Kim Yeon-woo

Kim Yeon-woo
Kim Yeon-woo in November 2011
Background information
Birth name	Kim Hak-chul
Born	(1971-07-22) July 22, 1971 (age 53)
Origin	South Korea
Genres	Ballad, dance
Occupation(s)	Singer, professor, vocal coach
Instruments	Piano, guitar, melodica
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Poibos IO Music/EMI Adio/Manwaldang Music Mystic89 /LOEN(2013-2016) Dio Music/LOEN(2016–present)

Korean name
Hangul	김연우
Hanja	金煙雨
Revised Romanization	Gim Yeonu
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Yŏnu
Birth name
Hangul	김학철
Hanja	金學哲
Revised Romanization	Gim Hakcheol
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Hakch'ŏl

Kim Hak-chul, better known by his stage name Kim Yeon-woo (Korean: 김연우; born July 22, 1971) is a South Korean male singer, vocal coach, and professor at Seoul Art College (ko:서울종합예술학교). Nicknamed God of Vocals, he is well known for his ballads, smooth singing voice, and ability to hit high notes without difficulty.[1][2] Kim recorded a number of hit ballads with the South Korean band, Toy, in the mid-to-late 1990s, gathering a sizable cult following. In 2011, Kim achieved widespread fame and recognition in South Korea through his participation on I Am a Singer, along with numerous appearances on variety and entertainment shows.

Career

After completing his military service in the Air Force, Kim Yeon-woo participated in the 7th Annual Yoo Jae-ha Music Competition and won the gold prize.[3] In 1996, Kim Yeon-woo became the featured vocal of You Hee-yeol's project band Toy and adopted his stage name Kim Yeon-woo, which was the name of a café You Hee-yeol frequented. You had felt that Kim's birth name Kim Hak-chul did not suit him.[4] They went on to record a number of hits such as Still Beautiful and Remember I Was Next to You.[5]

Since leaving Toy, Kim Yeon-woo has released five solo full albums and two mini albums.

In 2010, Kim was noted in the media thanks to a video of him performing at a university concert back in 2007. He performed in the heavy rain while holding an umbrella, after all the other guest singers had reportedly quit.[6] Because of this, the title of Kim's national concert tour in the summer of 2011 was Yeon-woo in the Rain.

In 2011, Kim was a participant in I Am a Singer. He performed two songs before being voted off. The day after his elimination, the second (and last) song he sang in the contest became number 1 on all music charts in Korea. Kim's popularity started to rise, and he gained widespread recognition from the public, earning the nickname God of Vocals. He also found success in two other guest appearances in the contest. His duet with Kim Kyung Ho was ranked second,[7] and during the Australian contest/concert of the show, Kim was voted first.[8][9]

In 2012, Kim participated in the second season of I Am a Singer [ko]. This time he was not voted off, and was able to earn honorary graduation by the end of the contest.

In 2015, Kim sang a duet with Yangpa in the third season of I Am a Singer [ko]. The performance was ranked first. Kim's popularity rose even more thanks to his participation in King of Mask Singer. Under the stage name CBR Cleopatra, he became the first male Mask King, as well as the first long-term Mask King, staying on the show for 10 consecutive weeks.[10]

Kim is also well known as a vocal trainer. His former students include SG Wannabe's Lee Seok-hoon, Big Mama's Lee Young-hyun, and Brown Eyed Girls' JeA.[11]

Personal life

Kim studied practical music at Seoul Institute of the Arts.^[citation needed]

Kim's best friends include You Hee-yeol, Kim Kyung-ho, and Muzie. He is also close with Sung Si-kyung and K.Will.^[citation needed]

Several K-pop idols such as B1A4's Sandeul, Shinee's Onew, and VIXX's Ken have mentioned Kim as their role model.^[citation needed]

In 2010, Kim married the daughter of a president of a Korean corporation. At the wedding, You Hee-yeol was the master of ceremonies and Sung Si-kyung was the wedding singer.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions	Sales
		KOR [13]
Only Me Beside You... (그대 곁엔 나밖에...)	Released: March 1, 1998 Label: Danal Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette	—
Couple (연인)	Released: January 6, 2004 Label: IO Music Formats: CD, cassette	24	KOR: 25,729[14]
Missing Love (사랑을 놓치다)	Released: January 17, 2006 Label: Antenna Formats: CD, cassette	21	KOR: 2,359[15]
Mr. Big	Released: November 24, 2011 Label: Dio Music Formats: CD, digital download	11	KOR: 5,536[16]
Forever Yours (나의 너)	Released: May 10, 2018 Label: Dio Music Formats: CD, digital download	17	KOR: 2,356[17]
"—" denotes release did not chart. Note: The Gaon Album Chart was established in 2010. All peak chart positions are from 2010 or later.

