Jeon Somi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeon Somi
Jeon in 2024
Born	Ennik Somi Douma (2001-03-09) March 9, 2001 (age 24) Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Citizenship	South Korea Canada Netherlands
Occupation	Singer songwriter rapper dancer
Musical career
Origin	South Korea
Genres	K-pop dance-pop R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2014–present
Labels	JYP YMC The Black Label Interscope
Korean name
Hangul	전소미
RR	Jeon Somi
MR	Chŏn Somi
Signature

Ennik Somi Douma (born March 9, 2001), known as Jeon Somi (Hangul: 전소미), is a singer from South Korea and Canada. She was born in Canada. Her mother is South Korean, and her father is Dutch-Canadian. Somi moved to South Korea when she was a baby.

She became famous quickly after winning the TV show Produce 101. She was also part of the girl group I.O.I. After I.O.I finished their activities, Somi joined The Black Label. This company is part of YG Entertainment. She started her solo music career on June 13, 2019, with the song "Birthday". In 2021, she released her first album, XOXO. This album included the popular song "Dumb Dumb". In 2023, her song "Fast Forward" became a top-five hit in South Korea.

Early Life and School

Ennik Somi Douma was born on March 9, 2001. Her birthplace was Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Her mother, Jeon Sun-hee, is South Korean. Her father, Matthew Douma, is Canadian with German and Dutch family. Somi is the older of two sisters.

When she was six months old, her family moved to Yeonhui-dong, Seoul, South Korea. Her mother missed her home country. Somi's father had lived in Seoul before. He studied Taekwondo there. When Somi was four, she appeared on TV with her father. He was being interviewed about clearing snow.

School Days

Somi first went to a school for foreign students. Later, she moved to Seoul Midong Elementary School. She wanted to practice Taekwondo there. She shared that she faced bullying because she was mixed-race. She even wanted to dye her hair black to fit in.

She finished elementary school in 2013. Then, she went to Cheongdam Middle School. She graduated from middle school in 2017. Somi finished high school at Hanlim Multi Art School. She studied Practical Music and Vocal. She graduated in 2020.

Dreaming of Music

Somi first dreamed of being a singer when she was a child. She watched Rihanna's music video for "Don't Stop the Music". When she was nine, she found out about K-pop. She really liked Park Bom from 2NE1 because of her unique voice.

Music Career

Starting Out and I.O.I Debut (2013–2017)

Somi started auditioning for entertainment companies in South Korea. This was when she was in fourth grade. In 2013, she appeared on a TV show called Let's Go! Dream Team Season 2. She was part of her school's Taekwondo team.

In 2014, Somi auditioned for JYP Entertainment. She sang "Lonely" by 2NE1. She was accepted as a trainee. In 2015, she appeared in Got7's music video for "Stop Stop It".

In May 2015, Somi joined the TV show Sixteen. This show was a competition to pick members for a new girl group. Somi competed against fifteen other trainees. She wanted a spot in the group that became Twice. However, she was eliminated in the final round. She continued to train at JYP Entertainment.

Jeon Somi at a concert in 2016

In January 2016, Somi joined the competition show Produce 101. She represented her company. She finished in first place with many votes. After training for two and a half years, Somi officially debuted. She was fifteen years old. On May 4, she debuted with the group I.O.I. They released their first album, Chrysalis.

In August, Somi joined a smaller group within I.O.I. This group released the song "Whatta Man". The song was very popular. Somi and her group members won their first music show award with this song. In August, Somi also worked with other I.O.I members, Choi Yoo-jung and Chungha. They released a song called "Flower, Wind and You". In October, Somi became a host for the TV show The Show.

In January 2017, Somi signed a contract with JYP Entertainment for her solo TV activities. I.O.I officially disbanded on January 29, 2017. Soon after, Somi joined the TV show Sister's Slam Dunk as a regular cast member. On March 9, Eric Nam and Somi released a song together called "You, Who?". This song was also popular. In May, Somi joined Unnies, a group from Sister's Slam Dunk 2. They released two songs, "Right?" and "Lalala Song". "Right?" sold many digital copies.

