Younha

Biography

Ko Younha (Korean: 고윤하; Hanja: 高潤荷; born April 29, 1988), known mononymously as Younha, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and record producer. She began her career in 2004 in Japan, where she was nicknamed the "Oricon Comet" for her success on the Japanese music chart. In 2006, she debuted in South Korea, where she is regarded as one of the country's best singer-songwriters.

Early life and education

Younha was born in South Korea on April 29, 1988, where she began to play the piano at the age of 5. She started singing in elementary school and later began to teach herself Japanese after watching the popular Japanese drama, Gokusen. As a teenager, Younha said she went to as many as 20 auditions with South Korean record labels but was rejected because she wasn't "pretty enough to become a star". As a result, she dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to pursue a singing career in Japan. Younha later attended Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, where she majored in Japanese.

2004–2005: Debut in Japan

After arriving in Japan in January 2004, Younha released her debut single, "Yubikiri", that September, followed by the Japanese version of the song in October. Despite the fact the song was included on the soundtrack of the Fuji TV drama, Destiny of Love, it was not a success.
"Houkiboshi" to Go! Younha
Younha found mainstream success with her second Japanese single, "Houkiboshi", which was included on the soundtrack of the anime series Bleach. The song debuted on the Oricon daily chart at No. 18 and peaked at No. 12, making Younha the second South Korean artist, after BoA, to break into the Oricon top 20. Less than 2 months after the success of Houkiboshi, she released "Motto Futari de", to little fanfare, with minimal promotion, and Younha made no TV appearances to promote the single live. Her third single, "Touch / Yume no Tsuzuki", with a tie-in to the Touch live action movie adaptation, with Touch as the theme song, was significantly more successful, and brought her back into the Oricon Top 20, matching the success of "Houkiboshi". The single debuted at No. 15, and peaked at No. 11 on the Daily chart. After releasing four singles, Younha released her first album entitled Go! Younha×Go! Younha5 October 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1ほうき星 -album mix version-3:162もっとふたりで4:073オレンジの初恋4:124碧い檸檬6:065ゆびきり -日本語version-4:546向日葵4:477マイ☆ラバ4:358夢の続き -album version-5:019あした、天気になれ。4:1510相合傘5:2111願いはひとつ4:3612思い出にできない6:0913タッチ3:07 with moderate success. It reached the No. 10 spot on the Oricon daily charts, and No. 12 on the weekly charts.

2006–2007: Later struggles and Korean debut

However, Younha's next three singles, "My Lover", "Te wo Tsunaide" and "Ima ga Daisuki", despite various tie-ins such as Bleach GC: Tasogare Ni Mamieru Shinigami, Jyu Oh Sei (獣王星) and Jang Geum's Dream, failed to replicate the success from her earlier efforts, all ranking in the lower half of the Oricon Top 100.
In the meantime, Younha enrolled in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and began her debut in Korea, releasing a digital Korean single album titled "Audition×Audition4 December 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Audition (Time2rock)3:482기다리다5:193Audition (instrumental)4기다리다 (instrumental)". Many performances of this song were shown on Korean TV, and the single received much promotion, as a result, "Audition" charted well for over 3 months on all Korean charts.
Despite the lackluster performance of her last 3 Japanese singles, Younha was chosen to sing an opening theme song for Kiba. The song "Hakanaku Tsuyoku" (儚く強く) was used as the second opening theme for the show. The single was released on January 17, 2007, and due to the nature of its tie-in, charted much higher than her last 3 releases, peaking at No. 36 - but also marked her last single with Epic Records.

