Lee Sun-hee (singer)


Lee Sun-hee is a South Korean singer-songwriter. She is often referred to as South Korea's "National Diva" for her immense popularity, commercial success, and vocal ability.
Lee debuted in 1984 with the song, "To J," for which she won first prize in the MBC Riverside Song Festival. She released her first album, Ah! The Good Old Days, the following year in 1985. She released a string of successful albums in the 1980s and early 1990s, and won awards at KBS Song Festival and MBC Ten Singers Song Festival every year from 1984 to 1990, as well as main prize at the Golden Disc Awards every year from 1986 to 1990.
The government of South Korea awarded Lee the prestigious Prime Minister's Commendation in 2010 for her contributions to popular culture. In 2011, Lee became the fourth South Korean singer to ever perform at Carnegie Hall. She released her 15th album, Serendipity in 2014. In 2018, she performed in Pyongyang as a part of Spring is Coming and became one of few South Korean singers to perform twice in North Korea. She released her 16th album, Anbu in 2020.
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Early life and education

Lee was born in 1964 in Poryong, South Chungchon, South Korea. She was raised near a secluded Buddhist temple by her mother and her father, a Buddhist monk who belongs to a sect of the religion that allows monks to marry and have children. She attended Sangmyung High School and graduated from Inchon City College in 1984 with a degree in environmental management.

Career

While she was a student at Incheon City College, Lee participated in the 5th MBC Riverside Song Festival as a member of the singing duo Act 4 Scene 5 with fellow student Im Sung-kyun. They won the grand prize with the song, "To J", which became a hit, garnering Lee prizes for best new artist at the year-end KBS Music Awards and MBC Top 10 Singers Song Festival. Her signature boyish look was also a hit, causing a so-called "Lee Sun-hee syndrome," or craze, among female students who imitated her short haircut and round glasses.

Musical style

Lee Sun-hee possesses a warm, lyric soprano voice with sturdy lows and bombastic highs. In addition to being a vocalist, Lee Sun-hee is also a songwriter, writing many of the songs on her later albums including the celebrated hit 'Fate'. During her 30th anniversary concert tour, Sun-hee broadcast a clip during the intermission revealing her three biggest musical influences: Barbra Streisand, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. She has mentioned South Korean vocalist Song Chang-sik as one of her influences and role models.

Discography

OST albums

Filmography

Television shows

YearTitleNetworkRoleNotes
2020–presentSing AgainJTBCJudgeSeason 1–2
2022The Road with SongsKBS2Hostwith Lee Geum-hee