Kim Wan-sun
Kim Wan-sun (Hangul: 김완선, Hanja: 金緩宣; born May 16, 1969)[1] is a South Korean pop singer who was known in the mid-1980s and early 1990s as the "Korean Madonna" and "the dancing queen of Korean popular music's renaissance era as well as a sex symbol," for her "sexy" dancing and "charismatic" stage presence.[2][3][4][5]
Kim Wan-sun | |
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Kim in 2013 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Kim I-sun[1] |
Born | May 16, 1969 |
Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
Genres | K-pop, Mandopop, synth-pop, funk |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 1986–present |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 김완선 |
Hanja | 金緩宣 |
Revised Romanization | Gim Wan-seon |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Wansŏn |
Birth name | |
Hangul | 김이선 |
Revised Romanization | Gim I-seon |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Isŏn |
Kim debuted in 1986 with the album, Tonight. Her fifth album, 1990's Pierrot Smiles at Us, sold 1 million copies.[2] She is considered to be one of the first wave of Hallyu artists due to her success in Taiwan in the mid-1990s.[6]
Early life
Kim Wan-sun was born Kim I-sun on May 16, 1969,[7] the third of her parent's five daughters.[8] When she was in middle school, Kim began training to be a singer and dancer under the guidance of her aunt, Han Baek-hee, who managed successful musicians including the singer Insooni.[9] Han rigorously trained Kim for three years, during which time Kim dropped out of school and did not visit her parents.[10]
1986–1990
Han used her connections in Korea's new growing entertainment industry to assemble a list of the best songs available. Her debut song "Tonight" was produced by Kim Chang-hoon, member of Sanulrim. One of her greatest hits, "That Dance in the Rhythm," was produced by Shin Joong-hyeon.
After Kim's debut, Han controlled every part of Kim's career. Han chose everything, songs, dances, clothes, shoes, hair and makeup. At the end of each performance, Han stood Kim in a corner and yelled abuse at Kim about how she was ugly, bad dancer, and hit the wrong notes. She didn't care who was watching when she yelled at Kim. Han did Kim's interviews for her. She also opposed her from speaking with any musician, man or women.
1990–2002
The first year of the new decade arrived, along with that came a new album, The Pierrot Is Smiling At Us. This album was a success all across Korea, in which she was the first Korean pop artist to sell one million copies of an album. Still to this day Koreans young and old know the words to 'The Pierrot Is Smiling At Us' some people know it as 'Pierrot Smiling At Us'; there are many variations of the song's name.
In 1992, at the height of Kim's career, she announced her retirement because she had had enough of her aunt's dictatorship and oppression on her life but yet again under direction of her aunt and against her will. Kim then was flown to Taiwan and Hong Kong to start a career in a non-existent Chinese pop industry, she released three albums in Taiwan and Hong Kong and enjoyed a successful career there.
Han never gave any of the money earned by Kim to her for 13 years, until Kim finally had enough and cut the cord on Han and on her own career after a falling-out in 1998. According to Kim, Han used all the money into a failed business venture. She was finally free from her aunt. Kim moved alone to Hawaii to study design at University of Hawaii. In 2002, Kim came back to Korea to resume her musical career on her own, but by the time of her return the 90s were over and many Korean pop groups had blossomed and the Hallyu wave had begun.
2011
Kim Wan-sun made an informal comeback in April 2011 releasing the Super Love. She also founded her own production company focusing on finding and developing young talent.
2016
Kim Wan-sun made her official comeback on May 1, 2016 with her song "Use Me" featuring Ravi from VIXX. She is planning on release a new album.
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
KOR [11] | |||
Korean | |||
Tonight (오늘밤)[12] |
Track listing Side A
Side B
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N/A | |
Alone in Front of the Yard (나홀로 뜰앞에서)[13] |
Track listing Side A
Side B
|
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Too Lonely to Dance Alone (나홀로 춤을 추긴 너무 외로워)[14] |
Track listing Side A
Side B
|
||
Feel Good Day (기분 좋은 날)[15] |
Track listing Side A
Side B
|
||
Pierrot Smiles at Us (삐에로는 우릴 보고 웃지)[16] |
Track listing Side A
Side B
|
| |
Sadness (애수)[17] |
Track listing
|
||
Innocence[18] |
Track listing
|
||
S & Remake[19] |
Track listing Disc 1: S
Disc 2: Remake album
|
35 |
|
Return[21] |
Track listing
|
— | |
Taiwanese | |||
The First Touch (第一次接觸) |
Track listing
|
N/A | |
Extremely Attractive (極度魅力) |
Track listing
|
||
Mi Mi Hu Hu (迷迷糊糊) |
Track listing
|
||
"—" denotes release did not chart. | |||
Compilation albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
KOR [22] | ||
The Original[23] |
Track listing Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 3 |
— |
"—" denotes release did not chart. | ||
Extended plays
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
KOR [22] | ||
Super Love[24] |
Track listing
|
28 |
The Beer[25] |
Track listing
|
39 |
Digital singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
KOR [26] | ||
"Super Love" | 2011 | 82 |
"Be Quiet" feat. Yong Jun-hyung |
55 | |
"Goodbye My Love" feat. Tiger JK & Bizzy |
2014 | — |
"Puppy" (강아지) | 2016 | — |
"Use Me" feat. Ravi of VIXX |
— | |
"Set Me On Fire" | — | |
"Odisseya" | — | |
"Oz On The Moon" | 2017 | — |
"Jelly Christmas" | — | |
"Tonight" | 2018 | — |
"심장이 기억해" | — | |
"—" denotes release did not chart. | ||
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Note | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Seoul Searching | Kim Wan-sun wannabe | cameo | |
References
- "김완선 소개" [Kim Wan-sun Profile]. Mnet (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- Lim, Sun-young (2017-02-07). "Korean Madonna Kim Wan-sun on her rebirth : Reality TV show gives '80s singer new career and a new public image". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- Kwon, Mee-yoo (2011-04-14). "Singer Kim Wan-sun faked retirement". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- Chang, Dong-woo (2017-05-03). "Fueled by nostalgia, forgotten K-pop heroes rush comebacks". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
- "Romantic Couch bring back 80s sex symbol". Indieful ROK. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- Lee, Sangjoon; Nornes, Abé Markus (2015). Hallyu 2.0: The Korean Wave in the Age of Social Media. University of Michigan Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0472120895.
- "[스타 클릭] 화려한 컴백 가·수 김완선". Weekly Chosun (in Korean). 2002-08-15. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "김완선, 데뷔 25년만에 가족공개 친언니도 가수 될 뻔". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "섹시하기 위해 태어난 누나 - 김완선". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "가족 공개 김완선...'폭풍' 눈물 왜?". Minjungui Sori (in Korean). 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "S & Remake charting". Archived from the original on 2004-09-08.
- "김완선 독집 제 1집". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "김완선 - 나홀로뜰앞에서/그대여다시오세요". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "'88 김완선 - 나홀로 춤을 추긴 너무 외로워". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "김완선 4 - 이세상슬픔가운데/기분좋은날". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "김완선 5집 - 가장무도회/나만의것/삐에로는우릴보고웃지". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "애수". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "Innocence". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "{S} & Remake". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "July 2002 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2004-09-08. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "Return Seventeen". Kpop Archive (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- "Gaon Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- "The Original". Melon (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- "Super Love". Daum (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- "The Beer". Melon (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
- "Gaon Digital Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
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