Boa Kwon (born November 5, 1986 in Guri, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) is a South Korean singer, commonly known by her stage name BoA (Beat of Angel). She is active in South Korea and Japan. Her Korean record label, SM Entertainment, has positioned her to become a cross-cultural idol in East Asia and parts of Southeast Asia.
She has released a total of ten full-length albums, three mini-albums, two compilation albums, two remix albums, and over thirty singles in total in both Japan and South Korea. Sold in many parts of Asia, her total record sales have passed the ten-million mark.
She is fluent in her native tongue Korean, Japanese, and speaks conversational English. She is currently learning Mandarin Chinese. BoA has re-recorded several of her songs in Mandarin Chinese and written the lyrics for several of her Korean and Japanese songs. She has also translated some of her songs from Japanese to Korean and vice-versa and then re-recorded them again. BoA is one of the most commercially successful artists in both South Korea and Japan and is one of the leading stars of the "Korean wave" or "Hallyu". BoA has re-signed an extended contract with SM Entertainment until 2012 for which she will receive 100,000 shares of SM Entertainment.
Background information
Birth name 권보아 (Kwon, Boa)
Born November 05, 1986 (1986-11-05) (age 20)
Origin Guri, South Korea
Genre(s) J-pop, K-pop, C-pop, Pop
Occupation(s) Singer
Instrument(s) Singing, Piano
Years active 2000–present
Label(s) SM Entertainment
Avex Trax
Associated
acts SMTown
Website BoA official website (Korean)
BoA official website (Japanese)
Early years
BoA was born and raised in South Korea in a Catholic nuclear family. At the age of eleven, she accompanied one of her brothers to a talent search held by Korean record label, SM Entertainment, which was searching for an international icon. After her parents agreed to let her pursue a career in music, BoA received training in singing, dancing, and foreign languages in preparation for her Korean debut. BoA attended Yangjung Elementary School, Sahmyook Middle School, and Korean Kent Foreign School.
ID; Peace B and LISTEN TO MY HEART era
At the age of thirteen, after two years of training, BoA released her debut album ID; Peace B on August 25, 2000. The album received positive reviews and climbed into the top ten chart, going on to sell 218,114 copies. Meanwhile, her Korean record label SM Entertainment made arrangements with Japanese music giant Avex Trax to launch BoA's music career in Japan.
In early 2001, BoA released her first mini album, Jumping into the World. After this album was released, BoA took a hiatus from the Korean music industry to focus on the Japanese market. The months prior to release of her first Japanese single were spent entirely in Japan, and BoA was only allowed to speak Japanese in order to solidify her mastery of the language.[citation needed] BoA has described this period as one of the loneliest times in her life.
BoA entered into the Japanese music industry soon after signing with Avex Trax. In 2001 she debuted with a Japanese version of ID; Peace B. The single reached #20 on the Oricon chart. ID; Peace B was followed by subsequent singles Amazing Kiss (#23), 気持ちはつたわる (Kimochi wa Tsutawaru) (#15), and LISTEN TO MY HEART (#5). The single LISTEN TO MY HEART became her first major success in Japan and went on to sell over 180,000 copies.
Her Japanese debut album, LISTEN TO MY HEART, was released on March 13, 2002. The album debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart in which the album charted for 91 weeks. It sold over 932,000 copies domestically and over 1,300,000 copies worldwide. A breakthrough in her career, her album was one of the few albums by Korean artists to enter the top five, and performed well despite the competitive tension between Japan and South Korea due to 2002 World Cup. On the same day as the album's release, BoA's fifth single Every Heart-ミンナノキモチ- (minna no kimochi, everybody's feelings) was released. The song was the ending theme for the hit anime series InuYasha; the single peaked at #10 on the charts.
A month later, BoA released her second full studio Korean album, NO.1. This album is her most successful Korean album to date, selling over 572,000 copies (excluding overseas sales). The album peaked at #15 on the Japanese charts.In september of the same year BoA released her 2nd mini-album (2.5 album) Miracle and sold 327,000 copies.Later in the year she became the youngest artist ever to receive a Daesang (equivalent to a Grammy) for "Artist of the Year."
