Sunny (singer)

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For other people with the same name, see Sunny.
In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.

Sunny

Sunny in April 2018

Born Susan Soonkyu Lee

May 15, 1989 (age 32)

Orange, California, U.S.[1]

Nationality Korean-American

Other names Lee Soon-kyu

 Singer
Occupation
 entertainer

Relatives Lee Soo-man (uncle)

 Musical career

Instruments Vocals

Years active 2007–present

Labels SM

Associated acts  Girls' Generation

 Girls' Generation-Oh!GG

 SM Town

Website Official website

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[2] (born May 15, 1989), known professionally as Sunny, is

a Korean-American singer and entertainer based in South Korea. She debuted
as a member of girl group Girls' Generation (and later its subgroup Girls'
Generation-Oh!GG) in August 2007, which went on to become one of the best-
selling artists in South Korea and one of South Korea's most popular girl groups
worldwide. Apart from her group's activities, Sunny has participated in
numerous side projects including original soundtracks, television variety shows,
musical acting and radio hosting.

Contents

 1Life and career

o 1.11989–2007: Early life and career beginnings
o 1.22008–present: Acting and solo projects
 2Discography
 3Filmography
o 3.1Film
o 3.2Television series
o 3.3Variety shows
o 3.4Web shows
o 3.5Musical theatre
 o 3.6Radio shows
 4Awards and nominations
 5Notes
 6References
 7External links

Life and career[edit]

1989–2007: Early life and career beginnings[edit]
Sunny was born on May 15, 1989, in Orange County, California.[3] Her family
consists of her parents and two older sisters who are ten and fifteen years older
than her. She and her sisters share the same birthday. [4] Sunny's paternal uncle
is Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment. While she was still an infant,
her family moved to Kuwait, then moved again shortly after to South Korea,
during the time of the Gulf War. As a result of her brief war experience, Sunny
grew up being scared of loud noises. She was influenced to become a singer by
her father, who was in a college band. In 1998, Sunny joined SM Entertainment
and became a trainee for five years. She transferred to Starworld agency,
where her father worked as a manager, and was to debut in a duo group called
Sugar. The group, however, never came to fruition. In early 2007, singer Ayumi
Lee convinced Sunny to rejoin SM Entertainment. She continued her training
there and made her official debut as a member of Girls' Generation in August
2007.[5][6][7][3][8][9][10] The group gained significant popularity with the release of their hit
single "Gee" in 2009.[11]
2008–present: Acting and solo projects[edit]
Aside from Girls' Generation's activities, Sunny has participated in a number of
side-projects. In early 2008, Sunny worked as a co-host of the Melon Chunji
Radio with Super Junior's Sungmin.[12][13] In August 2008, she contributed a solo
song, "You Don't Know About Love" for the SBS's drama Working Mom.[14] In
2009, Sunny released two songs—a solo track "Finally Now" for the interactive
movie Story of Wine and a duet "It's Love" for the MBC's drama Heading to the
Ground, with Girls' Generation's member Taeyeon.[15][16] During 2009 and 2010,
Sunny was a co-host for MTV Korea television music program The
M with SS501's Kim Hyung-jun and 2AM's Im Seulong.[17] She also joined
the KBS2's variety show Invincible Youth along with Girls' Generation
member Yuri. The reality program narrated a journey of a group of South
Korean celebrities who were brought together to work and experience the
agricultural and rural life.[18] In March 2010, Sunny recorded "Your Doll" for the
SBS's drama Oh! My Lady soundtrack—it became her first song to enter
the Gaon Digital Chart, at number 88.[19][20] During 2011 and 2012, she continued
on with her participation in KBS2's Invincible Youth 2.[21] She was praised by the
director of the show as someone who has "intelligence", "great adaptability" and
the ability to make other cast members get along well. [22]
In January 2012, stepping into the field of voice-over for the first time, she was
featured in the Korean-dubbed version of animated film The Outback. She
voiced a koala character named Miranda. Sunny found the recording process to
be initially difficult, stating that because Miranda was such a "charismatic" and
"strong" character, it was hard to express "with just [her] voice" as it would have
been "a different story if [she] was showing the actions". With the help of the
director, however, she was able to finally "grasp the character". [23] In March
2012, Sunny became a host for SBS MTV's television program Music Island.
[24]
 During the year, she also recorded two duets—the first song is titled "I Love
You, I Love You", with Brown Eyed Girls' member Miryo while the other one is
titled "It's Me", with f(x)'s Luna for the SBS's drama To The Beautiful You.[25]
[26]
 The songs debuted at number 56 and 25 on the Gaon Digital Chart and at
number 51 and 16 on Billboard's K-pop Hot 100 chart, respectively.[27][28][29][30]

Sunny at Style Icon Asia on March 15, 2016.

