T A E Y E O N (태연)
Stage
Name: Kid Leader TAEYEON (꼬꼬마 리더 태연 – ggoggoma leader Taeyeon)
Birth Name: Kim
Tae-yeon (김태연)
Nicknames: Taeng,
Taengoo (Taeng9), Tete, Kid Leader, ByunTaeng (pervert Taeng),JumTaeng
Position: Leader & Main Vocalist
Date of Birth: March
9, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Bloodtype: O
Sibling(s): 1 older
brother (Kim Ji-woong), 1 younger sister (Kim Ha-yeon)
Language: Korean (Fluent), English, Chinese (Basic), Japanese (Basic)
Specialty: Trot
Casted: 2004 SM 8th Annual Best Contest (Best Singer 1st Place Grand
Award)
Training
Duration: 3 Years
3 Months
School: Jeonju Art High School (전주예술고고등학교) [graduated]
- 2009
OST for MBC drama Heading to the
Ground ‘It’s Love‘ (with Sunny)
- 2009 Model for ‘A-Solution’ cosmetic
(with Tiffany)
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with Tiffany & Sooyoung)
- 2010 MC for KBS2 talk show ‘Seung Seung
Jang Goo (Win Win)’
- 2010 Musical ‘Midnight
Sun’ from the movie ‘Taiyou no Uta‘ (as
Kaoru Amane)
- 2010 Voice Actor for ‘Despicable
Me‘ Korean
title: ‘Superbad’ (as Margo)
- 2010 Featured with The One ‘Like a
Star‘
- 2011 OST for SBS drama Athena:
Goddess of War ‘I Love You‘
- 2011 Featured with Kim Bum-soo ‘Different‘
TRIVIA
§ Despite
her kid-like appearance, Taeyeon is the oldest member and leader of SNSD.
§ Taeyeon
is considered as the best singer of SNSD.
§ Taeyeon
is the SNSD member with the largest fanbase. Her fanbase is the largest among
female idol singers in Korea.
§ Her
vocal mentor is The One who praised her as his most memorable student. Prior to
SNSD, 15-year-old Taeyeon was featured on his song called ‘You Bring Me Joy (Part 2)’. Six
years later in late 2010 the teacher-student duo re-teamed for a hit single ‘Like a Star’.
§ Taeyeon
is nicknamed as “OST Queen” because she has numerous of #1 hit drama
soundtracks.
§ Her
hometown is Jeonrado Jeonju.
§ Taeyeon’s
parents own a optical shop in Jeonju.
§ She made
her musical debut as Kaoru Amane in Midnight
Sun, a musical adaptation of movie‘Taiyou
no Uta’. She learned how to play guitar for that role.
§ Taeyeon
collects perfumes.
§ Taeyeon’s
favorite color is purple.
§ Taeyeon
has a infamous self-explanatory nickname, which is “Byuntaeng” (byuntae +taengoo, “byuntae” means “pervert”).
§ She
once stated that her ideal man is Vegeta of manga/anime Dragon Ball.
§ Tayeon
loves jelly, gummy worms and the likes.
J E S S I C A (제시카)
Stage Name: Ice
Princess JESSICA (얼음공주 제시카 – eoleum gongju Jessica)
Birth Name: Jessica
Jung (제시카 정)
Korean Name: Jung
Soo-yeon (정수연)
Nicknames: Sica,
Jessi, Jess, Sergeant Sic, General Sic, Sicachu, Sickal (knive), Sica-sama
Position: Main
Vocalist
Date of Birth: April
18, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Bloodtype: B
Sibling(s): 1
younger sister (Krystal Jung)
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English (Fluent), Chinese (Basic), Japanese
Specialty: Dance
Casted: 2000 SM
Casting System
Training Duration: 7 Years
6 Months
School: Korea
Kent Foreign School (K.K.F.S.) [graduated]
Career:
- 2007 MV Kim Jo Han – ‘Love is
so late, I’m sorry‘
- 2007 Featured with 8eight ‘I Love
You‘
- 2009 Featured with Park Myung Soo ‘Naengmyun‘
- 2009 MV Super Junior M – ‘Super
Girl‘
- 2009 Musical ‘Legally Blonde – The Musical‘ (as Elle Woods)
- 2010 CF Song for SPC Corp. (Dunkin Donuts, Paris Baguette, Baskin Robbins) ‘Sweet
Delight‘
- 2011
OST for KBS drama Romance Town ‘Because
Tears are Overflowing‘
TRIVIA
§ Nicknamed
as Ice Princess, Sergeant Sic, and Sica-sama because of the cold, predominant
vibe she has.
