Eun Ji Won
Encyclopedia
Eun Ji Won is a Korean
rapper, Host, dancer, composer and former leader of Korean Hip hop group Sechs Kies
(젝스키스). Sechs Kies was divided into The Black Kies, which were the three rappers and The White Kies which were the vocalists. Eun Ji Won was the leader for The Black Kies and rapper and leader of the group Sechs Kies.
He was the oldest member in the group. Eun Ji Won has pursued a solo career since 2001 with his first single track "A-Ha". He recently returned to the K-pop
scene in 2007 with the Latin
-hip-hop single track titled "Adios". A year later in 2008, he returned with a new single album G Code with the title track being "Dangerous", also with a Latin-hip hop rhythm. Besides working as a singer, he currently appears as a member on KBS' Happy Sunday
: 1 Night 2 Days
as well as a bell line member in the KBS variety show
Star Golden Bell
.
Eun Ji Won recently wedded with a two-year-older South Korean woman from Hawaii
whom he had met 13 years ago during his study abroad.
in South Korea
. After moving to the United States
, he attended Hawaii Pacific University
in Hawaii
, where he was known as Matthew Eun. During his life in Hawaii, he lived with Kang Sung Hoon
as a roommate. His granduncle is Park Chung-hee
, former president of South Korea
. Subsequently, Eun's first cousin once removed is the prominent Korean politician Park Geun-hye
, the daughter of the late president Park.
Eun Ji Won's nickname during Sechs Kies
was "soy sauce" (깜시) because of his dark skin colour. "Eun Cho Ding"(Eun elementary kid) is his recent nickname and was given to him on KBS' reality
-variety show
Happy Sunday
: 1 Night 2 Days because of his "kid (junior-high or elementary student)" like actions.
were the first to be discovered by Daesung Entertainment's
co-president who was vacationing in Hawaii
. The two were discovered and cast at a nightclub. Kim Jae Duc
and Lee Jae Jin
were in a dance group Quicksilvers in their home town of Pusan where one of the members sent a tape to Daesung Entertainment. During an open audition, Jang Su Won
was cast and accepted. Finally, Ko Ji Yong was introduced to Daesung Entertainment by Kang Sung Hoon because they were friends since elementary school. The pair initially desired to debut as a duo, but could not do so after the debut of H.O.T.
. Lee Ho-Yeon, the president of Daesung Entertainment, decided to form a six-member group, in which Eun performed as a rapper.
The group debuted in 1997 and disbanded in 2000. Eun described his days as a Sechs Kies member as hectic. He recalled that members would disappear into their parents' homes to avoid the schedule. He had said that the group's record label planned much of their media appearances without consulting the members. During this time, the group has gained prominence that rivaled H.O.T..
On May 18, 2000, Sechs Kies held a press conference to announce their departure from the k-pop
scene. As a few members shed tears, they explained their situation in little detail. Lee Jae Jin later stated that the group initially intended to depart from the record label, and did not intend to disband. After the press conference, one last music video, entitled "Thanks" was released, which is a rare music video
made after their final concert. After the disbandment, he said that he had not seen bandmate Ko Ji-Yong for seven years; Ko moved to the United States to study abroad and has not returned since.
disbanded in 2000, in 2002 Eun Ji Won performed alongside former Sechs Kies members, Kang Sung Hoon
, and J-Walk's (Kim Jae Duc
and Jang Su Won
). Most recently in 2007, Eun Ji Won performed with J-Walk on various music shows as both returned to stage around the same time. They performed on KBS' Yoon Do Hyun's Love Letter where they performed their own Sechs Kies track, "Couple" and on KBS' Music Bank 'Special Stage' where all three performed Eun Ji Won's "Adios" and J-Walk's "Light Storm". Just recently, Eun Ji Won and J-Walk performed "Couple" at Lee Soo Geun's wedding on March 2, 2008. Eun Ji Won was featured on J-Walk's third album's title track, "My Love", where he was also featured in the music video.
ended, Eun Ji Won started his solo career in 2000 under the name G1. He first debuted with the single track "A-Ha" on October 27, 2000. He composed and penned all songs from his first single album. Eun Ji Won released his first regular album on March 29, 2001 with the title track "Murmur". With the success of his first album, Eun Ji Won refined his style and attempted new experiments with his music in his second album.
on KBS' Yoon Do Hyun's Love Letter.