VALENTI and ATLANTIS PRINCESS era
BoA continued releasing singles leading up to her second Japanese album, including Don't Start Now (#17), a "special single" featuring a Japanese edition of the promotional track of her Korean mini-album, Don't Start Now, and her hit single Valenti. It peaked at #2 on the charts, her highest showing on the singles chart at the time, and would go on to sell over 200,000 copies. Valenti was quickly followed by two more hit singles: 奇蹟 (kiseki) / NO.1 (#3) and JEWEL SONG / BESIDE YOU –僕を呼ぶ声– (boku wo yobu koe) (#3). On January 29, 2003, her second full studio album VALENTI was released. It reached #1 on the charts with over 615,000 copies sold in its first week of release (these high first week debut sales were ranked as the 83rd highest of all time in Japan according to a list compiled in January 2006). It became BoA's best selling Japanese album, selling over 1,250,000 copies domestically (making her the highest and fastest selling Asian foreigner in Japanese history) and 1,400,000 copies worldwide. After topping the album charts for two weeks in a row, VALENTI put BoA in the spotlight of the Japanese music scene with other artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru. The album's live tour was sold out in Osaka and Nagoya within 15 minutes, while Tokyo sold out within a day.[citation needed] The album would go on to become one of the top five selling albums of the year in Japan.
Released on May 30, 2003, BoA's third Korean album Atlantis Princess sold over 340,000 copies domestically, topping the Korean music charts. Atlantis Princess was well-received throughout Korea and would receive multiple awards later in the year.
BoA released her third mini-album Shine We Are! in the winter of the same year. This album again showcased Korean renditions of her Japanese songs, but later received criticism for the darker, more mature image portrayed on the cover.[citation needed] Disappointingly, this mini-album sold only 80,000 copies.
MY NAME and LOVE & HONESTY era
After the releases of VALENTI and Atlantis Princess and her first Japanese tour LIVE TOUR 2003 -VALENTI-, BoA continued her career in Japan. She released several singles for her upcoming album: Shine We Are! / Earthsong (#2), DOUBLE/Midnight Parade/Milky Way ~君の歌~ (#2), and Rock With You (#5). On January 15, 2004 her third Japanese album, LOVE & HONESTY, was released. It reached #1 on the Oricon chart for 2 weeks and would go on to sell over 650,000 copies domestically and over 800,000 copies worldwide and would go on to be one of the top sellers of 2004. Later, the album's live tour would prove to be largely successful (in some venues, with arenas filled to one thousand above capacity due to the high demand for seats).
In 2004, BoA's fourth Korean album, My Name, was released. This album received public attention for its complete style shift from the "young and cute" BoA to a more mature one. (BoA was turning 19 in Korean age reckoning; 17 going 18 in non-Korean reckoning.) This album sold approximately 202,000 copies. BoA won her second Daesang ("Grand Prize") award at the 2004 MKMF Awards for the music video of the album's title track, My Name. The album was subsequently followed by more focus on the Japanese market. In June 2006, the music video of "My Name" became the first music video ever shown on MTV K, an MTV music channel directed at Korean-Americans.
BEST OF SOUL & GIRLS ON TOP era
After the release of LOVE & HONESTY and her second live arena tour LIVE TOUR 2004 LOVE & HONESTY, several more singles were released: QUINCY / コノヨノシルシ (Konoyo no Shirushi) (#4) and メリクリ (Meri Kuri) (#5). However, instead of releasing her expected fourth Japanese language studio album, BoA released a "best of" compilation album for her Japanese singles (including a bonus track: "La La La Love Song" featuring Japanese hip-hop group SOUL'd Out) on February 2, 2005. Her greatest hits album BEST OF SOUL made BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two albums sell over a million copies domestically.[2] Her live tour sold out once again. BEST OF SOUL became the ninth highest selling album of 2005.