§ Jessica
is often considered as a real-life tsundere; A tsundere is a Japanese manga/anime
character development process that describes a person who is initially cold and
even hostile towards another person before gradually showing their warm side
over time.
§ Jessica
was born in San Francisco, California. After street-casted by SM Entertainment
when she was 11 year-old, she and her family moved to South Korea.
§ Jessica
trained for more than seven years before debuting with SNSD, making her the one
who trained longest among the nine members.
§ Her
younger sister, Krystal Jung, is a member of label-mate idol group, f(x).
§ Jessica
is allergic to cucumber.
§ Jessica
is SNSD’s resident sleepy-head. She can sleep up to 16 hour a day and is the
hardest member to wake up.
§ Jessica
once revealed that her hobbies are soccer and boxing. She also loves reading
books and magazines.
§ She
made her musical debut as Elle Woods in the musical adaptation of Legally
Blonde.
§ A “Sica
Effect” (Sica Hyogwa) is when
the atmosphere went down or turned cold once Jessica said something.
§ Jessica
is close to FinKL’s Ock Juhyun and actress Park Minyoung of drama Sungkyunkwan
Scandals fame.
S U N N Y (써니)
Stage Name: Energy
Source SUNNY (활력소 써니 – hwalryeokso Sunny)
Birth Name: Lee
Soon-kyu (이순규)
Nicknames: Soonkyu,
DJ Soon, Ssun, Sunny Bunny, Choi Danshin (the
shortest)
Blood type: B
Date of Birth: May 15,
1989
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Sibling(s): 2 older
sisters (Lee Eun-kyu, Lee Jin-kyu)
Position: Lead
Vocalist
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English, Chinese (Basic), Japanese (Basic)
Specialty: Sports,
Eloquence
Casted: 2007 SM
Casting System
Training Duration: 9
Months (previously trained for 5 years in another company)
School: Baehwa
Girl’s High School (배화여자고등학교) [graduated]
Career:
- 2008 DJ for Melon ‘ChunJi Radio:
Sungmin & Sunny’ (with Super
Junior Sungmin)
- 2008 MV Super Junior H – ‘Cooking?
Cooking!‘
- 2008 OST for movie Story of Wine ‘Finally
Now‘
- 2008 OST for SBS drama Working Mom ‘You
Don’t Know About Love‘
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with
Sooyoung & Seohyun)
- 2009 MC for SkyTV ‘the M’ (with SS501 Hyungjoon)
- 2009 OST for MBC drama Heading to the
Ground ‘It’s Love‘ (with Taeyeon)
- 2009 MC for MTV ‘the M’ (with 2AM Seulong)
- 2009 Variety show KBS2 ‘Invincible Youth’ (as part of Girl7)
- 2010 OST for SBS drama Oh! My Lady ‘Your
Doll‘
TRIVIA
§ Sunny
is the shortest member of SNSD.
§ Sunny
is in charge of aegyo (cutesy
acts) in SNSD.
§ She
doesn’t really fond of her real name, Soon-kyu because it sounds old and
outdated.
§ The
name Soon-kyu lives on through her participation in variety show ‘Invincible Youth’wherein Sunny revealed
her hard-working side as a farmer. Many viewers thought “Soonkyu” was a
nickname given to fit her persona of hard-working country-side girl in
the show, while in fact it’s her real name. She also gained the nickname
“Chicken-catcher Soonkyu” thanks to her impressive ability to catch chicken.
§ Sunny
was born in United States and the moved to Kuwait when she was an infant.
§ She and
her family was a war refugee during the Gulf War in Kuwait.
§ Sunny
has a phobia to fireworks and loud sounds, probably because of the Gulf War
experience she had.