-comedy movie
Marrying High School Girl (여고생 시집가기) with Lim Eun Kyung
which was directed by first-time director Oh Duk Hwan. It was in theatres on December 23, 2004. Eun played as Park Ondal, a transfer student to the same school as Pyung-Gang (played by Lim Eun Kyung). The two star in an "inspired by Korea
n legend" tale about a high school bad girl who must get married to someone named "Ondal" before her sixteenth birthday and have a baby within one year after marriage, otherwise she will die.
, in mid-2006, he joined Movement (무브먼트), a group of rappers and hip-hop artists from all over Korea
. Many of these singers are also well-known among the k-pop
industry while some are well known as underground
artists. Members of Movement include Drunken Tiger
, Tasha (Yoon Mi Rae)
, Dynamic Duo
, Epik High
, TBNY, Leessang
, Yang Dong Gun (YDG), Bobby Kim, Buga Kingz, Ann, Double K, and many more. Movement held a concert on May 13, 2006 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Many artists of the Movement have also been featured in Eun Ji Won's albums.
and Sat Byul (샛별) were featured in this single album. "Adios", which is a Latin
hip-hop track, was composed by Keeproots and the lyrics were written by Mr. Tyfoon. Tiger JK from Drunken Tiger
, Mr. Tyfoon and Eun Ji Won himself helped in producing this single album. He now works under 13 Creative Unit, which is part of Eyagi Entertainment, who also produces the female singer Hwang Bo, and actress Park Si Yeon.
In mid-2007, he has appeared on a new reality
-variety show
Happy Sunday
: 1 Night 2 Days produced by KBS. He has replaced Kim Jong Min
on MBC's
Come To Play (놀러와) who left to serve his military duties. Kim Jong Min was also part of the 1 Night 2 Days cast and was replaced by MC Mong
. He was also part of the cast on SBS' Burst! Mental Concentration (작렬! 정신통일) before the show ended in September 2007 due to low ratings.
During the production of his fifth album, Eun Ji Won selected 20 songs from over a hundred songs. In 2007, Eun Ji Won performed at the DKNY
Party. He has stated that starring on TV shows and his fifth album do not have anything to do with each other.
Eun Ji Won also participated in Moon Ji Eun's debut mini album. Moon Ji Eun and Eun Ji Won are under the same label, Starship Entertainment. Not only did Eun Ji Won rap for Moon's title song "Fox", he was also featured in the music video. Moon Ji Eun first appeared in Eun Ji Won's 2003 music video "문득". Moon Ji Eun's mini-album was released on April 10, 2008.
In June 2008, Ji Won collaborated with J-Walk (Kim Jae Duc
and Jang Su Won
, also formerly of Sechskies) to make a new song for J-Walk's album, entitled "My Love".
In late 2008, Eun released a new mini album called G Code. The title track from this album was "Dangerous", which was a sample of Kardinal Offishall
featuring Akon
's "Dangerous
".
After a year hiatus from the music scene, Eun Ji Won recently released his fifth full-length studio album entitled Platonic, after four years and 10 months. The title track, "Siren", is an electronic-dance track blended with hip hop
rhythms. In this album, Eun Ji Won collaborated with rapper Mr. Tyfoon, Gilme, and 1 Night 2 Days
member Lee Su Geun
.
, USA. The two broke up in 1996 when Eun returned to South Korea
to debut as the leader of Sechs Kies
. Eun met Lee 13 years later and since had a steady relationship with her. Eun's fiancée is the older sister of the wife of soccer player Lee Dong-Gook
. A representative of GYM Entertainment said the two are looking for a wedding hall in Hawaii and have not decided on a official wedding date yet, but they are aiming to tie the knot in April.
On April 7, according to entertainment sources, Eun Ji Won left for Hawaii
to prepare for his wedding ceremony. It was later revealed that his wedding ceremony will be taking place on April 20 (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time). The couple had to cut their honeymoon short, due to Eun having to travel back to South Korea
because of his schedule. Upon his return, a small party was to be held during the filming of 1 Night 2 Days
on April 23 to congratulate him on his marriage. However, due to the Baengnyeong incident, episodes of 1 Night 2 Days was postponed. The episodes that were to be aired during the month of April was the trip where the members traveled along Korea's coastline. Thus far, only one out of four episodes has been aired. Therefore, the production team of 1 Night 2 Days had delay the recording until May 7. This allowed Eun Ji Won to extend his honeymoon.
