Sooyoung
Choi Soo-young (Hangul: 최수영; Hanja: 崔秀英[1]; Japanese: チェ・スヨン; born February 10, 1990) is a South Korean singer, dancer, actress, promotional model, TV presenter, songwriter, rapper, and MC. She was a member of the Korean-Japanese duo group Route θ and is a member of the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation, formed by S. M. Entertainment in 2007.
Biography
Sooyoung was born in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea on February 10, 1990. She is the younger sister of, Choi Soo Jin, who is a musical actress.[2]
Her father, Choi Jungnam, is an architect as well as a manager of a
contracting company. Her mother, Moon Sohee, is a housewife and has
taught opera classes.
She was discovered on SM Casting System via the 2000 SM Open
Audition. She then auditioned for the 2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo
Audition and won first place, marking her debut into the Japanese music
scene with the band Route θ.[6][7]
After winning first place in the 2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo awards, Sooyoung was sent to Japan and debuted as a member of the duo Route θ, alongside Marina Takahashi.[6] The band released three singles: "Waku! Waku! It's Love",[8] "Start",[8] and "Painting", and 3 B-Sides : Go Go Happy!!, Kimi Ni Ae Ta Kara (君に会えたから) and Onna No Ko Magic (女の子マジック).[8] The group was later disbanded in 2003.
Sooyoung graduated from JeongShin Women High School(Korean: 정신 여자 고등학교) in 2009 and is currently majoring in performing arts and theater at Chung-Ang University with fellow member Yuri. She was a member of a choir in JeongShin Women High School in her school days.
On December 17, 2013, Sooyoung and her labelmate Choi Siwon have been appointed as ambassadors for 'UNICEF's santa campaign to help children in need.[9]
Career
Singing career
See also: Girls' Generation
After winning first place in the 2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo,
Sooyoung was sent to Japan and debuted as a member of the duo Route θ,
alongside Marina Takahashi. The band released three singles: "Waku!
Waku! It's Love","Start", and "Painting", and 3 B-Sides : Go Go Happy!!,
Kimi Ni Ae Ta Kara (君に会えたから) and Onna No Ko Magic (女の子マジック). The group
was later disbanded in 2003.[10]
In 2008, Sooyoung and Yuri sang the trot song "Kkok" (Hangul: "꼭") for the opening theme of the SBS TV miniseries Working Mom (Hangul: 워킹 맘).[12][13] She was also featured in "Oh! My Love to You" (Korean: "너만을 느끼며"; or alternatively titled "Feeling Only You") by The Blue (Kim Min-jong and Son Ji-chang), alongside bandmate Tiffany.[14][15]
Acting career
Sooyoung played a part in the 2007 KBS 2TV sitcom Unstoppable Marriage (Korean: 못말리는 결혼), alongside Yuri.[16] She co-starred with Lee Yeon-hee and Kangin on the romantic comedy film Hello, Schoolgirl (Korean: 순정만화); SBS TV miniseries Oh My Lady! starring Choi Siwon and Chae Rim with two bandmates, Jessica and Hyoyeon.[17] She also made a cameo on SBS miniseries Paradise Ranch starring her labelmates Changmin and Lee Yeon-hee.
Sooyoung was in talks to be cast in the drama "Speed", about the
world of competitive race car driving. She was being considered for the
role of 'Seo Ji Won', an orthopedist and team doctor of racing team
‘CKins’. On February 15, 2012, it was announced that Sooyoung would not
be taking part in Speed due to scheduling differences with Girls' Generation's activities and problems with the drama itself.[18]
On March 20, 2012, she was cast on a medical drama titled The 3rd Hospital as violist "Eu Jin", who is part of the "love square", along with actors Kim Seung-woo, Oh Ji-ho and Kim Min-jung.
Her acting was very well received by both viewers and critics, with
co-actor Oh Ji Ho remarking that Sooyoung is "the best actress in Girls'
Generation while viewers are drawn to her natural display of emotion".[19][20][21]
On June 9, 2012, she made a cameo appearance on a drama titled A Gentleman's Dignity as herself.
On April 2, 2013, it was announced that Sooyoung would be starring alongside Lee Jonghyuk the upcoming tvN Monday/Tuesday drama, “Dating Agency: Cyrano”. “Dating Agency: Cyrano” is a 16-episode drama based on the webtoon, “Cyrano Agency”, and is a prequel to the original “Cyrano Agency”
movie. Sooyoung played the role of Gong Minyoung. Filming for “Dating
Agency: Cyrano” started in the middle of April, and the first episode
was aired near the end of May 2013.[22]
Show hosting career
Prior to her debut as a member of Girls' Generation, she was a VJ of the 2005 M.net Hello Chat, alongside Super Junior's Kangin. Also she worked as a radio DJ with Super Junior's Sungmin on DMB ChunBangJiChuk Radio (Hangul: 천방지축 라디오; lit. Reckless Radio) from July 2007 to January 2008.[23] From May to November 2009, she was a presenter for MBC TV children's game show Fantastic Duo (Korean: 환상의 짝꿍) along with Oh Sang-jin (Hangul: 오상진), and Kim Je-dong (Hangul: 김제동).[24]
On August 20, 2011, she was a MC for K-Pop All Star Live in Niigata together with Yuri & Tiffany.[25] She was also a MC in M! Countdown in 2011, following their win on "The Boys".
On May 30, 2012, it was announced that Sooyoung will be the new MC in SBS Midnight TV Entertainment with Yoon Dohyun.[26] ”
Sooyoung will be the MC for SBS Entertainment Awards on December 30th, 2012.[27]
On December 5th, 2013, Sooyoung hosted the “2013 Women’s Film
Festival” in Jongno, Seoul. Sooyoung was the sole MC for the event.[28]
Model
Prior to her debut as a member of Girls' Generation, Sooyoung modeled
with Route 0 bandmate Takahashi for Chubbygang Clothing Line on 2003.
Sooyoung is the tallest and the slimmest member of the group. She also
endorsed for Skoolooks Uniform back in 2004 along with Jang Geun-suk and Yoo Ah-in .[29] Shortly after her return from Japan, she appeared in a TV ad for Samsung AnyCall with Park Jeong-Ah (Hangul: 박정아) in 2004.[30] Sooyoung with bandmate Yoona, modeled for the 2008–09 F/W SFAA Seoul Collection: Lee Joo-Young Fashion Show at Seoul Hakyohul Exhibition Hall on March 20, 2008.[31] She had a photoshoot, with Seohyun and Yuri, for QTV's photographer audition survival-themed show Photographer. The photoshoot, entitled "Dreaming Water", is a joint campaign by Cosmopolitan magazine and UNICEF to promote the preservation of water for a clean environment.[32] On March 29, 2010, Sooyoung, along with Taeyeon, Yuri, Yoona, and Seohyun, was hired by Nintendo Korea as campaign models for the portable game console, Nintendo DSi.[33]