2007–2009: Crossover to Korea and return to Japan

Exactly two months after "Hakanaku Tsuyoku", Younha returned to Korea to release her first Korean album entitled The Perfect Day to Say I Love You (고백하기 좋은 날×고백하기 좋은 날15 March 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Delete3:402꼬마 - I cry4:113비밀번호 4863:484고백하기 좋은 날5:115Hello Beautiful Day3:446오늘만4:187연애조건4:288Fly3:259속마음4:4110어린욕심3:4411앨리스3:3112꼬마 - I cry (Instrumental)4:1313비밀번호 486 (Instrumental)3:47, Gobaekhagi Jo-eun Nal). The album was a success, peaking at No. 1 on the charts. The first song promoted from the album was "Password 486", for which she won the SBS Inkigayo Mutizen award twice. A music video was made for "Password 486", which stars fellow Stam artist Yoon Ji-hoo. The album also features a collaboration with Wheesung. On July 14, 2007, Younha appeared on the Korean GomTV MSL Grand Finals (a StarCraft tournament) and performed in the opening ceremony. The second song promoted was "Love Condition", accompanied with a repackage of her debut album. While no music video was made, the song was performed live a number of times, and had modest success on the charts.
At the 2007 MKMF held on November 17, 2007, Younha won the Best New Solo Artist award. With her increasing success, Younha released a version of Go! Younha rerecorded in Korean. The album, with minor track list changes, is titled Comet (혜성, Hyeseong) and was released on October 23, spawning two hit singles, the title track "혜성 (Hyeseong)" and "At First Sight". Riding the success experienced in, Korea, her very first Korean single "Audition×Audition4 December 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Audition (Time2rock)3:482기다리다5:193Audition (instrumental)4기다리다 (instrumental)" was re-released on March 14 as a physical CD, limited to 10,000 copies.
Epic Records quietly released a "best of" Japanese album/music video DVD of Younha's work to date, SONGS -Teen's Collection×SONGS -Teen's Collection26 March 2008 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1ゆびきり -日本語version4:532ほうき星3:153もっとふたりで4:094タッチ3:095夢の続き4:596マイ☆ラバ4:347手をつないで3:588今が大好き3:279祈り4:1610儚く強く3:5911Scratch On The Heart3:3112コノココロ4:3213パスワード486 -日本語version3:5114ゆびきり4:52-, on March 26, 2008, signaling the end of her contract with the record label, due to the recent poor performance of her singles, and her focus on the Korean music industry.

On August 28, 2008, Younha followed up her last few successful albums with her sophomore effort, titled Someday×Someday28 August 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Gossip Boy3:082기억 (rap mix version)4:213Hero3:264Someday3:345텔레파시3:186Rain & The Bar0:317빗소리3:528Rainbow3:419Best Friend4:1710Strawberry Days4:0611For Catharina1:5312미워하다4:0513My Song And...3:2414울지마요4:4415기억 (original mix version)4:0616텔레파시 (instrumental)3:1717미워하다 (instrumental)4:08. The album went on to spawn two hit singles, "Telepathy", and "Gossip Boy". The album also featured her second collaboration with Tablo, who co-wrote and featured in the song, "Memory".
In early 2009, Younha made her comeback to the Japanese music industry, now signed with Sistus Records, with a Japanese version of "Memory", titled "Kioku", tying in as the ending theme to the Rideback anime. No physical release of the song was issued and was an online only single until the release of her next studio album, Hitotsu Sora no Shita, which included it on the track listing. Her return to the industry also included a role in a Japanese movie, On Next Sunday (今度の日曜日に, Kondo no Nichiyoubi ni), released in April 2009, also singing the theme song On the Other Side of the Rainbow (虹の向こう側, Niji no Mukougawa). She went on to release 2 physical singles, "Girl" and "Sukinanda", however both failed to chart in the top 100.
Her highly anticipated third album Part A: Peace Love & Ice Cream×Peace Love & Ice Cream13 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Peace Love & Ice Cream3:152Black Rain0:423Break Out4:0541, 2, 33:295She Is2:056사랑하다3:307Luv U Luv U Luv U3:108My Song And... (Korean version)3:2291, 2, 3 (instrumental)3:2710사랑하다 (instrumental)3:30 was released on April 16, 2009, with a new record label, Lion Media. The promotional track 1, 2, 3 was a signalled change in her style, in fashion sense, taking on a cuter, girly appearance, as opposed to her more tomboy look for her previous promotional periods. The style change also encompassed her music, with her songs from the album losing her trademark debut Piano rock sound which brought her critical acclaim and success, turning to pop. Despite the sudden change in musical style, the song was a strong contender for No. 1, but was beaten out due to strong competition during the promotional run.

