Lee Soo-young (Korean: 이수영; born Lee Ji-yeon, 이지연on April 12, 1979) is a South Korean ballad singer. She debuted in 1999 with the hit album, I Believe, and quickly gained popularity due to her strong singing skills. During the mid-2000s, Lee was one of South Korea's best-selling singers, selling more than 700,000 albums in 2004 alone despite a recession in the music industry at the time.
Career
In 2001, she sang the official Korean version of the Final Fantasy X song "Suteki Da Ne" in Korean, titled "얼마나 좋을까" ("Eolmana Joheulkka").
She released her seventh album, Grace, on January 21, 2006. It performed very well, able to shoot straight to the top of the charts. The popularity of the album led to a limited edition (repackage) release of Grace, of which only 30,000 copies were produced.
Lee has performed the new song written by her titled "Lavender" from her new album at the wedding ceremony of her close friend, Park Kyung-lim, Kim Yoo-mi, Seo Min-jung.
Personal life
Lee married her boyfriend of one year in October 2010. They have one son, who was born in July 2011.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||
| I Believe |
|
8 |
|
| Never Again |
|
32 |
|
| Made In Winter |
|
7 |
|
| My Stay In Sendai |
|
4 |
|
| This Time |
|
3 |
|
| The Colors Of My Life |
|
1 |
|
| Grace |
|
1 |
|
| Set It Down (내려놓음) |
|
2 |
|
| Dazzle |
|
— | —N/a |
| Sory |
|
78 | —N/a |
| * Data not available for 2009. | |||
Live and compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||
| Thank Her (그녀에게 감사해요) live album |
|
34 |
|
| Sweet Holiday in Lombok compilation album |
|
3 |
|
| Classic: The Remake Album cover album |
|
2 |
|
| As Time Goes By compilation album |
|
— | —N/a |
| An Autumn Day Japanese compilation album |
|
7 |
|
| Classic: The 2nd Remake Album cover album |
|
— | —N/a |
| White Heart Baekgu (하얀마음 백구) with Jang Sook Hee, original soundtrack album |
|
— | —N/a |
Extended plays
- Once (Released: November 13, 2008)
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "I Believe" | 1999 | I Believe |
| "Goodbye My Love" | ||
| "Never Again" | 2001 | Never Again |
| "Goodbye As I Pass You By" (스치듯 안녕) | ||
| "And I Love You" (그리고 사랑해) | Made in Winter | |
| "I'd Rather" (차라리) | ||
| "Lalala" (라라라) | 2002 | My Stay In Sendai |
| "Debt" (빚) | ||
| "Solitary" (덩그러니) | 2003 | This Time |
| "Still Biting My Lips" (여전히 입술을 깨물죠) | ||
| "Whistling" (휠릴리) | 2004 | The Colors of My Life |
| "Andante" | ||
| "Grace" | 2006 | Grace |
| "Cold" (시린) | ||
| "Bobbed Hair" (단발머리) | 2007 | Set It Down |
| "Don't Know Men" (남자를 모르고) | ||
| "What Love Is" (무슨 사랑이 그래요) (with Baek Chan of 8Eight) |
2008 | Non-album single |
| "Woman Like This" (이런 여자) | Once | |
| "Jiulkkeoya" (지울꺼야) | 2009 | Non-album single |
| "Don't Call My Name" (내 이름 부르지마) | Dazzle | |
| "Find Me" (날 찾아) | 2020 | Non-album single |
| "Sore" (덧) | 2022 | Sory |
| "Uranus" (천왕성) |
Soundtrack appearances
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | |||
| "A Love to Kill" (이 죽일 놈의 사랑) | 2005 | — | A Love to Kill OST |
| "Crazy For You" (사랑에 미치다) | 2007 | — | Crazy For You OST |
| "Fox" (여우랍니다) | 2009 | — | Queen of Housewives OST |
| "Time, Please Slow Down" (시간아 제발...천천히 가줘) | 2010 | 64 | The Great Merchant OST |
| "The Road That Only We Know" (우리 둘만 아는 길) | 2012 | 55 | Man from the Equator OST |
| "Tears Fall Because I Miss You" (그리워서 눈물나서) | 73 | Phantom OST | |
| "Nice Girl" (착한 여자) | 27 | The Innocent Man OST | |
| "Will It Reach You" (닿을 수 있나요) | 2013 | 45 | Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love OST |
| "Love in Memory 2" (러브 인 메모리 2) | 2014 | 98 | Love in Memory 2 OST |
| "Can't Love You" (사랑 못해) | 2019 | — | My Only One OST |
| "Shine Bright" (찬란하게 빛날 거예요) | 2020 | — | Kkondae Intern OST |
| "The Look of Time" (시간의 표정) | 2022 | — | Never Give Up OST |
TV series
- The Accidental Couple (KBS2, 2009) as Jo Seung-eun
Movies
- The Quiz Show Scandal (2010) as the radio singer
Variety show
| Year | Network | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | B tv Cable | Healing Mountain Lodge 2 | Host | |
| 2021 | MBN | Chosun Panstar | judge | |
| 2020 | JTBC | Two Yoo Project Sugar Man 3 | Contestant | Episode 13 (2020.02.28) |
| 2016 | SBS TV | Fantastic Duo | Contestant | Episodes 11 & 12 (2016.06.26 & 2016.07.03) |
| 2015 | MBC | King of Mask Singer | Contestant | Episode 37 and 38 (with the stage name "The Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite Playing A Harp") |
| 2015 | KBS2 | 1 vs. 100 | Contestant | 2015.11.24 |
| 2014 | KBS World | Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend | Contestant | 2014.08.09 |
| 2013 | JTBC | Hidden Singer | Contestant | Episode 5 - Season 1 (2013.03.30) |
| 2009 | KBS2 | Happy Together | Guest | Episode 105 - Season 3 (2009.07.16) |
| 2006 | SBS | X-Man | Guest | Episode 118 to 126 |
Awards and nominations
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee/work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Disc Awards | 2002 | Album Bonsang | My Stay in Sendai | Won | |
| 2003 | Album Bonsang | This Time | Won | ||
| 2004 | Album of the Year (Daesang) | The Colors Of My Life | Won | ||
| Album Bonsang | Won | ||||
| Mnet Music Video Festival | 1999 | Best New Solo Artist | "I Believe" | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Best Ballad Performance | "Lalala" | Won | ||
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||||
| 2003 | "Solitary" | Won | |||
| Best Ballad Performance | Nominated | ||||
| 2004 | Best Female Video | "Whistle to Me" | Won | ||
| Best Ballad Video | Nominated | ||||
| Best Female Artist | "Grace" | Nominated | |||
| Best Ballad Performance | Nominated | ||||
| MBC Top 10 Singers Festival | 2002 | Top 10 Singer Award (Bonsang) | Lee Soo-young | Won | |
| 2003 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | "Solitary" | Won | ||
| Top 10 Singer Award (Bonsang) | Lee Soo-young | Won | |||
| 2004 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | "Whistle to Me" | Won | ||
| Top 10 Singer Award (Bonsang) | Lee Soo-young | Won | |||
| SBS Gayo Daejeon | 2002 | Main Prize (Bonsang) | Lee Soo-young | Won | |
| 2003 | Won | ||||
| 2004 | Won | ||||
| Seoul Music Awards | 2002 | Main Prize (Bonsang) | Lee Soo-young | Won | |
| 2004 | Won |
