Eru (singer)
Encyclopedia
ERU (born on July 5, 1983) is the stage name of K-Pop
singer-songwriter
Jo Sung Hyun.
, USA to Korean parents. He is the second and youngest son of one of the most popular and veteran Korea
n trot singer, Tae Jin Ah
(real name: Jo Bang Hun).
Eru lived in New York until he was 7 years old, then his family moved to South Korea
, where he attended numerous international schools including Seoul American High School.
Eru always wanted to be a producer so he composed many songs. But after a while, he decided that he did not want other people to sing his songs. He wanted to sing them himself. He thought that the person who composes the songs understands them better. That's when he decided to become a singer.
In 2003, Eru attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music
(Piano
Department) in Boston
. Eru entered the K-Pop scene himself during a break from Berklee College of Music
.
Eru went through two years of training before making his debut as a singer in 2005. Eru's debut album included works from musicians such as Joo Young Hoon, Lee Hyun Jung (the composer of Big Mama
's "Break Away"), and vocal trainer No Young Joo, who trained BoA
, Fly to the Sky
and Lee Soo Young
. A 100-member string orchestra also participated in his debut album. The first single from his 1st album was "다시 태어나도" ("Rebirth").
Eru released his 2nd album Level II on September 16, 2006. The first single from his 2nd album, "까만안경" ("Black Glasses") which features singer Daylight, gained significant popularity among young people and topped on- and offline charts. The song would later be showered with numerous awards, including Jukeon's song of the month (October 2006) and SBS's Bonsang Award. The music video for "까만안경" was also popular among his fans, as it featured Kim Hyun Joong of SS501, Lee Young Ah and Ahn Sung Ki.
After the huge success of "까만안경", Eru released his second single "흰눈" ("White Snow"), which he wrote himself. "흰눈" was also successful, reaching #1 on various online charts and winning several awards, including Cyworld
's Song of the Month (January 2007). The music video for "흰눈" was shot in Sapporo, Japan
and featured Eru and entertainer Lee Hyun Ji. Aside from his own music videos, Eru appeared in female singer Magolpi's debut music video "Flight Girl", where his role was as a composer, along with six other Korean artists, including Micky YooChun of TVXQ
, Kang In, Hee Chul and Shin Dong of Super Junior
, Park Joon Hyung of G.o.d., and Kim Jang Hoon.
In March 2007, Eru received an offer to appear in a Japanese movie titled Three Tattoos. Eru's agency stated that the offer was quite tempting, as the movie was being directed by Sukimori Hitomi and would likely be exported overseas. However, Eru's agency also stated that Eru would reject the offer as he has yet to establish himself in Korea as an artist.
Eru released his 3rd album Eru Returns on September 19, 2007 and it became the #1 album during October 2007, selling 42,228 copies in South Korea. The lead single from this album, "둘이라서" ("Because We Are Two"), enjoyed enormous popularity, winning SBS's Bonsang Award. The music video for this song featured celebrities Ahn Sung Ki, Bong Tae Kyu and Park Joong Hoon. Eru also released "겨울나기" ("Wintering") and "마네킹" ("Mannequin")" as singles from Eru Returns. The star-studded music video cast for "겨울나기" included Eru, actress Lee So Yeon
, trot singers Tae Jin Ah
and Song Dae Gwan, comedians Lee Kyung Kyu and Ji Sang Ryul, actors Park Sang Myun and Kim Ja Ok, singer Kim Heung Gook, and others.
Before his debut, he also appeared as one of the main characters in his own father's music video, 사랑은 아무나 하나 (Not everyone can love) If you watch this video, you can see that this was when he was very obese. At the time of this music video, he weighed approximately 115 kg! Now, after his successful diet he weighs close to 70 kg.
In late December 2007, Eru released a statement revealing his intentions of fulfilling his military service duties in the latter half of 2008, since he became a Korean citizen 2 years ago.