Although the filming for 1 Night 2 Days
was pushed back, Eun Ji Won and his parents returned to South Korea
on April 22. Eun Ji Won was featured on an interview on SBS's One Night’s TV Entertainment upon his return. He stated that it was like filming for a photoshoot/commercial with his wife. The couple's new home will be in Yeouido
.
On April 29, the first photo of the wedding ceremony was released unexpectedly causing much interest from the public. In the photo, the couple is seen walking down the aisle with family and friends congratulating the new couple.
to ever face criticism since the group disbanded. Ji Won changed genres from pop music
to hip hop
and rap. An example would be former boy band
member Moon Hee Jun
of H.O.T who also changed genres of music. Moon Hee Jun became a rock
artist instead of a pop
artist after becoming a solo singer. Sechs Kies was also the rival of H.O.T. Many have criticized Ji Won now that he has claimed to be hip hop and rap, despite being a lead rapper in Sechs Kies. However, most fans are now enjoying his music and are supporting him.
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
rapper, Host, dancer, composer and former leader of Korean Hip hop group Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
(젝스키스). Sechs Kies was divided into The Black Kies, which were the three rappers and The White Kies which were the vocalists. Eun Ji Won was the leader for The Black Kies and rapper and leader of the group Sechs Kies.
He was the oldest member in the group. Eun Ji Won has pursued a solo career since 2001 with his first single track "A-Ha". He recently returned to the K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
scene in 2007 with the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
-hip-hop single track titled "Adios". A year later in 2008, he returned with a new single album G Code with the title track being "Dangerous", also with a Latin-hip hop rhythm. Besides working as a singer, he currently appears as a member on KBS' Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday is a Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2 network, which competes directly against MBC's Sunday Sunday Night and SBS's Good Sunday line-up. Although it has been broadcast since 2003, its line-up of shows has frequently changed, with a complete revamp occurring in Spring of 2007...
: 1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days , first aired on August 5, 2007, is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2. 1 Night 2 Days is one of the two segments for Happy Sunday. The show's members consists of Lee Su Geun, Eun Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Jong Min, Uhm Tae-woong and their mascot, Sang Geun...
as well as a bell line member in the KBS variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Star Golden Bell
Star Golden Bell
Star Golden Bell was a South Korean variety show broadcast on KBS. In addition to the main MC, Jun Hyun-Moo , there were two additional hosts, Kim Je-dong and Lee Chae-young , who were either in charge of administering games or were challengers competing against the celebrity contestants...
.
Eun Ji Won recently wedded with a two-year-older South Korean woman from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
whom he had met 13 years ago during his study abroad.
Early life
He graduated from Seoul Yeudo Elementary School (서울 여의도 초등학교), Yoon Joong Junior High School (윤중 중학교) and Korea Kent Foreign SchoolKorea Kent Foreign School
Korea Kent Foreign School was founded in 1993 to provide education to international students in Seoul. More than 30 different nationalities are represented in the student body, with the majority of students coming from the United States...
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...
. After moving to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he attended Hawaii Pacific University
Hawaii Pacific University
Hawaii Pacific University, also known as HPU, is a private, Nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Honolulu, Hawaii and Kaneohe, Hawaii. HPU founded in 1965 as Hawaii Pacific College by Paul C.T. Loo, Eureka Forbes, Elizabeth W...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where he was known as Matthew Eun. During his life in Hawaii, he lived with Kang Sung Hoon
Kang Sung Hoon
Kang Sung Hoon is a vocalist formerly from the group Sechs Kies. He was the lead vocalist of Sechs Kies and sometimes referred to having the best singing voice like Kangta's voice. After Sechs Kies had ended, Kang Sung Hoon was considered to be born-again as a singer, and working under Laful...
as a roommate. His granduncle is Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
, former president of 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...
. Subsequently, Eun's first cousin once removed is the prominent Korean politician Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
, the daughter of the late president Park.
Eun Ji Won's nickname during Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
was "soy sauce" (깜시) because of his dark skin colour. "Eun Cho Ding"(Eun elementary kid) is his recent nickname and was given to him on KBS' reality
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
-variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday is a Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2 network, which competes directly against MBC's Sunday Sunday Night and SBS's Good Sunday line-up. Although it has been broadcast since 2003, its line-up of shows has frequently changed, with a complete revamp occurring in Spring of 2007...
