Sunny (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunny
Sunny in April 2018
Born	Susan Soonkyu Lee (1989-05-15) May 15, 1989 (age 36) Orange County, California, U.S.
Other names	Lee Soon-kyu
Citizenship	United States South Korea
Occupation	Singer entertainer
Relatives	Lee Soo-man (uncle)
Musical career
Origin	Seoul, South Korea
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2007–present
Labels	SM
Korean name
Hangul	이순규
Hanja	李純揆
Revised Romanization	I Sun-gyu
McCune–Reischauer	I Sun-kyu
Stage name
Hangul	써니
Revised Romanization	Sseoni
McCune–Reischauer	Ssŏni

Susan Soonkyu Lee (born May 15, 1989), known as Sunny, is a popular singer and entertainer. She is from both South Korea and the United States. Sunny became famous as a member of the girl group Girls' Generation in August 2007. This group became one of the most well-known girl groups worldwide. Besides her group activities, Sunny has worked on many other projects. She has sung for movie soundtracks, appeared on TV shows, acted in musicals, and hosted radio programs.

Sunny's Life and Career

Early Life and Becoming a Star (1989–2007)

Sunny was born on May 15, 1989, in Orange County, California, USA. She has two older sisters. Interestingly, all three sisters share the same birthday! Sunny's uncle, Lee Soo-man, is the founder of SM Entertainment, a big entertainment company.

When Sunny was a baby, her family moved to Kuwait. But they had to return to South Korea because of the Gulf War. They settled in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Sunny went to elementary, middle, and high school there. Her father, who was in a college band, inspired her to become a singer.

In 1998, Sunny joined SM Entertainment as a trainee. She trained there for five years. Later, she moved to another agency where her father worked. She was supposed to join a duo group called Sugar, but it never happened. In 2007, another singer, Ayumi Lee, encouraged Sunny to rejoin SM Entertainment. She continued her training and officially debuted with Girls' Generation in August 2007. The group became very popular after their hit song "Gee" came out in 2009.

Acting and Solo Projects (2008–Present)

Besides her work with Girls' Generation, Sunny has done many solo projects. In 2008, she co-hosted a radio show called Melon Chunji Radio. She also sang a solo song, "You Don't Know About Love," for a TV drama. In 2009, she released two more songs: "Finally Now" for a movie and "It's Love" with Taeyeon for a drama.

From 2009 to 2010, Sunny co-hosted a TV music show called The M. She also joined the TV show Invincible Youth with her group member Yuri. This show was about celebrities experiencing farm life. In 2010, Sunny recorded "Your Doll" for a drama soundtrack. This was her first song to appear on the music charts.

Sunny performing at Angel Price Music Festival in 2011

Sunny continued on Invincible Youth 2 from 2011 to 2012. The show's director praised her for being smart and adaptable. He also noted her ability to help other cast members get along.

In 2012, Sunny tried voice acting for the first time. She voiced a koala named Miranda in the animated movie The Outback. She found it challenging at first. Miranda was a strong character, and Sunny had to express her feelings only with her voice. But with help, she learned to "grasp the character." In March 2012, Sunny became a host for the TV show Music Island. She also recorded two duets that year. "I Love You, I Love You" was with Brown Eyed Girls' member Miryo. "It's Me" was with f(x)'s Luna. Both songs did well on the music charts.

From 2012 to 2013, Sunny acted in her first musical, Catch Me If You Can. This musical is based on the true story of a con man. Sunny played Brenda, the main character's girlfriend. Critics liked her performance. They said she understood the character well and sang with a clear, strong voice. Sunny was even nominated for "Best New Actress" at the 6th Musical Awards. In June 2013, she released the song "The 2nd Drawer" for a TV drama.

In March 2014, Sunny did more voice acting for the animated film Rio 2. She voiced Jewel, a blue macaw. The director said she was great at delivering lines and making sound effects. Sunny said that voice acting made her feel like a child again. In June 2014, she was cast in her second musical, Singin' in the Rain. She played Kathy Selden, an aspiring actress. In November 2014, her solo song "First Kiss" was released.

Sunny at Style Icon Asia on March 15, 2016.

From 2014 to 2015, Sunny was on the TV reality show Roommate. This show featured celebrities living together and sharing chores. During this time, Sunny also hosted the MBC radio show FM Date. She even wrote the theme song for her show! She won the "Rookie Radio DJ Award" for her work. In April 2015, Sunny sang on the indie band Roof Top House's song "Heart Throbbing." In late 2015, she co-hosted the TV show Serial Shopping Family.

In March 2016, Sunny became a judge on the show Vocal War: God's Voice. This show featured singing battles between famous singers and talented amateurs. Starting in June 2016, Sunny joined the cast of the TV show Cheonhajangsa. This show explored different traditional markets.

In August 2023, Sunny left SM Entertainment after her contract ended.

Discography

Sunny has released many songs, both solo and with other artists. Here are some of her notable works:

Filmography

Sunny has appeared in several films and television shows.

Films

Television Series

Television Shows

Web Shows

Radio Shows

Musical Theatre

Sunny has also performed in several musicals.

Awards and Nominations

Sunny has received awards and nominations for her work.

See also

In Spanish: Sunny (cantante) para niños