4 milestones in the career of fans’ favourite Taeyeon of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation
The eight-member South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation, also known as SNSD, has enjoyed great K-pop success since making its debut in 2007.
The group had to wait until 2009 to hit the big time with the release of the single, Gee – the No 1 track on KBS’ West Bank music television show for a record-breaking nine weeks – which was named by Melon, the South Korean music streaming service, as the nation’s most popular song of the 2000s.
The group – which has also had success in Japan with Japanese-language song releases – is also known for the hit songs I Got a Boy, The Boys, Mr. Taxi and Oh!.
Today, as we celebrate the 30th birthday of singer and band member Taeyeon, whose real name is Kim Tae-yeon, let’s check out the top four milestones in her career, which prove she can do more than just sing.
1. Voice actor on ‘Despicable Me’ (2010)
Taeyeon provided the voice of Margo – one of the three young children adopted by soft-hearted supervillain, Gru – when the hit 2010 American cartoon comedy, Despicable Me, was dubbed into Korean
She was also accompanied by her fellow band member, Seohyun, who provided the voice of her character’s sister, Edith.
The huge global success of the film – and the overwhelmingly positive response towards her voice acting efforts – she returned to the microphone – and once again impressed – when providing the voice of Margo in the Korean-language version of the sequel, Despicable Me 2.
Acting in stage musical ‘Midnight Sun’ (2010)
Taeyeon was also praised by her fans for her acting skills and vocals in the stage musical Midnight Sun.
She played the lead role in the 2010 Korean production, Midnight Sun, based on the hit 2006 Japanese film, Song to the Sun, about a 16-year-old girl suffering with a rare skin condition, xeroderma pigmentosum, which makes her vulnerable to sunlight’s ultraviolet radiation.
Her singing and acting in the role of the stricken Kaoru – who goes out only at night, and takes comfort in singing songs and playing her guitar – at the Sejong M Theatre in Seoul in 2010 proved a big hit with audiences. She was praised for her stage presence and the passion she brought to the role.
Taeyeon sang Korean versions of the Japanese-language songs used in the film – originally performed by Japanese singer-songwriter Yui – including Goodbye Days, Skyline and Happyline.
Appearance in New York-set ‘I Am’ documentary (2012)
Taeyeon is one of the first Asian stars to perform at Madison Square Garden, in New York.
She was one of 32 “SM Town” stars – the nickname of K-pop artists managed by the talent agency SM Entertainment – in the I Am – SM Town Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden film documentary.
The film, which features interviews and clips of Taeyeon practising for the big day, gives her fans the chance to see her early in her career, when she was still only 17 ... but clearly headed for stardom.
Daily Taeng9cam (2015)
After eight years of working as part of the group, Girls’ Generation, Taeyeon decided it was time to try her hand as a solo star and release a solo, extended-play album, titled simply “I”, which included the single of the same name.
To promote the new release, she starred in her own reality show Taeng9cam which offered candid glimpses her life as a member of the girl group.
Including moments of her baking, travelling on her way to perform her first solo stage show, the five episodes gave her fans a chance to see her up close and personal.
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The singer, who celebrates her 30th birthday today, has a range of talents including voice acting in Korean-language version of ‘Despicable Me’ and stage musical ‘Midnight Sun’