Tiger Woods at the 2009 AT&T National_tournament

Tiger Woods at age 2, on Mike Douglas show

Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods was on born December 30, 1975,in Cypress, California, is an American professional golfer, who ranked him among the most successful golfers of all time, World’s number one currently, and on the Forbes list, he has been one of the world’s highest-paid athletes  for several years. In 1996,Woods became a professional golfer, and won his first major award in a breaking performance on April 1997, as the 1997 Masters and reached the world rankings number one position in June of the same year. Tiger Woods took leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage after he admitted infidelity from December 2009 to April 2010, followed by a loss of form in November 2011, when his ranking dropped to number 58. Woods is ranked No. 1 as of March 25, 2013, after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2013. In November 2003, Woods revealed his engagement with former Swedish model Elin Nordegren, daughter of Thomas Nordegren, a former minister of Barbro Holmberg and a radio journalist, Woods and Nordegren married on October 5, 2004, at the Sandy Lane Resort, Barbados and lived at Isleworth community in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, Florida, and had a daughter, Sam Alexis Woods, was born on June 18, 2007 and a son Charlie Axel Woods, was born on February 8, 2009. Woods purchased a estate worth $39 million in Jupiter Island, Florida, and a 10,000-square-foot home, and moved in 2010 followed by their divorce on August 23, 2010. On March 18, 2013,Tiger Woods revealed his relationship with skier Lindsey Vonn. His father, Earl Woods, born in 1932, died from a heart attack at the age of 74 at his home in Cypress, California on 2006. In 1998, Earl Woods was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he survived. Earl was buried in Manhattan, Kansas at Sunset Cemetery. His mother Kultida “Tida“ Punsawad-Woods (born 1944) from Thailand,a Thai, Chinese and Dutch ancestry, where Earl Woods, an African-American retired Lieutenant colonel and Vietnam veteran, met her in 1968 tour of duty, thus Tiger refer himself as Cablinasian ( syllabic abbreviation combination of Caucasian, Black, American Indian and Asian). Tiger Woods is the only child of Earl and Tida, but does have two half-brothers, Earl Jr. (born 1955) and Kevin (born 1957), and a half-sister, Royce (born 1958) from Earl’s first wife, of 18-year marriage, Barbara Gray Woods. Cheyenne Woods, who became a professional golfer in 2012 after she played for a golf team for the Wake Forest University,was Woods’ niece, making her pro debut in the LPGA Championship.
Tiger Woods, is the number one ranking for 5 years, in his early thirties made nearly $23 million on the golf course and was paid for his endorsements $105 million, with total earnings of $127,902,706 and as richest athlete, but might lost that title during his adultery scandal rumors in 2010, and some of his sponsors terminated his contract as endorser.

2)  Phil Mickelson ((Pro Golf / $62 million)

Phil Mickelson, age 42, in 2008 US Open, Torrey Pines, San Diego,CA

Phil Mickelson,2006 Open

Philip Alfred Mickelson (born on June 16, 1970) is an American professional golfer. Mickelson, became No. 2 golf player with $9.3 million in winnings, and his endorsements with overwhelming $53 million and a total earnings of $62, 373,685. Mickelson has won four major championships and on the PGA Tour, a total of 41 events, and became world ranking of second in multiple years. Mickelson, although he is right handed, he swings left handed, thus, he is nicknamed “Lefty“. In November 2011, Mickelson was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and was inducted in May 2012. Phil Mickelson revealed that his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer, on May 20, 2009, following his  announcement, that he would indefinitely suspend his PGA Tour schedule. Mickelson returned to play on the PGA Tour in June at the St. Jude Classic and the U.S. Open, since his wife’s doctors said the cancer treatment is easy because his wife’s cancer was detected in an early stage. On July 6, 2009 Then another sad news was announced that Mary Mickelson, Phil’s mother, was also diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a breast surgery, at the same hospital where his wife was treated with similar would have surgery at the same hospital where his wife was treated. Phil Mickelson was placed at the fifth spot with $46 million according to Forbes list in 2010, while David Beckham settled at sixth spot with $44 million. Lefty or Phil Mickelson has $46.5 million worth of wealth.

3) David Beckham (Soccer / $45 million)

David Beckham, age 38

David Beckham in 2012  

David Robert Beckham, OBE, was born on May 2, 1975, is an English footballer playing currently for French Ligue 1 Paris Saint Germain. Beckham played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy, and the National England Team holding the record appearance as an outfield player. Beckham was twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and the world highest paid footballer athlete in 2004, and his endorsement earnings and advertising deals. In 2007, Beckham joined the MLS, and he was given the highest player salary in the league’s history of US$6.5 million a year. Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champion League matches. In 2008, David Beckham’s fame invaded America, and was offered by high contracts and event with a lot of publicity, but due to his injuries, it kept him out almost the entire MLS seasons. Beckham is married to Victoria Caroline Adams-Beckham former Posh of the Spice Girls group singer, and the couple have four children. David Beckham’s wealth came from his endorsement ads deals, sponsored by Adidas, Motorola and Pepsi Co., and on loan to AC Milan ensuring a spot for 2010 World Cup in England team. David and Victoria’s joint wealth was about £125 million as estimated in 2009. David Beckham is in 6th spot in 2012 Legend English Footballer as the richest football  athlete with total income of US$40 million.

4) Kimi Raikkonen (F1 Racing / $41 million)

 

Kimi Räikkönen, age 33 in Moscow, 2013

Kimi Raikkonen, at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix 2009 in Turkey

Kimi Räikkönen driving a Citroën C4 WRC at the 2010 Rally Bulgaria.

Kimi-Matias Räikkönen born 17 October 1979, is a Finnish racing driver, which he won the Formula One World Driver’s Championship in 2007 after nine seasons racing in Formula One, and competed in the World Rally Championship in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Beckham returned to Formula One in 2012, driving for Lotus, and continued to drive in 2013. In 2002, Beckham joined McLaren Mercedes and became a title contender as finishing runner-up in the championships in 2003 and 2005 to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. In 2003 and 2005 Räikkönen‘s seasons were outbreak by not reliable from his McLaren cars. Räikkönen switched in 2007 to Ferrari, becoming the highest paid Motor sport driver with an estimated wage of $51 million per year. In 2008, on the same list, Raikkonen is listed as the 26th highest paid celebrity overall and the 5th highest paid sportsman after Tiger Woods, David Beckham, Michael Jordan and Phil Mickelson. Räikkönen was listed as the 2nd highest paid athlete in the world, in 2009, behind Woods. Räikkönen is married to a Finnish model and former Miss Scandinavia, Jenni Dahlman, on July 31, 2004, however in early 2013, it was speculated that she had moved out, ending eight years of marriage. Kimi Raikkonen was the highest paid driver by Ferrari, in motor sports and was given a three year-deal. After a bad season in previous year, he decided to “retire temporarily” from F1 and want to move to WRC.

5) LeBron James (NBA / $40 million)

 

LeBron James age 28

LeBron James vs Yao Ming at the Beijing Olympics, 2008

LeBron Raymone James born December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio to Gloria Marie James, a 16-year-old mother, who raised LeBron on her own. nicknamed “King James”, is an American professional basketball player for National Basketball Association (NBA), the Miami Heat. LeBron James has accumulated his wealth and fame off the court,  from numerous endorsement contracts. His public life has been the subject of much ” who search through piles of rubbish in the hope of finding something of”, and ranked as one of most disliked in America and influential athletes. James has two sons with his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, his first son was born on October 6, 2004 named LeBron James, Jr. and the second, was born on June 14, 2007 named Bryce Maximus James. James purchased a three-story mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, a Miami suburb for $9 million. James was engaged to Brinson since December 31, 2011, proposing to her at a party to celebrate New Year’s Eve and his 27th birthday. As a result of his endorsement money and NBA salary, James has been listed as one of the world’s highest-paid athletes, aside from NBA salary and from endorsement’s payment. James was ranked by Forbes as the second most influential athlete after Lance Armstrong in 2010. LeBron James salary off the court and as business entrepreneur was $12, 455,000 and $28 million from endorsement fees ranking him to number 3 list of richest athletes with total wealth of $40, 455, 000, and in 2012, “King James”with listed of $48 million assets. In 2010, LeBron James and Roger Federer both were tie at the 7th place with total revenues of $43 million.

6)   Manny Pacquiao (Boxing / $40 million)

Manny Pacquiao at the Ceremonial first pitch April 21, 2009

Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey shortly after the weigh in for their fight in Dallas, Texas. In the background are Bob Arum and Jerry Jones

Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao born December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines, is a famous Filipino professional boxer and politician. Pacquiao is the first eight-division world champion,  in which he has won ten world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He is also the world’s second highest paid athlete. He was known as Fighter of the Decade for the decade 2000′s by the (BWAA) Boxing Writers Association of America, (WBC) World Boxing Council and (WBO) World Boxing Organization. Manny Pacquiao dropped to number two in the rankings, in April 2012, after Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The Ring, however,declared the top position vacant and jointly ranked Pacquiao and Mayweather in the number two spot on May 7, 2012. Aside from boxing, Pacquiao was also a part time actor aside from boxing, music recording and politics when he was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines in May 2010, representing the Sarangani province. Pacquiao’s parents separated when he was grade 6, after his mother discovered that his father was living with another woman. Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine “Jinkee” Jamora, and they have four children: Emmanuel Jr. “Jimuel”, Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth “Queenie.” Pacquiao and his family resides in General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines, but officially residing in Kiamba, Sarangani as a congressman of lone district of Sarangani, the hometown of his wife, Jinkee Pacquiao, who recently won in a political race in May 13, 2013. Manny Pacquiao is now known as the best pound per pound boxer in the world and the “favorite” target by any challenger in the world. According to Sports Illustrated annual survey Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino ring icon and non-US athlete was in sixth place (he ranked 6th place last year) in terms of total assets among the top 20 international athletes over the past year, with earnings of US$35 million, putting him just ahead of Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, who raked in US$33,336,796.

7) Lionel Messi (Soccer / $39 million)

Lionel Messi, age 25, Player of the Year 2011

Lionel Messi at Bernabeu

Lionel Andrés “Leo” Messi born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, serving as his national football team captain. By the age of 21, Lionel Messi had won his first Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2009, followed by winning the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2010, 2011 and 2012. At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency(GHD) (a medical condition, caused by arising problems in the pituitary gland, in which the body does not produce enough growth hormones (GH) or known as somatropin, (is a polypeptide hormone which stimulates growth and cell reproduction). River Plate Local powerhouse showed interest in Messi’s progress, but were not willing to pay for treatment for his condition, which cost $900 a month. Lionel Messi was seen with the girl, Antonella Roccuzzo, a fellow native of Rosario, at a Sitges carnival after the Barcelona-Espanyol derby. Messi assisted and scored a goal in Argentina’s 4–0 win against Ecuador in a World Cup 2014 Qualifying match on June 2, 2012. He placed the ball under his jersey when celebrated scoring for Argentina, his 23rd goal, as reports spread that his girlfriend is 12 weeks pregnant, when she posted on Twitter that she is expecting to give birth in September, but she gave birth later than expected on November 2, 2012, and for the first time,Messi became a father following the birth of Thiago, his son. Messi was ranked by the France Football in March 2010, as the World’s richest footballer, ahead of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, with £29.6 million (€33 million) in combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings, making his net wealth is estimated at $110 millIon. In 2011 he became the best soccer player and currently holds the title, but due to his total worth earnings of $32.3 million he is at number 10 in the list.

8) Alex Rodriguez (MLB / $39 million)

Alex Rodriguez age 37

Alex Rodriguez

Alexander Emmanuel “Alex” Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), best known for his nickname as A-Rod, is an American New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB), baseball 3rd baseman, shortstop previous player for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers and considered one of the best baseball players of all time. Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees agreed to a $275 million contract for 10-years deal in December 2007. This contract with Rodriguez, breaking the previous baseball contract of $252 million, was the richest contract in baseball history. After Rodriguez denied the allegedly use of performance-enhancing drugs previously in February 2009, and during an interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes show, however, he admitted to using steroids from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers due to “extreme pressures” to perform. Alex Rodriguez was born to a Dominican family in the Washington Heights, New York City. Rodriguez and his parents moved to the Dominican Republic when he was age 4, then moved to Miami, Florida. Rodriguez have two half-siblings, Joe and Suzy, from his mother’s first marriage, who were born in the Dominican Republic. He lost contact with his brother, Victor Jr., an officer in the United States Air Force for a period of 23 years, until they met at a Texas Rangers game in 2003. Alex Rodriguez was married to Cynthia Scurtis, in 2002, a psychology graduate, whom he met at a gym in Miami, Florida. The couple’s two children, Natasha Alexander, was born on November 18, 2004, and Ella Alexander was born on April 21, 2008 in Miami, Florida. On July 7, 2008, Cynthia Scurtis-Rodriguez filed for divorce, citing an extra marital affairs, emotional abandonment of her and their children, and other marital misconduct by her husband. Cynthia Rodriguez sought alimony, distribution of assets, child support (and includes private school tuition fees), life and health insurance, her car, reimbursement of legal fees, and retention of the $12-million marital home in Coral Gables, Florida. Alex Rodriguez  filed a countered that his ex-wife was only entitled to what their prenuptial agreement they had agreed from 2002, also acknowledging their marriage as ”no-fault” ground”, and requested that all allegations of his “extramarital affairs” be disallowed from being legally considered from court records. In September 2008, the couple finally settled their divorce. In 2009, reports said, Rodriguez was dating actress Kate Hudson, and in 2010, he was romantically linked with actress Cameron Diaz,  where she was seen in a candid TV shot feeding popcorn to Rodriguez was shown during the Super Bowl in 2011. Alex Rodriguez was listed  richest and greatest baseball player with $29 million on the field and $6 million in endorsement with total income of $39 million, but he is at number 8 list of world’s richest sportsman in 2012.

9)   Fernando Alonso (F1 Racing / $35 million)

Fernando Alonso, age 31, Malaysia-2013

Fernando Alonso, 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

Alonso and ex-wife Raquel del Rosario

Fernando Alonso Díaz was born on July 29, 1981, also known for his nickname as El Nano, a typical pseudonym for Fernando in his birthplace in Asturias, and he is a Spanish Formula One racing driver, and a two-time World Champion, racing for Scuderia Ferrari currently. At the age of three, Alonso started in karting. He won the karting championship three times, from 1994 to 1997 in Spain, and in 1996, Diaz became the world karting champion, and made his debut in the 2001 Formula One. Alonso acts as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Alonso was married to Spanish pop band El Sueno de Morfeo, lead singer Raquel del Rosario on November 17, 2006. In December 2011, the couple announced their intention to divorce. Alonso was under contract with the McLaren Team for 4 years contract from 2007 to 2010, but in the late 2007, he moved tp Renault and withdraw with McLaren’s contract.  Fernando Alonso, formerly the double world champion has taken a £4million pay cut to help financially his Renault team to meet the cost of staying in Formula One. It was announced that Fernando Diaz will race with Ferrari this year.

10)  Valentino Rossi (MotoGP Racing / $35 million)

Valentino Rossi, age 34, 2010 Qatar

Valentino Rossi, 2011 Estoril

Valentino Rossi, (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino), is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and MotoGP multiple World Champion. Rossi winning nine times as Grand Prix World Championships, seven wins are in the premier class, and named as one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time. Valentino Rossi started racing in 1996 at the Grand Prix, following his father’s footsteps, Graziano Rossi. Valentino Rossi left Yamaha to join the 2011 season of Ducati, but in 2012, it was confirmed that he would rejoin the 2013 and 2014 Yamaha seasons. Rossi is first in all time 500cc/MotoGP race wins standings, with 79 victories, and place second in overall wins standings with 105 race wins, behind Giacomo Agostini with 122. According to Sports Illustrated, Rossi is one of the world’s highest paid athlete personalities, with estimated earnings as of 2007 with $34 million. Forbes ranked Valentino Rossi as number 9 among the highest paid athletes in 2009, an estimated $35 million in the previous year, that includes his Yamaha team salary and endorsement from Fiat and AGV helmet. Rumors spread that Rossi finished his contract, he will be moving to F1 after he won the MotoGP in 2009.

2011 -2012  Richest Athletes

11) Floyd Mayweather 

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. , age 36

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Márquez in 2009

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Sinclair, born on February 24, 1977) is an undefeated American professional boxer, five-division world champion, won world titles 8 times, and the different weight classes Lineal championship. He won the award in 1998 and 2007 as Ring Fighter of the Year, Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), 2007 Fighter of the Year award and the 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012 Best Fighter ESPY Award. According to Forbes and Sports Illustrated lists, Mayweather topped the 2012′s 50 highest-paid athletes. His father, was a The former welterweight contender, Floyd Mayweatehr, Sr. who fought Sugar Ray Leonard, a Hall of Famer. Jeff Mayweather and Roger Mayweather were his uncles and both were professional boxers, with Roger works as Floyd Jr.’s current trainer, winning two world championships. Mayweather was born using his mother’s last name, but changed to Mayweather afterwards.  During Floyd Mayweather’s childhood, it is already common to come home from school and find used heroin needles in his front yard, since his mother was a drug addict, and he had an aunt who died from AIDS because of her drug use. Mayweather narrated, “People don’t know the hell I’ve been through” and “I basically raised myself,” Mayweather says. “My grandmother did what she could. When she got mad at me I’d go to my mom’s house. My life was ups and downs”. Mayweather Sr., his father, says he knows how much pain his being detained in prison, caused his son, but insists he did the best he could. “I sent him to live with his grandmother”, he says. “It wasn’t like I left him with strangers”. Mayweather Jr., reported to the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas to serve his 87-day jail term for domestic abuse on June 1, 2012, and was released from prison on August 3, 2012, after serving two months.