: 1 Night 2 Days because of his "kid (junior-high or elementary student)" like actions.
1997–2000: Sechs Kies
Eun Ji Won and Kang Sung HoonKang Sung Hoon
Kang Sung Hoon is a vocalist formerly from the group Sechs Kies. He was the lead vocalist of Sechs Kies and sometimes referred to having the best singing voice like Kangta's voice. After Sechs Kies had ended, Kang Sung Hoon was considered to be born-again as a singer, and working under Laful...
were the first to be discovered by Daesung Entertainment's
Daesung Entertainment
DSP Media, formerly known as DSP Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It's successes included girl group Fin.K.L, who won a prestigious "Daesang", or "Best Artist Award", in 1999 and boy band Sechs Kies...
co-president who was vacationing in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The two were discovered and cast at a nightclub. Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc is a Korean singer, choreographer, and rapper formerly from the group Sechs Kies, now working under Kiss Entertainment. During Sechs Kies, he was choreographer along with fellow Sechs Kies member Lee Jae Jin. They both created the dane moves for most of Sechs Kies music videos. He is...
and Lee Jae Jin
Lee Jae Jin
Lee Jae Jin is a singer, rapper and dancer formerly of the famous group Sechs Kies. Lee Jae Jin was a choreographer for Sechs Kies. Along with Kim Jae Duc, he would create the dances for all of Sechs Kies music videos. After Sechs Kies ended, Jae Jin would be the third member from Sechs Kies to...
were in a dance group Quicksilvers in their home town of Pusan where one of the members sent a tape to Daesung Entertainment. During an open audition, Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won is a former vocalist from the group Sechs Kies and a duet singer along with former Sechs Kies member Kim Jae Duc under Kiss Entertainment. He was known to be the most considerate of the group and also the youngest of member of the group. He was a sophomore is college as he was a member...
was cast and accepted. Finally, Ko Ji Yong was introduced to Daesung Entertainment by Kang Sung Hoon because they were friends since elementary school. The pair initially desired to debut as a duo, but could not do so after the debut of H.O.T.
H.O.T.
H.O.T. was a popular five-member South Korean boy band in the mid to late 1990s. Their name is an acronym, standing for "High-five Of Teenagers". They were formed by SM Entertainment in 1996 and disbanded in 2001.H.O.T...
. Lee Ho-Yeon, the president of Daesung Entertainment, decided to form a six-member group, in which Eun performed as a rapper.
The group debuted in 1997 and disbanded in 2000. Eun described his days as a Sechs Kies member as hectic. He recalled that members would disappear into their parents' homes to avoid the schedule. He had said that the group's record label planned much of their media appearances without consulting the members. During this time, the group has gained prominence that rivaled H.O.T..
On May 18, 2000, Sechs Kies held a press conference to announce their departure from the k-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
scene. As a few members shed tears, they explained their situation in little detail. Lee Jae Jin later stated that the group initially intended to depart from the record label, and did not intend to disband. After the press conference, one last music video, entitled "Thanks" was released, which is a rare music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
made after their final concert. After the disbandment, he said that he had not seen bandmate Ko Ji-Yong for seven years; Ko moved to the United States to study abroad and has not returned since.
Performing with former members
Though Sechs KiesSechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
disbanded in 2000, in 2002 Eun Ji Won performed alongside former Sechs Kies members, Kang Sung Hoon
Kang Sung Hoon
Kang Sung Hoon is a vocalist formerly from the group Sechs Kies. He was the lead vocalist of Sechs Kies and sometimes referred to having the best singing voice like Kangta's voice. After Sechs Kies had ended, Kang Sung Hoon was considered to be born-again as a singer, and working under Laful...
, and J-Walk's (Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc is a Korean singer, choreographer, and rapper formerly from the group Sechs Kies, now working under Kiss Entertainment. During Sechs Kies, he was choreographer along with fellow Sechs Kies member Lee Jae Jin. They both created the dane moves for most of Sechs Kies music videos. He is...
and Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won is a former vocalist from the group Sechs Kies and a duet singer along with former Sechs Kies member Kim Jae Duc under Kiss Entertainment. He was known to be the most considerate of the group and also the youngest of member of the group. He was a sophomore is college as he was a member...