Extended plays

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions	Sales
		KOR [13]
Jeong (정)(情)	Released: January 5, 2010 Label: Noah Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download	8
Move	Released: May 28, 2014 Label: Mystic89 Formats: CD, digital download	19	KOR: 2,568[18]

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Sales (Digital)	Album
		KOR [19]
"Only Me Beside You" (그대곁엔 나밖에)	1998	—		Only Me Beside You
"Couple" (연인)	2004	—		Couple
"Love, That Common Word" (사랑한다는 흔한 말)	2006	59	KOR: 225,337[20]	Missing Love
"I'll Give My Life With You" (지금 만나러 갑니다) (feat. Tablo)	2008	—		non-album single
"Chukga" (축가)(祝歌)	2010	—		Jeong
"I Was Happy...Take Care" (행복했다...안녕)	2011	13	KOR: 893,680[21]	Mr. Big
"Not A Popular Song" (인기없던노래) (with Don Spike)	2012	29	KOR: 186,014[22]	non-album single
"No Schedule" (with Yoon Jong-shin)	2013	49	KOR: 44,397[23]	Monthly Project 2013 Yoon Jong Shin
"Antidote" (해독제)	2014	28	KOR: 130,818[24]	Move
"Move" (feat. Park Kyung of Block B)		42	KOR: 87,786[25]
"Melt Away" (눈물고드름)		84	KOR: 42,936[26]	non-album singles
"Ariyo" (그리운 노래 아리요)	2015	66	KOR: 26,794[27]
"My Apology Letter" (반성문)	2018	—		Forever Yours
"—" denotes release did not chart. Note: The Gaon Digital Chart was established in 2010. All peak chart positions are from 2010 or later.

Other charted songs

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Sales (Digital)	Album
		KOR [19]
"Sometimes I Cry Alone" (가끔은 혼자 웁니다)	2010	44		Bad Guy OST
"Lingering Affection" (미련)	2011	10	KOR: 704,342[28]	I Am a Singer: 3-1
"If You Are Like Me" (나와 같다면)		1	KOR: 2,219,404[29]	I Am a Singer: 3-2
"You Are My Love"		24	KOR: 528,778[30]	Lie to Me OST
"My Love By My Side" (내사랑 내곁에)		8	KOR: 864,710[31]	I Am a Singer: 호주 특별 공연
"I Miss a Thing" (그립다)		91	KOR: 81,877[32]	Mr. Big
"Withdrawal Symptoms" (금단현상)		89	KOR: 89,111[32]
"Winter Love" (겨울애)		78	KOR: 103,517[32]
"Fragment" (부스러기)		77	KOR: 107,554[32]
"Closer" (더 가까이)		5	KOR: 961,381[33]	Brain OST
"In The Shade of the Street Tree" (가로수 그늘 아래 서면)	2012	55	KOR: 60,112[34]	I Am a Singer 2: 5월 13일
"You Let Me Go With A Smile" (미소를 띄우며 나를 보낸 그 모습처럼)		89	KOR: 37,128[35]	I Am a Singer 2: 5월 27일
"Though I Loved You" (사랑했지만)		85	KOR: 46,518[36]	I Am a Singer 2: 7월의 가수전
"This Is The Moment" (지금 이 순간)		91	KOR: 40,764[37]	I Am a Singer 2: 9월 A조 경연
"You In My Mind" (그대 내 품에)		86	KOR: 41,516[38]	I Am a Singer 2: 9월의 가수전
"Addicted to Love" (중독된 사랑)		82	KOR: 45,425[39]	I Am a Singer 2: 10월 A조 경연
"Because It's You" (그대라서)	2013	29	KOR: 97,656[40]	Nine OST
"Running In The Sky" (하늘을달리다) (with Yangpa)	2015	95	KOR: 16,598[41]	I Am a Singer 3: 6회 듀엣미션
"To Be With You"		51	KOR: 90,411[42]	The Producers OST

Other activities

Variety and competition shows

Year	Title	Episode(s)	Role	Notes
2011	I Am a Singer (Season 1)	6–9	Contestant
		32	Contestant
2012	I Am a Singer (Season 2) [ko]	1–28	Contestant	Honorary graduation
2014	Cool Kiz on the Block	45–52	Member
	Idol School	1–17	Host
2015	King of Mask Singer	7–16	Contestant	As CBR Cleopatra
	Hidden Singer (Season 4)	8	Singer/Contestant
	The Racer [ko]	1–8	Member
2016	Superstar K	1–10	Judge
2021	The Masked Talent	MBC Chuseok's special	Judge	MBC[43]
2022	Fantastic Family			SBS [44]