His first solo concert took place on February 16, 2008 in South Korea
.
In addition to his singing activities, he was attending Dankook University
.
In May 1st 2008, Eru entered the boot camp to start his mandatory military service at Nonsan Military Training Center.
Eru stayed there for four weeks to receive basic training and was subsequently assigned to public service duty. He completed his duty within two years, and returned home on May 27, 2010.
Eru has released a music video titled "White Tears," his single for his fourth album. His fourth album is being released on August 23, 2010.
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
singer-songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Jo Sung Hyun.
Biography
Eru was born on July 5, 1983 in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA to Korean parents. He is the second and youngest son of one of the most popular and veteran Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n trot singer, Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah is the stage name of South Korean veteran trot singer Jo Bang Hun. He is the father of singer Eru.In addition to his singing activities, Tae Jin Ah also hosts a radio program on KBS Happy FM Radio called 태진아 쇼쇼쇼 .-Awards:- References :...
(real name: Jo Bang Hun).
Eru lived in New York until he was 7 years old, then his family moved to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, where he attended numerous international schools including Seoul American High School.
Eru always wanted to be a producer so he composed many songs. But after a while, he decided that he did not want other people to sing his songs. He wanted to sing them himself. He thought that the person who composes the songs understands them better. That's when he decided to become a singer.
In 2003, Eru attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
(Piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Department) in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Eru entered the K-Pop scene himself during a break from Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
.
Eru went through two years of training before making his debut as a singer in 2005. Eru's debut album included works from musicians such as Joo Young Hoon, Lee Hyun Jung (the composer of Big Mama
Big Mama (group)
Big Mama is a South Korean female singing group from M Boat, a former sister company of YG Entertainment.-Career:Known for their powerful voices rather than appearances, they attracted a lot of attention because of their vocal talent and of their refusal to conform to the typical Korean female...
's "Break Away"), and vocal trainer No Young Joo, who trained BoA
BoA
Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music"....
, Fly to the Sky
Fly to the Sky
Fly to the Sky was a South Korean R&B duo, consisting of Korean American Brian Joo and South Korean native Hwanhee.Initially marketed as a duo that can sing, rap, and dance, their early works featured bubblegum pop and upbeat techno music. The duo later changed their image and style with the...
and Lee Soo Young
Lee Soo Young
Lee Soo Young is a Korean ballad singer. She made her debut in 1999 in Korea with the hit “I Believe.” Currently, she has nine released albums and five mini-albums and sang six OSTs...
. A 100-member string orchestra also participated in his debut album. The first single from his 1st album was "다시 태어나도" ("Rebirth").
Eru released his 2nd album Level II on September 16, 2006. The first single from his 2nd album, "까만안경" ("Black Glasses") which features singer Daylight, gained significant popularity among young people and topped on- and offline charts. The song would later be showered with numerous awards, including Jukeon's song of the month (October 2006) and SBS's Bonsang Award. The music video for "까만안경" was also popular among his fans, as it featured Kim Hyun Joong of SS501, Lee Young Ah and Ahn Sung Ki.
After the huge success of "까만안경", Eru released his second single "흰눈" ("White Snow"), which he wrote himself. "흰눈" was also successful, reaching #1 on various online charts and winning several awards, including Cyworld
Cyworld
Cyworld is a South Korean social network service operated by SK Communications , a subsidiary of SK Telecom .Members cultivate relationships by forming Ilchon or "friendships" with each other through their minihompy....
's Song of the Month (January 2007). The music video for "흰눈" was shot in Sapporo, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and featured Eru and entertainer Lee Hyun Ji. Aside from his own music videos, Eru appeared in female singer Magolpi's debut music video "Flight Girl", where his role was as a composer, along with six other Korean artists, including Micky YooChun of TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
, Kang In, Hee Chul and Shin Dong of Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
, Park Joon Hyung of G.o.d., and Kim Jang Hoon.
