Jung Yong Hwa, South Korea's Next Big Star
I’m not exaggerating, it’s just not impossible for this guy to follow the footsteps of the biggest stars in the Korean entertainment industry. His career path was even easier and wider that’s why I think he was really born to be a big star. Why not? Aside from having an enticingly beautiful face and physique, he has so many talents and abilities that can widen his horizon. He is a singer-songwriter, musician, model, actor, TV host, compressed all that and he’ll be the Prince of Multi-Media in Asia.
Jung Yong Hwa started composing music since high school. He can play not just the guitar but as well as piano, clarinet, drums and beatbox. He can speak, sing and compose songs in Korean, English and Japanese.
After passing his college entrance exam, he signed up with FNC Music (record label in South Korea) in 2009, been the bandleader/lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist/composer for the newly formed pop/pop-rock/alternative band CN Blue who first debuted in Japan where they started their humble beginnings. Now they are also with Warner Music Japan and Taiwan.
In the latter part of 2009, he tried his hand in acting and got the supporting role as Kang Shin Woo in the Korean TV Drama “You’re Beautiful” whose female lead is Park Shin Hye. Two years after, he worked again with Shin Hye but now as the male lead in MBC Korean Drama “Heartstrings”.
Amazingly, while some very popular actors have done several supporting roles prior getting the male lead part, Yong Hwa had just only tried once and yet he got the lead role on the second drama. Further, the two dramas were very successful locally and internationally.
In an interview, he said that he prefers to be asked (in astonishment) if he has done some acting before, than to be noticed that his acting is not bad for a beginner. Yong Hwa is barely new to show business, only 3 years since 2009 at the age of 20 but from 2010 to-date, he have already done 11 product endorsements.
Jung Yong Hwa originally hails from Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. His family moved to Busan in 1991. This year, after their long line-up of international promo tours in different parts of Japan, Los Angeles and United Kingdom, he was given a well-deserved two months vacation by his agency. He’s using this time though in composing songs for their next album and in working out his physique from being bulky and cute to being lean, manly & muscular. (So for his fans, don’t worry that you’re not able to see him lately cause he’ll be back soon).
He is also well-respected by his CN Blue bandmates saying that he is so kind that they never fight. Whenever they have disagreements, they’ll just talk and laugh about it. His bandmates acknowledge that their individual popularity rises when Yong Hwa stepped into show business and that it opened opportunities for the rest of them as well.
Song Trivia:
In K-drama Heartstrings, they needed a song for Yong Hwa’s character “Lee Shin” who has recently seen his father after not meeting him for 20 years. Mr. Han Seung Ho, the lyric composer of the song, went to the rest room for a while, while Yong Hwa was sitting on a sofa. When Mr. Han came back, Yong Hwa has already composed and recorded the melody. They’ve just finished composing this song in 30 minutes. That’s how a music genius Yong Hwa is, he also puts a lot of emotions in this song whenever he sings it. Because of You topped the Korean music charts for 14 straight weeks.
Credit to Sources:
For the data: K-popseven.com; Catherine Deen of Yahoo Phils Omg; Wiki-d-addicts.com; Wikipedia
For the video: Cnbluelive4 (Youtube uploader)
For the images: Jungyonghwa.com; cnbluestorm.com; newsen; MBC; SBS; hancinema.net; allkoreandrama.com; emagasia.com; koreandrama.org