In 2005, BoA released her fifth Korean studio album, Girls on Top. It sold approximately 115,000 copies, which was significantly lower than the previous album sales. A factor to the disappointing figure is that Korean album sales have dropped by over 50% from 2004 alone, making sales of over 100,000 copies respectable. This album featured a more "hip-hop" feel, following the trend of many other Korean artists who left the pure pop music sound. BoA sported the shaggy haircut, a Japanese hairstyle with many ragged, layers, for an image change during the first few weeks of promotion before switching back to a more feminine look during the promotion of the second leading track of the album, "MOTO". The album also hit #1 in Taiwan, showcasing BoA's popularity outside of South Korea and Japan. BoA would end up winning the "Best Female Artist" award at the m.net Music Festival at the end of 2005.
BoA celebrated the five year anniversary of her Korean debut with fans on August 25, 2005. To advertise for the special event, a new limited edition "MOTO" repackaging for the Girls on Top album was released.
After the release of LOVE & HONESTY and her second live arena tour LIVE TOUR 2004 LOVE & HONESTY, several more singles were released: QUINCY / コノヨノシルシ (Konoyo no Shirushi) (#4) and メリクリ (Meri Kuri) (#5). However, instead of releasing her expected fourth Japanese language studio album, BoA released a "best of" compilation album for her Japanese singles (including a bonus track: "La La La Love Song" featuring Japanese hip-hop group SOUL'd Out) on February 2, 2005. Her greatest hits album BEST OF SOUL made BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two albums sell over a million copies domestically.[2] Her live tour sold out once again. BEST OF SOUL became the ninth highest selling album of 2005.
In 2005, BoA released her fifth Korean studio album, Girls on Top. It sold approximately 115,000 copies, which was significantly lower than the previous album sales. A factor to the disappointing figure is that Korean album sales have dropped by over 50% from 2004 alone, making sales of over 100,000 copies respectable. This album featured a more "hip-hop" feel, following the trend of many other Korean artists who left the pure pop music sound. BoA sported the shaggy haircut, a Japanese hairstyle with many ragged, layers, for an image change during the first few weeks of promotion before switching back to a more feminine look during the promotion of the second leading track of the album, "MOTO". The album also hit #1 in Taiwan, showcasing BoA's popularity outside of South Korea and Japan. BoA would end up winning the "Best Female Artist" award at the m.net Music Festival at the end of 2005.
BoA celebrated the five year anniversary of her Korean debut with fans on August 25, 2005. To advertise for the special event, a new limited edition "MOTO" repackaging for the Girls on Top album was released.
After the release of LOVE & HONESTY and her second live arena tour LIVE TOUR 2004 LOVE & HONESTY, several more singles were released: QUINCY / コノヨノシルシ (Konoyo no Shirushi) (#4) and メリクリ (Meri Kuri) (#5). However, instead of releasing her expected fourth Japanese language studio album, BoA released a "best of" compilation album for her Japanese singles (including a bonus track: "La La La Love Song" featuring Japanese hip-hop group SOUL'd Out) on February 2, 2005. Her greatest hits album BEST OF SOUL made BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two albums sell over a million copies domestically.[2] Her live tour sold out once again. BEST OF SOUL became the ninth highest selling album of 2005.
In 2005, BoA released her fifth Korean studio album, Girls on Top. It sold approximately 115,000 copies, which was significantly lower than the previous album sales. A factor to the disappointing figure is that Korean album sales have dropped by over 50% from 2004 alone, making sales of over 100,000 copies respectable. This album featured a more "hip-hop" feel, following the trend of many other Korean artists who left the pure pop music sound. BoA sported the shaggy haircut, a Japanese hairstyle with many ragged, layers, for an image change during the first few weeks of promotion before switching back to a more feminine look during the promotion of the second leading track of the album, "MOTO". The album also hit #1 in Taiwan, showcasing BoA's popularity outside of South Korea and Japan. BoA would end up winning the "Best Female Artist" award at the m.net Music Festival at the end of 2005.