). Most recently in 2007, Eun Ji Won performed with J-Walk on various music shows as both returned to stage around the same time. They performed on KBS' Yoon Do Hyun's Love Letter where they performed their own Sechs Kies track, "Couple" and on KBS' Music Bank 'Special Stage' where all three performed Eun Ji Won's "Adios" and J-Walk's "Light Storm". Just recently, Eun Ji Won and J-Walk performed "Couple" at Lee Soo Geun's wedding on March 2, 2008. Eun Ji Won was featured on J-Walk's third album's title track, "My Love", where he was also featured in the music video.
2000–2002: Beginning of a solo career
After Sechs KiesSechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
ended, Eun Ji Won started his solo career in 2000 under the name G1. He first debuted with the single track "A-Ha" on October 27, 2000. He composed and penned all songs from his first single album. Eun Ji Won released his first regular album on March 29, 2001 with the title track "Murmur". With the success of his first album, Eun Ji Won refined his style and attempted new experiments with his music in his second album.
2003–2005: Third album breakthrough
Eun Ji Won then hit it big with his third album with the title song "Drunken in Melody" which was released on September 5, 2005. He later released a repackage album of his third album which included a 'Winter Version' of "Mikasaro" and "Never Ever" from his first single album. "Drunken In Melody" earned him the Hip Hop Award from the 2003 SBS Gayo Awards and KMTV Korean Music Awards. He has also performed this song twice on stage with Tiger JK of Drunken TigerDrunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger is a critically acclaimed Korean/American hip hop group which debuted in 1999 and has since released eight albums.As of 2009, Drunken Tiger's central figure is Korean American Tiger JK...
on KBS' Yoon Do Hyun's Love Letter.
2004: First leading-male screen debut
Eun Ji Won has starred as the leading-male role in the romanticRomance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
-comedy movie
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
Marrying High School Girl (여고생 시집가기) with Lim Eun Kyung
Lim Eun-kyeong
Yim Eun-kyeong is a South Korean actress. She was born on July 7, 1983 in Seoul, South Korea. Lim is most famous for her commercial ads role, TTL Girl...
which was directed by first-time director Oh Duk Hwan. It was in theatres on December 23, 2004. Eun played as Park Ondal, a transfer student to the same school as Pyung-Gang (played by Lim Eun Kyung). The two star in an "inspired by 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 legend" tale about a high school bad girl who must get married to someone named "Ondal" before her sixteenth birthday and have a baby within one year after marriage, otherwise she will die.
2006: Joined hip-hop crew Movement
Although he disappeared from the mainstream k-popK-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
, in mid-2006, he joined Movement (무브먼트), a group of rappers and hip-hop artists from all over 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...
. Many of these singers are also well-known among the k-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
industry while some are well known as underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
artists. Members of Movement include Drunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger is a critically acclaimed Korean/American hip hop group which debuted in 1999 and has since released eight albums.As of 2009, Drunken Tiger's central figure is Korean American Tiger JK...
, Tasha (Yoon Mi Rae)
Tasha Reid
Tasha Reid , better known by her Korean name Yoon Mi-rae , is an R&B singer and rapper.- Early life :Reid was born to a South Korean mother, and an African American father...
, Dynamic Duo
Dynamic Duo
Dynamic Duo is a Korean hip hop duo, made up of members Choiza and Gaeko. Unlike the rough and off beat sound of their past group, CB Mass, Dynamic Duo changed their style to a more audience-friendly sound with a brighter ambiance...
, Epik High
Epik High
Epik High is a South Korean indie hip hop group from Seoul, South Korea. The group is composed of Tablo, Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz...
, TBNY, Leessang
Leessang
Leessang is a South Korean Hip-hop duo, composed of Kang Hee-gun and Gil Seong-joon . Formed in 2002, Leessang is known for its collaborations with Drunken Tiger, Yoon Mi Rae, Big Mama King, Hwayobi, and many others. Leessang is composed of one vocalist and one rapper...
, Yang Dong Gun (YDG), Bobby Kim, Buga Kingz, Ann, Double K, and many more. Movement held a concert on May 13, 2006 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Many artists of the Movement have also been featured in Eun Ji Won's albums.