Jeon Somi in June 2017

In March 2017, Somi joined a web show called Idol Drama Operation Team. On this show, she and six other girl group members wrote their own drama. They also acted in it as a fictional girl group. The group was called Girls Next Door. They released a song called "Deep Blue Eyes". In November 2017, Somi was featured on a song called "Nov to Feb" by Jun. K of 2PM.

Solo Debut and Success (2018–Present)

On August 20, 2018, Somi left JYP Entertainment. She signed a new contract with The Black Label. This company is part of YG Entertainment. It is home to singer Zion.T. Somi said she joined The Black Label because she liked the CEO, Teddy Park. She felt he would help her grow as an artist and person.

Jeon Somi at her debut showcase for "Birthday" in 2019

On February 25, 2019, The Black Label announced Somi would debut as a solo artist. Her first song, "Birthday", was released on June 13. The music video got over four million views in one day. Somi performed "Birthday" and "Outta My Head" on Show! Music Core on June 15. These songs were popular on music charts. Somi also joined TV shows like Law of the Jungle in Chuuk with her father.

In March 2020, a reality series called I Am Somi was released on YouTube. It showed Somi's daily life. In one episode, Somi shared that her next song was delayed. This was due to travel rules from the coronavirus pandemic. On July 14, it was confirmed that Somi would release a new song. It was called "What You Waiting For" and came out on July 22. On July 20, Somi also signed with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group. This was for her music outside of Asia. On August 6, 2020, Somi won her first music show award for "What You Waiting For" on M Countdown.

In March 2021, Somi was invited to The Blue House. This was to celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the Korean Declaration of Independence. She read from the declaration in Korean. The Blue House chose her as a multicultural representative. They said she was popular and promoted Korean culture. Somi and most I.O.I members reunited for their fifth anniversary. They had a live stream called Yes, I Love It! on May 4.

On July 23, Somi announced a new song, "Dumb Dumb". It was released on August 2. Its music video got 10 million views in less than 24 hours. It reached 20 million views in two days. This was a new record for her. "Dumb Dumb" became her first top ten song as a solo artist. Somi also started a "Dumb Dumb Challenge" on TikTok. The hashtag got over 70 million views in two weeks.

On October 14, 2021, The Black Label said Somi would release her first full album. It was called XOXO and came out on October 29. The album included her previous songs like "Birthday" and "Dumb Dumb". The album was very successful. The main song "XOXO" also charted well.

On July 24, 2023, Somi announced a new album called Game Plan. It was released on August 7. The main song was "Fast Forward". This song was very popular. It reached number 5 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart. It was also named one of the best K-pop songs of 2023. On December 12, 2023, Somi released a Christmas song called "Ex-Mas" with rapper Big Naughty.

On August 2, 2024, Somi released a summer song called "Ice Cream". On July 7, 2025, Somi released the single "Extra".

Personal Life

Jeon Somi at her graduation ceremony in 2017

Somi is skilled in Taekwondo. She has practiced this Korean martial art for over 10 years. Her father, who has a high-level black belt, first taught her. Somi held a third-degree black belt for a while. She couldn't get the fourth degree because she was too young. In May 2018, when she was 17, Somi took the fourth-degree black belt test. She passed and was officially certified as a fourth-degree black belt holder. This level allows someone to be an instructor.

Somi and her family follow Korean Buddhism. She has three passports: for South Korea, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Artistic Style

Fashion and Looks

When she was a child, Somi loved to show her personality through clothes. She even drew a unicorn on her Louis Vuitton bag. She felt the unicorn looked like her. Somi said she likes patterns and colors. She thinks her mother's old monogram bag from 10 years ago is still cool.

For her song "What You Waiting For", Somi helped plan her music video's style. She worked with the director of Vogue Korea. She chose confident looks. She also used a sword in the video. This had a hidden meaning: her birth name "Ennik" means "sword" in an old Dutch language. Somi also enjoys DIY projects. She likes to take clothes apart and put them back together.

Writing Songs

Somi started writing songs in middle school. Her first song she wrote herself was "Outta My Head". She hummed the tune after joining The Black Label. Teddy asked her about it. With help from producer 24, it became an R&B song. It was included on her first album, Birthday.

