Super Junior is a nine-member boy band that debuted in 2005 under SM Entertainment, considered one of the longest-running bands in K-pop and one of the most successful idol groups in terms of individual members’ success.
Having first debuted with 12 members with the full-length album “Super Junior05,” the 05 signifying the year of the debut, the band added talented vocalist Kyuhyun to the roster in 2006.
Then former members Hangeng and Kibum dropped out in 2009 due to personal reasons, Kangin quit in 2019 after controversial incidents regarding his private life, and Sungmin took “time off” in 2017 after multiple complaints from fans over his attitude.
Although Sungmin never officially quit, the band introduces itself as having nine members, and Sungmin only calls himself a singer. Along with some of the biggest hits in K-pop, including “U” (2006), “Sorry, Sorry” (2009), “It’s You” (2009) and “Devil” (2015), its members are all pursuing big careers in the entertainment scene.
What careers are the members pursuing?
Heechul has been a regular on the JTBC variety show “Men on a Mission” (2015-), the SBS entertainment show “My Little Old Boy” (2016), K-pop documentaries, year-end award shows and more. Kyuhyun has been well-known for his roles in MBC’s ongoing talk show “Radio Star” (2007-) since joining as a host in 2011 and tvN’s “New Journey to the West” (2015-).
Kyuhyun is also actively releasing solo music as a ballad singer. Leeteuk is also popular on television, especially as the host of entertainment shows and music programs, such as Mnet’s “I Can See Your Voice” (2015-). Yesung has also released solo albums, including his first full-length album, “Sensory Flows,” on Jan. 25, 2023. He made his solo debut in Japan in 2016 and has released two more albums since.
Ryeowook has transitioned into a musical actor while Siwon is starring in films and dramas. Shindong has been pursuing a career as a music video director, working with girl groups Red Velvet, Pink Fantasy, dance trio Koyote and more. Donghae and Eunhyuk formed a duo and released albums under the name Super Junior-D&E.
Are they popular outside of Korea?
Yes. Super Junior is one of the earliest K-pop groups to have gained popularity overseas. In fact, Super Junior is one of the most popular K-pop bands in the Middle East.
In 2019, it became the first Asian act to host a solo concert in Saudi Arabia, holding a performance in Jeddah that sold out within three hours. The band has been holding world tours since 2008 when Korean acts struggled to gain traction overseas.
In 2018, the band released “Lo Siento,” the repackaged version of its eighth full-length album, “Replay,” to target the South American audience and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard World Digital Song chart and paved K-pop’s wave into Latin America.
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