12)  Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan, age 50

Michael Jordan at golf course in 2007

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ is an American former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, and head of basketball operations for the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats majority owner and chairman, when he won a bidding to buy controlling interest in the team form Robert L. Johnson, the founding-owner. On the National Basketball Association (NBA) biography website stated, “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” His leaping ability, illustrated by performing from the free throw line slam dunks, in a slum dunk contests, and was nicknamed “Air Jordan” and “His Airness“. He also gained a reputation for being one of the best basketball defensive players. Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements and gained the success of Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers introduced in 1985 and remained popular today. Michael Jordan also starred in the Space Jam film in 1996 as himself. Jordan was married to Juanita Vanoy in September 1989, and both have two sons, Jeffrey Michael and Marcus James, and a daughter, Jasmine. Jordan. On January 4, 2002, Vanoy filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, but reconciled shortly thereafter, however, in December 29, 2006, the couple again filed for divorce and were granted a final decree of dissolution of marriage, with “mutual and amicable” decision was made. According to reports, Juanita received a $168 million settlement, making it the largest celebrity divorce settlement in history at the time on public record. A Cook County, Illinois judge settled that Jordan did not owe Karla Knafel $5 million, Jordan’s alleged former lover on July 21, 2006. According to some reports, Jordan had allegedly paid Knafel $250,000 to keep their relationship a secret, but Knafel claimed Jordan promised her $5 million for the agreement of remaining silent and not to file a paternity suit after Knafel learned she was pregnant in 1991. However, the DNA test result showed Jordan was not the father of the child. On 2011 Christmas Eve, Jordan proposed to Yvette Prieto, his longtime girlfriend, Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto and they were married on April 27, 2013. Michael Jordan was the third richest athlete with total earnings of  $55 million followed by Kobe Bryant, ranking 4th with $48 million total earnings.

13)   Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, age 34,

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978), nicknamed the “Black Mamba“, is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the (NBA) National Basketball Association. Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school,playing for the Lakers his entire career, winning NBA championship five times. Kobe Bryant is an All-Star 15-times, All-NBA Team 14-time member and All-Defensive team 12-time member. Bryant ranked third and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring league as of March 2013. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002, however the duo had a heated argument and a loss in the NBA Finals 2004 was followed by O’Neal’s trade from the Lakers after the 2003-2004 season. Kobe Bryant became the Los Angeles Lakers franchise cornerstone after O’Neal‘s departure from the team. Bryant at the age of 34, became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points, and the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. In 2003, Bryant was accused of sexual assault in 2003, after having sex with a hotel employee in Edwards, Colorado, but the prosecutors dropped the case in September 2004, after his accuser refused to testify. A civil suit was later filed and settled out of court. Kobe Bryant was famous for his high-flying moves. Bryant’s total network is estimated $53 million, making him the world’s richest basketball player and world’s second richest athlete in 2012.

14)  Shaquille O’neal

Shaquille O’Neal, age 41

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal born March 6, 1972, nicknamed “Shaq” is an American retired basketball player, former rapper and current analyst on the Inside the NBA television program. Standing 7 ft 1 in. tall and weighing 325 pounds (147 kg), he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA. Shaq O’Neal used his size and strength to overpower opponents for points and rebounds throughout his 19 years in court. O’Neal has released his first Shaq Diesel four rap albums, going platinum, in addition to his basketball career. O’Neal has starred in Shaq’s Big Challenge and Shaq Vs., his own relaity TV shows and appeared in numerous films. Shaq O’Neal was raised by a Baptist mother and a Muslim stepfather, that’s why he claimed that, “I’m Muslim, I’m Jewish, I’m Buddhist, I’m everybody ’cause I’m a people person.” On December 26, 2002, ONeal was married Shaunie Nelson. The couple have four children (Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’arah), and Myles, Nelson’s son from her previous relationship. O’Neal also has a daughter, Taahirah, from a previous relationship. Shaq O’Neal filed for divorce from Shaunie Nelson on September 4, 2007 in a Miami-Dade Circuit court, however, Shaunie Nelson announced later, that they withdraw their divorce and live back together. But after almost two years of reconciliation, Shaunie filed an intent to divorce, on November 10, 2009, citing irreconcilable differences.In summer 2010, O’Neal began dating Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander, a reality TV star, and they are now residing at O’Neal’s home in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Shaquille O’Neal is listed at the 10th place among richest athlete n the world with his total earnings $31 million as NBA basketball player and endorsement and as an actor-singer-rapper, followed in number 11th spot by Derek Jeter with #30 million.

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter, age 38, during pregame warmups, 2011

Derek Sanderson Jeter born June 26, 1974, is an American baseball shortstop who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) 18 seasons for the New York Yankees, and a five-time World Series champion. Derek Jeter has been one of the most in-demand marketed athletes of his generation and is involved in numerous product endorsements. Jeter’s personal life and relationships has been a frequent topic in gossip columns and celebrity magazines since his rookie year in 1996. Derek Jeter drawn public and media attention and well-publicized relationship with Mariah Carey, pop diva from 1997 to 1998, Lara Dutta Bhupathi much known as Lara Dutta, an Indian Bollywood actress,and former 2000 Miss Universe, Joy Charity Enriquez better known as Joy Enriquez, an American singer and actress, Jordana Brewster, a Brazilian-American actress, Vanessa Joy Minnillo-Lachey, an American television personality, television host, fashion model, and actress and former 1998 Miss Teen USA, Jessica Claire Biel or Jessica Biel, an American actress, model and singer., and Minka Dumont Kelly (born Minka Dumont Dufay ) or better known as Minka Kelly, an American actress. Jeter’s teammates and opponents, regard him as a consummate professional and one of the best players of his generation. Some sportswriters anticipate, following his playing career that he will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jeter owned homes in Marlboro Township, New Jersey, Greenwood Lake, New York and the Davis Islands neighboorhood of Tampa, Florida, (this state has no state income tax), he also owned previously a penthouse apartment in Trump World Tower in Manhattan as his official residence. In 2008, Derek Jeter settled a tax argument with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Jeter allegedly failed to pay the state income tax from 2001 to 2003, according to New York State, during Jeter’s stay in the Manhattan apartment he purchased in 2001, however, he claimed that since 1994, he have already established his residence in Tampa, Florida and at that time he was still a resident of Florida.

Yao Ming, Houston Rockets, $ 27,700,000

Yao Ming age 32

Yao Ming against Melbourne

Yao Ming was born on September 12, 1980 in Shanghai, China, is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the National Basketball Association (NBA) Houston Rockets. At the time of his final season, Yao Ming was the NBA tallest active player, 7 ft 6 in. Yao,was a teenager when he debuted as basketball player for the Shanghai Sharks, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. After some negotiations with the CBA and the Shanghai Sharks to secure his release, Yao Ming was chosen by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick in the NBA Draft in 2002. Yao was chosen to begin in the NBA All-Star Game Western Conference for eight times, and was named to the All-NBA Team five times. Due to foot and ankle injuries,Yao missed 250 regular-season games in his final six seasons. Yao Ming is one of China’s best-known richest basketball athletes, with sponsorships with several major companies, and became the subject of a documentary film during his NBA rookie year. Yao is married to (6 ft 3 in) tall, Ye Li, a China’s women’s basketball player on August 6, 2007 in a ceremony attended by relatives, close friends and close to media. Yao and Ye met her when he was 17 years old. Yao Qinlei or her English name as Amy Yao, the couple’s daughter, was born on May 21, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Yao Ming had led the 2009 Forbes’ Chinese celebrities list in popularity and richest person for straight six years, with total earning in 2008, US$51 million or CNY357 million. Majority part of his income comes from his endorsement or sponsorship deals, as he is under contract with numerous major companies endorsing their brands and products. Yao was under contract by Nike until the end of his rookie season, and signed with Reebok, when Nike decided not to renew his contract. He also had a deal with Pepsi, and in 2003, Yao sued Coca Cola when they used his image on their bottles while promoting the national team. However, Yao Ming signed with Coca-Cola for the 2008 Olympics. Yao Ming has other deals including partnerships with Visa, Apple, Garmin and McDonald’s.

15)  Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova, age 26, December 2008

Maria Sharapova practicing at Bank of the West Classic in 2010

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova born April 19, 1987, is a Russian professional tennis player who was ranked World No. 2 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) as of May 6, 2013 and is the top Russian player and she is the only one in the top 10, out of 8 in the Russian’s top 100. Sharapova was residing in the United States since 1994 at the age of seven, and made her professional breakthrough in 2004 at age 17, when she defeated Serena Williams, the two-time defending champion and top seed in the Wimbledon final in 2004, for her first Grand Slam singles title. She entered the WTA Rankings top 10 with the win. The world no. 1 ranking followed in 2005, along with subsequent major titles at the US Open in 2006 and Australian Open in 2008, however in October 2008, because of shoulder injury, she was forced out of the game for ten months which she was required surgery, and in May 2009, she returned to the game. Sharapova owned a home in Bradenton, Florida and residence in Manhattan Beach, California. Sharapova was dating since 2009 and engaged to Aleksandar “Sasha” Vujačić, Slovenian professional basketball player, who plays for the Anadolu Efes S.K. of the Turkish Basketball League (TBL) in Istanbul, Turkey. Maria Sharapova announced and confirmed that the engagement was off on August 31, 2012 and that they had broken up in 2012 spring. Sharapova is dating Grigor Dimitrov recently, the Bulgarian rising tennis star. From 2005–2011, Sharapova was in the Frobes Celebrity 100 lists from 2005 to 2011, as one of the top 100 most powerful celebrities of the year nad was ranked number 12 with $25 million wealth.

16) Serena Williams

Serena Williams, age 31, 2012 Wimbledon

Serena Williams, 2009 Australian Open

Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player ranking No.1 by Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) currently , and No.1 in Women’s Singles Tennis on 6 separate occasions. On July 8, 2002 Serena Williams became the World No. 1 for the first time, and regained this ranking on February 18, 2013 for the sixth time, becoming the oldest world no. 1 player in WTA’s history. She is the only female player to have won over $40 million in prize money. Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women’s singles and three in women’s doubles. Serena Williams began dating Common, rapper and actor in 2008, but according to media reports the two broke up in May 2010. Williams has appeared on television and also provided voice work on animated shows. Serena Williams and Lance Armstrong tied at 13th place with total earnings of $20 million each.

Lance Armstrong, Road Racing Cyclist

Lance Armstrong, age 41, Tour 2010

Lance Armstrong, 2009 Tour de France, Stage 17

Lance Edward Armstrong, born Lance Edward Gunderson, was born on September 18, 1971, is an American former professional road racing cyclist, who won seven consecutive times in the Tour de France between 1999 and 2005, before being disqualified from those races and banned from cycling for life for doping offenses in 2012 by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Armstrong is the founder of formerly Lance Armstrong Foundation, now known as the Livestrong Foundation, providing support for cancer patients. Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996, that had spread to his brain and lungs. He undergo several cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy. He was declared cancer-free in February 1997 and he founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation on that same year. Armstrong announced his retirement on February 16, 2011 from competitive cycling, while facing a US federal investigation into doping allegations. USADA charged Armstrong in June 2012, with using illegal performance-enhancing drugs, and announced a lifetime ban from competition on August 24, 2012, applicable to all sports which follow the World Anti-Doping Agency code, as well as the stripping of all titles he achieved since August 1998. In June 1997, Armstrong met Kristin Richard, and they married on May 1, 1998, and had three children, Luke David, born October 1999, and twins Isabelle Rose and Grace Elisabeth, born November 2001, and these pregnancy was possible through Armstrong’s sperm banked three years earlier, before undergoing chemotherapy and surgery. The couple filed for divorce.In the late 2003, Armstrong started dating Sheryl Crow, singer-songwriter, and in September 2005, they announced their engagement and their break-up in February 2006. From 2006 to 2007, Lance dated a few women each with brief 2 to 4 month long relationships with celebrities like, Kate Hudson, Ivanka Trump, Ashley Olsen, Tory Burch and Danielle Overgaag. Armstrong announced that his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, was pregnant with his child in December 2008 whom he started dating since July 2008, after meeting through Armstrong’s charity work. Anna Hansen conceived naturally, although Armstrong have undergone chemotherapy and testicular cancer treatment and was believed that he could no longer father children. Maxwell Edward Armstrong, the baby boy was born in 2009 in Aspen, Colorado posted by Armstrong via Twitter. Armstrong, announced again via Twitter, that Anna Hansen was having his fifth child in April 2010. On October 2010, the couple’s daughter, Olivia Marie Armstrong was born.

Venus Williams

Venus Williams, age 32, July 2010

Venus Williams

Venus Ebony Starr Williams (born June 17, 1980) is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No.1 and as of May 6, 2013, she is ranked World No. 21 in singles. Venus Williams has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association on separate occasions and the first African-American woman to achieve this feat during the Open Era on February 25, 2002.Venus Williams won seven Grand Slam titles tie her for twelfth on the all time list and most active tennis female player except for her younger sister Serena Williams, and the other player Maria Sharapova Russian-American tennis player. Since 1998, Venus Williams has played against her sister Serena Williams in 24 professional matches, with Serena winning 14 of the 24 matches. Venus Williams’s longtime boyfriend, Hank Kuehne pro golfer, had been seen since Wimbledon 2007, holding her hand during long rain delays and clapping support from the players’ box along with her parents and younger sister Serena. However, the couple broke up in 2010, after which Kuehne dated and married his current wife Andy in May 2011. Venus and Serena Williams‘s older half-sister( from their mother’s previous relationship), Yetunde Price, 31,was shot dead in Compton, California in 2003,near the courts on which the sisters once practiced. Price was the Williams sisters’ personal assistant, confidante and adviser. Venus Williams was forced to withdraw from the US Open before her second-round match, in 2011, following a Sjögren’s syndrome  similar to “sicca syndrome” (a systemic autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands producing tears and saliva) diagnosis. Venus resolved to be a vegetarian after the diagnosis, in order to decrease inflammation and reduce the energy-sapping symptoms of the disease through the reduction of calories, sugars and pesticides. Venus is now dating Cuban model, Elio Pis, both  met when Pis modeled for Venus’ fashion line EleVen and has been a visible presence at her tournaments lately. In June 2009, Venus was named 77th in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine. Venus Williams was listed on the 14th spot among the richest athlete in the world with her $15.5 million and last spot to Danica Patrick with total earnings of $12 million.

17) Roger Federer

Roger Federer, age 31, (June 26, 2009,Wimbledon)

Roger Federer born August 8, 1981, is a Swiss professional tennis player, who ranked World No.2 by the ATP, as of May 2013. Apart from six weeks, Federer has continuously ranked since July 2003, as one of the top 3 in the ATP rankings for the last decade. Federer  was considered the greatest tennis player of all time by many sports analysts, tennis critics, former and current players. He is one of seven men, and one of four in the Open Era, to capture the Grand Slam carer, and one of three along Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, to do so separately on clay, grass, and hard courts. Roger Federer holds both Swiss and South African citizenship and was raised a Catholic. Like all male Swiss citizens, Federer, like all male Swiss citizens was subject to compulsory military service in the Swiss Armed Forces. However, due to his standing back problem, he was unfit and was not required to fulfill his military obligations in 2003. Federer has been friends with the golfer Tiger Woods. Federer is married to former Mirka Vavrinec, Women’s Tennis Association player. The couple first met while both were competing for Switzerland in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002, Vavrinec retired from the tour due to a foot injury. Federer and Vavrinec were married on April 11, 2009 at Wenkenhof Villa in Riehen near Basel, surrounded by a small group of close friends and family. Mirka gave birth to identical twin girls, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva on July 23, 2009. Roger Federer was in number 4 richest athlete with earnings total of $47 million, and considered greatest tennis player of all times.

18) Christiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, age 28, 2010

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (born 5 February 1985), commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a forward for Real Madrid’s Spanish La Liga club, and serving as captain of the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo became the most expensive footballer in history, after he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth £80 million (€93.9 million or US$131.6 million). Ronaldo’s contract with Real Madrid, in which he is paid €12 million per year, makes him one of the world’s highest-paid footballers, and his buyout clause is valued at €1 billion as per his contract. Ronaldo began his career as a youth player for Andorinha, where he played for two years, before he moved to C.D. Nacional, and moved to Sporting Clube de Portugal, Portuguese giants in 1997, and caught the attention of Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager, who signed him in 2003 for £12.24 million or €15 million.  Ronaldo won his first FA Cup club honor the following season, and is considered one of the best footballers in the world. On 16 October 2012, Ronaldo won his 100th cap against Northern Ireland that made him the third highest capped player for Portugal and became the third youngest European to reach a century of international appearances. José Dinis Aveiro, Ronaldo’s father, died of an alcoholism-related liver illness in September 2005 at age 52 when Ronaldo was 20. Ronaldo’s mother and Manchester United coach have stated that Ronaldo does not drink alcohol as a result and he has received libel damages over an article in Daily Mirror that reported him drinking heavily in a nightclub while recovering from an injury in July 2008. In October 2005, After a month of Ronaldo’s father’s death, Ronaldo was arrested on alleged suspected rape of a woman in a London hotel and released on bail. Ronaldo denied the charges and allegations, and the case were dropped in November 2005, by Scotland Yard due to “insufficient evidence”. Ronaldo announced that on July 3, 2010, he had become a father, and named his child as Cristiano, and his child is in full custody of Ronaldo. Cristiano Ronaldo has dated English models Alice Goodwin and Gemma Atkinson previously and been dating Irina Shayk, a Russian model since the start of 2010. France Football ranked Ronaldo as 3rd world’s highest paid footballer in its list in March 2010, behind David Beckham and Lionel Messi, with £27 million (€29.2 million) in combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings. Ronaldo’s net wealth is estimated at US$160 million, and as of June 2012, the Sports Pro, rated him as the world’s 5th most marketable athlete.

