Yuri (singer, born 1976)

For the Girls Generation member of the same name, see Kwon Yuri.
Cha Hyun-ok
차현옥
Background information
Birth nameCha Hyun-ok
Also known asYuri
Born (1976-12-24) December 24, 1976 (age 47)[1]
OriginSouth Korea
GenresDance-pop, K-pop
OccupationSinger
Years active1995–present
LabelsKT Music (with Cool)
WS Entertainment (solo career)
Member ofCool
Formerly ofGirl Friends

Cha Hyun-ok (Korean: 차현옥; born December 24, 1976), known by her stage name Yuri (Korean: 유리), is a South Korean pop singer. Debuting as a singer with Cool (쿨), she later formed Girl Friends with best friend Chae Ri-na after the former group's breakup in 2005. Yuri has since regrouped with Cool.

Career

Yuri was not an original member of Cool, but was brought in to replace Yoo Chae-yeong for the group's second album.[2] The band's lineup stayed the same from the second album onwards.[3] In 2004, though, Cool was reportedly in danger of breaking up due to tensions within the band.[4] The group eventually broke up after the release of their tenth album in 2005.[5]

A year after the breakup, Yuri announced that she would be joining with close friend Chae Ri-na to become a musical duo, named Girl Friends.[6] Becoming friends in the 1990s while performing with their respective groups, the two had been discussing a possible joint project for 10 years.[7] Girl Friends released their first album, Another Myself, in 2006, with the lead single "Maybe I Love You".[8] Their second album, Addict 2 Times, was released in late 2007.[9]

In 2008, Cool announced that they would be regrouping.[10] Yuri stated that she missed performing their trademark dance songs in the summer, even while still performing as part of Girl Friends.[11] The group then released their 11th album in the summer of 2009.[12]

Yuri has set up an online shopping mall with friend Baek Ji-young.[13]

On October 17, 2012, it was reported that Yuri had been accidentally killed in a fight in Gangnam, Seoul, but this was revealed to be a case of mistaken identity. The real victim was "Ms. Kang", the ex-wife of Yuri's Cool bandmate Kim Sung Soo, who was stabbed to death in a fight in a restaurant where she had been meeting with Roo'ra and Girl Friends singer Chae Ri-na. "Ms. Kang" and Yuri were supposedly very physically similar, causing a misunderstanding as to the identity of the victim.[14]

References

  1. ^ (in Korean) MSN Music Korea Artist Summary: Cool[permanent dead link‍]. MSN Music. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  2. ^ (in Korean) 유채영 “쿨 탈퇴 이유는 노래 때문” (Yu Chae-young: "My Reason for Leaving Cool was Because of the Songs") Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Newsen. August 21, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  3. ^ (in Korean) Han, Hyeon-wu. 댄스그룹 쿨, 올 여름도 변함없는 인기 (Dance Group Cool, Popular as Always this Summer) Archived June 3, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. The Chosun Ilbo. July 30, 2003. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  4. ^ (in Korean) 댄스그룹 쿨 해체 위기 (Dance Group Cool Close to Breakup) Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Kuki News. August 9, 2004. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  5. ^ (in Korean) [쿨 해체 기자회견 전문] 김성수 이재훈 유리 "쿨이 영원히 남기를 바란다" (Kim Seong-su, Lee Jae-hun and Yuri: "We Wish for Cool to Remain Forever") Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Newsen. August 2, 2005. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  6. ^ (in Korean) 유리ㆍ채리나 "걸프렌즈라 불러주세요" (Yuri & Chae Rina: "Call Us Girl Friends") Archived February 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. The Chosun Ilbo. June 27, 2006. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  7. ^ (in Korean)엔짱: 쿨+디바 '매력덩어리' 뭉쳤다 (Cool and Diva's Charismatic Members Joined Together) Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Sports Hankook. July 8, 2006. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  8. ^ (in Korean)Star News: 유리-채리나, '걸프렌즈' 결성 후 타이틀곡 첫 공개! (Yuri-Chae Rina, "Girl Friends" Debut Their First Single!) Archived May 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. EPG. July 19, 2006. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  9. ^ (in Korean) 유리&채리나 “이번엔 춤보다 노래로 승부” (Yuri & Chae Rina "Now, instead of dances, we will succeed with our songs") Archived June 3, 2021, at the Wayback Machine Asia Economy. October 10, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  10. ^ (in Korean) 쿨, 3년 만에 컴백...'사랑을 원해'로 인기몰이 (Cool Comeback After 3 Years...Try to Earn Popularity with "I Want Love") Archived June 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The Chosun Ilbo. July 28, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  11. ^ (in Korean) Yang, Ji-won. 쿨, `"잘 뭉쳤다"는 말 가장 듣고 싶어` (Cool: "We Want to Hear 'Regrouping was a Good Thing' the Most") Archived October 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Korea Economic Daily. August 10, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  12. ^ (in Korean) 쿨 컴백, 11집으로 올 여름 강타 준비 끝! (Cool Comeback with 11th Album, Preparations Finished for Summer's Heavy Punch) Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. International Business Times. June 16, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  13. ^ (in Korean) Park, Jun-Hyeong. [포토엔]{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}유리, 시원한 미소 환하게 빛나네 (Yuri Has a Fresh, Bright Look)[permanent dead link‍]. Joins.com/Newsen. July 12, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  14. ^ "Cool Kim Sung Soo′s Ex-Wife, Not Cool′s Yuri, Passes Away after Being Stabbed by a Knife". October 17, 2012. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2012.