SUNMI

A K-pop star who first came to the public’s attention as a member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls, Lee Sun-mi, better known by the mononym Sunmi, embarked on a solo career in 2013 and has since gone on to release a string of successful singles like “24 Hours” and “Siren” and EPs including 2014′s Full Moon, 2018′s Warning, and 2021′s 1/6.
A native of Iksan, North Jeolla, Sunmi studied musical theater growing up, and adopted her stepfather’s surname “Lee” while attending university. In 2006 she signed with JYP Entertainment and became the fourth member of K-pop/retro-pop group Wonder Girls, who released their debut album, The Wonder Years, featuring the smash hits “Tell Me,” “So Hot,” and “Nobody” in 2007.
Sunmi left the group in 2010 to focus on academic pursuits but returned to music in early 2013, this time as a solo artist. She released her debut single, the chart-topping “24 Hours,” later that August. Employing an innovative blend of urban-tinged synth pop and EDM, the track appeared on 2014′s Full Moon EP. Sunmi rejoined Wonder Girls the following year for their third and final LP, Reboot, which reached number five on the Gaon Album Chart and number two on Billboard World Albums. Wonder Girls issued one last single, “Draw Me,” before officially disbanding in 2017. That same year, Sunmi signed with Makeus Entertainment and released the single “Gashina,” with “Heroine” arriving in January 2018. Both tracks appeared on her second EP, Warning, which arrived later that September and cracked the Top Ten of the South Korean Gaon chart. February 2019 saw Sunmi embark on her first world tour. During this time, she released the singles “Noir” and “Laylaylay.” Another EP, 1/6, appeared in August 2021 and reached number five in South Korea. ~ James Christopher Monger