Wonder Girls

Wonder Girls promoting Wonder World (2011)

Wonder Girls (원더걸스) is a Korean pop girl group created by JYP Entertainment. They debuted in 2007 with rapper and sub vocalist Hyun A whom later left the group on July 20, 2007 sighting illness. Yoo Bin later took her place and the group became known for their songs "Tell Me", "So Hot", and "Nobody". In 2009 Wonder Girls announced their expansion in the United States and China, and the group was the opening act for the Jonas Brothers North American leg for their 2009 World Tour. However on January 22, 2009 it was announced that original member Sun Mi would postpone her music career to pursue an academic career. Hae Lim replaced her.

Members

• Sun Ye (Leader, Main Vocals)
• Ye Eun (Main Vocals)
• So Hee (Vocals)
• Yoo Bin (Rapper, Vocals)
• Hae Lim (Vocals)

Former Members

• Hyun A (Rapper, Vocals)
• Sun Mi (Vocals)

Information

Wonder Girls promoting "The Wonder Begins" (2007)

Debut, Hyun A's Withdrawal

On July 1, 2001 Park Jin Young, the founder and CEO of JYP Entertainment, held an open audition called the “Talent & Live Voice Project 99% Competition” in order to find talented young females that would be trained for his planned idea to create his first girl group. MTV Wonder Girls, a documentary program filmed and aired on MTV Korea, revealed the name of Park Jin Young’s girl group as the “Wonder Girls” on May 22, 2006. The program introduced the four members of the Wonder Girls which were Sun Ye, So Hee, Hyun A, and Sun Mi. Ye Eun was later recruited as the fifth member of the group and not long after her addition, Wonder Girls official debut was held at Show! Music Core where they performed their hip-hop song “Irony” on February 10, 2007.

They held their first showcase at the “MTV Studio” on February 13, 2007. The group began their performance by performing a cover of “Don’t Cha” by the Pussycat Dolls, followed by “Irony” and “Mianhan Maeum ~tears~”. Following their group performances, Wonder Girls showed off their individual talents with solo performances. Sun Ye sang “Stand Up for Love” by Destiny’s Child, Hyun A performed a solo dance, and Sun Mi, Ye Eun, and So Hee sang a cover of Janet Jackson’s “Together Again”.

The showcase was broadcast live on MTV. Sequentially, their debut single “The Wonder Begins” was released and according to the South Korean music charts, the single sold 11,454 copies that year. After their debut, the Wonder Girls met a series of injuries. On June 25, 2007 So Hee tore a knee ligament due to falling off of a motorcycle while filming Ddeugeoun-geosi joh-a; she was precluded from group activities for one month.

The four remaining members continued performing until, beginning with three performances with Hyun A missing, and a clothing ad featuring Wonder Girls without the singer, on July 20, 2007 Hyun A announced her withdrawal from Wonder Girls. Gastroenteritis and fainting spells was stated as the reason for the singer's sudden departure.

Wonder Girls promoting The Wonder Years (2007)

1st Studio Album (Tell Me Virus)

Yoo Bin was appointed to be the replacement for Hyun A. She was to debut with another girl group under Good Entertainment; having received training for approximately two years. However, the company's financial situation worsened and the group's debut never came into fruition. Two teaser posters of So Hee were erected across Seoul to promote their debut album The Wonder Years.

The concept for the album was described as "80's retro", and "Tell Me" was announced as the group's lead single. Their debut performance for "Tell Me" was at Music Bank on September 7, 2007. However, on September 14, 2007 Wonder Girls were involved in a car accident. Their van rear-ended a taxi on their way back from a performance at Dong-eui University, and the accident resulted in the death of the taxi driver and minor injuries to the group. Due to the tragic outcome and emotional trauma the group experienced, "Tell Me" promotional activity was temporarily suspended for two weeks.

Wonder Girls continued "Tell Me" promotional activity on September 27, 2007 at Inkigayo. The choreography for the song was easy and widely mimicked with numerous videos of fan performances circulating the internet on South Korean video sharing sites such as Daum and Youtube. The popularity of the dance became known as "Tell Me Fever" or "Tell Me Syndrome", and earned Wonder Girls the title of "Korea's Little Sisters". "Tell Me" won the #1 "Mutizen" awards on Inkigayo three times, five times on Music Bank, and once on Music Core and M! Countdown.

The song stayed at the top of various online music charts for 7 consecutive weeks, and the group won the 2007 Music Bank "Song of the Year" award, the "Anycall Popularity" and "Digital Bonsang" awards at the 2007 Golden Disk Awards, and "Best New Female Group" for "Irony" at the 2007 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Wonder Girls continued to promote their debut album using “Ebabo” as their second single; on December 6, 2007 the debut performance for “Ebabo” was at M! Countdown.

Wonder Girls promoting "So Hot" (2008)

Wonder Girls promoting The Wonder Years - Trilogy (2008)

Trivia

• Official Fanclub: Wonderfuls
• Official Balloon Color: Pearl Burgundy

Korean Discography

Albums

• [2007.09.13] The Wonder Years
• [2011.11.07] Wonder World

Mini-Albums

• [2008.09.30] The Wonder Years - Trilogy

Singles

• [2007.02.13] The Wonder Begins
• [2008.06.03] So Hot
• [2010.05.16] 2 Different Tears

Digital Singles

• [2007.04.27] Mianhan Maeum ~tears~ (미안한 마음; A Sorry Heart)
• [2007.11.26] Joyo Joyo (쪼요쪼요)
• [2008.02.21] Army Song
• [2008.10.14] Food Song
• [2008.11.18] Anybody
• [2009.06.29] Nobody (Eng ver.)