19) 9-Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacker, age 44

Michael Schumacher, 2012 Monaco Grand Prix

Michael Schumacher born January 3,1969, is a retired German racing driver, a seven-time Formula One World Champion and is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. Michael Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO off the track and a spokesman for driver safety. The Germany regulations require a driver to be at least 14 years old to obtain a kart license. To get around this, Schumacher obtained a license in Luxemburg at the age of 12. He obtained his German license, in 1983, a year after he won the German Junior Kart Championship. From 1984 on, Schumacher won many German and European kart championships. Michael Schumacher married Corinna Betsch in August 1995, and have two children together, Gina-Maria (born on 20 February 1997) and Mick (born on 22 March 1999). Schumacher has always been very protective of his personal or private life and prefer to live a simple life, thus he is known to dislike the celebrity spotlight. Forbes magazine listed him as the 2nd world’s highest paid athlete in 2004. In 2005 While the Eurobusiness magazine named Schumacher as the world’s first billionaire athlete. His 2004 salary was reported to be around US $80 million. He is ranked as the 17th in its “The World’s Most Powerful Celebrities” list by Forbes magazine. He donated $10 million for aid after the Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004. His donation surpassed that of any other sports person, most sports leagues, many worldwide corporations and even some countries. Burkhard Cramer, Schumacher’s bodyguard was killed in the tsunami along with his two sons. Schumacher’s personal fortune was estimated at £515 million in 2010, and reportedly received a salary of £21 million each year from the Mercedes team, plus a £9 million in endorsements. In some list, he is at number 9, but the richest racing driver in the world, and named with excellent driving skills.

20)  Oscar de la Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya, age 40, at Morongo Casino

Oscar de La Hoya

World’s Richest and Famous Athletes

Hoarding is a weird behavior that generate human being or animals to gather and collect food and hide or other items during periods of insufficiency or shortness of supply. Compulsive hoarding or pathological collecting (sometimes called packratting) is a behavior described as the excessive acquisition and inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover the home living areas causing distress or impairment. Compulsive hoarding behavior has been linked with health risks, impairment mentally and emotionally,social functioning, economic burden, and adverse effects on family members and friends. When clinically to have influence or effect enough to impair functioning, weird compulsive hoarding disorder, can prevent typical uses of space so as to limit activities such in kitchen as cooking, home cleaning, moving through the house, and bedroom for sleeping. Excessive hoarding can be dangerous and put the individual, family and neighborhood at risk from fire, falling, poor sanitation, and other health concerns.  “Hoarding is not yet considered an official, distinct disorder,” according to Mayo Clinic and people with compulsive hoarding disorder who hoard do not have or other obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-related symptoms. Researchers are still doing researches and study about compulsive hoarding, and still not clear whether “compulsive” hoarding is an isolated disorder or a separate case may be, or rather a symptom of another condition, such as OCD. The number of cases of a specific disease rates have been estimated in adults at 2 to 5%, and is greater in older adults than in younger groups, in men versus women, and is opposite in effect of nature or order related to household income. Most people affected with compulsive hoarding is more common in people with psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Other factors are associated often with compulsive hoarding are those people who are alcohol dependence as well as paranoid, schizotypal, and Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), also called as anxious personality disorder traits. The most worst forms that a person with compulsive hoarding disorder can cause fires, unsanitary conditions (example: rat and roach infestations), injuries from tripping on clutter, and other health and safety hazards. Syllogomania is defined also as compulsive hoarding disorder as the hoarding of pure trash or garbage.

Hoarding in living room

hoarding in kitchen courtesy of Buried Alive (image credit mutantsupermodel.com)

A few symptoms hoarders might experience are:

Junk mail collection

1) Hoarders tend to hold or keep onto a large number of items that for some people would consider no longer useful or valuable; some examples are, junk mails (advertising mails or direct mails or admail (delivery of advertising materials to recipients vis postal mail), old newspapers and catalogues, or material things that might be useful for making crafts Also clothes that could be worn only once, broken things or trash, freebies or promotional merchandise, products, advertising gifts, sometimes called swag or schwag, are merchandise articles (commonly branded with a logo) used in marketing and communication programs, which are given away to promote a corporate image, brand, event or company) picked up.

paper clutter in the work room (image credit: healing.about.com)

2.) Most of cluttered home that many parts are inaccessible and can no longer be used for residential purpose, example, beds that cannot be slept in, kitchens that cannot be used for food preparation, refrigerators filled to the edge of a hollow container with rotting food, stove-tops with capable of catching fire and burning such as junk mail, old books and newspapers as well as rotten or spoiled food piled on top of burners. Dinning tables that cannot be used for dining, chairs or sofas that cannot be used for seating, filthy unsanitary bathrooms, collected piles of human or animal pet’s feces collected in areas such as floors of the home, numerous garbage bags of dirty diapers hoarded for many years., Tubs, showers, and sinks filled with trash, not usable items that they can not be used for washing or bathing. Hoarders would possibly to abstain or refrain from bathing. Some person with compulsive hoarding hoard animals they cannot even do not care for, and most often dead pets cannibalized by other pets because of severe hunger, are found under the a piled of trash or garbage.

animal hoarding (image credit:www.steri-clean.com)

3.) The mess or clutter inside the house or areas is so bad it causes illness, distress, and impairment. For instance, hoarders do not allow visitors, commonly their own, relatives and friends, or even for repair man and maintenance professionals because the of piled clutter embarrasses them. Keeping the window’s shades drawn down so no one can see inside. Usually get into many arguments with family members about the clutter and collected trash that are at risk of fire, falling, infestation from pests or eviction, feeling very depressed or very anxious much of the time because of the clutter they gather and collected.

Clutter in basement

The compulsive hoarding disorder sometimes is considered as DSM-IV, or the DSM-V, now DSM5 currently proposed diagnostic criteria for hoarding disorder are, refusing to give up or let go difficulty discarding or parting with their “valuable possessions”, regardless of their actual value. This difficulty is due to strong urges to save items and distress associated with discarding, thus this symptoms, commonly result in the accumulation of a large number of possessions that can fill up and clutter of the home active living areas or workplace to the extent that their home areas is no longer in use. The compulsive hoarding disorder symptoms causes easily noticed clinically distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other functioning areas that includes maintaining a safe environment for self and other people around them. The hoarding symptoms are not because of the medical condition such as brain injury, cerebro-vascular disease, and are not kept within certain limits the symptoms of another mental disorder, such as hoarding due to obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Major Depressive Disorder decreased energy, Schizophrenia delusions or another Psychotic Disorder, Dementia cognitive deficits, restricted interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome’s food storing.

Prader Willi Syndrome Facial Features

Prader–Willi syndrome abbreviated (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder in which seven genes or a deleted portion of a set on chromosome 15 (q11-13) or unexpressed on paternal chromosome 15q deleted partially.  Prader-Willi Syndrome patients exhibits appearance in facial characteristic with narrow temples, face is commonly elongated, thin upper lip, and noticeable nose. Early diagnosis’ benefits on PWS and ongoing act or fact of interfering so as to modify the disease, among Prader-Willi syndrome children’s rate in obesity has decreased, and other treatments and therapy for behavioral , can reduced the effects of the syndrome. PWS has the sister syndrome The Angelman syndrome or the old term known as AS, happy feet syndrome, or a person wit AS are sometimes called as angels is the sister syndrome of Prader-Willi syndrome, because of the name of the syndrome exhibits as youthful and happy appearance in which the genetic material is maternal derived affecting in the same genetic region.

Collyer brothers, Notable for Compulsive-Hoarding disorder

Homer Collyer, in1939, arguments with police officers

Langley Collier in 1946, with his attorney

Collyer’s home with hoardings

Homer Lusk Collyer was born on November 6, 1881 and died on March 1947 and younger brother, Langley Wakeman Collyer born on October 3, 1885 and died on March 1947, known as the Collyer brothers, were two American brothers who became famous because of their weird and bizarre characters, both bachelors and have no children, and compulsive hoarding disorder and eccentric called kookiness or quirkiness referring to odd or unusual behavior. For decades, Rumors according to neighborhood spread around for decades, that the two men were rarely seen in their home at 2078 Fifth Ave. corner of 128th street in Manhattan, where the brothers are obsessed collecting books, musical instruments, furniture, and various “trash” and set booby traps along the corridors and doorway to entrap intruders who wants to sneak in their properties. The Collyer brothers were both found dead in their Harlem brownstone home, surrounded by over 140 tons of collected items that they had accumulated over several decades. Their father, Herman Livingston Collyer (born 1857– died in 1923), a Manhattan gynecologist at Bellevue Hospital, and mother a former opera singer, Susie Gage Frost (1856–1929). Their parents were actually first cousins.  After their father left them, Homer and Langley Collyer stayed in the family house. The Collyer brothers inherited all the family’s possessions and moved them into their house in Harlem after their parents death.  Neighborhood tried to break into the house because of no facts rumors of valuables, then children and teenagers made the habit of throwing stones at the Collyer’s home windows, taht made the Collyer brothers scared and increased their odd and weird behavior. Their electricity, telephone services, water and gas was turned off when they failed to pay their bills in 1928. Langley, the younger brother, buy some bread, collect food from garbage bin or collect food thrown by butchers and groceries, would walk miles all over the city, to bring food to older brother Homer, who was handicapped with rheumatism, and became blind because of the hemorrhage at the back of his eyes in 1933 . Langley, aside from collecting food, he always dragged various pieces of abandoned junk that excite his interest and become their obsession. An unknown call from a concern citizen phoned the 122nd Police Precinct and insisted there was a dead body in the house on March 21, 1947. Immediately,a patrol officer was dispatched,however authorities had difficult time getting inside the house but, noted the awful odor coming from the house. Seven men from an emergency squad had no choice, and started pulling out all the junk, clutters that was blocking their way and throw it out onto the street below. William Barker, a patrolman, finally broke in through a window into a second-story bedroom, and behind this window, more clutters of newspaper bundles, boxes, and thousands of trash, and he found Homer Collyer was found dead, wearing just a tattered blue-and-white bathrobe, after two-hour crawl by the police officer. Homer’s entangled in a thick mass, grey hair reached down to his shoulders, with his head resting on his knees. According to  Dr. Arthur C. Allen, Assistant Medical Examiner confirmed the identity of Homer Collyer and stated that Homer, had been dead for no more than ten hours, and maybe, Homer could not be the only source of the stench coming from the house but also from the hoarded garbage. The first conclusion on cause of death is a  foul play, but was confirmed that Homer had died from dehydration, malnutrition and cardiac arrest, but Langley was nowhere to be found. Artie Matthews, a workman, found the partially decomposed body of Langley Collyer, eaten by rats,  which was covered by bundles of newspapers and a suitcase ,on April 8, 1947, just ten feet from where Homer had died. According to an investigation results, Langley had been crawling through bundles of newspaper tunnel to bring food to his paralyzed brother, and unfortunately, one of his own booby traps fell down and crushed him. While, Homer, who was blind and paralyzed, starved to death after a few days. The stench detected was confirmed coming from Langley‘s decomposing body.  The Collyer’s brother was buried at the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn with their parents. Police authorities and workmen removed garbage about 130 tons, from the Collyer brownstone, and items was put in auction less than $2,000, Collyer brother’s cumulative estate was valued at $91,000 (about $1,071,346 as of 2013 of which $20,000 worth was personal property (jewelry, cash, securities, and the like). the brothers were lifelong bachelors and childless. The area where Homer’s body was found, authorities found 34 passbook bank accounts with total of $3,007.18 which is about a total of $35,402 at this time of 2013.  The term Collyer’s Mansion, or Collyer Mansion or simply Collyer, is a modern term among firefighters for dwelling of hoarders filled with trash and debris and becoming a serious danger to the occupants, neighborhood and emergency responders.

Food Hoarding or Larder Hoarding

Food Hoarding (image credit:balanceoffood.typepad.com)

Hoarding of Food, also called larder hoarding, is about the compulsive hoarding mental disability that and how obsessively hoarding items including food, oftentimes ‘spoiled foods’ which is hazardous to one’s health. Larder hoarding, or food hoarding, is mainly contributed to the fear of losing everything. The vast quantity of the items in these scenarios which remained untouched and unused. These food hoarders do not even care about the validity of the food’s expiration until these hoarded foods becomes spoiled and acquire maggots or any kind of insects.

Book hoarding

book hoarding (image credit:www.1800hoarders.com)

A mental disorder that involves collecting or hoarding of books is known as Biblomania, where social functioning or health are damaged. Psychological disorders which are commonly related with obsession in books like bibliophagy, bibliokleptomania and bibliomania is described as book collector’s obsession in collecting books, which actually have no use, or even read the books or the great value of the books they collected until the pile of books becomes large in quantity. Purchasing multiple copies of the same book and edition and the accumulation of books beyond capacity of use or simply a pleasure for the book collector are frequently symptoms of bibliomania.

Stephen Carrie Blumberg

Stephen Carrie Blumberg, biblomaniac or book hoarder (image credit:203.241.185.12)

Stephen Carrie Blumberg was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, but lived most of his life in Ottumwa, Iowa, known as a bibliomane, and had been arrested many times in 1990′s for stealing more than 23, 600 books amounting to USD$5.3 million, and was nicknamed Book Bandit and recognized in United States history as most successful thief of books. Stephen Blumberg source of living is on annual family trust fund about $72,000. Blumberg’s obsession of collecting books developed during his childhood when he run down on St. Paul’s Victorian homes on his way to school, and started to removed door knobs and window’s stained glass from the old houses, and filled with collected thousands of books he had collected for years. Dr. Wiliam S. Logan, revealed that Stephen had undergone psychiatric treatment for schizophrenic delusions and tendencies during the 1991 trial. During his adolescence Blumberg was hospitalized several times where twelve psychiatrists diagnosed him as schizophrenic, delusional, paranoid and compulsive, and Dr. Logan, also revealed that the Blumberg family had a psychiatric illness history. Blumberg was convicted again of burglary of antiques in 1997, and was arrested again in July 2003 for burglary of a house in Keokuk, Iowa in July 2003. Blumberg was convicted in early 2004, and was again, arrested for burglary in June 2004 in Knoxville,Illinois, violating his probation for his conviction in early 2004.  2004.

Animal hoarding

Animal hoarder’s house full of animal feces (image credit: www.spauldingdecon.com)

hoarding rabbits inside home (image credit: de..org)

Animal hoarding is keeping a large number of animals as pets without having the ability to proper care for the animals but denying this kind of inability to take care the pets. This mental disorder symptoms is characterized as compulsive hoarding rather than considered as cruelty to animals. Animal hoarders are deeply involved to their “pets” and find difficulties to give them away. These animal hoarders, commonly the think that they are not doing harm and taking care of their pets properly. Other compulsive hoarding behaviors is linked in the DSM-IV to obsessive compulsive personality disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, thus, animal hoarding can also be associated as dementia, addiction and focal delusion or delusion disorder, which causes risks to health for the people involved, and failure to correct the deteriorating sanitary conditions of their living areas, and for those living in and around hoarding residences Animal hoarding is the root of a series of human health problems and various zoonotic diseases because of poor sanitation, fire hazards, toxic inhalation and neglect personal hygiene likewise to their family. Commonly, animal hoarders display symptoms of delusional disorder, having their belief out of touch with reality system, and attachment disorder, which maybe started during their childhood such as poor parent-child relationships, resulting from attachment disorder, resulting to obsession and possessions like in animals, filling the needs of their pets and relationships with animals they collected.

Hoarding or caching in Animal Behavior

Western Scrub Jays store peanuts in a cache for later retrieval. In the wild, these birds store acorns and insects.

Hoarding or caching in animal behavior is the food storage in areas hidden from the sight of both animals of similar or closely related species  (conspecifics) and other species members. The hoarding term is most usually used for rodents, whereas in reference to birds, caching is more commonly used, but the behaviors is quite similar in both animal groups. On a seasonal cycle, hoarding is done either on a long-term basis, with food to be consumed months down the line or food consumption is only for several days, on a short term basis. Some rodents such as squirrels and hamsters, are some of the common animals that cache their food, and different bird species, such as woodpeckers, rooks and Western Scrub Jay, which is noted for its particular skill at caching. larder-hoarding, where a species creates a few large caches which it often defends, and scatter-hoarding, where a species will create multiple caches, often with each individual food item stored in a unique place are the two types of caching behavior.

Scatter hoarding

Eastern Gray Squirrel eating peanut

squirrels hoarding food and bury (image credit:scienceblogs.com)

Scatter hoarding is the collection and formations of a large number of small hoards. Many squirrel species, such as fox squirrel, eastern gray squirrel, are best noted for scatter hoarding. although this behavior plays an important part in seed dispersal,as those seeds that are left uneaten will have a chance to develop, thus enabling plants to spread their population. Many animals are scatter hoarders, examples of these animals are the wood mouse, chipmunks and the squirrels. The primary technique used by scatter hoarders to protect the foods they kept from being stolen is called Cache spacing. Hoarders discourage competitors who happen upon a place for keeping food or storage room from conducting in restricted area, searching for more of the supply, by spreading food supply around.

