HyunA: music and scandals of a K-pop queen

Born in 1992, Kim Hyun-ah, also known as HyunA, is a South Korean singer, rapper, model and dancer.

Did you know that HyunA was part of the original ensemble of the iconic K-pop girl group ‘Wonder Girls’? She debuted alongside Yeeun, Sunye, Sunmi and Sohee in 2007 and served as the group’s main rapper.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

However, HyunA was unable to participate in most of Wonder Girls’ group activities due to health reasons and was made to withdraw from the group by her parents. HyunA’s role as the group’s main rapper was then replaced by Yubin in July 2007.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

In 2007 in the same year, HyunA was revealed to have left JYP Entertainment. She was then reported to have joined Cube Entertainment soon after in 2008. Koreaboo reports that many have questioned the reasons for HyunA’s departure from JYP Entertainment to join Cube Entertainment.

Even though the official reason for her departure was initially due to health reasons, her sudden entrance into Cube Entertainment signalled that there is more than it meets the eye to her switch in agencies. Many argued that it did not make sense for an entertainer in poor health to continue immediately with another entertainment agency as a pop idol.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

According to Koreaboo, the founder of Cube entertainment was actually a disgruntled ex-executive at JYP Entertainment. Reportedly, HyunA followed that executive and left JYP Entertainment because she also disagreed with JYP's internal management. The idol joined Cube Entertainment in 2008.

(Image: P-Nation)

In 2009, Cube Entertainment announced that they were releasing a new girl group, ‘4Minute’. This became HyunA’s second girl group. Fellow band members were its leader Nam Ji-Hyun (Now Son Ji-Hyun), singer Gayoon, singer-songwriter Jiyoon, and singer Kwon So-Hyun.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

Some of 4Minute’s biggest hits include ‘Hot Issue’, ‘Muzik’, and ‘What’s Your Name?’

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

Other than the success in their native South Korea, 4Minute also had a huge presence in Japan and was signed on with Universal Music Japan for all of their Japanese productions.

(Image: Universal Music Japan)

HyunA is often described as the Beyonce in 4Minute, as she often outshone her other members in the group. Interestingly, before 4Minute’s official name was announced, it was unofficially called ‘the HyunA group’.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

In Janurary 2010, HyunA released her first debut solo single, titled ‘Change’. Other solo projects during her time with 4Minute include ‘Love Parade’, ‘Outlaw in the Wild’ and most notably, ‘Bubble pop!’

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

One fun fact about the music video for her debut single ‘Change’ was that it was originally taken down by the Korean government for being too mature for minors to view.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

The same issue of HyunA’s musical promotional activities being too hot for TV resurfaced during the promotion of ‘Bubble Pop!’ The track’s music video, choreography and costumes were deemed too explicit for TV by the Korea Communications Commission.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

Unfortunately HyunA’s time in 4Minute came to an end in 2016. Each 4Minute member’s contract with Cube Entertainment expired in that same year, and although Cube Entertainment offered everyone a renewal, no one but HyunA accepted the offer. As a result, only HyunA stayed with Cube Entertainment and 4Minute was over.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

With the disbandment of 4Minute, Cube Entertainment announced that HyunA would be forming ‘Triple H’ with two other labelmates, Hui and E’Dawn from boyband ‘Pentagon’. The group released their first single in 2017: ‘365 Fresh’.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

Other than serving as a K-pop group, Triple H also had their very own reality TV show titled ‘Triple H Fun Agency’. The reality show centers around the three members in their journey to release an album together as bandmates.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

One year into the formation of Triple H, its members met with scandal. It was revealed that HyunA and E’Dawn were dating in August.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

It became a huge scandal in the K-pop world, because it was taboo for K-pop idols to date anybody during their term as idols, and it was even worse because they were both idols in the same industry circles. Many opposed the relationship.

(Image: hyunah_aa on Instagram)

BBC reported that, upon hearing the news, Cube Entertainment announced the termination of HyunA’s contract with the company.

(Image: P-Nation)

Defiantly, HyunA jovially posted a video of her dancing and hugging E’Dawn after she heard about Cube Entertainment’s decision.

(Image: Cube Entertainment)

A month later, Cube Entertainment announced that they terminated their relations with HyunA’s boyfriend, E’Dawn, as well.

(Image: hyunah_aa on Instagram)

However, this was not the end of the couple’s music careers. They both signed on to PSY’s label, P-Nation, in January of 2019. In the process, E’Dawn changed his stage name to Dawn.

(Image: P-Nation)

Since joining P-Nation, HyunA has reportedly gained more artistic and creative freedom in her decisions as an artist. Under her new label, she released ‘Flower Shower’ in November 2019. The song was number 6 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales.

(Image: P-Nation)

After changing labels twice amidst controversies, HyunA has now made a comeback. She released ‘I’m Not Cool’ in January 2021.

(Image: P-Nation)

In what would surprise many a year later, HyunA left P Nation and broke up with E-Dawn in the same year, 2022, reports Naver. Many were shocked back then, as Allkpop reports that the two had even announced their engagement earlier in that same year.

Image: hyunah_aa / Instagram

In what would shock people even further in 2024, NME reports that HyunA and ex-HIGHLIGHT member Yong Jun-hyung have confirmed their relationship with one another when the two uploaded a photo of themselves holding hands on their respective social media accounts.

Image: bigbadboii / Instagram

Just like before, HyunA's relationship drew flak from many netizens, but for different reasons this time. AsiaOne reports that many netizens have voiced their "disappointment and disgust" with the star for dating Yong Jun-hyung, as the latter was involved in one of South Korea's biggest s*x trafficking scandals, the Burning Sun scandal.

Image: hyunah_aa / Instagram

Koreaboo reports that the dating news had caused HyunA to not only lose public support but also that of fellow artists in the music scene. Since the confirmation of her relationship with Yong Jun-hyung, she has lost over 100,000 followers on Instagram, with celebrities such as 2AM's Jokwon and EXID's Hani unfollowing her.

Image: hyunah_aa / Instagram