Gary (rapper) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary
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|---|---|
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| Born | February 24, 1978 South Korea
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| Education | Yong In University |
| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) |
Kim Se-eun
(m. 2017) |
| Children | 1 (Kang Ha-oh) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996–2022 |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
강희건
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| Hanja |
姜熙建
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| RR | Gang Huigeon |
| MR | Kang Hŭigŏn |
| Stage name | |
| Hangul |
개리
|
| RR | Gaeri |
| MR | Kaeri |
Kang Hee-gun (Hangul: 강희건), known as Gary (Korean: 개리), is a famous South Korean rapper, songwriter, and TV star. He was a member of the hip-hop group Leessang. This group made eight albums and had many hit songs. Gary also started his own music career in 2014 with his mini-album Mr.Gae. Even though some of his songs were not suitable for all audiences and were not allowed on major TV stations, they still became very popular.
Gary has also worked with other famous artists like Psy and Lee Hyori. Many people know him from the popular TV show Running Man, where he was a co-host for many years.
Contents
Early life and Interests
Gary was born on February 24, 1978. His nickname when he was in middle school was "Gae," which means "dog" in Korean. He later used this as his stage name. When he was younger, Gary loved dancing more than rapping. He even won a dance competition! He was offered a contract by a big entertainment company, SM Entertainment, but he decided not to join.
Gary went to Yong In University. He also trained as a bodyguard and was an amateur boxer for ten years.
Music Journey
Starting with X-Teen and Honey Family (1997–2001)
In 1997, Gary joined a hip-hop group called X-Teen. There, he met Gil, who would later become his partner in Leessang. Gary was part of X-Teen's album in 1998, but he and Gil later left the group.
After X-Teen, Gary and Gil joined another group called "Honey Family." They released two albums in 1999 and 2000. Gary, Gil, and another member, Diggity, then formed "Leessam Trio." They released a compilation album in 2000. When Diggity left, Gary and Gil changed their group name to LeeSsang.
Leessang's Success (2002–2017)
Leessang was officially formed in 2002 by Gary and Gil. They made eight albums together and had many hit songs. At first, they were more of an underground group, but their later albums, like Hexagonal, Asura Balbalta, and Unplugged, became very popular in Korea. For example, their song "Turn Off the TV" from Asura Balbalta was number one on a major music chart for 25 days!
Solo Music Career (2014–Present)
In January 2014, Gary released his first solo mini-album, Mr.Gae. Some of the songs on this album were not allowed on major TV stations because of their lyrics. However, his song "Shower Later" still became number one on many music charts. Gary said he wanted to try new things with his music.
In May 2014, Gary worked with singer Jung-in on a song called "Your Scent." This song was very popular and even won an award on a music show. They worked together again in September 2014 on a song called "Bicycle."
Gary released his second solo album, 2002, in September 2015. It featured many other artists. In January 2016, he released a single called "Lonely Night" with Gaeko from Dynamic Duo. The music video for this song featured Song Ji-hyo, his co-star from Running Man. "Lonely Night" also won an award on a TV music show.
In January 2020, Gary joined the TV show The Return of Superman with his son, Kang Ha-oh. They were on the show until December 2020.
TV Shows and Appearances
Running Man (2010–2017)
In 2010, Gary became a co-host on the popular urban variety show Running Man. He joined other hosts like Yoo Jae-suk, Haha, Ji Suk-jin, Kim Jong-kook, Lee Kwang-soo, and Song Joong-ki. Song Ji-hyo joined later. Running Man's popularity helped Gary and the other cast members become famous around the world.
In October 2016, Gary decided to leave Running Man to focus more on his music. His last regular episode was number 324. He did make a few guest appearances after that, including in episode 325 and episode 336 in January 2017.
Other TV Shows
Gary has appeared in other TV shows, including:
- Kang Ceremony (a Chinese reality show) in 2017.
- The Return of Superman with his son, Kang Ha-oh, from 2020.
- Law of the Jungle in 2020 and 2021.
- Artistock Game in 2022.
Personal Life
On April 5, 2017, Gary announced that he had married a woman who was not a celebrity. She had worked at his company for five years before they got married. Their son, Kang Ha-oh, was born on October 15, 2017.
Awards and Recognitions
Gary has won many awards throughout his career, both with Leessang and as a solo artist. Some of his awards include:
- Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the Mnet Music Video Festival in 2002 (with Leessang).
- New Star Award at the SBS Entertainment Awards in 2010 for Running Man.
- Excellence Award in Variety at the SBS Entertainment Awards in 2012 for Running Man.
- Best Couple Award with Song Ji-hyo at the NATE Awards in 2013 for Running Man.
- Top Excellence Award in Variety at the SBS Entertainment Awards in 2015 (with Song Ji-hyo) for Running Man.
Images for kids
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Gary, a South Korean rapper and TV personality.
See also
In Spanish: Garie para niños