Hoarding Toys

hoarding the children’s bedroom (image credit:www.clutterstop.com)

hoarding toys (image credit: nottheitgirls.com)

stuff toys hoarding, decluterring (image credit: www.hometalk.com)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a usual implemented therapeutic resource for compulsive hoarding addiction. The therapist may help the patient with cognitive behavior therapy, as to be aware why he or she is forced or drive to hoard clutters, and learn to organize their “best possessions” and decide what to throw away.  Declutter or household decluttering, is to move or organized the mess, putting the items in their proper places, which oftentimes use terms as “cleaning up your mess”, were objects can be donated or given away to friends, charitable institutions or organization, sold as second hand, recycled or thrown away. Person with CBT, are usually visited by therapist in their home or any professional organizer and attending family as a group therapy.

Recycle as Hoarders

recycling of crashed steels

Collecting and Recycling of Glass and plastic

collecting garbage for Recycling purposes

The process to change waste materials into new products is called Recycling  preventing potential useful material wastes, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce usage of energy, reduce air pollution from incineration and pollution in water from landfills by reducing the need for numerical values (like constants, quantities, or scales of measurement) waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas (is one of several gases that can absorb and emit long-wave infrared, radiation in a planetary atmosphere) emissions as compared to plastic production. Recyclable materials includes glass, paper, metal, plastic, electronics and textiles. The composting has similar effects or reusing of foods or garden waste as biodegradable waste is not considered recycling of a material that would produce a fresh supply of the same material, one example are office used paper material would be converted into new office paper, or used polystyrene foam into new polystyrene. According to some studies, recycling is often difficult or very expensive comparing to producing from a raw materials of the same product or from other sources, thus, in recycling of many products or reuse materials in producing different materials, such as, paperboard.    Salvage of materials form complex products is another form of recycling, either due to property that is not essential or inherent their value like lead from car batteries or gold from a computer components, or due to their hazardous nature, for example, reused of mercury removed from various items.

Hoarding Economics

hoarding rice in the Philippines is a crime (image credit:www.infiniteunknown.net)

hoarding sugar (image credit:www.defence.pk)

In terms of economic, hoarding is the practice of obtaining and holding or keeping insufficient to satisfy the need or demand of resources, possibly so that they can be sold to consumers on a higher price for profit. In economically term, hoarding exist due to individuals obtaining and holding assets thought to be undervalued and reserves to profit or save money later. Price gouging is an abuse term referring in which a seller prices commodities or goods in much higher prices from previous purchased goods. Most often, after natural disasters, such as hurricane, earthquake, volcano eruptions, massive flooding, landslides, tornado and other calamities, rapid increase in commodity prices happened after shortage on demands of supplies, thus some consumers go on panic buying and hoard foods and other supplies for the coming disaster. In definition and legal term, economic hoarding, in civil emergencies in some other states in the United States it is considered a crime, likewise in other parts of Asian Country.

Hoarding: Buried Alive

Hoarding Buried Alive (image credit:fifthseasongardening.com)

TLC: Hoarding: Buried Alive, kitchen area (image credit: tlc.howstuffworks.com)

At first, when I happened to view this  Hoarding: Buried Alive, I just though it was an scripted reality show, and made my research if is there any kind of syndrome or mental disorder of an individual that can be “addicted” of collecting and keeping “trash”. And I was shocked learning that indeed a kind of disorder exists. Hoarding: Buried Alive is an American documentary TV series shown on TLC channel and premiered on March 14, 2010. This documentary TV series, follows hoarders suffering the compulsive hoarding disorder all their life, and helps them how to learn to manage their illness, and help them declutter their homes. And each hoarder featured receives treatment provided by a therapist and a professional organizer, who help them through the “get rid of the hoards process”. The hoarders have shown signs of improvement, giving hope to the viewers and other people with compulsive hoarding disorder for the success of treatment. In September, 2012, During filming for the Hoarding: Buried Alive show, a woman helping with the cleanup of a Houston, Texas home was rushed to the hospital, after contracting a respiratory illness. The woman’s initial tests indicated that she had contracted Hantavirus, a negative sense RNA virus in the Bunyaviridae family. The Hantavirus can infect humans through direct contact from urine, saliva and waste products from rodents. In some Hantavirus cases, this can cause fatal disease in humans, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome(HPS), hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) but other hantaviruses have not been linked with know diseases. The home featured in this show was quarantined, and all those other individuals involved in the cleanup were tested for the disease, and all the books gathered from the house are donated to the local library, but kept in an isolated areas and not distributed for reading. The volunteer, undergo some more tests and was confirmed that she is not ill for Hantavirus.

Weird Compulsive Hoarding Disorder

Korean pop or abbreviation commonly used as K-pop refers to a conventional category that identifies music pieces originated in South Korea traditions, comprises a variety of elements in visual and musical trend referring to songs created by K-pop idols and their production and agencies that managed them. Musicians who have worked together with different K-pop idols include various African American rappers and hip hop artists, who became famous with their different own style performance like Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Akon and many more.  The integration of foreign elements in the production of K-pop songs is part of a three-step process for exporting K-pop artists abroad as part of Korean wave, known as Cultural technology (CT), a concept popularized by South Korean music label and talent agency S.M. Entertainment founder, Lee Soo-man. The intended outcome is that the image, sound, and feel of these K-pop songs become locally sound regarding where they are played in. The access and ability of K-pop to reach an inaccessible audience is driving a shift in the popularity of the traditional music using social networking services and YouTube platform video sharing, which become viral and gather millions of viewers. Currently, The worldwide spread of K-pop artists as part of the Korean wave from Asia, parts of Latin America, Middle East, North Africa and some parts of Northeast India.  Example of viral video that became famous all over the world is the Gangnam Styly by Psy of South Korea.

“Gangnam Style”

Psy, age 35, 2013

Psy, at 2013 Future Music Festival, performing Gangnam Style

Park Jae-sang better known by his stylized stage name, Psy, (born December 31, 1977), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, record producer and television personality, also known for his humorous locally videos and stage performances, and internationally for his hit single Gangnam Style, the song’s refrain Oppan Gangnam Style which means “Big brother is Gangnam Style’ with Psy referring to himself. On October 23, 2012, Psy met Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General at the United Nations Headquarters, where Secretary Ban expressing his interest to work with the international singer because of his “unlimited global reach”. Psy’s music video for “Gangnam Style” exceeded on YouTube, 1 billion views on December 21, 2012, becoming the first and current only video done in the website’s history, and was recognized as the King of You Tube by the media. Psy‘s fame rise from little-known to “global superstar”, to be hailed as Viral Star of 2012 as the first singer performer to top in pop culture history in the YouTube. On October 14, 2006, Psy married Yoo Hye-yeon, on October 14, 2006, his girlfriend of three and a half years, a cello major, whom Psy known from a mutual friend. The couple have twin daughters.

1)  Seo Taiji and Boys

Seo Taiji and Boys (image credit:Seo Taiji and Boys)

Seo Taiji and Boys (image credit:www.askkpop.com)

The Seo Taiji & Boys emerge in 1992 that brought the K-pop history to a turning point, which in early 1990s, the Korean pop musicians, organized American popular style of music such as rock, rap and techno in their style of music. Seo Taiji & Boys consist of three members, is a South Korean boy band, the first modern band in the South Korean music industry. In 1991, after the breakup of Sinawe (South Korean heavy metal/rock band), Seo Taiji changed their course and formed a new group of dancers, called Seo Taiji & Boys with dancers Lee Juno and Yang Hyon-seok. In early 1990s, Seo Taiji began doing some experiments with various midi sound creating new kind of music technology which is new to the public’s taste of music, without plans to introduce the pop dance boy group, but Seo Taiji & Boys dominant trend became a big success. The Korean media discovered that Seo Taiji (born Jeong Hyeon-cheol on Februaty 21, 1972) is married to Lee Ji-ah, (real name Kim Sang Eun) a Korean American actress.  Seo Tiji married his ex-wife Lee Ji-ah on October 21, 1997 secretly, to keep their personla lives hidden from public and media hype. Seo Taiji & Boys’ controversial disbandment was believed, that the relation between Seo Taiji and Lee Ji-ah’s relationship was the real reason. The once happy couple lived in Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia, from Seo’s retirement in 1996 since their marriage in October until his return in June 2000. Lee filed for divorce in 2006 citing both lifestyle and personality differences, which was finalized in 2006. Their controversial relationship went public after Lee Ji-ah sued Seo Taiji for alimony and have to settle lawsuit.

2)  BoA

BoA, age 26, in March 2013

BoA in 2010

Kwon Bo-a is a South Korean singer,(born November 5, 1986) born and raised in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, best known by her stage name BoA, which is a reverse of acronym for Beat of Angel.  active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. BoA is referred as the Queen of Korean Pop, and was discovered by talent agents under Sm Entertainment, when she accompanied her older brother to a talent search. After BoA’s two years of training in 2000, she released her debut Korean Album, ID; Peace B. Then after Two years,BoA released her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, and was recognized as  the first Korean pop star to break through Japan’s music industry. BoA debuted in the United States with the single Eat You Up on October 14, 2008, and released her debut English-language album, BoA on March 17, 2009. She can speak Japanese fluently and English, and her multilingual skills with her native Korean language and has recorded songs in Chinese Mandarin, made her way to success throughout East Asia. BoA was the first K-pop singer to top the Japanese Oricon chart in 2002.

3)  Rain

Rain

RAIN in 2011

Jung Ji-Hoon best known for his stage name as Rain, (born June 25, 1982), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, designer and model. Rain’s successful musical career includes seven albums (six Korean, one Japanese), 19 singles and many international concert tours around the world. When Rain, won the KBS Best New Actor award for his role in the Sang Doo! Let’s Go to School drama, in 2003 his acting career began. Rain was discovered in 2000, and left the management of recording artist and producer, Park Jin-young ( JYP Entertainment) but still remains the working relationship in 2007, and started his own company, J. Tune Entertainment. In 2000, Rain’s mother died because of diabetes, and the same year he was discovered by JYP Entertainment. During his training, he was a back up dancer. In an interview in CNN and Discovery Channel documentary known Discovering Hip Korea, however, he remembered being rejected many times because of his personality, and was told, after an audition that, “my singing and dancing was great but I did not make it because I did not have double eyelids.” Rain is considered a ‘world star’ due to his popularity, not only in South Korea and Japan, but also throughout Europe, North America, United States, Canada, Asia, China, Singapore, and Thailand. Rain’s popularity is attributed to his acting roles from television shows such as Full House to I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK an indie film to Ninja Assassin a blockbuster film. Rain’s vocal range is classified in the baritone range, and described as smooth but husky like in Love Story, Love Song, Nan and I Do songs. His songs has been influenced by American R&B using both falsetto and vibrato with rap mixed into songs such as What’s Love, and has been influenced by Michael and Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake in singing and dancing. Rain maintained the issue against lipsync during his live concerts.   

4)  TVXQ Boys Band

TVXQ in Bangkok 2012

TVXQ, initials of Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean K-pop group formed under SM Entertainment in 2003. The group are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki often abbreviated as DBSK in South Korea, while in Japan they are known as Tohoshinki which means, “The Rising Gods of the East”. The group first introduced in 2003 as a five member boy band which consist of the band leader as U-Konw Yunho, Max Changmin, Hero Jaejoong, Micky Yoochun and Xiah Junsu. Three of the members, filed for injunction in July 2009, against the SM Entertainment Korean agency, causing to hold the TVXQ all public activities and appearances after 2009. After a gap in a series,of 2 years and 3 months, TVXQ returned as a duo consisting of two members, Yunho and Changmin with the release of Keep Your Head Down, their fifth Korean album, ranking at No. 1 on the Gaon Chart after two weeks. Since 2011, TVXQ has sold more than 2.5 million copies in Korean album sales and Japanese singles and album sales since their comeback, and named as one of Asia’s most successful K-pop duo and been named as “King of K-pop”, “Asia’s Stars”, and “Kings of the Hallyu Wave”, for their great success and contributions to Korean pop.

Yunho, age 27, at Beijing TVXQ

Jung Yunho best known for his stage name as U-Know Yunho, (born February 6, 1986 in Gwangju, South Korea), is a Korean pop idol singer and occasional actor, and South Korean boyband TVXO leader. Jung has a younger sister, Jung Ji-hye, and because his family worked in the law firm, he dream to be a prosecutor one day. After winning a dance contest, he joined the SM Entertainment at the age of thirteen, and have chosen U-Know as his stage name, as the group leader, he wants everybody to understand as in “I know you and I know that we know each other”. Jung is fluent in Japanese aside from his Korean language. On October 14, 2006, Jung was rushed to the hospital after he vomited, while TVXQ was doing a variety show shooting, after drinking a beverage, which was mixed with super glue, handed to him by an anti-fan who turned in herself the following day, given name as Ko, held by the authorities, but Jung did not press charges against Ko, who was a TVXQ anti-fan. Jung’s manager quickly gave him instructions to induced  to vomit right after he felt nausea drinking the beverage. Jung was hospitalized for a few days. These incident were not clear on how the “culprit” managed to enter the broadcasting station building. Jung also appeared mostly in cameo roles, in some TV shows such as Banjun Theater, Rainbow Romance, Heading to the Ground and many more.

Changmin

Changmin, age 25

Shim Changmin, known by his stage name Max Changmin,born on February 18, 1988, in Seoul, South Korea, is a Korean singer, songwriter, model and occasional actor, the youngest member of South Korean boyband, now duo, TVXQ, managed under South Korean music labels SM Entertainment and Japan’s Avex Trax. Max Changmin is the first Korean to be nominated for the Japan’s Hochi Film Awards for his role in Fly With the Gold. He is the eldest son of teachers and has two younger sisters, Shim Soo Yeon and Shim Ji Yeon. Shim was discovered by an SM talent scout while playing badminton in gym class, and debuted in 2003 with TVXQ with the group’s debut song Hug in BoA and Britney Spears showcase special on SBS network.

Jaejoong

Jaejoong, age 27

Kim Jaejoong born as Han Jaejun, on January 26, 1986, in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. known by his stage name as Hero Jaejoong, is a Korean singer-songwriter, actor, and director. But according to Jaejoong’s biological mother he was born February 4, not January 26. Hero Jaejoong is known as JYJ Korean pop group member and one of the TVXQ original members, and has tried out as an actor in dramas such as Sunao ni Narenkute, Protect the Boss and the recent Dr. Jin, and the following films such as Heaven’s Postman and Jackal is Coming. Hero Jaejoong was also the 2011 JYJ’s Worldwide Tour Executive Director and the 2011 LG Whisen Rhythmic All Stars. Jaejoong was given up for adoption at a young age, by his biological mother to the Kim’s and his name was changed to Kim Jaejoong. A man claimed to his biological father with surname Han, filed a lawsuit on November 21, 2006, against Jaejoong’s adopted parents, citing the legal guardians for going through illegally procedures of changing Jaejoong surname while he is not yet legally adopted yet. According to Han, he divorced his wife (Jaejoong’s biological mother) in late 1980s, and gave the custody to his ex wife, but later found out that his son was given for adoption and raised by another person, and not his ex wife. Claims of Han, is yet to be proven by DNA test for his validity claims. However, on November 22, Mr. Han dropped his charges against Jaejoong’s adopted parents. Han stated that his only concern is to resolve his “son’s” military duty conflicts after being informed of dual citizenship by Ministry of Military Affairs, involving him as the ‘biological father’, and did not expect his claims will lead to a big scandal, and the fear that the public think he was after Jaejoong’s fame as a celebrity. When Jaejoong was fifteen, he moved to Seoul  by himself and joined the SM Entertainment auditions. Jaejoong took  different odd jobs to pay for his training fees, food and house rental, since life in Seoul was financially difficult. Jaejoong was temporarily suspended from all TVXQ activities and had his license taken away for 100 days due to traffic violation laws, when he was apprehended by police on April 7, 2006 because of high level alcohol while driving his friend’s BMW car. Jaejoong meet his biological mother occasionally with the help and support of his current mother, but whereabouts of his biological father had been unknown.Hero Jaejoong expressed his will to live by the name of Kim Jaejoong, and not by Han Jaejoon, his birth name, and promised to love and respect to all four of his parents.

Yoochon

Park Yoochun, age 26

JYJ

Park Yoochun born June 4, 1986, in Seoul, South Korea, known as Micky Yoochun his stage name in South Korea, is a Korean singer, rapper, composer, songwriter, model and actor. Yoochun is a member of the popular JYJ South Korean pop group currently, but debuted as a TVXQ South Korean boy band member. Yoochun was also known as an actor appearing in Korean dramas such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Miss Ripley, Rooftop Prince and Missing You. Micky Yoochun, moved with his family to United States when he was in sixth grade, resided in Fairfax, Virginia and attended Holmes Middle School until Chantilly High School. When he went back to South Korea for a vacation, he was discovered by SM Entertainment talent scouts. Park Yu-hwan is Yoochun’s younger brother who is also an actor in South Korea. Yoochun sang in TVXQ South Korean boy band, known in South Korea as Dong Bang Shin Ki (DBSK) and in Japan as Tohoshinki from 2003 to 2009. Yoochun and two of his bandmates, Jaejoong and Junsu, filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, their South Korean label, in July 2009.  JYJ released extended play The…., which debuted at number one in Oricon album charts in Japan in September 2010. But the same month of that year, the group’s activities was suspended in Japan according to Avex statements. The former TVXQ South Korean group formed a three member (Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu) K-pop group called formerly in Japan as Junsu-Jejung-Yuchun and shortened as JYJ. Their group name is taken from the first letters of each member’s names, and the group caught the media networks and newspaper’s attention locally and internationally and the first K-Pop group to perform in Chile,as the group continues to attract fans from many parts of the world.