2009–2012: Decline and legal troubles

On December 11, 2009, Younha released the second part of her third Korean album, Part B: Growing Season×Growing Season11 December 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Say Something3:222오늘 헤어졌어요4:223좋아해3:024편한가봐4:555헤어진 후에야 알 수 있는 것3:486LaLaLa3:107스물두 번째 길3:218오늘 헤어졌어요 (instrumental)4:229헤어진 후에야 알 수 있는 것 (instrumental)3:47, showing a mature, darker contrast to the happier, pop-based Part A. The album spawned one No. 1 single, "We Broke Up Today".
Her second Japanese album Under the Same Sky (ひとつ空の下×ひとつ空の下22 September 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1風5:392太陽のトマト5:233好きなんだ4:494お別れですか？5:335ソラトモ ～空を見上げて4:156Girl4:317Complicated3:388毎日が毎日4:149記憶4:2710抱きしめたい5:3911虹の向こう側5:3112うそばっかり3:31) was released on September 22, 2010, in Japan and September 29, 2010, in Korea. The album features Younha's work with i-dep and Sotte Bosse's Nakamura Hiroshi, as well as popular acoustic guitar duo Depapepe. The album debuted to little fanfare, only achieving No. 169 on the Oricon Album charts.
After a year of relatively quiet activity since her last major release, Lost in Love, Younha's first EP, was released, including a collection of various soundtrack singles released throughout the year, as well as the promotional singles One Shot, stylistically a rare return to her piano rock roots, and Take Care of My Boyfriend, a pop-rock ballad. While the latter barely made the, Top 10, One Shot missed the Top 20. While "One Shot" was a welcome return to the original sound she was known for, there were also very strong similarities to the Sara Bareilles song, "Love Song" noted by netizens. With minimal promotion, the EP became the lowest selling album in Younha's Korean discography.
On May 9, 2011, Younha became the 22nd host of MBC FM radio program, "Starry Night". On July 12, 2011, it was revealed that Younha was suing her company, Lion Media, to request a termination of contract due to questionable validity, through the legal courts, though further revelations showed that these proceedings had started since April. A countersuit from her company was filed against her in return, for US$1 million to recover damages. A mediation session was scheduled for October to settle the matter but fell through. It was not until February 2012, that the courts found the case in favor of Younha, resulting in the annulment of her contract with Lion Media, as well as 100 million KRW compensation.

