Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Uhm Jung-hwa Uhm Jung-hwa is a South Korean Korean pop
singer and actress. Uhm began her career as a chorus member of MBC, one of the three major
South Korean broadcasting companies, in 1987 To 1990. She made her film debut in the 1991
To 1994 film Marriage Story and released her first album Sorrowful Secret, in 1993 on Samsung
Music. Considered to be one of the most influential
women and the evergreen in the Korean entertainment industry, many Korean female artists recognise
her as a role model. Biography
Early life Uhm was born in Jecheon, North Chungcheong,
South Korea. She is the second child of Yoo Gyeong-sook and Uhm Jin-ok, a music teacher
who died in a motorcycle accident when she was four. Her younger and only brother Uhm
Tae-woong is an actor. Following her father's death, her family struggled with financial
difficulties. Music career
1993-1999: Debut Uhm Jung Hwa officially debuted as a singer
in 1993 with her first album Sorrowful Secret. By the mid-90s she established herself as
one of the top Korean female singers and entertainers with a series of hit singles: Sad Expectation
(Hangul: 슬픈 기대), A Love Permitted Only by Heaven (하늘만 허락한 사랑),
Betrayal of the Rose (배반의 장미), and Tell Me (말해줘 with Jinusean). Jung Hwa's
fourth album, Invitation, became one of the highest selling albums of the year and received
positive reviews from critics and fans. She released two of her most recognizable singles
of her career, Poison and Invitation (초대). She remained successful the following year,
in 1999, with her fifth album 005.1999.06, which sold well over 900,000 copies. It remains
one of the best selling albums by a female artist and cemented her status as the "Queen
of Korean Pop" in South Korea. 2000-present
During the 2000s, Uhm Jung-hwa began to focus more on her acting career and committed her
self to taking a variety of acting roles. She also began to pursue and experiment with
different musical genres, in particular electronica. In 2004, she released her double cd Self Control,
which featured songs composed by Jung Jae Hyung, Fractal and Roller Coaster. Music critics
praised UJH for her ability to re-invent her image and sound.
After a two year break from the music scene, she released her ninth studio album Prestige.
Throughout the year she released two singles: "Come 2 Me" and "Wind Song" (바람의노래)
each enjoyed positive critical reception. In early 2007 she won a Korean Music Award
for best electronic dance record. In the summer of 2008 she released her first
EP titled "D.I.S.C.O" with help from long time friend Yang Hyun-suk of YG Entertainment.
The lead single "D.I.S.C.O" featured popular boy band member T.O.P from the group Big ***.
The EP was very successful and was further promoted by the digital single "D.I.S.C.O
PT.2" which was a remix version of "D.I.S.C.O" and featured G-Dragon, the leader of Big ***.
Acting career Uhm Jung-hwa has established herself as one
of Korea's top actresses. She is known for her roles in the films Marriage Is a Crazy
Thing, Singles, Princess Aurora, Dancing Queen and Haeundae, which became one of the highest
grossing movies in Korea. She has won 2 Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Actress, in 2002 for
Marriage Is a Crazy Thing and again in 2012 for Dancing Queen.
Fashion line Uhm Jung-hwa launched her new clothing & lingerie
line, ‘Corner Suite‘ and ‘ZHUM in New York‘, which made 10 million USD within
3 months of its release. ‘Corner Suite’ became an instant hit when the line debuted
on online markets. The line immediately sold out. Future plans include putting her line
of clothes on more home shopping channels, as the demand for it is great.
Health scare She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but
fully recovered after surgery in May 2010. Uhm said she felt a little afraid leading
up to the surgery, but rather than being discouraged by the pain she was experiencing, she made
up her mind to dedicate herself to helping others by inspiring them. "I want to use my
talent and influence in a meaningful way," she said.
Discography Korean digital singles
tvN Remix version (2006) Come 2 Me NEW REMIX (2006)
D.I.S.C.O PT.2 (2008) Filmography
Films Venus Talk (2014)
Montage (2013) In My End Is My Beginning (2013)
Dancing Queen (2012) Mama (2011)
Bestseller (2010) Five Senses of Eros ("In My End is My Beginning",
2009) Haeundae (2009)
Insadong Scandal (2009) Changing Partners (Love Now) (2007)
Seducing Mr. Perfect (2006) For Horowitz (2006)
Princess Aurora (2005) All for Love (2005)
Mr. Handy (2004) Singles (2003)
Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002) How to Top My Wife (1994)
Blue Seagull (1994) On a Windy Day We Must Go to Apgujeong (1993)
Television series He Who Can't Marry (KBS2, 2009)
Get Karl! Oh Soo-jung (SBS, 2007) Tropical Nights in December (MBC, 2004)
Wife (KBS2, 2003) Aerobics video
We are Yoggy - A Yoga VHF (2002)