Ko Ji-yong | |
---|---|
Born | |
Spouse | Heo Yang-lim (m. 2013) |
Children | 1 |
Musical career | |
Genres | K-pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Years active | 1997–2000, 2016 |
Labels | DSP Media |
Formerly of | Sechs Kies |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 고지용 |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Go Ji-yong |
McCune–Reischauer | Ko Chiyong |
Ko Ji-yong (born July 1,1980) [1] is a South Korean singer and businessman. He was a member of Sechs Kies,a first generation K-pop idol dance group which disbanded in 2000 but reunited in 2016. Unlike most of the other members,Ko left the entertainment industry and started his own company. He made his first television appearance in years when he appeared at Sechs Kies' reunion special on Infinite Challenge . Due to his family and work commitments he did not sign a contract with the group's new label YG Entertainment or promote with them as a performer but is considered to be part of the group. From January 2017 to May 2019,he and his son appeared on the reality show The Return of Superman .
A native of Seoul,Ko was elementary schoolmates with future Sechs Kies bandmate Kang Sung-hun and g.o.d member Son Ho-young. [2] [3] He lost contact with Kang after the latter went to the United States to attend high school.
Ko was recruited by Kang to join the boy band he and his high school friend Eun Ji-won were forming. [4] [5] The group was eventually named Sechs Kies and debuted on April 15,1997. Ko was the second youngest member.
Until the time the group disbanded in 2000,he was greatly loved by fans for his handsome looks and singing voice. [6] Unlike other members,he did not continue his career as a solo singer but he was cast as a host in an internet broadcast and as an actor in a television drama. [7] However,Ko chose to leave the entertainment industry to start his own business. [8]
In 2008,fellow Sechs Kies member and leader Eun Ji-won appeared in the entertainment program Come to Play and remarked that he had not seen Ko since the group's disbandment. [9] Fellow vocalist Jang Su-won revealed on Happy Together in 2014 that he was in contact with Ko and confirmed that he was running his own business. [10] [11]
In 2016,Sechs Kies reunited after their disbandment in 2000 through the variety show Infinite Challenge . [12] Ko,who had left the entertainment business permanently after the disbandment to pursue a new career,surprised the members of SechsKies as well as all the fans by appearing at the reunion concert and performing their hit song "Couple". [13] After Infinite Challenge aired,Sechs Kies earned many more fans;their hit songs ranked high in music charts and “Couple”was seen in 11th place in Music Bank. [14] The group officially reunited and signed a group contract with YG Entertainment in May that year. [15] However,Ko was the only one who did not sign,having been the only member to depart from the entertainment industry completely.
On July 18,Ko publicly appeared as a sponsor for a charity basketball event and held interviews with the media for the first time in 16 years. He stated that he is now living as a "half-celebrity" since appearing on Infinite Challenge. [16] [17] On November 30,it was announced that Ko and his son would be joining the cast of The Return of Superman . He said although he cannot participate in current Sechs Kies group activities as a family man,he has determined to keep his promise to "create opportunities to be with fans through activities he can participate." Also as he was unable to spend more time with his son,he hopes to make many memories with him through the program. [18] [19] In May 2019,Ko announced that he and his son would be leaving the cast of 'The Return of Superman'. [20]
On December 13,2013,Ko married Heo Yang-im,a professor of family medicine and a doctor. [21] [ unreliable source? ] [22] The couple have a son,Ko Seung-jae,born on October 6,2014. [23] [ unreliable source? ]
Artist(s) | Song Information |
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SECHSKIES |
|
Year | Title | Role |
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1998 | Seventeen:The Movie |
Year | Title | Network | Role | Note |
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2017–2019 | The Return of Superman | KBS2 | Cast member | Ep. 154–280 [24] |
Year | Awards |
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1997 |
|
1998 |
|
1999 |
|
2018 |
|
Sechs Kies is a first generation South Korean boy band. Making their debut on April 15,1997,they are one of the first K-pop idol groups,credited with pioneering the idol scene and fandom culture. The group currently consists of the following active members Eun Ji-won,Lee Jai-jin,Kim Jae-duck,and Jang Su-won.
J-Walk (Korean: 제이워크) is a South Korean musical duo formed by two Sechs Kies members. As of 2016,they are under YG Entertainment after reuniting with their group Sechs Kies under the label.