Collaborations

• [2007.08.17] 8eight - The First (#9 Between (Feat. Wonder Girls ＆ Pdogg))
• [2010.12.01] JYP Nation - This Christmas

US Discography

Extended Plays

• [2009.10.11] Nobody (Sing-Along Version) - EP

Singles

• [2009.10.11] "Nobody" - the Remix Edition
• [2010.05.15] 2 Different Tears

Digital Singles

• [2009.06.26] Nobody
• [2009.10.30] Nobody - the Remix Edition

Chinese Discography

Single

• [2010.05.16] 2 Different Tears

Filmography

Television

• [2006.12.22 - 2007.02.23] MTV Wonder Girls Season 1 (원더걸스 시즌1)
• [2007.04.09 - 2007.06.04] MTV Wonder Girls Season 2 (원더걸스 시즌2)
• [2008.03.07 - 2007.03.28] MTV Wonder Girls Season 3 (원더걸스 시즌3)
• [2008.11.05 - 2008.12.24] Wonder Girls Wonder Bakery (원더걸스)
• [2009.03.06 - 2009.04.10] Welcome to Wonder Land
• [2010.07.29 - Present] MTV Wonder Girls Season 4 (원더걸스 시즌4)
• [2010.07.30 - Present] Made in Wonder Girls

Commercials

• [2007] Crown Haim
• [2007] Baskin Robbins
• [2008] Red Pen
• [2008] Pizza Bingo
• [2008] TAAN
• [2008] Keroro Fighter
• [2008] IVYclub
• [2008] Free Style
• [2008 - 2009] KTF Ever
• [2008 - 2009] Vita 500
• [2009] BBQ Chicken
• [2009] Cafe Mori

Endorsements

• [2007] 1677
• [2007 - 2008] TBJ
• [2008 - 2010] peripera Wonder Line
• [2010] EXR

Awards

• [2007.03.02] Cyworld Digital Music Awards (February): Rookie of the Month
• [2007.10.28] SBS Inkigayo #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.11.01] Cyworld Digital Music Awards (October): Song of the Month - Tell Me
• [2007.11.02] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.11.09] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.11.11] SBS Inkigayo #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.11.17] Mnet KM Music Festival: Best New Female Group
• [2007.11.18] SBS Inkigayo #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.11.29] National Assembly of South Korea Pop Culture & Media Awards: Pop Music Award
• [2007.11.30] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.12.07] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2007.12.07] Korean Music Arts Festival: Female Photogenic Award
• [2007.12.13] MNet Golden Disk Awards "Anycall Popularity Award", "Digital Music Bonsang"
• [2007.12.28] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2008.01.04] KBS Music Bank #1 - Tell Me
• [2008.01.31] 17th Seoul Song Awards: Rookie of the Year
• [2008.02.08] 2008 Nick Korea Kids Choice Awards: Best Female Singer
• [2008.02.28] 20th Korean Producers & Directors Awards: Best Singer Award
• [2008.03.05] 5th Korean Music Awards: "Best Dance", "Electronic Song Award"
• [2008.06.06] KBS Music Bank #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.13] KBS Music Bank #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.20] KBS Music Bank #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.15] SBS Inkigayo #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.22] SBS Inkigayo #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.27] KBS Music Bank #1 - So Hot
• [2008.06.29] SBS Inkigayo #1 - So Hot
• [2008.07.09] Cyworld Digital Music Awards (June): Song of the Month - So Hot
• [2008.07.11] KBS Music Bank #1 - So Hot
• [2008.08.23] M.Net 20s Choice: Hot Club Music - So Hot
• [2008.10.02] Cyworld Digital Music Awards (September): Song of the Month - Nobody
• [2008.10.03] KBS Music Bank #1 - Nobody
• [2008.10.10] KBS Music Bank #1 - Nobody
• [2008.10.16] MNet M! Countdown #1 - Nobody
• [2008.10.17] KBS Music Bank #1 - Nobody
• [2008.10.24] KBS Music Bank #1 - Nobody
• [2008.11.07] Cyworld Digital Music Awards (October): Song of the Month - Nobody
• [2008.11.15] Mnet KM Music Festival: "Best Female Group Award", "Best Music Video (Nobody)", "Song of the Year (Nobody)"
• [2008.11.27] 9th Korea Visual Arts Festival: Most Photogenic Singer Award
• [2008.11.xx] 25th Korea Best Dresser Awards: Best Dresser Award for Singer Category
• [2008.12.10] 23rd Golden Disk Awards: Digital Bonsang - Nobody
• [2008.12.15] Korea Fashion & Design Awards: Style Icon of the Year
• [2009.01.15] Asia Model Festival Awards: Asia Star Award
• [2009.02.12] 18th High1 Seoul Music Awards: "Daesang Award (Nobody)", "Bonsang Award (Nobody)", "Digital Music Award (Nobody)"
• [2009.03.29] 6th Annual Korean Music Award: Group of the Year
• [2009.12.02] MTV Style Gala: Best Asia Artist Of The Year
• [2009.12.xx] Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Artist of the Year
• [2010.05.27] MNet M! Countdown #1 - 2 Different Tears
• [2010.08.07] Metro Radio Mandarin Hit Music Awards: Asia's Most Hit Group

External Links

• Official Korean Website
• Official U.S. Website
• Official MySpace
• Official YouTube Channel
• Wonder Girls Spectacle (International Forum)