§ Sunny
is an avid gamer.
§ Sunny
is a niece to SM Entertainment’s founder and former CEO, Lee Sooman.
§ She’s
the last to join SNSD and the one who received the shortest training in SM Ent;
that was because she was trained in another company, owned by singer Wheesung,
for five years but the company went bankrupt so Sunny auditioned to SM
Entertainment instead.
§ Sunny
shares the same birthday with both of her older sisters.
T I F F A N Y (티파니)
Stage Name: Brighter
than Jewels TIFFANY (보석보다 빛나는 티파니 – boseok boda
bitnaneun Tiffany)
Birth Name: Stephanie
Hwang (스테파니 황)
Korean Name: Hwang
Mi-young (황미영)
Nicknames: Fany,
DdilFany (clumsy Fany),
AjumNy, Mushroom, T-Manager / Manager Hwang, Myong, Jackson Hwang
Position: Lead
Vocalist
Date of Birth: August
1, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Blood type: O
Sibling(s): 1 older
sister (Michelle Hwang), 1 older brother (Leo Hwang)
Language: Korean,
English (Fluent), Chinese (Basic), Japanese (Basic), Spanish (Basic)
Specialty: Flute,
English
Casted: 2004 SM
Casting System; 2004 CJ/KMTV (USA-LA) Contest 1st Place
Training Duration: 3 Years
7 Months
School: Korea
Kent Foreign School (K.K.F.S.) [graduated]
Career:
- 2007 VJ for KMTV ‘Sonyun Sonyuh
Gayo Baekso’ (with Kim Hyesung)
- 2008 Model for ‘A-Solution’ cosmetic
- 2008 Variety Show KBS2 ‘Kko Kko Tour’ season
1
- 2009 OST for MBC drama Jang Myung
Go ‘By Myself (나 혼자서)‘
- 2009 Featured with K.Will ‘A Girl
Meets Love‘
- 2009 Featured with The Blue ‘Feeling
Only You‘ (with Sooyoung)
- 2009 MC for MBC Music Core (with
Yuri)
- 2009 Model for ‘A-Solution’ cosmetic
(with Taeyeon)
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with
Taeyeon & Sooyoung)
- 2010 CF ‘Biotherm’ (with Sooyoung & Yuri)
- 2010 OST for short movie Haru:
Unforgettable Day in Korea ‘Banji
(Ring)’
TRIVIA
§ One of
Tiffany’s biggest charms is her eye-smile.
§ Tiffany
was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in Diamond Bar, LA, California.
§ After
casted in Los Angeles, Tiffany came to Korea in 2004 all by herself.
§ Although
Tiffany graduated from Korea Kent Foreign School on April 2007, she had
attended primary and secondary schools in California – South Pointe Middle
School (US) and Diamond Bar High School (US).
§ Tiffany’s
favorite color is Pink.
§ She
shares the same birthday with her one-year-older brother, Leo Hwang.
§ Tiffany
has a puppy named Romeo.
§ Tiffany
is a devout Christian.
§ During
her trainee days she roomed with Taeyeon and Zhang Liyin.
§ To
avoid confusion with CSJH’s Stephanie, she picked the stage name Tiffany. She
revealed that Tiffany was the name her mother wanted to give her, but her
father named her Stephanie instead.
§ Her
“idol title”, Brighter than Jewels (boseok
boda bitnaneun), is the meaning of her Korean name, Mi-young.
§ During
Tiffany’s debut days, she wasn’t as fluent in Korean and often makes
pronunciation mistake. She mispronounced her introduction of “boseok” (보석, Jewel) to “beoseot” (버섯, mushroom) so the fans thought she was saying “Brighter than
Mushroom”. She gained the nickname “Mushroom” ever since.
§ One of
her nickname is Ti-manager or Manager Hwang because she often take the role of
manager to her fellow members due to her caring nature.