BoA celebrated the five year anniversary of her Korean debut with fans on August 25, 2005. To advertise for the special event, a new limited edition "MOTO" repackaging for the Girls on Top album was released.
After the release of LOVE & HONESTY and her second live arena tour LIVE TOUR 2004 LOVE & HONESTY, several more singles were released: QUINCY / コノヨノシルシ (Konoyo no Shirushi) (#4) and メリクリ (Meri Kuri) (#5). However, instead of releasing her expected fourth Japanese language studio album, BoA released a "best of" compilation album for her Japanese singles (including a bonus track: "La La La Love Song" featuring Japanese hip-hop group SOUL'd Out) on February 2, 2005. Her greatest hits album BEST OF SOUL made BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two albums sell over a million copies domestically.[2] Her live tour sold out once again. BEST OF SOUL became the ninth highest selling album of 2005.
In 2005, BoA released her fifth Korean studio album, Girls on Top. It sold approximately 115,000 copies, which was significantly lower than the previous album sales. A factor to the disappointing figure is that Korean album sales have dropped by over 50% from 2004 alone, making sales of over 100,000 copies respectable. This album featured a more "hip-hop" feel, following the trend of many other Korean artists who left the pure pop music sound. BoA sported the shaggy haircut, a Japanese hairstyle with many ragged, layers, for an image change during the first few weeks of promotion before switching back to a more feminine look during the promotion of the second leading track of the album, "MOTO". The album also hit #1 in Taiwan, showcasing BoA's popularity outside of South Korea and Japan. BoA would end up winning the "Best Female Artist" award at the m.net Music Festival at the end of 2005.
BoA celebrated the five year anniversary of her Korean debut with fans on August 25, 2005. To advertise for the special event, a new limited edition "MOTO" repackaging for the Girls on Top album was released.
Following the success of BEST OF SOUL, BoA's 15th single DO THE MOTION hit #1 on the Oricon chart, making her the fifth non-Japanese singer to have #1 single, the first in over 21 years. In September, BoA went on to release her 16th single, make a secret (#3), but it would only go on to sell 55,000 copies. Her 17th single, 抱きしめる (Dakishimeru) (#9), was released on November 23, 2005 and was met with similar sales numbers. Her 18th Japanese (and 4th Korean) single, Everlasting (#4), released on January 18, 2006, collected low debut sales again (approximately 33,000 copies) due to the proximity of its release to that of OUTGROW; however, the single's long chart life in the Top 20 allowed for it to break her mini-trend of flops and gave BoA her first commercially successful single since 2005's DO THE MOTION.
OUTGROW era
Her fourth Japanese studio album, OUTGROW, was released on February 15, 2006. The limited CD+DVD edition of the album contained music videos of the promoted singles and a secret password to unlock a special version of BoA's official website. During that time, BoA's record label stated that with the worldwide release of OUTGROW, BoA's total record sales will most likely pass the ten-million mark, a major landmark in her career. OUTGROW hit number one on the Oricon chart for its first week of release, making it her fifth Japanese album to do so. This achievement tied her with Namie Amuro, Kuraki Mai, MISIA, and Utada Hikaru for second place behind Ayumi Hamasaki (among female Japanese artists) in having her first four original studio albums hit number one; however, the album had relatively low debut sales (220,000 copies sold) making it her lowest-selling first-week debut for a studio album at that point.
BoA also released her first digital single, Merry Christmas from BoA, on December 7, 2005 (online distribution came to a close on December 25 of that same year) and performed in NHK Best Singers contest for the fourth year in a row, making her the only foreigner to ever perform in the event for that many years with other top Japanese artists such as SMAP and Ayumi Hamasaki.
During 2006, BoA was largely inactive in Korea and focused on her career in Japan. She consistently released and promoted singles and started a special ZEPP tour B0A THE LIVE on September 29, 2006. Starting from Nagoya, Japan, the tour continued until October 29, 2006 with a total of 12 shows, two in each of the following cities: Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, Sendai, and Sapporo.
