Sunmi, Jo Kwon and Wooyoung. Ten years ago, this trio were raw, young and budding idols finding their feet in a tough industry. They debuted in JYP Entertainment’s next crop of artists – Wonder Girls, 2AM and 2PM, following the legendary g.o.d and Park Ji Yoon. Fast-forward to 2018 and all three have evolved into soloists with their own musical niche. What’s more special is that the trio is currently promoting at the same time. Let’s take a look at how much they’ve grown over the past decade.
Sunmi
The stunning Sunmi debuted in 2007 as a vocalist of the Wonder Girls. In 2008, she was a teenage girl with pure visuals, sexy charisma on stage and talent. After hitting the group’s peak, she left the K-pop industry in 2010 for three years before debuting as a soloist. As a soloist, she pumped out several hits including “24 Hours” and “Full Moon” before rejoining the Wonder Girls for two years. Now in 2018, she has evolved into a true star who owns every concept and consistently improves on her skills.
2008:
2018:
Jo Kwon
This is the tenth anniversary since Jo Kwon debuted as the leader of ballad group 2AM. Back in 2008, Jo Kwon was a young man blessed with emotional vocals and a huge variety sense. He was ambitious and determined even at the young age of 19; largely due to his lengthy training period. He was one of the best vocalists at JYP/Big Hit for many years. Over the past 10 years, he has succeeded in releasing memorable ballads with his members, going on variety shows like We Got Married, starring in numerous musicals and releasing unique solo albums. Nowadays, Jo Kwon is chasing his dreams as a soloist and displays a much more refined image than his debut days. However, his quirky and fun personality alongside his burning passion for music are still a huge part of him as a person.
2008:
2018:
Wooyoung
Ten years ago, Wooyoung debuted as a cute yet beastly dancing machine with his 2PM members and former leader Jay Park. In 2008, Wooyoung was finding his feet as an idol and quite serious on stage. Over time, he developed more confidence, loosened his personality a bit and let his star power shine. He arguably hit his peak in popularity between 2010-12, where he starred in the game-changing drama, Dream High and debuting as a soloist with “Sexy Lady”. Following a self-confessed slump of a few years, he regained his love for music and has been composing his own songs and performing them at solo concerts in Japan. Fast-forward to 2018, Wooyoung is now back with his second Korean solo album and showcasing his full artistry.
2008:
2018:
In 2008, the trio were part of the same company. Ten years later in 2018, they have walked their separate paths but managed to reunite during the same comeback period. Looks like they are still tight and are cheering each other on. With Jo Kwon and Wooyoung enlisting in the military soon, hopefully they can promote again with the likes of Sunmi and other former and current label mates after they come back.
