Lee Ahyumi

Biography

Lee Ayumi (born August 25, 1984), professionally known as Ayumi in South Korea and Yumi Itō in Japan, is a Japanese-born South Korean singer, actress, and television personality based in South Korea. She debuted under the stage name Ahyoomee in 2001 as the leader and lead vocalist of the South Korean girl group Sugar, a position she held until the group's disbandment in 2006.
Following the disbandment, Lee began a solo career in South Korea under SM Entertainment, releasing two digital singles. In 2008, she returned to Japan and began her acting career under the Japanese stage name Yumi Itō. The following year, she debuted as a solo singer in Japan under Avex's Rhythm Zone label, using the stage name Iconiq. As Iconiq, she released one studio album, one extended play, and seven digital singles.

Early life

Lee Ayumi was born in Tottori, Japan, on August 25, 1984, to a Korean mother from Seoul and a father who is a second-generation ethnic Korean living in Japan. She lived in Japan until the age of 15, when she moved to South Korea, where she later attended the Korea Kent Foreign School (Korean Kent Foreign School).

2001–2006: Sugar

Ayumi was scouted by the entertainment company Starworld at a H.O.T. concert, and later debuted as a member of the South Korean girl group Sugar in 2001. The group released two albums in Japan and three in South Korea, achieving moderate commercial success.
During her time with Sugar, Ahyoomee and fellow member Park Soo-jin appeared as guests on the 200th-episode special of Gag Concert in the sketch Poncho Siblings (우비 삼남매), becoming the first girl group to appear on the program. In December 2006, Starworld announced that Sugar's members would not be offered contract renewals, leading to the group's disbandment following the expiration of their contracts.

2006–2012: Solo career

Lee released her first digital single as a solo artist, "Cutie Honey," on July 13, 2006, under a new romanization of her stage name, AhYooMi. The song was originally performed by Kumi Koda as the theme song for the Cutie Honey anime series. Her second single, a cover of Kim Gun-mo's song "Wrongful Meeting," was released on November 7, 2006.
On February 15, 2007, her former label Starworld requested SM Entertainment to take over her management following the expiration of her contract on February 13. Under SM Entertainment, Lee participated in SM Town's seasonal albums later that year. However, she did not release any solo material during this period.
In 2008, Lee moved to West Hollywood, California, where she attended dance and vocal training schools.
In 2009, she returned to Japan and signed with Avex's Rhythm Zone label, debuting as a solo artist under the stage name Iconiq. She became a model for Shiseido's Maquillage cosmetics line and released the single "I'm Lovin' You" featuring Atsushi of Exile as a promotional track. Her image was prominently featured in the campaign's billboard advertisements. Iconiq's image was strongly associated with her distinctive buzz cut hairstyle.
Lee released her debut studio album, Change Myself×Change Myself10 March 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Prologue1:162I'm lovin' you3:313Change Myself4:054LoveShineMagic4:355BYE NOW!3:386I.D4:097No Distance5:138Crystal Girl4:489Like A Virgin3:2710Epilogue1:26, on March 10, 2010. The album included the promotional singles "Change Myself" and "Bye Now!", both used in the Maquillage advertising campaign. The album debuted at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart, marking the highest chart position for a debut album since Yui Aragaki's Sora in late 2007. On August 11, 2010, she released her first physical single, "Tokyo Lady", which was later included in her first extended play, Light Ahead, released in September 2010. The EP was promoted through three music videos directed by Diane Martel.
After a two-year hiatus from music, Lee released two digital singles on March 14, 2012, titled "LADIES×LADIES14 March 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1LADIES4:46" and "MAKE IT RIGHT×MAKE IT RIGHT14 March 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1MAKE IT RIGHT4:32."

2015–present: Acting career and return to South Korea

Lee returned to South Korea in 2015, appearing on the JTBC talk show Witch Hunt, marking her first television appearance in South Korea in nine years.
In August 2016, during an interview with SENSE (ja) magazine, Lee stated that she would return to acting under the name Yumi Itō. The following month, she portrayed Michiru Saiki in the stage adaptation of the manga ReLIFE.
In May 2017, Lee was cast in the Fuji TV drama Code Blue: Season 3. In August 2017, she officially resumed her activities in South Korea after being confirmed as a cast member of MBN's variety show Flight Girl.
In March 2019, Lee signed a contract with the South Korean agency BONBOO Entertainment. On January 20, 2020, she announced through her blog that she would be leaving Avex after eleven years, following the expiration of her contract.

Personal life

In September 2022, Lee released pre-wedding photographs announcing that she would marry her non-celebrity foreign boyfriend on October 30, 2022. Her husband, Kwon Ki-beom, is a businessman.
On January 9, 2024, Lee announced that she was expecting her first child. On June 15, 2024, she announced that she had given birth to her first child, a daughter, on June 10.