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Hyun Jin-young in a 2021 YouTube video

Hyun Jin-young

현진영

  • Solo · Male
  • Hip-hop
  • Dance
  • Debuted 1990
  • Active

Hyun Jin-young in a 2021 YouTube video — Photo: 현진영 · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Debut
1990
Birthday
02.031971
Genre
Hip-hop · Dance

Basic info

Hyun Jin-young is a singer who introduced hip-hop music to Korea early on. Signature songs include 〈슬픈 마네킹〉 and 〈흐린 기억 속의 그대〉.

Debut
1990 · Debut song 슬픈 마네킹
Birthday
February 3, 1971
Years active
1990–
Genre
Hip-hop · Dance
Real name
허현석
Debut reference
Listed by debut year rather than idol generation.

걸어온 길

He was born the son of the jazz pianist Heo Byung-chan. After passing an audition held by Lee Soo-man and training, he debuted in 1990 as 'Hyun Jin-young and Wawa'.

Known for performances built around rap and hip-hop dance, he is regarded as part of the earlier generation of Korean hip-hop. 〈흐린 기억 속의 그대〉 from his 1992 2nd album was a huge hit.

He returned in 2002 with his 4th album 《Wild Gangster Hiphop》 and released the jazz hip-hop album 《Street Jazz In My Soul》 in 2006. From 2017 he also worked as a visiting professor at Sejong Cyber University.

He was arrested for cannabis use in 1991 and for methamphetamine use in 1993, which interrupted his career. Around his 2002 comeback, he began taking part in anti-drug campaigns.

Signature songs

  1. 슬픈 마네킹 1990 YouTube Spotify
  2. 흐린 기억 속의 그대 1992 YouTube Spotify
  3. 두근두근 쿵쿵 1993 YouTube Spotify

Links go to each service's search results. Lyrics are not included for copyright reasons.

Key releases

  1. 1990 New Dance1st studio albumHyun Jin-young and Wawa, includes 〈슬픈 마네킹〉
  2. 1992 New Dance 22nd studio albumIncluded on 〈흐린 기억 속의 그대〉
  3. 1993 New Dance 33rd studio albumIncluded on 〈두근두근 쿵쿵〉
  4. 2002 Wild Gangster Hiphop4th studio album
  5. 2006 Street Jazz In My Soul5th studio album

Find Birthday Cafes

Fans rent a café to celebrate a birthday. These events are usually held for a few days around the birthday. Organizers post notices as posters on X (Twitter), so find them right below. Birthday February 3, 1971

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Find more on social media

Birthday cafes (saengka) are unofficial events organized by fans. Always check the organizer's notice for dates, locations, and perks. Searching X or Instagram may require logging in.

Key records and stories

  • He was the first singer nurtured by Lee Soo-man and debuted during the SM Planning era.
  • In 1990, he released his 1st album under the name 'Hyun Jin-young and Wawa'.
  • Clon's Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae were former Wawa backup dancers.
  • He was arrested for cannabis use in 1991 and for methamphetamine use in 1993.
  • Sean of Jinusean was also a 3rd-generation member of Wawa.
  • He was the first singer to sign with SM Planning, the predecessor of SM Entertainment, in 1989.

Listen & explore

Videos & music

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6 photo source(s)