2007–2008: Return after two-year hiatus
Eun Ji Won returned with a new single titled "Adios" after a two-year-and-six-month hiatus from the music industry. His new single Love, Death, Introspection (사랑 死랑 思랑) was released on October 30, 2007. It has four new tracks and an instrumental version of his title song "Adios". Mr. Tyfoon, Baek Ji YoungBaek Ji Young
Baek Ji-Young is a South Korean pop and ballad singer.-Career:Baek began her music career in 1999, splashing onto the Korean dance scene with her first album Sorrow. The first single, "선택" , was unusual in that it was one of the first Korean pop songs to feature Latin beats...
and Sat Byul (샛별) were featured in this single album. "Adios", which is a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
hip-hop track, was composed by Keeproots and the lyrics were written by Mr. Tyfoon. Tiger JK from Drunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger
Drunken Tiger is a critically acclaimed Korean/American hip hop group which debuted in 1999 and has since released eight albums.As of 2009, Drunken Tiger's central figure is Korean American Tiger JK...
, Mr. Tyfoon and Eun Ji Won himself helped in producing this single album. He now works under 13 Creative Unit, which is part of Eyagi Entertainment, who also produces the female singer Hwang Bo, and actress Park Si Yeon.
In mid-2007, he has appeared on a new reality
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
-variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday
Happy Sunday is a Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2 network, which competes directly against MBC's Sunday Sunday Night and SBS's Good Sunday line-up. Although it has been broadcast since 2003, its line-up of shows has frequently changed, with a complete revamp occurring in Spring of 2007...
: 1 Night 2 Days produced by KBS. He has replaced Kim Jong Min
Kim Jong Min
Kim Jong Min is a South Korean dance music singer and entertainer, also well known as a member of Koyote. He is the male lead singer and the leader of the band. In 2000, Kim Jong Min replaced Cha Seung Min , who returned to the United States for studies and officially made his debut in Koyote's...
on MBC's
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
Come To Play (놀러와) who left to serve his military duties. Kim Jong Min was also part of the 1 Night 2 Days cast and was replaced by MC Mong
MC Mong
MC Mong is a South Korean hip hop artist who is known for his comic disposition and his upbeat songs. He graduated from Dong-Ah Broadcasting College. MC Mong has collaborated with many well known artists, including Kim Tae Woo from G.o.d., Ock Ju-hyun, Ivy, Crown J, Lena Park, Park Hyo Shin, SG...
. He was also part of the cast on SBS' Burst! Mental Concentration (작렬! 정신통일) before the show ended in September 2007 due to low ratings.
During the production of his fifth album, Eun Ji Won selected 20 songs from over a hundred songs. In 2007, Eun Ji Won performed at the DKNY
DKNY
DKNY is a label of fashion designer Donna Karan. It is also the name of a clothing store in New York City featuring Donna Karan's associated line.-History:...
Party. He has stated that starring on TV shows and his fifth album do not have anything to do with each other.
Eun Ji Won also participated in Moon Ji Eun's debut mini album. Moon Ji Eun and Eun Ji Won are under the same label, Starship Entertainment. Not only did Eun Ji Won rap for Moon's title song "Fox", he was also featured in the music video. Moon Ji Eun first appeared in Eun Ji Won's 2003 music video "문득". Moon Ji Eun's mini-album was released on April 10, 2008.
In June 2008, Ji Won collaborated with J-Walk (Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc
Kim Jae Duc is a Korean singer, choreographer, and rapper formerly from the group Sechs Kies, now working under Kiss Entertainment. During Sechs Kies, he was choreographer along with fellow Sechs Kies member Lee Jae Jin. They both created the dane moves for most of Sechs Kies music videos. He is...
and Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won
Jang Su Won is a former vocalist from the group Sechs Kies and a duet singer along with former Sechs Kies member Kim Jae Duc under Kiss Entertainment. He was known to be the most considerate of the group and also the youngest of member of the group. He was a sophomore is college as he was a member...
, also formerly of Sechskies) to make a new song for J-Walk's album, entitled "My Love".
In late 2008, Eun released a new mini album called G Code. The title track from this album was "Dangerous", which was a sample of Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
featuring Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
's "Dangerous
Dangerous (Kardinal Offishall song)
"Dangerous" is a hip-hop/R&B song by Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon. Produced by DJ Kemo and hAZEL, it was the first single from his fourth album Not 4 Sale. It was released to radio in March 2008, and on iTunes on April 1. On the week of May 13, at the American iTunes store, the song was...
".