H Y O Y E O N (효연)
Stage Name: Dancing
Queen HYOYEON (댄싱퀸 효연 – dancing queen Hyoyeon)
Birth Name: Kim
Hyo-yeon (김효연)
Nicknames: Hyoraengi
(pun: tiger),
Kim-choding (elementary school-kid
Kim), Kim Yeolsal (10-year-old Kim), Fiona
Position: Supporting
Vocalist/Main Dancer
Date of Birth: September
22, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Bloodtype: AB
Sibling(s): 1
younger brother (Kim Min-goo)
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English , Chinese (Fluent), Japanese (Basic)
Specialty: Dance
Casted: 2000 SM
Casting System
Training Duration: 6 Years
1 Month
School: China
Beijing Language Courses (중국북경어학연수)
Career:
- 2004 Hip hop dance crew ‘Little Winners‘ (with Miss A Lee Min-young)
- 2005 MKMF BoA’s ‘Over the Top’ silhouette dancer
- 2010 Recurring guest on KBS2 ‘Dream Team’
TRIVIA
§ The
best dancer and the fastest runner of SNSD.
§ Hyoyeon
is ambidextrous, she actively use both of her left hand and right hand.
§ The
other eight members think revealed that she’s SNSD’s mood maker and also the
funniest member.
§ One of
her most well-known nickname is “Kim
Yeolsal” (ten-year old Kim) or because her jokes are similar to that of
ten-year old and she also has a lot of mood swings.
§ Hyoyeon
collects cute, colorful stationery and stickers.
§ She
hits people and tell secrets when drunks. The members revealed that the maknaes, Yoona and Seohyun, are
her usual drunk “victims”.
§ SNSD’s
“fashion terrorist”.
§ Prior
to her debut, Hyoyeon traveled to Beijing, China in 2004 with Super Junior’s
Siwon to learn Mandarin and more about Chinese culture.
§ In
1999, she enrolled in Winners Dance
School, a famous dance school in South Korea specializing in popping,
locking, animation and various other hip-hop styles.
§ At
Winners Dance School, Hyoyeon teamed with MissA’s Min
and formed a dancing duo called Little Winners.
§ Besides
Hip -hop dance, Hyoyeon also learned Jazz and Latin dance.
§ She
received dance instruction from the Electric Boogaloos and top choreographers
such as Kim Hye Rang, Poppin Seen, Kwang Hoo (aka Crazy Monkey), Poppin DS,
Kwon Seok-Jin (aka Locking Khan) and ex-Black Beat’s / Beat Burger’s Shim Jae
Won.
§ Hyoyeon’s
Chinese name is 孝渊 (Xiàoyuān)
Y U R I (유리)
Stage
Name: Black Pearl YURI (흑진주 유리 – heukjinjoo
Yuri)
Birth Name: Kwon
Yu-ri (권유리)
Nicknames: Yul, Kkab-Yul (hyper/playful
Yul), Kwon Seobang (Husband
Kwon), Kwon Banjang(Class-President
Kwon), BK Yuri
Position: Supporting Vocalist/2nd Main Dancer
Date of Birth: December
5, 1989
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Bloodtype: AB
Sibling(s): 1 older brother (Kwon Hyuk-jun)
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English, Chinese (Fluent), Japanese
Specialty: Dance, Acting, Swimming
Casted: 2001 SM 1st Annual Youth Best Contest (Best Dancer, 2nd Place)
Training
Duration: 5 Years
11 Months
School: ChungAng University (중앙대학교) Department of
Theater | graduated
from Neunggok High School
TRIVIA
§ SNSD’s
biggest prankster.
§ Her
image is that of sexiness, but she’s also known for her “kkab” (crazy / hyper,
playful acts).
§ Yuri
often talks to herself in a self-hypnosis way.
§ Among
her nicknames are “Black Pearl” and “Cola”, both referring to her unique
personality and her tanned skin.
§ She
wrote the lyrics to one of SNSD’s ballads, titled “Mistake”. The song was
included in SNSD’s third mini-album.
§ Yuri is
a health nut. Every morning, Yuri drinks grinded Ma juice mixed with milk,
honey, and apples. She also regularly drinks Chinese herbal tonic.
§ She
does yoga. On the variety show ‘Invicible
Youth’, there was a segment of “Yuri’s Yoga Classroom”.
§ “Yuri”
literally means “glass” in Korean.
