Choi Soo-young facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Choi Soo-young
Sooyoung in March 2024
Born	(1990-02-10) February 10, 1990 (age 35) Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Education	Chung-Ang University
Occupation	Singer actress songwriter
Years active	2002–present
Agent	Saram Entertainment
Partner(s)	Jung Kyung-ho (2013–present)
Family	Choi Soo-jin (sister)
Musical career
Genres	K-pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	SM Avex Trax
Korean name
Hangul	최수영
Hanja	崔秀榮
Revised Romanization	Choe Suyeong
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oe Suyŏng

Choi Soo-young (Hangul: 최수영), born on February 10, 1990, is a famous South Korean singer, actress, and songwriter. Many people know her simply as Sooyoung. She was part of a Korean-Japanese singing group called Route 0 for a short time in 2002.

After returning to South Korea in 2004, Sooyoung joined the popular girl group Girls' Generation in 2007. This group became one of the most successful and well-known K-pop groups around the world. Besides her group activities, Sooyoung has also starred in many TV shows. Some of these include My Spring Days (2014), Squad 38 (2016), Run On (2021), and Not Others (2023).

In 2017, Sooyoung left her agency, SM Entertainment, but she is still a member of Girls' Generation. She later joined Echo Global Group and released her first solo song, "Winter Breath," in 2018. In 2019, she moved to Saram Entertainment. In October 2024, Sooyoung made her solo debut in Japan with a song called "Unstoppable."

Early Life and School

Sooyoung was born in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Her birthday is February 10, 1990. She has an older sister named Choi Soo-jin, who is a musical theater actress.

Sooyoung finished high school at JeongShin Women's High School in 2009. She then studied film at Chung-Ang University and graduated in February 2016. She even received a special award at her graduation ceremony. Her fellow Girls' Generation member, Kwon Yuri, also went to the same university.

Becoming a Star

Starting Out in Music

Sooyoung was first discovered by SM Entertainment when she was in fifth grade. This happened during an open audition. In 2002, she won first place in an audition called the Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo Audition. She then started her music career in Japan as part of a duo called Route 0. The duo released three songs before they stopped working together in 2003.

After that, Sooyoung returned to SM Entertainment. She officially started her career in South Korea in August 2007. This is when she became a member of the famous girl group Girls' Generation.

Girls' Generation and Acting

Sooyoung at an awards show in 2009

Girls' Generation became very popular in 2009 with their hit song "Gee". Sooyoung once shared that she was interested in acting even before she became a singer. She tried out for more than 70 acting roles before her debut!

Besides her work with Girls' Generation, Sooyoung has been busy with many music and acting projects. Early in her career, she had small roles and made guest appearances in TV shows. These included the sitcom Unstoppable Marriage (2007) and the film Hello, Schoolgirl (2008). She also appeared in dramas like Oh! My Lady (2010) and A Gentleman's Dignity (2012).

Musically, she recorded a trot song called "KKok" with Yuri, another Girls' Generation member. She also sang "Feeling Only You" with Tiffany and the duo The Blue.

Sooyoung has also written lyrics for several songs. She wrote "How Great is Your Love" (2011), "What Do I Do" (2016), and "Sailing (0805)" (2016). She also helped write "Baby Maybe" (2013).

In September 2012, Sooyoung got her first main acting role in the medical drama The Third Hospital. People praised her acting, especially her emotional scenes. In May 2013, she starred in the romantic comedy Dating Agency: Cyrano. She played an expert who helps people find love. Critics said she played her character very well and naturally.

Sooyoung performing in 2015

In September 2014, Sooyoung took on a main role in the drama My Spring Days. She played a character who had a heart transplant. This role was a big success for her. She won "Best Actress in a Miniseries" at the 2014 MBC Drama Awards. She also won the "Excellence Award for Actress" at the 2015 Korea Drama Awards. Sooyoung even sang a song for the drama's soundtrack called "Wind Flower."

In 2015, Sooyoung starred in a special drama called Perfect Sense. In this show, she played a visually impaired teacher. This drama was made to help people understand disabilities better. In June 2016, she starred in the crime drama Squad 38.

New Beginnings and More Acting

In August 2017, Sooyoung played a TV producer in the web drama Someone You Might Know. Later that month, she was the main actress in the MBC drama Man in the Kitchen. In November 2017, Sooyoung joined Echo Global Group. This happened after her contract with SM Entertainment ended. She still remained a member of Girls' Generation.

Sooyoung at a "Beaming Effect" event in 2018

In 2018, Sooyoung acted in the Korean-Japanese film Memories of a Dead End. She also appeared in the action comedy film Miss & Mrs. Cops.

In December 2018, Sooyoung released her first solo song since leaving SM Entertainment. It was called "Winter Breath." She also started her official Twitter and YouTube accounts to celebrate the song's release.

In May 2019, Sooyoung signed with a new agency, Saram Entertainment. In February 2020, she starred in the OCN drama Tell Me What You Saw.

In 2020, Sooyoung starred in the JTBC romance drama Run On. In 2021, she acted alongside Choi Tae-joon in the romantic comedy series So I Married the Anti-fan. She also made a special appearance in the Netflix series Move to Heaven.

In 2022, she starred in the KBS2 drama If You Wish Upon Me. In this show, she played a nurse at a hospice. Sooyoung also helped write two songs, "Seventeen" and "Villain," for Girls' Generation's fifteenth-anniversary album, Forever 1 (2022).

On August 29, 2024, it was announced that Sooyoung would release her first Japanese solo song, "Unstoppable," on October 30.

Giving Back to the Community

Sooyoung is very active in helping others. In 2012, she became an ambassador for Korea's Retinitis Pigmentosa Society. This is a group that helps people with an eye disease. She started a fundraising campaign to help patients with this disease. She continues to support research and events for them.

In 2016, Sooyoung started her own clothing brand called Beaming Effect. The goal was to raise awareness for Retinitis Pigmentosa. She has held many charity sales over the years. All the money raised goes towards finding a cure for the disease. In 2017, she held a big charity event with Kakao, which included a concert with many artists.

Sooyoung has also been an ambassador for other important causes. These include the Korean Day of Overcoming Rare Diseases and the National Disability Awareness Improvement Campaign. In 2014, she even paid for the heart surgery of someone with heart disease. This was after she played a character who received a heart transplant in her drama My Spring Days.

Music She Made

Korean Songs

Japanese Songs

Movies and TV Shows

Movies

Television Series

Web Series

Television Shows

Web Shows

Events Hosted

Awards and Honors

See also

In Spanish: Choi Soo-young para niños