Kim Junsu

Kim Junsu, age 26

Xiah Junsu concert

Kim Junsu born in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea on December 15,1986, but registered on January 1, 1987 also known by his stage name Xiah (pronounced “see-ah”) or Xia Junsu, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and stage actor. Best known as a former TVXQ boy band member of popular South Korea, and JYJ pop group currently active member. Xiah Junsu debuted under SM Entertainment in 2003, one of the biggest talent agency and record label in South Korea. In July 2009, Xiah Junsu and fellow members of TVXQ Kim Jaejoong and Park Yoochun,  filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, with arguments on their “exclusive contracts were the agenda that supports one-sided action disadvantages towards the artists and should be invalidated”. In October 2009, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the three former TVXQ members and granted an injunction suspending their contracts. Junsu debuted as a JYJ member, and has released one Korean album and Korean EPs, one English album and one Japanese album. In 2010, Xiah Junsu began his stage career as he played as the lead role, Wolfgang Mozart, in Mozart! musical play. Xiah Junsu’s mother was a former beauty titlist Miss Korea, and Kim Junho, is his fraternal twin brother.

5)    SS501

SS 501 Group

SS501 (pronounced as Double-S Five-Oh-One or Deo Beul E Seu Oh Gong Il is a South Korean boy band, formed under the DSP Media management, the former Daesung Entertainment and DSP Entertainment. In 2005, the SS501 group debuted with five members, Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min and Kim Hyung-jun. When the group’s contract expired with DSP Media in June 2010, all the members have accordingly moved to other management agencies, to pursue solo careers, but according to band group leader, Kim Hyun-joong, that the group have not disbanded. The band name SS501 is a combination of letters and numbers that have special meaning, the first letter “S” stands for “Superstar“, the second “S” is for “Singer” and the combination of 5, 0, and 1 symbolizes “five members united as one forever”. Triple S (means SSS : Super Star Supporters) is the official name of the SS501 fans club.

Kim Hyun-joong

Kim Hyun-joong, age 26

Kim Hyun-joong was born on June 6, 1986, is a South Korean singer,dancer and actor, the leader, main rapper and face of boy band group SS501. In 2009, Kim Hyun-joong played the role as Yoon Ji-hoo in Boys Over Flowers Korean drama, for which he won the 2009′s Seoul International Drama Awards, “Best Actor Award” and the 45th Paeksang Arts Awards, the “Popularity Award”. Kim Hyun-joong debuted as a solo artist with his Break Down and Lucky Korean mini albums in 2011. Kim made his debut as the SS501 leader, on June 8, 2005 and as they won many rookie awards and the boy band group earned popularity. In 2006, the SS501 appeared on the Thank You For Waking Me Up show, which proved him to be a heavy sleeper, and, one year later, the SS501 appeared on Mnet’s Idol World  doing various activities in Japan. Kim joined the We Got Married episode 9 cast along with Hwangbo in May 2008. The boy band group won MBC’s “Best Couple Award”. known as the Lettuce Couple, and on December 14, 2008, the couple made their exit from the show officially in episode 38, because of conflicts of schedules with Boys Over Flowers. In 2008, Kim was cast in Boys Over Flowers while working in Japan, as Yoon Ji-hoo in the Korean drama, a role for which he won the “Best Actor Award”.

Heo Young-saeng

Heo Young-Saeng, age 26

Heo Young-saeng was born on November 3, 1986, is a South Korean entertainer, singer, actor occasionally and became the main vocalist of the SS501 boy band group.  Young-saeng debuted in May 2011 as a solo artist with his first Let It Go mini album and played his first acting role in February 2012 I Need A Fairy, also known as Sent From Heaven, a KBS2 sitcom. On June 8, 2005, Young-saeng finally debuted as a SS501 member. From May 1 to August 21, 2006, Heo Young-saeng hosted SS501′s Young Street radio program on SBS along with Park Jung-min, a band mate. Heo had to leave the program because of a laryngeal surgery due to a throat condition, then his bandmate Kim Kyu-jong took over as DJ. While Park Jung-min played as Danny Park as the lead role in the musical Grease, in 2008 and Kim Hyun-joong played a leading character in Boys Over Flowers, Heo Young-saeng as the leader and the remaining two members, Kim Kyu-jong and Kim Hyung-jun, performed as the “SS501 Project Group”.

Kim Kyu-jong

Kim Kyu-jong, age 26

Kim Kyu-jong was born on 24 February 1987, also a South Korean entertainer and member of SS501 boy band on June 8, 2005, however left DSP Media in 2010, who managed his career as SS501 part, and joined B2M Entertainment, with band mate Heo Young-saeng, as a solo performer. Kyu-jong made his debut in Goong:Musical, and played Lee Shin, as the lead role and in September 2011, he debuted as a solo artist with Turn Me On mini album. Kim Kyu-jong enlisted to served his mandatory military service for 24 months since July 2012, on non-active duty as a public service worker. Kim started his acting career on May 11, 2006, in a role in musical hip hop drama, Break, in Mnet. Kyu Jong, with the other SS501 members, except for Young-saeng who was recovering from the surgery, lent their voices to the 2006′s Pi’s Story, Korean version animation film.Upon the expiration of Kyu Jong’s contract in June 2010 with DSP Media, he along with fellow band member Heo Young-saeng, signed with B2M Entertainment, the agency of Lee Hyori, a songstress, with former agency DSP Media, to embark on his solo career.  Young Saeng and Kyu Jong held a joint fan meeting, on December 4, to launched his solo career, Kyu Jong & Young Saeng Story In Seoul, which continued in Hong Kong, Japan and countries across Asia. Kyu Jong was still serving in the military service during this year. Since he was doing his military duty, updates about him can only be known through his friends’ twitter updates and him writing personal handwritten letters to his fans to show his love and appreciation.

Park Jung Min

Park Jung-min, also known as Romeo, age 26

Park Jung Min was born on 3 April 1987, in Seoul, South Korea, a former commercial model for condoms, before his debut as a low vocalist of the SS501 boy band group, on June 8, 2005, a South Korean entertainer. Park Jung-min made his musical debut in Grease and was the first member of SS501 who debuted as a solo artist with his single album Not Alone. Park Jung-min has two older siblings, a brother and a sister, but not working in the entertainment industry. Park was only 13 years old, when he was discovered by talent scout of an agency and was accepted by both DSP Media and SM Entertainment. In February 2012, Park starred alongside Jian Man Shu, Kingone Wang and Lia Lee in February 2012, in Fondant Garden a Taiwanese drama, playing Park Hee Hwan, as the lead role. Park Jung-min participated in Dominic’s Way fashion show, between April 2 to 7, 2012, during the Seoul Fashion Week, for designer Song Hye-myung, who designed SS501‘s clothes for their Destination mini album jacket, which he was in dark angel costume with spreading wings.  On 12 April, Park filed an injunction at Seoul Central District Court against his agency CNR Media to cancel his exclusive contract of representation, citing improper distribution of profits. Park Jung Min debuts in Japan using the name of ‘Romeo‘ under Victor Music, after his lawsuit was over, and released two albums in September and October, named Give Me Your Heart and Tonight’s The Night.  He then returned to South Korea to continue his music career as ‘Park Jung Min‘ and released his self-produced Beautiful single album, and was able to release Midnight Theater, a full length Japanese album, as Romeo at the end of the year. He performed both characters as Romeo In his ‘Face Off Concert’ at the Tokyo Dome City Hall, he performs as both, ‘Park Jung Min’ and ‘Romeo’.

Kim Hyung-jun

Kim Hyung-jun , age 25, (SS501)

Kim Hyung-jun was born on 3 August 1987.is a South Korean entertainer and SS501′s youngest member of Korean pop boy band idols, often referred to as Baby or maknae, debuted as a solo artist with My Girl mini album in March 2011 and debut in Caffeine musical. Hyung-jun‘s  younger brother, Kim Ki Bum, a former boy band U-KISS member.In November 2008, the group released a project album named U R Man with high tempo dance title track “UR Man”. They also contributed soundtrack for the Boys Over Flowers (Because I’m Stupid) and appeared in episode 4 in a cameo role, performing their track, “U R Man”. The SS501 influenced the word magnae or youngest member in Japan. In K-pop bands, it is common to include the group’s positions such as the leader and main vocalist whenever they introduce themselves while performing, and the first person to imagine in Japan, every, it is always referred to Kim Hyung-jun, which is often connected to the word even when surfing the internet.

6)  U-KISS

U-Kiss boy band K-pop group

U-KISS is a South Korean boy band formed in 2008 by NH Media. Their name is an acronym, standing for Ubiquitous Korean International idol Super Star. The group consists of seven members,Soohyun (leader, main vocalist), Kiseop (vocalist), Eli (rapper), Kevin (vocalist), Dongho (rapper), Hoon (vocalist) and AJ (rapper, vocalist),(the two joined the group in 2011).  Former members, Xander (rapper) and Kibum (vocalist). The 2009 Man Man Ha Ni, was their breakthrough hit from their EP ContiUKiss,  and on February 3, 2010,the U-KISS, released their Only One, first full-length album, followed by second album in September 2011, Neverland. In 2011, the U-KISS K-pop idol made their formal debut in Japan, releasing their single titled Tick Tack, second single is entitled “Forbidden Love” while their first Japanese full-length album was 2012 A Shared Dream, and they also participated in different TV reality shows and films.

Shin Soohyun

Shin Soohyun, age 24

Shin Soohyun born March 11, 1989 is a South Korean pop idol singer, known as the leader and main vocalist of U-KISS seven-member boy band formed by NH Media in 2008. Shin Soohyun was part of the originalU-KISS six-member K-pop boy band alongside Alexander, Kibum, Eli, Kevin and Dongho. The name U-KISS stands for Ubiquitous Korean International (Idol) Super Star. They debuted on August 15, 2008 in Japan at the Power of Atamix, and on September 3, 2008, the Korean pop idol group released their first mini album, N-Generation. In 2009, Kiseop joined the group before their promotional activities, and U-KISS then became a seven-member boy band. On November 21, Dongho, as the maknae (youngest) of the group, wrapped up a day of shooting on set when he felt sudden pain on his lower back, and was rushed to the hospital, and discovered his tailbone has a crack, and was treated immediately. NH Media stated, on November 24 that “We are working hard to make sure that the injury will not affect U-KISS’s Japanese promotions.” Dongho is said to be having difficulty performing choreography set for their upcoming debut.

Lee Kiseop

Lee Kiseop (image credit:www.asianfanfics.com)

Lee Kiseop born on January 17, 1991, and the seventh member who joined the Korean pop idol U-KISS boy band. Kiseop lives with his parents and an older sister. Kiseop’s bag always have his things complete such as perfumes, wallets, sunglasses, notebook, cleaners, accessories, contact lens, cap, lotion, socks, clothing and personal use. He is also the vocalist of the U-KISS and loves to do Taekwondo, poppin dance, Beatbox.When Kiseop feel nervous, he talks fast and sometimes stutters. According to one of his bandmate, Kibum, Kiseop was chosen as the 7th member because he fits well in the new image for group because of his unique style. Kiseop refuses to call Kibum as “hyung”because their ages is only a month difference.

Eli Kim

Eli Kim, age 22 (image credit:www.asianfanfics.com)

Eli Kim (Kim Kyung Jae), (image credit: en.korea.com)

Kim Kyoungjae (born March 13, 1991), popularly known as Eli Kim,  is a one of the U-Kiss seven member, and was the fourth addition, a Korean-American singer, under NH Media Entertainment. Eli is short for his name Ellison, born by both Korean parents in Washington, D.C. but resides at Frederickburg, Virginia attend school with elder sister Hannah and younger sister Minah. Eli is best known as a Taekwondo and Kung Fu trainee. Eli is the group’s main rapper and one of the three Englis speaking U-Kiss member like ex-member Alexander, Aj and Kevin. Eli went alone to Beijing, China, when he was 15 years old, to pursue studies, after he had dropped out from high school, and learned Mandarin. He studied the Taekwondo and Kung Fu techniques for 12 years, opening an opportunity for him to cast as an extra-artist in a Chinese movie. Eli and ex-member Kibum starred in a Thai-Korean drama, Autumn Destiny, on January 2010, with Mario Maurer, a Thai actor.  Since Eli and Kibum could not speak Thai, their voices were dubbed . Eli can imitate the pigeon, and he was nicknamed The Pigeon,which was featured on the group’s reality show, UKiss Vampire when Eli tried to copy how a pigeon eats through its beak. Eli was injured during a rehearsal on April 18, 2011 fracturing his right hand, and underwent surgery. The doctor assured Eli, that he still can perform, thus he performed with his cast on his right arm. Eli, with co-members Dongho and Kiseop were among the Real School cast, an MBC sitcom, and they also appeared as high school students, residing at an “English Village” in an attempt facing and cracking their fear of speaking English, in Real School, a 40-episode MBC sitcom.

Kevin Woo

Kevin Woo, age 21, (image credit:www.domonation.com)

Kevin Woo, (image credit:www.asianfanfics.com)

Woo Sung-hyun born Kevin Woo, November 25, 1991, is a Korean-American singer and U-KISS boy band member. Kevin was born and raised in Danville, California, United States and lives with his parents and older sister, and is a Christian. During a holiday trip, Kevin joined an audition, and was chosen and thus decided to be a singer. Kevin moved to South Korea at the age of 15 with his mother to pursue his dream.  Kevin debuted in a four-member group, XING, alongside Marumir, better known as Kim Kibum, Yume and Cheon Hyesung. The name Xing is an acronym for Crossing In New Genre, and on December 14, 2006, the XING’s first single, In Your Hands, was released. The Xing K-pop idol group’s fame rose quickly and made it into the 2007 Top Five list Most Anticipated Artists, and they were dubbed as the teenage SG Wannabe. Kevin Woo, as the only XING’s original member decided to depart from the group in April 2008, after the release of T-Express, and became a member of U-KISS, a six-member group. The Korean pop idol boy band debuted in Japan, at the Power of Atamix, on August 15, 2008.

Shin Dongho

Shin Dongho , age 18, (U-KISS)

Shin Dongho (born June 29, 1994) is a South Korean actor, singer and most active member of the U-KISS Korean idol boy band, under NH Media management. Dongho is the youngest member of the band including Soohyun, Kiseop, Eli, AJ, Hoon and Kevin. Dongho can speak fluent Mandarin, because he studied in Beijing, China. When Dongho was in his young age, he has unpredictable personality and he was known to have a deep voice. Dongho compared to other six members, he has the most participated numbers of projects, appeared on Raising Idol, Idol Maknae Rebellion and Sonyeon Sonyeo Gayo Baekso reality shows. In their first music video, Dongho was noted to have a corn row hairstyle, Not Young. Shin Dongho was sent to a hospital’s emergency room due to lung issues in mid October 2012, after he experienced severe pains on his way to his scheduled show. Dongho‘s medical result after some tests, found that he’s suffering from pleurisy, a lung and chest lining inflammation causing chest pains, commonly sharp-pains, when breathing or coughing.

Yeo Hoonmin

Yeo Hoonmin , age 21, (U-KISS)

Yeo Hoonmin born on August 16, 1991 in Gyeonggi-do, SOuth Korea, best known as Hoon, his stage name, a South Korean idol, actor and singer and occasional model. After the departure of Alexander Lee Eusebio and Kim Kibum, he became one K-pop boy band U-KISS vocalists in February 2011. On September 9, 2009, Hoon debuted as a solo ballad singer using his real name in Pure & Love, a musical play with Bus track title. Hoon also appeared on Athena: Goddess of War, a SBS drama playing the role as the president’s bodyguard. In February 2011, the group’s first movie with Hoon with bandmates Dongho, Kiseop and Soohyun, together with Jay Park, Kim Soo Ro and Park Yejin, began filming movie with a working title Mr. Idol.  Hoon and Dongho will star in Holy Land, a Super Action TV, a four-part movie about rebellious high school students.

Kim Jae-Seop or AJ

AJ or Kim Jae-Seop , age 21, (image credit:www.jpopasia.com)

AJ or Kim Jae-Seop (image credit:www.korea-fans.com)

Kim Jae-Seop born June 4, 1991, better known as AJ, as his stage name, is a South Korean idol singer, the lead rapper and a sub-vocalist of U-KISS seven-member boy band, formed in 2008 by NH Media. After Alexander and Kibum left the group, AJ is one of two members to join the boy band group. AJ is currently a student at Columbia University falls within the 1% top students in the world. At the age of 14, Aj debuted in 2005 as a part of PARAN, with their debut song First Love. On July 29, 2012 in their Japanese Live Tour, the announcement was made that AJ will be pursuing his studies abroad, that AJ will have a break for 5 months and will be inactive and can no longer attend U-KISS activities starting August. On February 16, AJ returned to U-KISS to attend their Valentines Day Event, and the sub-unit composing of members Eli and AJ with Kevin featuring as the main vocalist on the title track produced by the Brave Brothers who also produced the Man Man Ha Ni, hit and uBeat is set to release a mini album with 2-3 new songs.