During 2012–2013, Sunny was cast in her first musical, Catch Me If You Can,
based on the true story and life of a con man named Frank Abagnale. The story
was turned famous by the 2002 movie of the same name.[31] She played a
character named Brenda, who is the girlfriend of the male lead. Her
performance received favorable reviews. Shin Yeong-seon from The Chosun
Ilbo noted on Sunny's ability to understand the character and praised her well-
portrayal of Brenda's "exaggerated cuteness and flippant acting". Jang Kyungjin
of 10asia enjoyed her singing, "While Sunny wasn't a member in her group who
put her vocals forth, she showed her power through Brenda's 'Fly, Fly Away'
with her clean, firm voice, showing her potential to the audience." [32][33] Sunny was
nominated for the "Best New Actress" at the 6th Musical Awards.[34] In June
2013, Sunny released the song "The 2nd Drawer" for the MBC's drama The
Queen's Classroom.[35] It debuted at number 76 on K-pop Top 100 Chart. [36] In
March 2014, Sunny participated in the Korean-dubbed version of the animated
film Rio 2. She voiced Jewel, a female Spix's macaw. The director noted on her
ability to not only deliver the lines, but also successfully expressed other sound
effects, like breathing. In an interview, Sunny felt that the most appealing part of
dubbing is the ability to go back to her childhood. [37] In June 2014, Sunny was
cast in her second musical, Singin' in the Rain, based on the 1952 movie of the
same name. Sunny played Kathy Selden, an aspiring actress.[38][39] In November
2014, her solo song, "First Kiss", was released as a part of musician Hwang
Sung Je's Project Super Hero series.[40]
Between 2014 and 2015, she became a cast member of the SBS's reality
show Roommate. The show featured a group of celebrities living together,
sharing the house as well as household tasks.[41][42] During the same period,
Sunny hosted the MBC radio show's FM Date. She contributed her own self-
written logo song for the show and also won the "Rookie Radio DJ Award" at
the year-end MBC Entertainment Awards.[43][44][45][46] In April 2015, Sunny's voice
was featured on indie-band Roof Top House's debut single "Heart Throbbing".
[47]
 The song managed to enter Gaon Digital Chart at number 89. [48] In August-
October 2015, she was a co-host for the short-lived JTBC's variety show Serial
Shopping Family.[49]
In March 2016, it was revealed that Sunny would be a celebrity judge in the new
show, Vocal War: God's Voice. The purpose of the show is to create a one-on-
one vocal battle between veteran singers in Korea and talented amateur
vocalists.[50] Starting from June 2016, Sunny joined the main cast of the JTBC
variety show Cheonhajangsa (천하장사), a show featuring various traditional
markets.[51]

Discography[edit]
See also: Girls' Generation discography

Peak chart
positions

Title Year KOR Sales Album

Gaon Hot
[52] [53][A]

As lead artist

"Heart Throbbing" (심쿵주 Rooftop

 KOR:
의보) 2015 89 — Project The
21,799[56]
(with Rooftop House Studio) 1st Album[57]

"U&I" (쟤 보지 마) Non-album
2017 — — N/A
(with Henry) single
As featured artist
"Time" [58]
Non-album
(Hitchhiker featuring 2018 — — N/A
Sunny, Hyoyeon and Taeyong)
single

