BoA facts for kids

Quick facts for kids BoA
BoA in April 2018
Born	Kwon Bo-ah (1986-11-05) November 5, 1986 (age 38) Guri, South Korea
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress
Works	Albums singles videos tours
Musical career
Genres	K-pop J-pop dance-pop R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2000–present
Labels	SM Avex Trax
Korean name
Hangul	권보아
RR	Gwon Boa
MR	Kwŏn Poa
Signature

Kwon Bo-ah (Hangul: 권보아; born November 5, 1986), known by her stage name BoA, is a famous South Korean singer, songwriter, and actress. She is so successful that many people call her the "Queen of K-pop."

BoA was born in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. She was discovered by the company SM Entertainment in 1998 when she was only 11 years old. She went with her older brother to an audition, and the talent agents noticed her instead. After two years of training, she released her first album, ID; Peace B, in 2000.

Since her debut, BoA has become a huge star in both South Korea and Japan. She was one of the first Korean artists to become popular in Japan. This helped open the door for other K-pop artists. Her Japanese albums Valenti (2003) and Best of Soul (2005) each sold over a million copies.

She also released an English album in 2009, which was the first album by a K-pop artist to appear on the American Billboard 200 music chart. Over her career, BoA has sold more than ten million albums. She has also appeared on TV as an actress, a show host, and a judge on competition shows like K-pop Star.

Her Journey to Stardom

Starting Out in Korea and Japan

When BoA was eleven, she went with her older brother to a talent search for SM Entertainment. Her brother was auditioning as a dancer, but the company's talent scouts were more interested in BoA. They offered her a contract that very night. Her parents were worried about her leaving school for a music career, but her brothers convinced them to agree.

BoA trained for two years. She took lessons in singing, dancing, and even learned to speak English and Japanese. At just thirteen years old, she released her first album, ID; Peace B, on August 25, 2000. It was a success in South Korea, selling over 150,000 copies.

Soon after, SM Entertainment worked with the Japanese music company Avex Trax to launch her career in Japan. BoA moved there to focus on her music and learn the language. In 2002, she released her first Japanese album, Listen to My Heart. It was a massive hit. It sold over a million copies and was the first album by a Korean artist to reach number one on Japan's Oricon chart.

Just a month later, she released her second Korean album, No. 1, which also became a bestseller. Her second Japanese album, Valenti (2003), sold over 1.2 million copies and is her best-selling album ever.

A New Look and More Music

BoA performing in San Francisco in 2009

In 2004, BoA released her third Japanese album, Love & Honesty. It had a new sound with rock and R&B songs. The album went to number one, and she held a big concert tour with a cool "outer-space" theme. Her 2005 greatest hits album, Best of Soul, also sold over a million copies in Japan.

For her Korean albums My Name (2004) and Girls on Top (2005), BoA changed her style. She moved from a "cute" image to a more mature and "sultry" look.

Her next few Japanese albums, Outgrow (2006), Made in Twenty (2007), and The Face (2008), all reached number one on the Oricon chart. This made her one of only two artists in Japan to have six studio albums in a row reach the top spot. With The Face, she started to have more creative control over her music.

Singing for the World

BoA at the 25th Golden Disc Awards in December 2010

In 2008, BoA decided to debut in the United States. Her first American single, "Eat You Up," was a dance-pop song that did well on the Billboard dance chart. She performed in New York City and at the Jingle Ball concert in California to promote her music.

Her self-titled English album, BoA, was released in 2009. It was the first album by a K-pop artist to enter the main Billboard 200 chart. BoA said it was her dream to debut in America, but she found it hard to learn English and make friends there.

After her American activities, BoA returned to Asia. She released her seventh Japanese album, Identity, in 2010. Later that year, she released Hurricane Venus, her first Korean album in five years.

She also made her Hollywood movie debut in the dance film Make Your Move 3D, which was released in 2013.

Writing Her Own Music

BoA at a fansign event on May 24, 2015

From 2011 to 2013, BoA was a judge on the popular TV audition show K-pop Star. People praised her for her smart and helpful comments to the contestants.

For her 2012 Korean album, Only One, BoA wrote and composed the title song herself. The song was a huge hit and reached the top of many music charts. In 2013, she held her first solo concert tour in South Korea.

In 2014, BoA was made a creative director at SM Entertainment. Her job was to help take care of young artists who were just starting their careers.

Her eighth Korean album, Kiss My Lips (2015), was a major milestone. She wrote and produced the entire album herself. This showed everyone she was not just a great performer, but also a talented songwriter. To celebrate her 15th anniversary as a singer, she held special concerts in South Korea and Japan.

Recent Work and 20th Anniversary

BoA at Incheon Airport on May 15, 2019.

BoA has stayed busy with many projects. In 2017, she was a producer on the reality TV show Produce 101 Season 2. She has also released more music, including the Korean albums Woman (2018) and Better (2020).

In 2020, she celebrated her 20th anniversary in the music industry. She was also a coach on the show The Voice of Korea. In 2021, she became a judge on the dance competition show Street Woman Fighter.

In 2022, BoA joined the K-pop supergroup Got the Beat. She also released a Japanese album called The Greatest to celebrate her 20th anniversary in Japan. In 2024, she acted in the TV drama Marry My Husband.

Music and Style

BoA's main musical influence is hip hop, but she also loves R&B. Some of her favorite artists are Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake. Much of her music is dance-pop and R&B, but she also sings beautiful ballads.

When she first started, BoA had a "cute" and "youthful" style. As she got older, her image became more "mature." When asked about this change, she said, "I just keep growing up! I can't stop that from happening."

In her early career, most of her songs were written by her company's staff. Some people called her a "manufactured pop star." BoA said this was partly true because her company helped her become successful. However, she later took more control over her music, writing and producing her own albums like Kiss My Lips.

BoA has worked with many famous artists, including the Japanese hip hop group M-Flo and the American singer Akon.

Why BoA is Important

BoA is known as the "Queen of K-pop" because she played a huge role in spreading the Korean Wave (the popularity of South Korean culture) across Asia, especially in Japan. Her success in the early 2000s helped Japan become interested in K-pop. At the time, the two countries were just beginning to share their cultures more openly after many years.

Music experts say BoA helped improve the relationship between Japan and South Korea through her music. She set the trend for how K-pop artists could succeed in Japan. Many people believe she "paved the way" for future K-pop groups.

Many younger K-pop stars, like members of Girls' Generation, Shinee, and Aespa, have said that BoA is their role model. In 2013, music experts named her one of the 100 most influential artists in South Korean music history. Her hit song "No. 1" is considered one of the greatest K-pop songs of all time.

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television series

Television shows

Concerts and tours

See also

In Spanish: BoA para niños

• Contemporary culture of South Korea
• Korean Wave
• J-pop