Kim Kibum or Allen Kim

Kim Kibum or Allen Kim, age 22, (image credit:www.fanpop.com)

Kim Kibum born December 29, 1990, best known as Allen Kibum, as his Japan’s stage name, a South Korean actor, idol singer, dancer and TV host, a former member of U-KISS, a South Korean pop idols boy band. Kibum is the younger brother of maknae Kim Hyung Jun of the boy band SS501. Kibum made his music debut with XING K-pop group in 2006, with Cheon Hye Sung, Yume and Kevin Woo, but later left after the debut with XING, aiming for better career. Kibum with other U-KISS five members made their official debut with their first mini-album N-Generation in 2008. Kibum and Alexander‘s contracts  had been terminated on February 23, 2011 with NH Media, citing that the reason for his departure is Kibum’s character business with his brother, but was revealed later that NH Media believe he was “lacking”, and NH Media decided to replace them with new members. Kibum and older brother Kim Hyung Jun setup HnB Company together on December 29, 2010 a character business based on his original creation, PiroPiro and SiroSiro, and made much effort to promote the business, at the same time performing on his solo activity. Kibum and brother Kim Hyung Jun made several public appearances in Korea. Kibum, together with 5 other entertainers, Moon Chun Shik, Lady Jane, Kim Ho Young, Kwak Hyun Hwa, Gu Bon Hyung joined GTV (Dream Maker or Dream Planners) a new reality show as mentors on June 17, 2011. In an official press release by Professional Entertainment made on March 15, 2013, Kibum will return to Korea entertainment industry with the release of his solo album Longing in April, and will be using Allen Kibum as his stage name.

Alexander Lee Eusebio

Alexander Lee Eusebio, age 24, (image credit:www.fanpop.com)

Alexander Lee Eusebio most well known as Alexander or Xander, born on July 29, 1988 in Hong Kong and grew up in Macau, is a half-Korean-Chinese-Portuguese singer, rapper, host and entertainer. Alexander also lived in California, United States and attended at De Anza College as a communication student.  He is a former member of U-KISS K-Pop boy group. He debuted as a solo artist and released his first single I Just, under M Plus Entertainment, his new agency. His first appearance was a private fan’s day meeting in Hong Kong, after leaving U-KISS. He starred in Immortal Masterpiece a Korean drama in Channel A along with singing “The Kimchi Song” for the drama’s OST. Alexander lives currently in Seoul, South Korea with his grandmother. Alexander’s father, Anthony Eusebio is half-Chinese and half-Portuguese or Macanese, and his mother is Korean, Chungmi Lee, and an older sister of two years and his religion is Christian, and has been involved with South Korean Christian music label 3rd Wave Music considering Jaeson Ma as his mentor.

7)   Girls’ Generation

Girls Generation K-pop group

Girls Generation

Girls’ Generation (So Nyeo Shi Dae) is a South Korean pop idol girl group, formed in 2007 by SM Entertainment.The Girl’s Generation’s nine member group are Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tifanny, Hyeyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun. In Japan, the Girl’s Generation is called Shoujo Jidai. The Korean pop idol group gained recognition with hit songs such as Into the New World and Kissing You, but they gained popularity with their hit single Gee in 2009, and becomes “Song of the Decade”of South Korea.

Kim Tae-yeon

Kim Tae-yeon, age 24, Jan. 2012

Kim Tae-yeon (born March 9, 1989 in Jeonju, South Korea) is a South Korean actress, TV presenter, idol singer, dancer and commercial model, and Girl’s Generation Korean pop idol leader. Taeyeon was discovered in the 8th Annual Best Contest in 2004 produced by SM Entertainment, and she won as Best Singer 1st Place and Grand Award. Her first appearance, when she was featured in The One’s song “You Bring Me Joy” before she became leader of the girl’s group as Girls’ Generation. The soshified.com website organized a SNSD Fanmeet in New York City on October 24, 2011. Taeyeon performed The Boys as the opening number, but during the the meeting it lacks intensity and pale.  Taeyon appeared distracted and bored, during an interview at the MTV, as seen resting her chin on her hands. Her actions were regarded as a symptoms of a common cold, but was later known that Taeyon was suffering anaphylaxis with shortness of breath, from a peanut allergy reaction. 

Jessica Jung

Jessica Jung, age 23

Jessica Jung, or known in her Korean name as Jung Soo-yeon, (born April 18, 1989 in San Francisco, California), is an American-born Korean actress, singer, dancer and commercial model, fluent in both English and Korean language, after moving at the age of 11 to South Korea. Jessica Jung is a member of the Girls Generation South Korean pop idol girl group. Jessica Jung and fellow member of Girls Generation Tiffany, were both born in the same hospital in San Francisco, California. While on vacation in Korea, Jung and her sister were discovered by SM Entertainment scout, in a shopping mall while on vacation in South Korea and in 2000, she joined the company. Before her debut as Girls Generation pop idol girls group, she was a trainee for seven years. While Krystal, her younger sister, is a member of the f(x) Korean girl group.  Both Jung sisters, are active currently in their groups, under contract of the S.M. Entertainment.In early 2011, Jessica Jung endorsed as model for Dior Cosmetics with bandmates Hyoyeon, Yuri, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Sunny.

Sunny or Lee Soon-kyu

Sunny or Lee Soon-kyu, age 23

Lee Soon-kyu born on May 15, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, and moved to Kuwait while still an infant, best known in her stage name as Sunny, is an American-born Korean actress, singer, dancer, DJ, MC, and model and Girl’s Generation Korean pop idol group girl member. Sunny’s family moved to South Korea during the Gulf War. Sunny and her two older sisters, Lee Eun-kyu and Lee Jin-kyu shares the same birthday. Sunny can speak fluent Korean in spite of growing up in other country. Lee Soo-man, the SM Entertainment founder is the uncle of Sunny. Her talent manager when she was a member of Sugar was one of her other older sisters, however the group was disbanded, but became active in other work in the music industry. Ayumi recommended Sunny in 2007, who transferred to SM Entertainment.Sunny  became a part of Invincible Youth, a reality show alongside with Yuri, in which they were a part  7 member girls of G7, a Korean pop idol groups. Sunny left the show, along with Hyuna and Yuri in June 2010, due to other activities and debut of the Girl’s Generation in Japan. .

Tiffany or Stephanie Hwang

Tiffany,, age 23, Jan_2012

Stephanie Hwang, with Korean name as Hwang Mi-young, born August 1, 1989,  born in San Francisco, California the same hospital were fellow member Jessica Jung was born. Stephanie Hwang is best known in a single name as Tiffany, is an American-born Korean actress, TV presenter, singer and model. Tiffany is a member of the Girl’s Generation South Korean pop idol girls group and serves as the vocalist of the group. Tiffany was discovered by SM Entertainment scout while performing on stage and joined the audition at the Starlight Casting System of SM Entertainment and joined the company at the age of 15, on October 2004 in Los Angeles, California, and the youngest of three siblings. Tiffany opened up in public in 2009,  that her mother died two years ago, before she trained at the SM Entertainment company. Tiffany is suffering from condition of dysphonia, a hoarseness in her voice and affecting her voice range, was diagnosed with vocal nodules, wherein a mass of tissue grows on the vocal folds due to strain or overuse. Although her voice returned to normal after treatment, but the condition began affecting her voice even more severe in 2009, and the reason why she have to take a break from her schedules and activities to undergo medical treatment in September. According to Tiffany her previous voice is different from her voice nowadays even though the treatment was successful, since she contracted the vocal nodules, although it is better that her medical treatment is over. She is also a Girl’s Generation-TTS member, a Girl’s Generation sub-group with Taeyeon and Seohyun. On May 2, 2012, Twinkle (EP), their first mini-album was released. From 25 November 2011 to 29 January 2012, Hwang portrayed as Carmen Diaz in the Fame, musical along with Super Junior’s Eunhyuk, Son Ho Young, Go Eun Seong, Kim Chan Ho, Shin Ui Jeong, Choi Ju Ri, KoN, Lina of the Grace and TRAX’s member Kim Jung Mo.

Kim Hyo-yeon

Kim Hyoyeon, age 23

Kim Hyo-yeon (born September 22, 1989) in Incheon, South Korea, is a South Korean singer, dancer pop idol and model. Kim Hyo-yeon is a member of the Girl’s Generation Korean pop idol group and serves as the main dancer of the group, formed in 2007 by the SM Entertainment, where she auditioned at the age of 11, where she danced. She grew up with her parents and her younger brother, Kim Min-gu. Hyoyeon said that her reason for the audition,  was her mother bringing her to the SM Entertainment office, hoping to meet H.O.T. Kim Hyo-yeon was chosen by the Star News as Korea’s number 1 Idol Dancer. Kim was sent to Beijing, China, to learn Chinese in 2004, along with Siwon of the Super Junior.

Kwon Yuri

Kwon Yuri, age 23

Kwon Yuri born December 5, 1989, in Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea) is a South Korean actress, TV presenter, entertainer, singer, dancer and Korean pop idol, as member of the Girl’s Generation group. In 2001, Yuri auditioned at the SM Entertainment Casting System and won second place in SM Youth Best Dancer Contest. In 2005 to 2006, Yuri played in a cameo role for The King’s Boyfriend, a segment in television’s KMTV Super Junior documentary part. She played also a part in the Unstoppable Marriage KBS sitcom, with Sooyoung. Yuri’s endorsement as model for Biothern with Daniel Henney. Kwon Yuri was chosen as the new Mamonde model in March 2012, a cosmetic product with Super Junior’s Choi Siwon.

Choi Soo-young

Sooyoung, age 23

Choi Soo-young born February 10, 1990, in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea, is an actress, singer, dancer, rapper, TV presenter, DJ, MC and Korean pop idol as Girl’s Generation member. Choi Soo-young is a former member of the Route θ, a Korean-Japanese duo group, and a current member of the Girl’s Generation South Korean all girl group, formed in 2007 by SM Entertainment. Soo-young is the only Asian woman who appeared in Hottest ’90s Babies, Complex. The musical actress, Choi Soo-jin is her older sister. Soo-young speaks Korean, Japanese and English. She played a part in the Unstoppable Marriage KBS2 TV sitcom in 2007 with Yuri. And also appeared in Hello, Schoolgirl, a romantic comedy film and co starred with Lee Yeon-hee and Kangin. On August 28, 2011, Soo-young and her sister had a car accident the way to participate in a charity event, causing Soo-young a fractured tailbone. Soo-young rejoined Girls’ Generation on September 27, 2011 in their activities and other shows.

Im Yoona

Im Yoona, age 22

Im Yoona born May 30, 1990 in Seoul, South Korea, also known as Im Yoon-Ah, is an actress, singer, dancer, model and Girls Generation Korean pop idol member. In 2007, Im Yoona made her debut as an actress in the 9 Ends, 2 Outs drama. Im Yoona became a trainee after she was cast in 2002 SM Saturday Open Casting Audition in singing, acting and dancing under the SM Entertainment for seven years and debut in the Girl’s Generation. Im Yoona took her Theater and music major at the Dongguk University with fellow Grils Generation member, Sehyun. Im Yoona appeared in Cinderella Man 2009 drama film with Kwon Sang-woo.

Seo Joo-hyun

Seohyun, age 21

Seo Joo-hyun born June 28, 1991 in Seoul, South Korea, known for her stage name as Seohyun, is an actress, singer, dancer, model, TV presenter and the youngest member of the Girls Generation Korean pop idol girls group. She was first discovered by a talent scout in a subway train during her elementary days. She hen auditioned for the SM Casting System and started to undergo training, until she was chosen to be one of the 9 members of the Girls Generation on August 5, 2007. Seohyun, Taeyeon and Tiffany formed a sub-unit they called TaeTiseo, and on April 30, 2012, released their first album as trio titled Twinkle, and other singles, Oppa Nappa (Bad Older Brother) and I Got a Boy.

f(x) K-pop idol Girl Group

f(x) girl group

F(x) leader, Victoria Song, age 26

Song Qian (Sòng Qiàn), born February 2, 1987 in Qingdao, Shandong China, better known as Victoria Song or her single name as Victoria, is a Chinese singer, main dancer, actress, model, and the leader-vocalist of the South Korean f(x) five-member girl group, and one of the three members not born in South Korea just like Amber and Krystal. At an early age, she left her town to study at the Beijing Dance Academy to learn more the Chinese traditional dance, majoring Chinese Ethnic dance. Victoria Song was first discovered by a SM agent at a Beijing dance contest in September 2007. Song debuted as the leader of f(x) quintet dance group, in August 2009.

Amber Josephine Liu

Amber Liu of f(x), age 20

F(x) Luna, age 19

Park Sun-young born on August 12, 1993 in Seoul, South Korea, best known by her stage name Luna , is a south Korean singer, dancer and model. She is known for being a part of the f(x) K-pop quintet girl band, as Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer, under the SM Entertainment label in South Korea and Japan’s Avex Trax. Luna has a twin sister, Park Jin-young.

Choi Jinri

F(x) Sulli, age 19

Choi Jin Ri born March 29, 1994 in Yangsan City, South Gyeongsang Province, Republic of Korea, but grew up in Busan, Jinri means “truth” in Korean language, best known by her stage name Sulli is a Korean actress, singer, MC and started as a child actress since 2005. Sulli is a member of the f(x) five-member girl group, as Vocalist, Visual formed in 2009 by SM Entertainment. From February 2, 2010 to November 13, 2011,Choi was the SBS’s Inkigayo MC. She have two brothers, and she is the only daughter of the Choi family. Sulli was enrolled in acting school at a young age, by her mother.

Krystal Jung

F(x) Krystal Jung, age 18

Krystal Jung or her Koren name is Jung Soo Jung, best known in her single name as Krystal,  born October 24, 1994 in San Francisco, California, where her family settled since 1980s. Krystal, is a Korean-American actress, singer, Korean pop idol f(x) girls group member.maknae, and the main vocalist of the group. She was first discovered in 2000 by SM Entertainment and in 2002 she started doing commercials and music videos. In early 2000, during a family trip to South Korea, Krystal was five years old, when she and her older sister Jessica were noticed by the SM Entertainment talent agency, then Krystal began appearing in 2002 television commercials. Krystal first commercial Lotte with Han Ga In, a Korean actress. Krystal enrolled in her dance classes in jazz and hip hop in 2006, with her parents consent to join SM Entertainment.

SHINee

Shinee or SHINee is a South Korean pop idol boys group, a contemporary R&B under the SM Entertainmaent management formed in 2008, consisting of five boys, Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho and Taemin. On May 25, 2008, the group made their debut with their single Replay, on The Music Trend under SBS. Since their debut, they released four full-length albums, four mini-albums, one live album and various singles and have won numerous awards, had three concert tours and own reality television shows. Shinee is known for their fashion icon, because of their style in fashion, created by Ha Sang Baek, a designer, that features them with hight-top sneakers, skinny jeans and colorful shirts and sweaters, having started the “Shinee Trend” and best known for their synchronized and complicated dancing. The SHINee style became a famous fashion trend amongst students, teens or young generations which the media dubbed the “SHINee Trend”.

Lee Jin-ki or Onew

Lee Jin Ki, or Onew, age 23 (image credit:www.genckizlar.net)

Lee Jin-ki born December 14, 1989, known by his stage name Onew, is a South Korean actor, presenter, radio host, lyricist, MC, commercial model, dancer and Korean pop idol singer, leader and lead vocalist of the Shinee boy group under the SM Entertainment. Onew was first discovered at the S.M. Academy Casting in 2006, and received an appreciation at SNSD Showcase from Lee Soo-man. Onew was chosen as a five member Shinee boy group and first introduced on SBS’s Inkigayo on May 25, 2008. On June 2009 During the Music Bank show finale, Onew collapsed after a massive light supporting device that fall forward and almost hit him, but was able to avoid the accident because the Super Junior members, Kyuhyun and Siwon, was able to prevent the heavy device from hitting Onew. Although Onew was not hurt physically, he did have trauma mentally and was diagnosed as ‘psychological unstable‘. He was rushed to the hospital while inside the waiting room when he passed out again. On February 2, 2012, was not able to attend his scheduled to performance with other SHINee members at KBS 2TV‘s K-pop festival special, ‘Music Bank in Paris‘, due to an ankle injury.

Kim Jonghyun

Kim Jonghyun, age 23, SHINee

Kim Jonghyun (born April 8, 1990) is a South Korean radio host, commercial model, lyricist, dancer and Korean pop idol dancer as a member of the Korean pop idol group, Shinee, as the main vocalist and also member of SM The Ballad project group, both under SM Entertainment. On October 12, 2010, Jonghyun sustained injuries on his left ankle ligament, when he was mobbed by the Shinee fans at the Korea-Indonesia Sharing Friendship Concert in Jakarta, Indonesia. Soon Jonghyun arrived in Seoul, he went to the hospital where he was treated with a minor cast to protect his ankle. SM Entertainment announced that Jonghyun had been suffering pains in his ankle due to his ligament injuries the past few months, and was not able to perform with the Shinee’s performance during the 20th Anniversary of SBS on November 15, 2010, and was not able to perform with his group for another few months. On October 20, 2010, Jonghyun and Shin Se-kyung, a Korean actress were seen dating by a local news outlet and the relationship was confirmed by their agencies on October 26th. However, they broke up in June 2011, after nine months of dating, citing due to their busy schedules. On January 17, 2011, Jonghyun underwent a surgery in a Seoul hospital, to repair the damage done to his left ankle in October 2010. Jonghyun previous ankle injury was thought to be minor but after an examination, the doctor required a major surgery. Jonghyun had a car accident, on April 1, 2013, “Jonghyun ran into the Dongho Bridge guard rails while driving his own car after visiting his home returning to his dormitory,” according to SM Entertainment officials. Jonghyun was rushed to Gangnam hospital for nose fracture treatment, and no other major injuries.