2009: GYM Entertainment and fifth album comeback
In early 2009, Eun Ji Won left CH Entertainment and started his own company called GYM Entertainment. The first artist to be released under his entertainment is female singer-rapper Gilme. He was also featured in Gilme's debut song "Love Cuts". He has performed this song on stage with Gilme during her promotions.After a year hiatus from the music scene, Eun Ji Won recently released his fifth full-length studio album entitled Platonic, after four years and 10 months. The title track, "Siren", is an electronic-dance track blended with hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
rhythms. In this album, Eun Ji Won collaborated with rapper Mr. Tyfoon, Gilme, and 1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days , first aired on August 5, 2007, is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2. 1 Night 2 Days is one of the two segments for Happy Sunday. The show's members consists of Lee Su Geun, Eun Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Jong Min, Uhm Tae-woong and their mascot, Sang Geun...
member Lee Su Geun
Lee Su Geun
Lee Su Geun is a South Korean comedian who has worked on a number of comedy shows on South Korean television. He began his comedian career on KBS Gag Concert and appeared in Finding Laughter. He currently lives in Mapo-gu, a district in Seoul...
.
2010: Announcement of marriage
In February, Eun Ji Won announced that he will marry a woman by the surname of "Lee", who is his first love. "Lee" is said to be three years his senior and was a contestant in the pageant of Miss Korea. The two have known each other since 1994 in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, USA. The two broke up in 1996 when Eun returned 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...
to debut as the leader of Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
. Eun met Lee 13 years later and since had a steady relationship with her. Eun's fiancée is the older sister of the wife of soccer player Lee Dong-Gook
Lee Dong-Gook
Lee Dong-Gook is a South Korean football striker, who plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in K-League.-Early career:Lee started playing football for Pohang Steelers, where due to his outstanding performance in his first season, he managed to make his debut for the South Korean national team making...
. A representative of GYM Entertainment said the two are looking for a wedding hall in Hawaii and have not decided on a official wedding date yet, but they are aiming to tie the knot in April.
On April 7, according to entertainment sources, Eun Ji Won left for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to prepare for his wedding ceremony. It was later revealed that his wedding ceremony will be taking place on April 20 (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time). The couple had to cut their honeymoon short, due to Eun having to travel back 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...
because of his schedule. Upon his return, a small party was to be held during the filming of 1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days , first aired on August 5, 2007, is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2. 1 Night 2 Days is one of the two segments for Happy Sunday. The show's members consists of Lee Su Geun, Eun Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Jong Min, Uhm Tae-woong and their mascot, Sang Geun...
on April 23 to congratulate him on his marriage. However, due to the Baengnyeong incident, episodes of 1 Night 2 Days was postponed. The episodes that were to be aired during the month of April was the trip where the members traveled along Korea's coastline. Thus far, only one out of four episodes has been aired. Therefore, the production team of 1 Night 2 Days had delay the recording until May 7. This allowed Eun Ji Won to extend his honeymoon.
Although the filming for 1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days
1 Night 2 Days , first aired on August 5, 2007, is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2. 1 Night 2 Days is one of the two segments for Happy Sunday. The show's members consists of Lee Su Geun, Eun Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Jong Min, Uhm Tae-woong and their mascot, Sang Geun...
was pushed back, Eun Ji Won and his parents returned 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...
on April 22. Eun Ji Won was featured on an interview on SBS's One Night’s TV Entertainment upon his return. He stated that it was like filming for a photoshoot/commercial with his wife. The couple's new home will be in Yeouido
Yeouido
Yeouido is a large island in the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. It is Seoul's main business and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people. The island is located in the Yeongdeungpo-gu district of Seoul, and largely corresponds to the precinct of...
.
On April 29, the first photo of the wedding ceremony was released unexpectedly causing much interest from the public. In the photo, the couple is seen walking down the aisle with family and friends congratulating the new couple.