Dramas

Year	Title	Role
2012	Standby	Main cast (as Kim Yeon-woo)
2017	A Korean Odyssey	Cameo (Ep. 1)
2019	Welcome to Waikiki 2	Cameo (Ep. 6)

Awards

Year	Award	Category
1995	7th Annual Yoo Jae-ha Music Competition	Gold Prize
2015	MBC Entertainment Awards	Excellence Award in Music/Talk Show

References

1. Kim (김), Hyun-jung (현정) (January 9, 2012). "[공연리뷰]Mr. Big 김연우 ' 연우빛을 만들다'". eToday (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
2. 인물정보 김연우, Naver People (in Korean), May 24, 2011, retrieved January 9, 2012
3. Kim (김), Chae-yun (채연) (September 27, 2011). 김연우 어린시절 ‘유재하 가요제 금상 수상한 수재’ 자심감 폭발. 뉴스엔 (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
4. Park (박), Ah-rim (아름) (November 25, 2011). ‘본명 김학철’ 김연우 "예명 김연우, 유희열이 자주가던 다방 이름". 뉴스엔 (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
5. 김연우 "토이시절 노래 이젠 추억됐죠". 스포츠한국 (in Korean). December 23, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
6. Park (박), Ah-rim (아름) (May 2, 2011). 대학축제 간 김연우 우산 들고 빗속 열창 "프로정신 대단". JoongAng Ilbo/joinsMSN (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
7. 김경호&김연우, 사랑과 우정사이(피노키오)/MBC나는 가수다. Daum tv팟 (in Korean). October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
8. Kim (김), Soo-Kyung (수경) (October 30, 2011). 김연우, 나가수 호주경연 1위 '5개월 동안 칼 갈은 발라드 神'. 재경일보 (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
9. Nam (남), Yeon-hee (연희). 김경호-김연우 '사랑과우정사이' 감동의 하모니 '명불허전'. The Financial News (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.^[permanent dead link‍]
10. Hwang, Jee-young. "'복면가왕' 김연우, 드디어 벗은 클레오파트라…새 가왕 퉁키 (종합)". Naver TV. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
11. Kim, Seong-han. "김연우 "토이시절 노래 이젠 추억됐죠"". Naver TV. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
12. Oh(오), Youg-Kyung (영경) (September 10, 2010). 김연우, 12살 연하와 결혼…유희열 사회+성시경 축가. Seoul Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
13. "Gaon Album Chart "김연우" Search". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
14. Cumulative sales of Couple:
    • "March 2004 K-Pop Album Sales Volume" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
    • "2011년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
15. "2011년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
16. "2011년 12월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
17. "2018년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
18. "2014년 05월 Album Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
19. "Gaon Digital Chart "김연우" Search". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
20. Cumulative sales of "Love, That Common Word":
    • "2011년 05월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
    • "2015년 49주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
21. Cumulative sales of "I Was Happy...Take Care":
    • "2011년 11월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2011년 12월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
22. "2012년 04월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
23. "2013년 11주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
24. "2014년 05월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
25. Cumulative sales of "Move":
    • "2014년 23주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2014년 24주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
26. Cumulative sales of "Melt Away":
    • "2014년 49주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2014년 50주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
27. "2015년 31주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
28. "2011년 05월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
29. "2011년 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
30. "2011년 06월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
31. Cumulative sales of "My Love By My Side":
    • "2011년 10월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2011년 11월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
32. "2011년 49주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
33. Cumulative sales of "Closer":
    • "2011년 12월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2012년 01월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
34. "2012년 21월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
35. "2012년 23월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
36. "2012년 31월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
37. "2012년 38월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
38. "2012년 41월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
39. "2012년 42월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
40. Cumulative sales of "Because It's You":
    • "2013년 14주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
    • "2013년 15주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
41. "2015년 12주차 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
42. "2015년 06월 Download Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
43. Tae Yu-na (September 9, 2021). "[공식] 김연우·쌈디·제시·이석훈, '더마탤' 판정단 라인업 확정" [[Official] Kim Yeon-woo, Simon D, Jessi, and Lee Seok-hoon, 'Dermatal' judging team lineup confirmed]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021 – via Naver.
44. Baek Ji-eun (January 11, 2022). "[단독] 김연우X송가인, 레전드 뭉쳤다…스타 가족 음악쇼 '판타스틱 패밀리' 출연" [[Exclusive] Kim Yeon-woo X Song Ga-in, legends unite... Appeared in the star family music show 'Fantastic Family'] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Naver.

External links