§ Yuri
collects Mickey Mouse items. She also likes anime/manga Crayon Shinchan.
§ She
gained the nickname “BK Yuri” after she threw an impressive underhand opening
pitch at a baseball game back in 2007. The nickname is taken from
Byunghyun Kim, a former major league player known for his underhand pitch.
§ Yuri’s
favorite Japanese food is takoyaki.
§ Yuri’s
ideal man is Song Seung-hoon.
§ She
attends ChungAng University’s Department of Theater along with BIGBANG’s
Seungri. Fellow member Sooyoung is her senior in the same department.
S O O Y O U N G (수영)
Stage
Name: Lively Princess SOOYOUNG
(명랑공주 수영 – myeongrang gongju Sooyoung)
Birth Name: Choi
Soo-young (최수영)
English
Name: Summer Choi (썸머 최)
Nicknames: Shik shin (God of food), NaSoo (interrupter), DJ Syoung
Position: Supporting Vocalist/Lead dancer
Date of Birth: February
10, 1990
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Bloodtype: O
Sibling(s): 1 older sister (Choi Soo-jin)
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English, Chinese (Basic), Japanese (Fluent)
Specialty: Dance, Eloquence, Acting
Casted: 2000 SM Open Audition | 2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo Audition
Training
Duration: 6 Years
3 Months
School: ChungAng University (중앙대학교) Department of Theater
| graduated from Jeongshin
Girl’s High school
Career:
- 2002 Japanese duo ‘Route φ‘ (with
Marina Takahashi)
- 2003 CF Samsung
Anycall Battle of Music (with Jewerly Park
Jung-ah)
- 2004 School uniforms ‘Rocks’ model
- 2005 VJ for M.Net ‘Hello Chat’
- 2005 OST for Inuyasha ‘I Am‘
(Korean ver.)
- 2007 DJ for Melon ‘ChunJi Radio:
Sungmin & Sooyoung’ (with Super Junior Sungmin)
- 2007 Sitcom KBS ‘Unstoppable Marriage‘ (as Choi Soo-young)
- 2008 OST for SBS drama Working Mom ‘Ggok‘ (with
Yuri)
- 2008 Movie ‘Hello Schoolgirl! / 순정만화‘ (as
Jung Da-jung)
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with
Sunny & Seohyun)
- 2009 Featured with The Blue ‘Feeling
Only You‘ (with Tiffany)
- 2009 MC for MBC ‘Fantastic
Duo’ (with Kim Jae-dong)
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with
Taeyeon & Tiffany)
- 2010 CF ‘Biotherm’ (with Tiffany & Yuri)
TRIVIA
§ The
tallest member of SNSD.
§ Prior
to SNSD, Sooyoung was a part of J-pop duo ‘Route
φ’ along with Marina Takahashi. The duo released three singles.
§ Sooyoung
is fluent in Japanese.
§ She’s
the third youngest of SNSD. However, despite being a ’90ers along with Yoona,
Sooyoung is considered as a part of the 89 line because she was in the same
grade with the six ’89ers.
§ The
biggest eater of SNSD, hence the nickname “Shikshin” (God of
Food). However, she also doesn’t gain weight easily.
§ “Sooyoung”
literally means “swimming” in Korean.
§ Her
English name, Summer, was given by fellow member Jessica.
§ Sooyoung
is a devout Christian.
§ Sooyoung
has a great interest in fashion. She’s also considered as the most fashionable
SNSD member.
§ Her
older sister, Choi Soojin, is a musical actress.
§ Despite
her tough image, Sooyoung is said to be the one who cries most easily.
Y O O N A (윤아)
Stage
Name: Charming Girl YOONA (매력 소녀 윤아 – maeryeok sonyuh Yoona)
Birth Name: Im
Yoon-a (임윤아)
Nicknames: Yoong, Saseumi (deer), Him
Yoona (strong Yoona),
Im-choding (elementary school-kid
Im), Saebyuk, Alligator
Yoong
Position: Supporting Vocalist/Lead Dancer
Date of Birth: May 30,
1990
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Bloodtype: B
Sibling(s): one older sister
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English, Chinese (Basic), Japanese (Basic)
Specialty: Dance, Acting
Casted: 2002 SM Saturday Open Casting Audition
Training: 7 Years 2 Months
School: Dongguk University (동국대학교) Department of
Theater | graduated from Daeyeong High School
TRIVIA
§ Widely
known as the “center” image of SNSD thanks to her immense popularity among
Korean public. Age-wise, she’s also placed in the “center” of SNSD; Seohyun
(born in 1991) is a year younger than Yoona (born in 1990) and the other 7
members are one year older and considered as same-age friends (born in 1989 and
Sooyoung in early 199o).