2011: Clover group project
On March 31, 2011, Eun Ji Won, Gil Me and Tyfoon formed a project group called Clover. The three formed this project group because they all had similar music styles. They promoted their title song "La Vida Loca" from their mini-album Classic Over and performed the song on various music shows.Criticism
Eun Ji Won is the only member from Sechs KiesSechs Kies
Sechs Kies or 6kies is former Korean hip hop boy band from Daesung Entertainment and onetime rival of H.O.T. Currently, the two members, Kim Jae Duc and Jang Soo Won, have associated with Click-B to form another group, JnC....
to ever face criticism since the group disbanded. Ji Won changed genres from pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
to hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and rap. An example would be former boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
member Moon Hee Jun
Moon Hee Jun
Moon Hee-joon is a South Korean pop/rock singer-songwriter, and formerly a notable boyband leader of the group H.O.T. He created PS Entertainment after leaving SM Entertainment. Currently he is under a company called Sidus HQ.- Criticism :...
of H.O.T who also changed genres of music. Moon Hee Jun became a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
artist instead of a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
artist after becoming a solo singer. Sechs Kies was also the rival of H.O.T. Many have criticized Ji Won now that he has claimed to be hip hop and rap, despite being a lead rapper in Sechs Kies. However, most fans are now enjoying his music and are supporting him.
Albums
- 2001: G Pop
- 2002: Heavy G
- 2003: Eun Ji Won Best (best of)
- 2003: Drunken in Hip Hop
- 2003: Repackage L.E (repackage)
- 2005: The Second Round
- 2009: Platonic
CD singles
- 2000: Never, Ever.../A.D. 2050
- 2007: 사랑 死랑 思랑 (Love, Death, Introspection)
- 2008: G Code
Movie
- 1998: Seventeen: The Movie (July 17)
- 2004: Marrying High School Girl (여고생 시집가기) (December 23)
- 2009: Missing Lynx (링스 어드벤처) (June 24, 2009) (Dubbed for Felix (Lynx) in KoreanKorean languageKorean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
version)
Drama
- 2001: MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
New Nonstop 2 Episode 231 (Special Guest) - 2003: MBC New Nonstop 3 Episode 480 (Cameo)
- 2007: MBC New Heart Episode 23 (Cameo)
Variety show
- 2003: MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
패러디극장 옥탑방 구렁이 - 2006: SBS Truth & False (있다! 없다?)
- 2007: SBS Jiwhaza (작렬! 정신통일)
- 2007: KBS2 Happy SundayHappy SundayHappy Sunday is a Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2 network, which competes directly against MBC's Sunday Sunday Night and SBS's Good Sunday line-up. Although it has been broadcast since 2003, its line-up of shows has frequently changed, with a complete revamp occurring in Spring of 2007...
: Are You Ready? (해피선데이: 준비됐어요) - 2007-2009: MBC Come To Play 유재석 김원희의 놀러와
- 2008-2009: SBS Popular Songs (Inkigayo)The Music TrendThe Music Trend is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday at 3:50 PM KST. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. It is currently hosted by Goo Ha-ra, IU and Nicole.- History :...
(인기가요) - 2007–2012: KBS2 Happy Sunday: 1 Night 2 Days1 Night 2 Days1 Night 2 Days , first aired on August 5, 2007, is a South Korean reality-variety show shown on the KBS2. 1 Night 2 Days is one of the two segments for Happy Sunday. The show's members consists of Lee Su Geun, Eun Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Jong Min, Uhm Tae-woong and their mascot, Sang Geun...
(해피선데이: 1박 2일) - 2009: SBS Intimate Note Season 2 (절친노트 2)
- 2009: MBC every1 School Mobile World Card (스쿨 문자지존)
- 2009: MBC every1 Lord of the Rings (반지의 제왕)
- 2010: KBS Joy Idol League (대격돌! 아이돌 리그)
MBC FM4U 친한 친구 (2002–2003)
Eun Ji Won was the first DJ for the newly created program back in 2002.Group
| Year | Awards |
|---|---|
| 1997 |
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| 1998 |
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 :... , Daesang Award KBS Music Awards The KBS Music Awards was a major music awards show that is held annually in South Korea.-KBS Music Awards, era:*2005: Kim Jong Kook*2004: Rain*2003: Lee Hyori*2002: Jang Nara*2001: g.o.d.*2000: g.o.d.*1999: Jo Sungmo*1998: H.O.T.... , Bonsang Award |
| 1999 |
|
Solo
| Year | Awards |
|---|---|
| 2001 |
|
| 2003 |
|
| 2010 |
KBS Entertainment Awards The KBS Entertainment Awards is an event held yearly and is sponsored by KBS. The awards ceremony is approximately 140 minutes long and is shown in two parts on KBS2. The ceremony features performances by k-pop artists and music parodies from Gag Concert members... , Best Entertainer (December 26) |