Kim Ki-bum or Key

Key, age 21, of Shinee in Moscow

Kim Ki-bum born September 23, 1991, known by his stage name Key, is a south Korean actor, radio host, MC, commercial model, rapper, dancer and Korean pop idol singer, and Shinee South Korean boy group as a vocalist, lead dancer, and lead rapper. Since Key was born, he was raised by his grandmother, because his mother became ill after giving birth and his father was busy with work and could not take care of him. Key is known to be the Shinee member’s most sociable with the most celebrity phone numbers, and also known to be close to the ’91 line. The SHINee group contains people from popular groups such as Nicole of Kara, Jinwoon of 2AM, Jaejin of FT Island, Dong Woon of Beast, Mir of MBLAQ, Woodhyun of Infinite, Nana of After School and Min of Miss A. In 2011, Key debut as an actor on Moon Night 90, playing the role as Lee Hyun Do, with Taemin, his fellow Shinee member.

Choi Minho

Choi Minho, age 21

Choi Minho born December 9, 1991, is a outh Korean actor, lyricist, radio host, MC, commercial model, singer, dancer rapper,lyricist and main rapper, sub-vocalist and visual of the Shinee Korean pop idol boy group under the SM Entertainment label. His father is the popular South Korean soccer coach, Choi Yun-Gyeom, and have an older brother named Choi Minseok. Minho was injured during a filming for Dream Team Season 2 in March 2010, and had to withdraw from his shows and activities while Taemin, fellow Shinee member replaced his absence on the show. Minho finally came back in August 2010 after his recovery, to continue his promotions and shows with Shinee group’s album Lucifer. Minho was named 2011 Honorary Ambassador for Youth on May 23, 2011. Minho participated in the “Pianist”, a KBS2 Korean drama special debuted as an actor on November 20, 2010 with Han Ji-hye, a Korean actress. Minho appeared in a new comedy SBS sitcom , playing the role of Min-hyuk, a genius hacker, in “Salamander Guru and The Shadows” with actors Im Won-hee and Oh Dal-soo, on December 7, 2011, in 2012.

Lee Tae-min

Lee Taemin, age 19, (image credit: es.drama.wikia.com/ by kawaii

Lee Tae-min born July 18, 1993, is an actor, radio host, model, dancer and pop idol singer, and Shinee member under the SM Entertainment label as the maknae, main dancer and vocalist. Taemin studied in 2007  Chinese language in Beijing. In 2005, Taemin was discovered in SM Open Weekend Audition Casting. Taemin was chosen as a member of the 5 member boy group SHINee, debuted on SBS’s Inkigayo on May 25, 2008 .” Taemin will join as a new couple with A-Pink’s Naeun on April 2013, according to SM Entertainment, on the We Got Married an MBC series. They also filmed their first encounter together at Jeju Island in “Café Seoyeon’s House” from the Architecture 101 movie. They will fill the place of ZE:A’s Kwangheethe precious idol couple.

9)   2PM

2PM

2PM Korean band

2PM is a South Korean pop idol boy band, under JYP Entertainment with current members, former known as Junsu now using Jun. K, Nuchkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. In 2010, the foreme leader of the 2PM boy band group Jay Park left the group. Park Jin Young, the Korean musician and founder of the 2PM who formed the eleven member boy band group called One Day. The boy band was split in a similar independent group and 2PM called 2AM. The boy band 2PM released their first song, 10 Jeom Manjeome 10 Jeom as their debut performed with their acrobatic dance styles, followed by their singles, Again & Again, The First Album 1:59PM released in 2009, and released another Korean album in 2011, Hands Up. They also released their first Japanese Album Republic of 2PM. The 2PM boy band group members undergo an audition except for Nichkhun, who was recruited to become part of the JYP Entertainment. Other members suck as Jun. K who have won various singing contest, Ok Taecyeon, Lee Junho and Chansung, these three were participants of the Superstar Survival show, while, the two members were from America, Jaebeom was from Seattle and Nichkhun was from Southern California. Ok Taecyon lives in Massachusetts for seven years before he returned to South Korea.

Kim Minjun

Kim Jun-Su or Jun.K, age 25

Kim Minjun formerly known as Junsu now use Jun. K as his stage name, was born on January 15, 1988. He is the main vocalist of Korean pop idol 2PM boy group under JYP Entertainment. On October 17th, 2012, Junsu revealed via his personal Twitter due to family matters, he would change his name to Minjun and he will be using the same stage name, Jun. K. He  can speak Korean, English, and little Japanese. Minju loves to compose and writing themes, singing,  fashion, collecting accessories and shoes. Minjun is a Buddhist. According to some reports, Minjun will star a musical show, The Three Musketeers, along with fellow 2AM  label-mates, Changmin and Yenny of the Wonder Girls.

Nichkhun Horvejkul

Nichkhun, age 24, 2PM

Nichkhun Horvejkul , born Nitchakhun Horawetchakun, born June 24, 1988, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, to Thai-Chinese parents, and he is better known in his single name as Nichkhun, a Thai-Chinese-American singer. He is a member of the 2PM Korean pop idol boy band group in South Korea, and he is the group’s rapper, dancer sometimes vocalist. Nichkhun has one older brother Nichan, and two younger sisters, Nichthima (Yanin) and Nachjaree (Chereen). Nichkhun moved to Thailand with his family at the age of two and studied at Dhepkanjana School and Tangpiroondham School. He studied in New Zealand at the age of 12, at Wanganui Collegiate School for a year and a half and went back in the United States to finish his studies. When Nichkhun finished high school, he became a badminton coach at the Rosemead High School, and was discovered by Park Jin-young, the JYP Entertainment K-pop singer producer, at the Los Angeles Korean Music Festival. He was then advised by Park Jin-young that he was required to learn and train how to sing, dance, learn Korean and Mandarin Chinese, and undergo some body building. He was first introduced through a program MNET’s Hot Blood, that showed the intense physical training that 13 male trainees had to go through for the opportunity to join the 2AM 4-member ballad group or 2PM, a 6-member dance group (originally had 7 members but former leader Jay Park left the group) under JYP Entertainment. Nichkhun sings or raps in English since he grew up in the United States and can speak English fluently.Nichkhun is set to play the role as Lawrence in Japanese live-adaptation film Ouran High School Host Club, as the president of a corporation in Singapore. Nichkhun starred in his first Thai film, Seven Something in 2012.

Ok Taec-Yeon

Ok Taekyeon, age 24

Ok Taec-Yeon born December 27, 1988, in Busan, South Korea, better known as Taecyeon, is the main rapper of the Korean pop idol 2PM boy band. Taecyeon debuted in Cinderella’s sister, a Korean drama, as an actor in 2010, and later become a main character in Dream High the KBS drama. Taecyeon immigrated with his parents, and older sister Jihyen,to Bedford, Massachusetts, a small town in the Greater Boston Area. Taecyeon and family lived there for seven years, where he was a member of the Chess Club, Jazz Band, JV Soccer Team and National Honor Society, while studying at Bedford High School, before returning to South Korea, to pursue his career. Taecyeon speaks fluent English, Korean, and Japanese.

Jang Wooyoung

Jang Wooyoung, age 23

Jang Wooyoung better known as Wooyoung, born on April 30, 1989, is a South Korean idol and K-pop singer, one of 2PM’s six members, a boy band under JYP Entertainment management. In 2011, Wooyoung debuted in Dream High, as an actor, a KBS drama series. Wooyoung played the role as Korean-American named Jason. In 2011 performed for their 2PM’s tours (Hands Up Asia Tour and Republic of 2PM), where Wooyoung and Junho performed as duet that Junho composed, while Wooyoung choreographed their dance number and designed their outfits. Wooyoung’s official nickname, Owl given for his 2PM profile, and other nicknames are AngAng, Mandu Cheeks and Santi Wooyoung. Wooyoung attended Howon University to study broadcasting in 2009.

Lee Junho

Lee Junho, age 23

Lee Junho born January 25, 1990 in Ilsan, South Korea, better known as Junho, is the second youngest 2PM member of the Korean boy band and knwon for his talent in beatboxing, singing and dancing. Junho was first discovered when he won the 2006 Superstar Survival show, that started with twelve teenage competitors and contestants was eliminated one by one each week until three were left, which Junho was the winner. Followed by a reality show known as Survivor, with similar style. He loves animal and love cat pets the most. Junho has many nicknames like Wooyoung, but the most popular is “Hwang-jae” which means Emperor due to being a serious type and Nuneo, which came from an incident when Junho signed his name quickly on a StarCraft disc newly-purchased appearing mistakenly as Ij Nuneo. Junho is also known as one of the “Jun Brothers” in connection with fellow member Jun. K. Junho is often compared with Korean pop idol entertainer Rain, because of his facial features. The Humanitarian Organization World Vision reported that they launched on February 15, the ‘Global Share Project‘ in collaboration with EBS. Junho was chosen as the first volunteer with ‘Global Share Project’ and sacrificing his first vacation in four years since he started his career. His choice is to travel to Ethiopia to spend some meaningful time with the locals. Junho met with patients suffering from a rare disease called Elephantiasis, and performed with them. Junho has also been supporting a child secretly in Ethiopia who he got to meet in person, even presenting his adopted child a special gift.

Hwang Chansung

Hwang Chansung, age 23

Hwang Chansung born February 11, 1990 in Seoul, South Korea, and presently residing in Seoul, best known as Chansung, is a K-pop idol singer, actor and rapper as member of the Korean 2PM boy band. He is the youngest member, or maknae of the group. Chansung was a television actor and star in a MBC comedy Unstoppable High Kick in 2006, and as co-star in the Japanese drama Kaito Royale, followed by KBS2 Jungle Fish drama in 2008, before becoming a singer in 2PM. He auditioned  in 2006 and was chosen one of the dozen finalists (including his future band mates Taecyeong and Lee Junho) to compete in the Superstar Survival show. He speaks fluent Korean, basic Japanese, and basic English, trained as martial artist, achieving high levels in Kumdo and Taekwondo. Chansung is a Buddhist, and his hobbies are listening to music, gaming and working out. Chansung has a pet cat named, Jeonggam, or sometimes, Jeonggamie , and has become almost as popular as Chansung himself, when the cat was seen on 2PM YouTube channel, and pictures in numerous tweets. Chansung will be opening fitness center in July in Nonhyun-dong, Seoul,with his weight trainer, Hwang Mo.

Jay Park

Jay Park, age 25, former 2PM

Art of Movement group of Jay Park

10)  Wonder Girls

Wonder Girls 2012

Wonder Girls… Nobody-2008

Wonder Girls is a South Korean pop idol girl group, with current members, Yubin, Yeeun, Sunye, Sohee and Hyelim, and the group’s name, ‘Wonder Girls’, comes from the idea that they are “the girls who can amaze the world”,managed by their producer, Park Jin-young, the singer, songwriter under his own JYP Entertainment talent agency, and also co-managed by Creative Artists Agency in the United States. The Korean pop idol girls group, the Wonder Girls had their debut in 2009 for the American market, and introduced at The Jonas Brother’s World Tour as an opening act, performing the hit single Nobody in English version. The Wonder Girls was the first South Korean group to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 76 in 2009. The Wonder Girls made their entry with their compilation album Wonder Girls which include version of their hit singles,Tell Me, Nobody and So Hot in the Chinese market in 2010. It was announced on November 26, 2012, that the group would be taking a break because of Sunye‘s marriage, with the other members focusing on their own activities.

Kim Yubin

Yubin, age 24, 2012

Kim Yubin born October 4, 1988, in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea, known as Yubin or Yoobin, is a South Korean idol singer, rapper, MC, model and actress. Yubin is the main rapper of the Wonder Girls, which was introduced in September 7, 2007 under the JYP Entertainment. Yubin attended her elementary and high school education in South Korea before moving to San Jose, California and attended at Leigh High School, and went back to South Korea and pursue studies in Myongji University.Before Yubin  had her debut with Wonder girls, Yubin was originally set to debut to Five Girls member girl group, under Good Entertainment, with G.NA, Uee of After School, Hyosung of Secret and Yang Jiwon former T-ara member and current member of Spica. But the five girls group was disbanded shortly in 2007, before their debut schedule because of financial troubles between the Good Entertainment and girls group members left the company. In 2007, Yubin made her debut then with the Wonder Girls, as the main rapper of the group, and replaced Hyuna, a former member, under JYP Entertainment  with their comeback single “Tell Me”. Yubin sometimes act as the additional vocalist of the Wonder Girls, like in “This Time” and “Wishing On A Star”. According to some reports, Yubin will be making her acting debut in The Virus an OCN’s new drama, playing the role of Lee Joo Yeong, an IT specialist and a genius hacker,  after Sunye’s marriage, and the Wonder Girl’s group have to rest with their activities.

Park Ye-Eun

Yeeun or Yenny, age 23, 2012

Park Ye-Eun born May 26, 1989, also known as Yeeun or her English name, Yenny , is a South Korean pop idol singer, lyricist, composer, occasionally actress and model.  Yenny is a member of the Wonder Girls Korean pop idol girl group, which debuted in 2007, managed by JYP Entertainment. Ye Eun or Yenny, made her debut with their Irony single as the lead vocalist of the group. Ye-eun composed the songs “Saying I Love You” and “For Wonderful” , which she sang these songs live in one of their US concerts. In 2012, Ye-eun also composed the song for Dream High 2 upcoming drama, which was released on February 14, 2012. Ye-eun appeared in a cameo role on Dream High 2 drama following its release to perform the song.

Min Sun-ye

Min Sunye, age 23, October 16,2012

Min Sunye, (image credit:www.asianpopcorn.com)

Min Sun-ye born August 12, 1989, in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean pop idol singer, and the leader of the Wonder Girls group. Sun serves as one of the longest trainees under JYP Entertainment with other talents like 2AM’s Jo Kwon and Miss A’s Min. In 2007, Sunye made her debut as the girls group, Wonder Girls‘ leader and main vocalist, under the JYP Entertainment company, with their first single, Irony in 2007.  JYP Entertainment confirmed on January 26, 2013, that Sunye would stop her official promotions with the Wonder Girls, before marrying James Park, her Korean-Canadian fiance.  She grew up with her grandparents because Sunye’s mother died when she was very young and her father was bedridden suffering from an undisclosed health condition. Before to the Wonder Girls’ promotions for their single Tell Me in 2007 fall,  her grandfather died. Sunye’s father was rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU) after his condition worsened in October 2009,  so Sunye  who was based in the United States at that time, took the first flight from New York to South Korea, skipping out many promotional events, just to be with her father. Sunye’s father died on June 23, 2010,  after over 20 years of suffering  from illness due to a chronic complications. Sunye went on a week long volunteer to Haiti mission in May 2011, where she cared in an orphanage for children and treated Cholera victims, and during her missionary work in Haiti she met her fiance, James Park. Sunye announced on November 22, 2011, that she was in a relationship with a James Park, a Korean-Canadian and had kept it a secret until Park Jin-young (JYP Entertainment owner), lifted their no dating ban in mid-November, aired during the SBS Strong Heart episode. Sunye admitted that Park is not a celebrity and is currently living in Canada. Sunye and Park got married on January 26, 2013, and shortly after three months, Sunye announced on April 4, 2013  through her personal Twitter account that she’s expecting their first child. It seems to be a honeymoon baby.

Ahn So Hee

Ahn Sohee, age 20, members of Wonder Girls

Ahn So Hee born June 27, 1992, known by her stage name Sohee, is a South Korean pop idol singer, dancer, actress, MC and model. She is the youngest member of the popular South Korean Wonder Girls until Hyerim was added, who is few months younger than Sohee, who spent two years training before she joined the Wonder Girls. Sohee and other two members Yeeun and Sunmi  before their debut they performed a cover of Together Again by Janet Jackson. Sohee was cast in Hellcats (I Like It Hot), her first movie in early 2008, and recently she guest starred in Here He Comes sitcom also known as That Person is Coming. On June 25, Sohee rested for a month after an injury from a running motorcycle fall tearing a knee ligament, during the shooting of Hellcats movie also known I Like It Hot, while the other four members continued to perform until July.  Sohee with her fellow members acted in The Wonder Girls Movie in 2012, their first movie in U.S . Sohee was chosen as model by Tommy Hilfiger in the same year for 2012.

Woo Hye Rim

Hyelim, age 20, 2012

Woo Hye Rim born September 1, 1992, better known as Lim, Hye-Lim, or Christina Woo, is a South Korean pop idol singer, rapper and model. She is a member of the Wonder Girls Korean girl group, which debuted under JYP Entertainment and part of 2009, five member group trainees. These group flew to China, while training, and performed in numerous variety shows, and widely known by Chinese fans as JYP Sisters or Sisters also named Chinese Wonder Girls by JPYE. Lim resided in Hong Kong for 14 years and attended the Hong Kong Canadian International School where she learned and speak fluent in English. Lim can speak Korean ,Cantonese, Mandarin and English. However before the group could officially debut, two of their members withdrew, and only three members were left, which included herself (Lim) Jia and Fei Fei before the group officially debuted. Then on January 22, 2010, It was announced by the JYP management, that Lim would be joining the Wonder Girls as their newest member after the Sunmi’s departure. Lim still keeps in contact with Jia and Fei, her former JYP Sisters, who have now officially debuted in miss A, a four-member girls group.

Lee Sun-Mi

Lee Sunmi, age 20, (image credit:www.asianfanfics.com)

Lee Sun-Mi born May 2, 1992, better known as Sunmi or Mimi, is a South Korean pop idol singer, former member of the Wonder Girls which debuted in 2007 under the JYP Entertainment. Sunmi quit from the group to continue her academic career, because JYP has not announced Sunmi’s official departure, but still considered still a member of the group. According to JYP management, Sunmi is welcome anytime to continue her with group for her musical career. JYP representative announced in January 13 that, “Sunmi has remained within the company and continues to sharpen her musical talents,”  and added that there are no plans for Sun Mi to comeback as a Wonder Girls member.