Somi usually records two versions of her songs. One is in English, and one is in Korean. She first gets the "feel" of the song in English. Then, the lyrics are changed to Korean. She explained that she tries to make the Korean words sound similar to the English ones. For example, "orange" might become "how long" in Korean. She said this process takes longer but makes the songs better.

As a solo artist at The Black Label, Somi has more control over her music. She said she learns a lot from the producers and songwriters there. She feels she has grown a lot as an artist and person. She sees Teddy Park as a very important mentor. She said he is the most successful songwriter in K-pop. He advised her to focus on being a great person, not just a great singer.

Inspirations

When Somi was growing up, she loved music from Cyndi Lauper, Rihanna, and 2NE1. She also listened to South Korean singer Seo Taiji. Her mother introduced her to his music. Somi said he "rocked the music industry." Her father also introduced her to music from different countries. She listened to music on cassette tapes because of her grandmother.

Somi looks up to Lee Hyori as a role model. Lee Hyori is a female solo artist who has shown many different styles. Somi finds this inspiring for her own career. Teddy Park, the CEO of The Black Label, is also a key mentor. Somi said meeting him was like seeing a unicorn. She grew up listening to his music and dreamed of being a singer.

Other Activities

Brand Deals

Jeon Somi in 2018 as a torchbearer for the 2018 Winter Olympics

Somi's time in I.O.I helped her get a "Human Vitamin" image. This made her popular for brand deals. She became the face for Japanese skincare brand Hada Labo. She also worked with cosmetics brands Kiss Me and Shiseido Korea. Somi became a model for skincare brand COSRX. She also worked with shoe brand Nuovo and fashion brands Beanpole Sports and United Colors of Benetton Korea. In February 2022, she became an ambassador for Converse. In May 2023, she became an ambassador for The North Face.

Somi has also modeled for food and drink brands. These include Nongshim's Petit Paris Rollbread and Fanta. She has also been part of campaigns for Reebok, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. In October 2021, Somi became a public relations ambassador for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. She took part in the "Korea Contents Week" campaign.

Helping Others

In July 2016, Somi and I.O.I members Nayoung and Kyulkyung helped with "Shoot For Love". This campaign raised money for children with pediatric cancer. They completed challenges and raised money. In October 2018, Somi became an international ambassador for The Wetskills Foundation. This is a Dutch group focused on water management. In October 2020, Somi joined W Korea's "Love Your W" campaign. This campaign raised awareness about breast cancer.

Music Releases

Studio Albums

Extended Plays

Singles

As Lead Artist

As Featured Artist

Other Charted Songs

Songwriting Credits

List of songs, showing year released, artist name, and album

Year	Artist	Song	Album	Lyricist		Composer
				Credited	With	Credited	With
2017	Unnies	"Right?" (맞지?)	Non-album single		Kim Eana		–
2019	Herself	"Birthday"	XOXO		–		Teddy, Bekuh Boom, 24
		"Outta My Head" (어질어질)					24
2020		"What You Waiting For"			Teddy, Danny Chung		Teddy, R.Tee, 24
2021		"Dumb Dumb"					–
		"XOXO"			Teddy, Danny Chung, Vince, Kush		Teddy, Danny Chung, Vince, Kush
		"Don't Let Me Go"			Teddy, Danny Chung, Giriboy		–
		"Watermelon"			–		24
2023		"Gold Gold Gold" (금금금)	Game Plan		Teddy, Danny Chung		Dominsuk, 24
		"Fast Forward"			Teddy, Bekuh Boom, Vince		–
		"Fxxked Up" (개별로)			Teddy		Teddy, 24, Dominsuk, JuniorChef, VVN
		"Pisces" (자두)			–		Dominsuk
	Herself and Big Naughty	"Ex-Mas"	non-album single		Big Naughty		NOHC, Vince, Big Naughty

Videos

Music Videos

TV and Film Appearances

Film

Television Shows

Web Shows

Hosting

Music Video Appearances

Live Performances

Fanmeeting Tours

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jeon Somi para niños