee

Ailee – Don’t Touch Me, 에일리 – 손대지마, Music Core 20141011

She had already become a well-known figure even before her official debut thanks to a video online of her singing Mariah Carey’s “Hero.” She says she successfully lost 10 kilograms for “Don’t Touch Me,” but experienced a period where she couldn’t sing, like an aftereffect.

Apparently she’s not the type to lie; there’s even a story that during an interview she admitted her pre-diet weight was 60 kilograms.

BeautifulAmber

AMBER 엠버 ‘Beautiful’ Special Video

Among K-pop girl groups—many of which lean toward a pure/innocent or sexy image—Amber stands out as a cool presence who firmly maintains her own boyish, androgynous style.

She was a member of f(x), but her contract with SM Entertainment ended in 2019.

Since then, she has taken flight as a solo artist.

This song is a solo track from her SM days, and it portrays Amber herself pushing toward her dreams even when she can’t see the road ahead.

Many felt that her charms weren’t fully utilized at SM, so here’s to supporting the newly soaring Amber.