Yoon Do-hyun

Biography

Yoon Do-hyun (Korean: 윤도현; born February 3, 1972) is a South Korean hard rock/folk rock singer, musician, and songwriter. He is the founder and lead vocalist of the Yoon Do-hyun Band (YB) since 1996. Yoon is also an MC on TV variety programs (notably Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter) and a musical theatre actor.

Career

Yoon Do-hyun was born in Imjin-myeon (currently Munsan-eup) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. He graduated from Munsan High School in 1991, and began working in 1993 around Paju's music circles as part of the band Jongyiyeon (종이연).
In 1994, Yoon released his debut solo album, In Front of the Post Office in Autumn (가을 우체국 앞에서×가을 우체국 앞에서December 1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1타잔3:542큰 별은 없어3:173가을 우체국 앞에서4:134너를 보내고 II3:575나의 작은 기억4:336임진강6:197깨어나라3:518사랑 · Two5:169우리들 함께 여기에4:1510내 곁의 너4:08). It produced the hit singles "Tarzan" and "Love Two," but the album did not receive much commercial success since dance music was trendy at the time.
Yoon formed the eponymously named Yoon Do-hyun Band in 1996, with himself on vocals, drummer Kim Jin-won, guitarist Yoo Byung-yeol, and bass guitarist Park Tae-hee. Later that year, Yoon played the lead role in Jungle Story, Kim Hong-joon's film that recounts the rise and fall of a fictitious, underground band. His bandmates also appeared in the film.
Its initial failure to break out led to the Yoon Do-hyun Band almost disbanding in 2000, and guitarist Yoo Byung-yeol left the band and was replaced by Huh Joon. Then in 2002, they gained fame with the World Cup cheer song "Oh! Pilseung Korea" (meaning "Victory Korea!"). With its explosive live performances and Yoon's powerful voice and frank personality onstage, the Yoon Do-hyun Band eventually became one of the foremost rock bands in South Korea, selling more than 2 million albums and doing more than 100 live concerts. It won music awards from Korea's three main broadcast stations KBS, MBC and SBS, and won the WPMA (World Peace Music Award) in 2003 for their activities in promoting human rights. Renamed YB in 2005, it was the first Korean band to ever tour Europe and had two sold-out concerts in New York City (Nokia Theater, B.B King Blues Club) in 2006. YB was the subject of two rockumentaries, Kim Tae-yong's On the Road, Two (2006) and Moon Cheung-heum's Flying Butterfly (2010). YB celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015 with a series of sold-out concerts titled "20 Years Old."
Meanwhile, Yoon starred in stage musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Gwanghwamun Sonata, and Once. He also hosted the popular music-talk show Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter from April 2002 to November 2008.
As a solo artist, Yoon has released two albums and three EPs, including Difference×Difference29 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1사랑했나봐3:592Dreams3:323Get Up4:354종이연4:095너의 느낌대로4:046수다3:557생명1:108길3:489아버지4:5210WITH YOU4:5011FUNKY TRAIN4:4112CIRCUS3:30 (2005), Harmony (2009), and Singing Yoon Do-hyun (노래하는 윤도현, 2014).
In October 2021, it was announced that Yoon Do-hyun would participate in Sing Again 2 as the new judge for season 2.

Personal life

Yoon married musical theatre actress Lee Mi-ok on June 15, 2002. They have one daughter. In August 2023, he revealed via Instagram that he had been battling lymphatic cancer for the past 3 years, but is now cancer free.