Promotional singles
Hwang Soun
Je Project
"First Kiss" 2014 — — N/A
Superhero
3rd Line up[59]
Collaborations
"I Love You, I Love 2012 56 51  KOR: MIRYO aka
You"[60] (사랑해 사랑해) 102,375[61] JOHONEY[62]
(Miryo featuring Sunny)
Soundtrack appearances
"You Don't Know About Working
2008 — —
Love" (사랑을 몰라요) Mom OST[63]
Story of Wine
"Finally Now" — —
OST[64]
2009 N/A Heading to
"It's Love" (사랑인걸요) — — the Ground
(with Taeyeon)
OST[65]
Oh! My Lady
"Your Doll"[66] (그대 인형) 2010 88 —
OST[67]
To the
"It's Me"[68] (나야)  KOR:
2012 25 16 Beautiful You
(with Luna) 218,992[69]
OST[70]
The Queen's
"The 2nd Drawer" (두 번째  KOR:
2013 — 76 Classroom
서랍)[71] 30,346[72]
OST[73]
Two Yoo
"Odd Imagination"[74] Project -
2018 — —
(with Henry) Sugar Man 2
Part 6[75]
Bossam:
"Collar"[76] (옷깃) 2021 — — N/A Steal the
Fate OST
"Your Bright Smile Is on Let Me Be
the Clouds in the Sky"(너의 2021 — — Your
환한 미소가 하늘 구름 위에 있
Knight OST
어)
Other appearances
2011 Girls
"3"[77][B] — — N/A Generation
Tour (Live)
2013 SBS Gayo
"You Are A Miracle"  KOR: Daejun:
32 —
(with various artists) 53,496[78] Friendship
Project
"Sound of Your Heart" (너
의 목소리) S.M. Station
2016 — — N/A
(with Steve Barakatt, as part Season 1
of SM Town)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Filmography[edit]
Main article: Girls' Generation filmography
Film[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.

Voice-over for the Korean-

The Outback Miranda
dubbed version
2012
I AM. – SM Town Live World Tour in Biographical film of SM
Herself [79]

Madison Square Garden Town

Voice-over for the Korean-

2014 Rio 2 Jewel
dubbed version

Documentary film of SM
2015 SMTown The Stage Herself [80]

Town

Television series[edit]
Year Title Network Role Notes

Bulgwang-dong's Seven Princesses Cameo (Ep.

2008 Unstoppable Marriage KBS2
Gang 64)

Tae-hee, Hye-kyo, Ji- Cameo (Ep.

2009 MBC
hyun! 126)
Sunny

2011 Sazae-san: Special 3 Fuji TV Cameo

Variety shows[edit]
Year Title Network Role Notes

2009–
The M MTV Korea Co-host
2010

Season 1 (episodes 1–
2009– 32, 37, 38, 51)
Invincible Youth KBS2 Regular cast
2012 Season 2 (episodes 1–
31)
2012 Music Island SBS MTV Main host

2013 Real Men MBC Narrator

2014–
Roommate SBS Regular cast Season 2
2015

2015 Shopping Family JTBC

Main host
Star Advent Shandong TV
2016
Strong Man JTBC
Regular cast
Snowball Project Naver TV Cast

Hyena on the
KBS2 Main Host
2017 Keyboard: Pilot

A Man Who Feeds

Channel A Narrator Season 2
The Dog

2017–
To You, From Me E Channel
2018

Real Life Men and Regular cast

MBN
Women

2018 Love Translation XtvN

Supermodel 2018 Performance

SBS
Survival Mentor

2018– Video Star MBC Every 1 Main host Season 2 (episodes 91–
2019 115)
2019 Shall We Chicken? JTBC

2021–
Beauty and Luxury 6 Dong-A TV Host [81]

present

Spicy Girls iHQ Cast Member [82]

with Lee Eun-ji and

Idea Panda Studio Lululala Host
2021 Kim Poong[83]

MBC Plus /
Legendary Trainee Host [84]

Lifetime

Web shows[edit]
Year Title Network Role Ref.

Love Catcher in
2021 TVING Host [85]

Seoul

Musical theatre[edit]
Year Title Role Notes

2012– Brenda
Catch Me If You Can
2013 Strong
Lead Role

2014 Singin' in the Rain Kathy Selden

2016– Cafe-in ~Mr Sommelier Miss

Lead Role, Japanese musical
2017 Barista

Radio shows[edit]
Year Title Notes

Co-DJ with Super
2008 Melon Chunji Radio
Junior's Sungmin
2014–
MBC FM4U's Sunny's FM Date Solo DJ
2015

Awards and nominations[edit]

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Girls' Generation

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the res

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / W

Korean Musical Awards 2013 Best New Actress Catch Me If You Ca

MBC Entertainment Awards 2014 Rookie Radio DJ Award Sunny's FM Date

Mnet 20's Choice Awards 2010 Hot Female Multitainer Sunny

Musical Awards 2012 Best New Actress Catch Me If You Ca

Notes