§ The
physically strongest member of SNSD, gained her a nickname Him Yoona (strong Yoona).
§ Despite
her sweet girlish image, Yoona is actually boyish. One of her well-known
nickname is Im-choding (elementary-school
boy Im).
§ Being
the the second youngest of SNSD doesn’t stop her to be one of their biggest
prankster.
§ SNSD’s
second biggest eater after Sooyoung.
§ Her claim-to-fame
was the hit daily drama ‘You’re My
Destiny’ which ratings peaked at 41% viewership. The drama was also
her first time as a lead in drama.
§ The
said drama also gained her popularity among ahjumma (middle-aged women) in
Korea.
§ Yoona
is a fan of Takuya Kimura.
§ Yoona
claimed that she has more confidence in dancing and acting rather than singing.
§ Yoona
likes to play bowling in her spare time.
§ Nicknamed
as ‘Alligator Yoong’ because she laughs with her mouth wide open, resembling an
alligator.
§ Often picked
as the ideal girl by numerous Korean male and female celebrities.
S E O H Y U N (서현)
Stage Name: The
Youngest One SEOHYUN (막내 서현 – maknae Seohyun)
Birth Name: Seo
Joo-hyun (서주현)
Nicknames: Maknae
(the youngest one),
Seororo, Hyun, Joohyun
Position: Lead
Vocalist
Bloodtype: A
Date of Birth: June
28, 1991
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Sibling(s): none
Language: Korean
(Fluent), English, Chinese (Fluent), Japanese (Basic)
Specialty: Piano
Casted: 2003 SM
Casting System
Training Duration: 6 Years
6 Month
School: Dongguk
University (동국대학교) Department of Theater | graduated from Jeonju Art High School (attended Daeyeong
High School)
Career:
- 2005 ‘Smart Student
Uniforms’ ad models (with DBSK)
- 2009 Featured with Joo Hyunmi ‘Jjalajjaja
(짜라자짜)‘
- 2009 CF ‘Post
Cereal‘ (with Sunny, Sooyoung)
- 2010 CF ‘Clean and
Clear’ (with f(x) Krystal)
- 2010 Variety show MBC ‘We Got
Married‘ (with CN Blue Jung Yong-hwa)
- 2010 OST for MBC drama Kim SooRo ‘It’s
Okay Even If It Hurts’
- 2010 Voice Actor for ‘Despicable
Me‘ Korean
title: ‘Superbad’ (as
Edith)
- 2010 MV TRAX – ‘Oh! My Goddess‘
TRIVIA
§ The
youngest member of SNSD. Being the only child in her family, she feels thankful
to gained eight older sisters through SNSD.
§ She is
known for her upright personality.
§ Seohyun
loves sweet potato so much that she claimed she’d pick sweet potatoes over
male. In the make-believe marriage variety show ‘We
Got Married’, she was coupled with CN Blue’s Jung Yonghwa and they were given
the nickname “Sweet Potato Couple”.
§ Her
favorite anime is Keroro Gunsou.
§ Seohyun’s
favorite male celebrity is Johnny Depp.
§ She
also loves manga / dorama Nodame Cantabile.
§ Her
idol is UN’s General Secretary Ban Ki-moon.
§ Seohyun
hates unhealthy foods.
§ Seohyun
went to the same high-school with Yoona (Daeyeong High School) but then she
transferred to Taeyeon’s alma mater, Jeonju Arts High School, and graduated
there. Now she’s attending Dongguk University’s Department of Art along with
Yoona.
§ Seohyun
plays piano since
she was very young, she started to learn guitar during her participation in ‘We Got Married’.