Her 19th single "Nanairo no Ashita~brand new beat~ / Your Color" was released on April 5, 2006. "Your Color" was used as the ending theme song for the Xbox 360 Japanese release of Ninety-Nine Nights. "KEY OF HEART / DOTCH" was released on August 8, 2006, which collected the lowest first week sales since the singer rose to fame. The single eventually sold a disappointing 40,943 copies. The track was the ending theme to Over the Hedge in Japan. She also released an English version of "KEY OF HEART", which was only available on the first press edition of the single. BoA's 21st Japanese single "Winter Love" was released on November 1, 2006 and debuted at #2 on the Japanese Single Oricon Daily charts on the single's first day. Staying at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Charts, the single became her highest charting single since "DO THE MOTION". The single rose to the #1 position in its second week. November 5 marked BoA's 20th birthday which made Winter Love the last "teenage" single from BoA.
BoA staged her first Christmas concert on December 7, 2006. BoA sang her own Christmas ballads ("Winter Love", "LAST CHRISTMAS" and "Meri Kuri") in the ZEPP Tokyo Stadium.
MADE IN TWENTY (20) & Upcoming 6th Korean Album era
BoA's 5th Japanese studio album MADE IN TWENTY (20) was released on January 17, 2007. Leaking on the Internet five days before its release date, the album debuted at the top of the Oricon Daily Album Charts. MADE IN TWENTY (20) placed first in the Oricon Weekly Album Charts making BoA one of the few artists with five number-one studio albums since her debut. Only Ayumi Hamasaki bests her with eight. The album, however, debuted with the lowest first-week sales of her career, at 182,009 copies. BoA's nationwide tour in Japan began on March 31, 2007 to promote her album. She will start at the Yokohama Arena and will end at the Nagoya Rainbow Hall. BoA has a contract with avex trax until 2007 but is expected to renew it.
BoA's sixth Korean album will be most likely due out in June. BoA has stated that she will start work on the album after the completion of her Japanese tour (i.e. late April/early May). [5]BoA has a contract with SM Entertainment until 2012.On September 21, 2006, BoA released her first digital single in Korea: a Korean version of KEY OF HEART. The song was used in her first Olympus commercial.
BoA is also expecting to release her 22nd Japanese single which has been named "Sweet Impact" on April 25th. The title song "Sweet Impact" is the CM song to the Fasio Cosmetics commercial. The cover (CD+DVD) of "Sweet Impact" drew controversy because of its similarity to a VOGUE magazine cover featuring English model Kate Moss.
She is also scheduled to participate in Wheesung's new album due out May 2007.
Currently BoA has decided to work on another album, formally mentioned, and appear in more tours around the world.
[edit] Worldwide career developments
BoA will perform at the Hollywood Bowl Korean Music Festival 2007 in Los Angeles in 5th May.
BoA appeared in the Korean Music Festival held in the Sydney Opera House on June 21, 2004 and in the Volvo "Hallyu" Concert in Universal City, California (outside of Los Angeles) on June 11, 2005. More recently, she performed her song NO.1 before world leaders at the 2005 APEC conference in Busan, South Korea. In November 2006, BoA was featured on CNN International's TalkAsia, interviewed by correspondent Anjali Rao. [10] She has worked with Britney Spears, Howie Dorough (of the Backstreet Boys) and popular Irish band Westlife.
Chinese activity
BoA is planning on entering the Chinese market very soon (although rumors of her entrance can be traced back to 2004, currently the most likely date of entrance is in 2008 or late 2007). She has released several overseas versions of her albums in Taiwan and China already, so she is reasonably well known in both regions. Her Korean record label, SM Entertainment, plans to have her in acting roles in China in order to become more familiar to Chinese fans before moving into the Chinese music scene.She has already made appearance overseas this year through Levi's advertisements with Edison Chen.
In many parts of Northern China, BoA has already become quite popular. Though she rarely sings in Chinese, her Korean singles and albums are for sale domestically in many urban cities including Dandong (Liaoning Province)
BoA is also the face of a Korean cosmetics line, Missha, in China.