In March 2007, Eru received an offer to appear in a Japanese movie titled Three Tattoos. Eru's agency stated that the offer was quite tempting, as the movie was being directed by Sukimori Hitomi and would likely be exported overseas. However, Eru's agency also stated that Eru would reject the offer as he has yet to establish himself in Korea as an artist.
Eru released his 3rd album Eru Returns on September 19, 2007 and it became the #1 album during October 2007, selling 42,228 copies in South Korea. The lead single from this album, "둘이라서" ("Because We Are Two"), enjoyed enormous popularity, winning SBS's Bonsang Award. The music video for this song featured celebrities Ahn Sung Ki, Bong Tae Kyu and Park Joong Hoon. Eru also released "겨울나기" ("Wintering") and "마네킹" ("Mannequin")" as singles from Eru Returns. The star-studded music video cast for "겨울나기" included Eru, actress Lee So Yeon
Lee So-yeon (actress)
Lee So-yeon is a South Korean actress.-Profile:Lee So-yeon first drew notice in the period film Untold Scandal, playing the Cécile role in the 2003 Korean adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses...
, trot singers Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah
Tae Jin Ah is the stage name of South Korean veteran trot singer Jo Bang Hun. He is the father of singer Eru.In addition to his singing activities, Tae Jin Ah also hosts a radio program on KBS Happy FM Radio called 태진아 쇼쇼쇼 .-Awards:- References :...
and Song Dae Gwan, comedians Lee Kyung Kyu and Ji Sang Ryul, actors Park Sang Myun and Kim Ja Ok, singer Kim Heung Gook, and others.
Before his debut, he also appeared as one of the main characters in his own father's music video, 사랑은 아무나 하나 (Not everyone can love) If you watch this video, you can see that this was when he was very obese. At the time of this music video, he weighed approximately 115 kg! Now, after his successful diet he weighs close to 70 kg.
In late December 2007, Eru released a statement revealing his intentions of fulfilling his military service duties in the latter half of 2008, since he became a Korean citizen 2 years ago.
His first solo concert took place on February 16, 2008 in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
In addition to his singing activities, he was attending Dankook University
Dankook University
Dankook University is a private university in South Korea. Dankook University has been constantly recognized as one of top universities in Asia ranked 148th in Asia by QS Asian Universities Ranking in 2010...
.
In May 1st 2008, Eru entered the boot camp to start his mandatory military service at Nonsan Military Training Center.
Eru stayed there for four weeks to receive basic training and was subsequently assigned to public service duty. He completed his duty within two years, and returned home on May 27, 2010.
Eru has released a music video titled "White Tears," his single for his fourth album. His fourth album is being released on August 23, 2010.
Discography
| Album Info | Track listing; Singles in bold |
|---|---|
| Begin to Breathe Begin to Breathe Begin to Breathe is Eru's debut album, released in fall of 2005 in South Korea. His first single was a ballad titled "다시 태어나도"...
|
|
Level II
|
|
Eru Returns
|
|
Eru Returns Repackage (Single)
|
|
Eru Digital Single Album
|
|
Got To Be
|
|
OST
- 2006: KBS Drama The Vineyard ManThe Vineyard ManThe Vineyard Man/The Man In the Vineyard is a 2006 popular Korean TV series adapted from Kim Rang's best selling book of the same name.-Synopsis:...
OST (Track 04. Good Lady) - 2007: KBS Drama Capital Scandal OST
- 2008: SBS Drama First Wives Club OST
- 2009: KBS Drama Sons of Sol Pharmacy House OST
- 2010: KBS Drama Baker King Kim Tak Gu OST
Awards
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2005 |
|
| 2006 |
Seoul Music Awards The Seoul Music Awards is an awards show founded in 1990 that is presented annually by the Sports Seoul for outstanding achievements in the music industry in South Korea.- Categories :... - Digital Music Award (December 1) |
| 2008 |
|