2012–present: Comeback and Growth Theory

After her legal troubles, Younha began her comeback activities with a new record label, wealive (now C9 Entertainment). She released her fourth album Supersonic×Supersonic15 June 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Supersonic4:462People3:153Rock Like Stars3:364Run3:305No Limit3:406소나기4:237우린 달라졌을까3:538Set Me Free6:369크림소스 파스타3:1310기다려줘4:5011Driver3:4512Hope3:19 on July 3, 2012, featuring artists such as Jay Park, Tiger JK, and John Park. The album spawned two singles, the Top 10 Hit, "Would We Have Changed?" featuring John Park, and "Run". The album was released to critical acclaim, embracing a rock-based style, doing away with ballad styles she had promoted for the last 2 years, and even led to "Run" being nominated for Pop Song of the Year at the Korean Music Awards. She also joined the cast of I Am a Singer, a show based around professional singers remaking songs, ranging from old to current hits.
On May 2, 2013, Younha released her second EP, Just Listen×Just Listen2 May 2013 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Just Listen3:382Fireworks3:083우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유5:164봄은 있었다5:585아니야5:006One Fine Day3:297바다아이4:25 receiving rave reviews. The album also brought her back to commercial success, "아니야 (Unacceptable)" became her first Top 5 single since "오늘 헤어졌어요 (Broke Up Today)" in 2009 and is also her first album to feature 2 Top 10 singles, Unacceptable and Reason. On December 6, 2013, Younha released her third EP, Subsonic×Subsonic6 December 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1시간을 믿었어4:592Subsonic5:273없어3:304괜찮다4:535아픈 슬픔3:536Home3:587Run4:48, featuring the lead-in single "It's Okay" and follow up "Not There" featuring Eluphant. With the release of these singles, it brings about the first time in Younha's career where she has achieved 3 Top 10 singles, and at a stretch, 4 Top 15 singles in one year.
On May 29, 2014, she collaborated with rock singer Jung Joon-young to release the digital single "Just The Way You Are" (달리 함께). The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. She achieved her first No. 1 single in her career on the Gaon Charts, 10 years after debut, with her solo remake of her 2008 hit with Epik High, "Umbrella". The original version in turn, also surged up the charts, jumping 245 places up to No. 53 in that same week. This marks the first time she has topped the chart since "Broke Up Today" 5 years before, in 2009, and "Comet" in 2007.
On November 11, 2015, Younha released her single "Thinking About You" (널 생각해), produced by Lee Chanhyuk of Akdong Musician. She released her fifth album, RescuE×RescuE27 December 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Rescue3:352종이비행기 (Hello)3:203Parade3:144없던 일처럼3:565Airplane mode4:346예지몽3:347FEEL2:438Drive3:149가2:4110답을 찾지 못한 날3:5411Propose3:37, on December 27, 2017. Billboard ranked the album number eight on its list of top K-Pop albums of the 2010s, calling it "a cathartic listening experience that reflected on hard times and hinted to the brightness beyond them". Younha followed up by releasing the EP Stable Mindset×STABLE MINDSET2 July 2019 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1사계(四季)3:132Lonely2:543비가 내리는 날에는3:334어려운 일3:365Rainy Night3:57 in 2019, and then the EP Unstable Mindset×UNSTABLE MINDSET6 January 2020 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Winter Flower3:412Dark Cloud4:003See You3:194One Day of Twenty3:265263:19 on January 6, 2020. The latter contained the song "Winter Flower", a collaboration with RM from BTS, which Billboard called "an epic, comforting power ballad". Furthermore, the song gave Younha the title of the first Korean female solo artist to Top US iTunes chart. Younha released her sixth album, End Theory×END THEORY16 November 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1P.R.R.W3:142BIG PICTURE3:203Oort Cloud3:264Wish2:545How U doing4:056Highlight3:297Tik-Tok3:288Truly3:359Stardust3:5010Here4:4111Savior3:34 on November 16, 2021, and a repackaged version with 3 additional songs, End Theory: Final Edition, was released on March 30, 2022. On June 30, 2022, Younha released the digital single "Rain Song", which is a remake of Epik High's single of the same name.
"Event Horizon", the lead single from End Theory: Final Edition began to rise in the charts and viral popularity 6 months after initial release, as Younha did major gigs at universities and festivals in the second half of 2022, with positive word of mouth and fan footage gathering views online. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Circle Digital Chart.
Younha released her seventh album Growth Theory×GROWTH THEORY1 September 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1맹그로브3:002죽음의 나선3:573케이프 혼3:304은화2:445로켓방정식의 저주2:546태양물고기3:397코리올리 힘3:058라이프리뷰3:119구름의 그림자3:2810새녘바람2:58 on September 1, 2024, led by the title track "Sunfish". The repackaged version Growth Theory: Final Edition was released after two months on November 14.
In early 2025, Younha celebrated the 21st anniversary of her debut with a successful concert series, further solidifying her career longevity.

Personal life

On March 5, 2025, Younha announced that she would be getting married. Younha married on March 30, 2025. It was reported that her husband is Lee Hyo-jong, who runs the YouTube channel "Science Cookie".