Entrance into the U.S. market
Official SM representative and SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo Man stated in an interview, "BoA has no plans in the near future to establish a presence in the U.S. market for several reasons"; however, she has once been quoted saying she wanted to enter the U.S. market before she turns 20. Lee Soo Man has said that there would not be a need to enter the U.S. market because "China will soon become the U.S.", hence creating the constant push for BoA to begin her acting career in China.
On the May 17, 2006, BoA attended the 59th Cannes Film Festival where she walked on the red carpet with the original cast for Over the Hedge. She was the first Korean artist to attend such an event.
BoA's My Name music video became first premiere music video for opening of MTV K channel in the U.S.
BoA has also appeared on the "CNN TalkAsia" Talkshow on December 2, 2006. She discusses about her childhood and her days before her debut. She was questioned on many things such as "why she doesn't perform much in Korea". In the ending, she tells about her wishes in the future. She states that she dreams of performing on an American stage one day.
Acting career
BoA made her debut in the film industry as a dubbing actress for the voice of Heather the Opossum in the Korean and Japanese versions of Over the Hedge, which was released on May 31, 2006 in Korea. It is rumoured that after this initial foray onto the "big screen" that BoA will star in a drama later this year.
In 2005, BoA was given the main lead as Shin Chae Gyung in the rags-to-riches drama, Goong (Palace), but due to her busy schedule, the role was passed on to former Baby V.O.X member, Yoon Eun Hye.
On June 28, 2006 it was rumored that BoA may star in her first movie role alongside Chinese superstars, Jay Chou and Yao Ming, in the highly anticipated film, Slam Dunk (Guan Lan), due to be released March 2007. However in the midst of rampart rumors and speculation, SM Entertainment confirmed that BoA has refused the offer to star as the heroine in the upcoming film. "In order to participate in the filming, BoA would have to dedicate at least three months, and with her extremely busy schedule both in Korea and Japan, such a dedication is virtually impossible at the moment", explained a source at SM Entertainment, "therefore, BoA had no choice but to refuse the offer."[14] Coincidentally, the role was once again offered on to former Baby V.O.X member, Yoon Eun Hye, who later refused the deal due to a hectic schedule.
SM Entertainment is currently looking for a Korean drama that will be suitable for BoA, which will mark the beginning of her acting career. It has been confirmed that she will act in a Korean drama first, for Korean is her mother language.
Other appearances
BoA has appeared in numerous advertisements, including Lipton, Pantech Curitel, Lotte, Maybelline, Levi's, Nike, Olympus, Kose Fasio, Toshiba, and Skechers.
In early 2007, She has also participated in shooting a commercial for Korea's Corn Beard Tea, which gained a great amount of attention in Korea's internet community, due to her images that had cute and innocent with a sexy feel to them.[15]
BoA has replaced Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun as the new face of Olympus Korea, and has been featured in their adverts since September 2006.[
References
^ a b THE FIRST VIDEO ON MTV K: BoA "My Name"
^ BoA、ベスト盤が100万枚を突破！
^ B0A THE LIVE【CD購入者限定リザーブチケット予約受付】を開始いたしました！
^ Oricon Style
^ http://www.epg.co.kr
^ 보아-케이트 모스, 비슷한 화보 ‘우연’?
^ CNN.com - TalkAsia
^ 2005-08-00 : Sisa Press interviews Lee Soo Man
^ Korea.net News: BoA dreams of performing in US
^ 가수들의 끊임없는 연기 도전
^ 보아 '덩크'출연 고사… '안방'서 신고식
^ Wikipedia
links
(Korean) BoA's official Korean website http://star.ilikepop.com/starhome/boa/
(Japanese) BoA's official Japanese website http://www.avexnet.or.jp/boa/
(Chinese) BoA's official Chinese website http://www.avex.com.tw/boa/
^ a b c [4]
^ 보아, 우아한 여성미로 ‘광고계 유행 선도!’
^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/special/060726_01.html
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