Eun Ji-won is a South Korean rapper,singer,actor and entertainer. He is the leader of the first generation idol group Sechs Kies (젝스키스).
Lee Jai-jin is a South Korean singer and dancer. Lee is the sub-rapper and main-dancer of the South Korean boy group Sechs Kies.
Kim Jae-duck is a South Korean singer,rapper,and choreographer. He is known as a member of the South Korean boy group Sechs Kies and the duo J-Walk with Jang Suwon,also from Sechs Kies. Kim is known for his Busan accent and his nickname is "Ducky" as a reference to his name.
Kang Sung-hoon is a South Korean singer,best known as a former member of the 90s South Korean boy group Sechs Kies. While in Sechskies,Sunghoon was the main vocalist. After SechsKies had disbanded in 2000,Sung-hoon pursued a solo singing career,signed under Laful Entertainment at the time. His nickname Hoony is the title for his third album. Sunghoon joined Sechskies for their reunion in 2016,but left the group in early 2019 due to ongoing scandals.
Jang Su-won is a South Korean singer. He is best known as a member of the South Korean boy group Sechs Kies and the duet group J-Walk,along with fellow Sechs Kies member Kim Jae-duck.
Yang Hyun-suk is a South Korean music executive,rapper,dancer,songwriter,and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys during the 1990s. After the group disbanded,he founded and became the executive producer and chairman of YG Entertainment,the fourth-largest record company in South Korea.
Danny Ahn is a South Korean-American entertainer best known as the main rapper of the South Korean pop music group g.o.d. He is notable for his unique rapping. Having made his debut in the entertainment industry as a member of g.o.d in 1999,Ahn has gone into acting and has also been a radio DJ and MC.
YG Entertainment Inc. is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label,talent agency,music production company,event management and concert production company,and music publishing house. In addition,the company operates a number of subsidiary ventures under a separate public traded company,YG Plus,which includes a clothing line,a golf management agency,and a cosmetics brand.
Reply 1997 is a 2012 South Korean television series that centers on the lives of six friends in Busan,as the timeline moves back and forth between their past as 18-year-old high schoolers in 1997 and their present as 33-year-olds at their high school reunion dinner in 2012,where one couple will announce that they're getting married. As the first installment of the Reply series,it also portrays the extreme fan culture that emerged in the 1990s when first generation idol groups such as H.O.T. and Sechs Kies took center stage and K-pop was just beginning to blossom.
Suddenly is the debut album by Korean duo male group J-Walk. Former Sechskies members,Kim Jae Duc and Jang Su Won,return as a project group with the name J-Walk. Their comeback/debut album has been diligently prepared since their breakup,May 2000. The featured song "Suddenly" contains crossover jazz,R&B-ish songs with a pop/ballad format.
The South Korean boy band Sechs Kies has released six studio albums,one extended play,four compilation albums,one live album,one musical album,and several singles.
2016 Re-Album is a compilation album by the South Korean boy band Sechs Kies. It was released on December 1,2016,under YG Entertainment. This marks the group's first official release since their compilation album,Blue Note,in 2000. It also marked the group's first official release under YG,and the first without member Ko Ji Yong,who chose not to participate in the group's reunion activities.
School Anthem is the debut studio album by South Korean boy band SechsKies. It was released on May 14,1997,by DSP Entertainment. The album features the hit song,"A Man's Path " (Hangul:사나이가는길.
The 20th Anniversary is a compilation album by South Korean boy band Sechs Kies,released on April 28,2017. YG Entertainment announced the development of a new Sechs Kies album along with proper music videos for two title tracks,"Be Well (아프지마요)" and "Sad Song (슬픈노래)",both written and produced by labelmate Tablo.
Handsome Boys of the 20th Century is a South Korean variety-reality show which aired on the cable channel QTV. It began airing on April 16,2013 and ran for two seasons with a total of 29 episodes.
Another Light is the fifth studio album of South Korean group Sechs Kies. The album was released on September 21,2017,by the group's record label,YG Entertainment. It was the last album to feature member Sunghoon before his departure on January 1,2019,from Sechskies and YG.
All for You is the first extended play by South Korean boy group Sechs Kies,released on January 28,2020,by YG Entertainment. The EP marks their first release since Another Light (2017),and as a 4-member group following Kang Sunghoon's departure in January 2019.