11)   Miss A

Miss A , 2013

Miss A or sometimes written as miss A, is a South Korean based four member Chinese-Korean idol girl group, formed under JYP Entertainment and managed by AQ Entertainment. The four member girls group are, Fei, Jia, Min and Suzy. The name of their group stands for Miss Asia and are currently known as one of the best performance groups in their industry.  The official debut of the group Miss A made officially on June 30, in South Korea as a four-member group, with their single Bad Girl Good Girl  which was taken from Bad but Good, their debut mini-album.

Wang Feifei

Fei, age 25, 2013

Wang Feifei or known as Fei, born on April 27, 1987 in Haikou, Hainan, China, also a member of Miss A a South Korean pop idol girl group. Fei, a Chinese origin, is considered one among the four member, best known and recognized female celebrity active in the entertainment world of South Korea, with miss A fellow members, Jia, Victoria Song leader of f(x) and Wei Sun, a fashion model. Fei at present, is attending Seoul Institute of the Arts with Jia of miss A, and Nana of After School.  Wang Feifei was a former member of the group in China known as the Sisters or JYP Sisters, a Chinese version of South Korea’s Wonder Girls, before she was added to miss A girl group. Fei and fellow members of miss A became advertising model for Samsung Anycall China in 2010. She also appeared in a cameo role in Dream High.

Meng Jia

Meng Jia, age 24, 2013

Meng Jia, born February 3, 1989 in Loudi, Hunan, People’s Republic of China, best known for her name as Jia, is a Chinese actress, singer and model. In 2010, Jia debuted as member of the South Korean girls group miss A under JYP Entertainment management. Jia is best known as four best Chinese female celebrities  in South Korea field of entertainment with fellow member of South Korean pop idol girls group, Fei of f(x), Victoria Song and Wei Sun, model. Jia and fellow member miss A, Fei, appeared in a music video, My Color by 2PM. While the group was undergoing training, they flew to China and appeared in different variety shows for the Chinese audience. The girl’s group was called JYP Sisters or simply Sisters in China, and named by JYP as Chinese Wonder Girls. The miss A girls group, began their promotional activities in China by signing up with Samsung Any-call China for the Samsung Beat Festival and released Love Again, a commercial song.

Lee Min Young

Min, age 21, 2013

Lee Min Young, also known as Min, Kkap Min or Kkap Queen, (born June 21, 1991 (age 21), in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean pop idol actress, rapper, singer dancer, MC and model. Min is the lead vocalist of miss A girls group under the JYP Entertainment’s sub-label AQ Entertainment.Min was best known for her part in Lil Jon’s protege of South Korea and America, and the longest trainee for eight years under JYP Entertainment, before she debut as miss A member. Min had been exposed to the entertainment industry at the young age, as part of the Sesame Street Korean version, BoBoBo, as part of the duo known as “Eolleong Ddungddang“. At 13 years old, Min formed a dance duo which they called Little Winners at the age of 13, with Hyoyeon (Girls Generation member), where their videos became popular on YouTube. After a year of training, Min was sent to train more to the U.S. for preparation as she prepares for her U.S. debut, and attended at the Repertory Company High School in Manhattan. Min do some guesting in Reckless Family 2 sitcom for the month of January 2013 which she started to film the sitcom last January 7 which is aired on MBC every Tuesday at 6 PM.

Bae Su Ji

Suzy, age 18, 2013

Bae Su Ji born October 10, 1994 in Gwangju, South Korea, best known for her stage name as Suzy. Suzy is also known as, Nation’s First Love, Giant Maknae, Him Suzy, a South Korean pop idol actress, model, MC, singer and dancer. Suzy is best known for her roles in the KBS2 TV series Dream High as Go Hye-mi, as Jang Ma Ri in Big and in the Architecture 101 movie as Young Yang Seo Yeon. In 2010,Suzy is a member of miss A the Korean pop idol girl group, which debuted under JYP Entertainment and sub label AQ Entertainment. Suzy joined  Fei and Jia fellow members after a year of training, and after Min was added to the group, after the last-minute, miss A prepared for debut. In October 2010, Suzy became the host for MBC Show! Music Core in October 2010, with SHINee members, Minho and Onew and T-ara’s Jiyeon. It has also been announced by the JYP Agency on January 31, 2013, that Suzy appeared in Gu Family Book drama as the main female character in January 31, 2013 with co-star Lee Seung Gi , South Korean actor.

12)  KARA

KARA

KARA, Korean Idol K-pop Group

Kara or KARA, is a South Korean pop idol girl group formed in 2007 under the management of DSP Media. The group consist of Park Gyuri, Han Seungyeon, Nicole Jung, Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung. The name of the group was derived from a Greek word chara which means joy or interpreted as sweet melody. The original group started off as a quartet and made their debut in 2007 with “Break It” while portraying a mature R&B sound and as a strong female image. Kara was expected to be as big as Fin.K.L., their senior label-mates and known to be their next successors. KARA first released as debut The First Blooming,the group’s first studio album, but their first album was a failure commercially. Kim Sunghee departed the group the following year, due to pressure form her parents, and added Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung as the KARA’s new members, and made a big hit in 2009 with their number one song, Honey. The KARA Korean pop idol group sold over one million singles within two years, making the Kara group as one of the fastest-selling South Korean acts in Japan.

Park Gyuri

Park Gyuri, age 24, KARA

Park Gyuri (born on May 21, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean idol singer and leader of Kara girl group under DSP Media formed in 2007. Park Gyuri was a child actress before she pursue her singing career. She first appeared on Today is a Nice Day in 1995, portraying the role as the girlfriend of Kang Ho Dong‘s brother. In 2001, Park played the role as Kim Jung Eun‘s teenage version character in Ladies of the Palace. Gyuri is the only daughter of Park Sohyun, the popular voice dubber, and it was her idea giving name Kara for her group, which made debut with their album Break It on March 29, 2007, on M! Countdown as a four girls group. Gyuri and other Kara members were Nicole Jung, Han Seungyeon and Kim Sunghee. On February 21, Park Gyuri had undergo a throat surgery, to remove nodules and polyps found in her vocal cords, and would be difficult for her as a singer.

Han Seungyeon

SeungYeon, age 24, KARA

Han Seungyeon, born on July 24, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. Seungyeon is a South Korean idol singer and dancer and sometimes an actress, and left South Korea at a young age, to pursue her studies at Tenafly High School in New Jersey. Seungyeon debuted as the main vocalist, on March 29, 2007, after she returned to South Korea, as a member of the Kara‘s girl group formed by DSP Media in 2007. It was in 1997, when Seungyeon debuted when she appeared in 1997s Star In My Heart, as a child actress in a cameo role.

Nicole Jung

Jung Nicole, age 21, KARA

Nicole Jung  her Korean name is Jung Yong-Joo, better known with her stage name as Nicole, born on October 7, 1991 in Los Angeles, California to Korean parents. Nicole attended school at Mark Keppel Elementary School and Toll Middle School in Glendale, California and into the performing arts and visual. Nicole is a Korean-American pop idol singer, best known as one of the Kara girls group formed in 2007 by DSP Entertainment. Nicole made her decision to go to South Korea to pursue her singing career with the support of her mother, and experienced hardships like adjusting to the South Korean culture from her American lifestyles. Nicole accepted DSP’s offer, and her mom moved with her to South Korea and has opened up Aura The Grill, a successful Korean BBQ restaurant, and frequent customers are Nicole and her KARA fans.  On January 19, 2011, However, Nicole, Kang Jiyoung and Han Seung-yeon, announced that they were terminating their contract with DSP, however the dispute between DSP Entertainment and the three members was resolved on April 28, 2011.

Goo Hara

Goo Hara, age 22, KARA

Goo Hara (born on January 13, 1991 in Gwangju, South Korea), became a member of the South Korean pop idol girls group, Kara. Goo Hara is an actress, singer, dancer and model. Goo Hara is noted for her role as the president’s daughter,Choi Da-hye in 2011 Korean drama, City Hunter. Goo Hara, revealed during an appearance in Strong Heart by SBS, on January 5, 2010, confirmed that she had a minor cosmetic on her face and dental surgery. Hara, revealed having one filler injection on her nose and had her teeth fixed. She said that she had surgery to define her eyelids because she had double eyelids. The Cube Entertainment revealed that Goo Hara had a relationship with Beast member Junhyung on June 28, 2011. However, their relationship ended on March 27th, 2013, as announced by  Cube Entertainment and DSP Media that Goo Hara and Junhyung parted ways and “naturally drifted apart”.

Kang Ji-young

Kang Jiyoung, age 19, KARA

Kang Ji-young (born January 18, 1994 in Paju, Republic of Korea)is a Korean pop idol singer, member of Kara, the Korean girl group. Kang Ji-young, debuted at the age of 15 when she was at the third grade middle school student. Jiyoung is one of the two members who joined Kara after member Kim Sung Hee left. She rendered songs, Kissing You and Girls Generation for her audition. Kang and Korean pop singer, NS Yoon-G are cousin. Jiyoung joined the Kara girls group in 2008, after member Kim Sunghee left the group. At the time of her admission, Jiyoung was only 14 years old making her the youngest member of the group when she first joined the group,and the vocalist of the group, which was previous youngest member was Nicole Jung. The Kara pop idol girls group made their comeback with Rock U.

13)  MBLAQ

MBLAQ in 2010

MBLAQ Korean pop idol

MBLAQ an acronym for Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality, is a South Korean pop idol five members or quintet male vocal group under J.Tune Camp, formed by South Korean entertainer Rain. The group members are Seungho, G.O., Lee Joon, Cheondung and Mir, debuted on October 9, 2009, at Rain’s concert Legend of Rainism. On October 14, 2009, The MBLAQ  group released Just BLAQ, as their debut single album, which topped in South Korean various online and offline music charts.

Yang Seung Ho

Seungho, age 25, (MBLAQ)

Yang Seung Ho born October 16, 1987,was born and raised in Anyang, Seoul, South Korea, an idol singer actor, dancer and model and member of the MBLAQ Korean male group as the leader and vocalist, currently active in South Korea under Rain and J. Tune Entertainment, which debuted at Legend of Rainism concert of Rain on October 9, 2009. The member of the MBLAQ who uses real name is Seung Ho, his stage name was supposedly Mir, but he rejected it. His fans nicknamed him Yang Chopin, because of many talents, plays the piano and guitar, as well. Seung Ho loves playing soccer, beatboxing, break dancing, performing card tricks, knitting, and mending objects as his other hobbies. Seungho also attends classes in gymnastics, Judo, and Hapkido, and electronics is his favourite genre of music. Seung Ho was the first MBLAQ member of the group to open a Twitter page and Me2day account.Seungho and Soyeon (of T-Ara) are good friend, because they both came in the same school for eight years, while KARA member  Park Gyuri and F.Cuz’ s member Jinon were also in junior years.

Jung Byung Hee

G.O. (Jung Byung Hee) age 25

Jung Byung Hee (GO), (image credit: www.ktopia.net)

Jung Byung Hee born on November 6, 1987 in Seoul, South Korea, but grew in his hometown in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, better known as G.O, a South Korean pop idol singer and vocalist of MBLAQ the 5 member boy band group. G.O. is the second oldest member of the group after Seung Ho, MBLAQ’s leader. G.O. was a former member of Korean group, TYKEYS, a three member band that debuted in 2007 before he joined the MBLAQ group. G.O. is the youngest child in his family and has two older sisters. G.O appeared in Korean SBS drama Rooftop Prince followed by Ghost. G.O is a permanent cast of the Immortal Song 2 after the previous members left, along with other idols, like f(x) member Luna and 4MEN member Shin Yong Jae. 

Lee Joon

Lee Joon, age 25, (MBLAQ)

Lee Joon (image credit:unofficialfanpage.com)

Lee Chang Sun born February 7, 1988, better known by his stage name Lee Joon, is a South Korean pop idol singer, actor, model, dancer and member of MBLAQ, a male group, as the vocalist and main dancer of the group,under J. Tune Entertainment management. Lee Joon portrayed in small role in CFs first episode That Person is Coming sitcom, which was aired in 2008, before he became a MBLAQ member, and completed filming for the Ninja Assasin 2009 film, in which he played the role of Teenage Raizo. On November 6, 2010, during an interview, Lee Joon revealed that he is suffering from insomnia and severe Bipolar disorder. According to Lee Joon he was suffering from insomnia before his MBLAQ debut, but for a while it was treated, but due to stress, fatigue and lack of sleep due to busy schedules, his insomnia went back. Lee Joon added that the mental and physical stress induced by his busy schedule and inability to sleep caused his bipolar disorder triggered. Lee Joon was pulled out from filming MBLAQ’s special stage at the SBS’s Inkigayo, for their song “Stay“  on February 13, 2011, after he began vomiting suddenly.Lee Joon was confined to a hospital and he was diagnosed with a auditory inner ear portion disorder or cochlea, or the spiral shaped cavity in the bony labyrinth, in humans making modiolus 2.5 turns around its axis, but it was known that his condition is not serious, but his actities were canceled for short period to take his time for full recovery.

Park Sang-hyun aka Thunder

Thunder (Park Sang-hyun ) age 22

Cheondoong [Park Sang Hyun] MBLAQ (image credit:www.fanpop.com)

14)   2NE1

2NE1 in 2012

2NE1 in 2011

2NE1 or To Anyone or Twenty One or combined phrases as new revolution (NE) and 21st century, is a four-member South Korean pop idol girl group formed in 2009 by YG Entertainment. The band consists of CL, Minzy, Dara and Bom. First appeared in a commercial campaign song, Lollipop, for LG Electronics with Big Bang ,and singing Fire as the 2NE1‘s debut single which was released on May 6, 2009. The 2NE1 follow-up singles, Go Away, Lonely and I Am The Best were successful, and in 2011 winning their second Song of the Year award was I Am The Best. The 2NE1 band has 400 million video views on YouTube as well as 27 million digital singles sold in 2013.

Lee Chaelin aka CL

2ne1 Lee Chaerin or CL age 22

CL or Lee Chae-lin, or her English name as Faith Lee, was born on February 26, 1991 in Seoul, South Korea, but grew in Japan and France, is a South Korean K-pop idol singer, rapper, dancer and song writer. CL can speak French, Japanese and English. In 2009, CL debuted under YG Entertainment with her 2NE1 bandmates, Sandara Park, Minzy and Park Bom. CL‘s father was a Physic’s professor, that’s why in her early age the family moved and live in France and Japan. As a teenager, Then her family moved back to South Korea as their permanent residence when she was a teenager. CL was once a JYP Entertainment  trainee, where she made friends with Sohee and Yeeun of the Wonder Girls and Jun. K of the 2PM, and solo artist Jay Park, Zinger of Secret and Min of miss A. CL is the 2NE1‘s rapper in her group, and she was featured in Adidas Originals, a new rap campaign “all Originals Make Moves”  on March 2012, and said that CL personally wrote the lyrics to the rap.

Gong Minji aka Minzy

2ne1, Gong Minji or Minzy, age 19

Gong Minji was born on January 18, 1994 in Seoul, South Korea, known as Minzy, Mingkki, Eromaknae, is a South Korean pop idol singer, rapper and dancer. In 2009,Minzy debuted as 2NE1 member under the YG Entertainment with label mates CL, Sandara Park and Park Bom. In November 2009, Minzy and CL‘s duet song “Please Don’t Go,” rose to number 6 on the monthly  Gaon Chart. Minzy with the 2NE1 has released two extended 2NE1 second mini album plays, and one full length To Anyone album, together with their Japanese releases. Minzy was born in Seoul, but the family moved to Gwangju after she participated during her younger years in many dance contests and competitions. Gong Okjin, a legendary folk dancer in South Korea is Minzy‘s grandfather. Minzy has lot of friends in the music industry with idols, such as Amber, Luna, of f(x), Sulli, and Girls Generation‘s Yoona, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Hyoyeon, and PSY, Siwon of Super Junior, Goo Hara of KARA and solo artist IU. Minzy is also close to Japanese pop star Koda Kumi and G-Dragon of Big Bang has named Minzy as his favorite junior.

Sandara Park

2ne1 Sandara Park, age 28

Sandara Park was born on November 12, 1984 in Busan, South Korea,, better known as Dara, is a South Korean pp idol singer, dancer, actress, TV host, and model and 2NE1 director of communications. Sandara Park is the older sister of Cheondong or Thunder a MBLAQ member. However,Dara first gained major popularity in the Philippines during their stay, joined Star Circle Quest on ABS-CBN. Dara was 10 years old when the family moved to the Philippines to start a trading business. Then she met an actress and talent of ABS-CBN Corporation, Pauleen Luna in 2004, encouraged Dara to join and audition for Star Circle Quest, a talent search. she won as the second place winner, and became a talent under Star Magic of ABS-CBN. Sandara Park had a lead role movie, 2004 Bcuz Of You, a trilogy movie, with Hero Angeles a Filipino actor, and stars like Kristine Hermosa and Heart Evangelista. She won her first acting award as Best New Actress in 21st Star Awards for Philippine Movie Press Club. Her 3rd movie was in 2006, D’ Lucky Ones paired with Joseph Bitangcol also a contestant from the Star Circle Quest, since Hero Angeles quit from acting. Park also released her self titled six track album with dance hit, In or Out in the Philippines. Then Yang Hyun Suk of YG Entertainment, discovered Park after viewing My Name is Sandara Park documentary of ABS-CBN,  in December 2004 and offered Park a workshop classes in South Korea. She then had a workshop in March 2005, make hold of her career in the Philippines. She then resumed for work back in the Philippines as an actress after six months of training. And finally decided to go back to South Korea with her family on August 1, 2007. Her acting career was very successful and also with commercial endorsement and TV shows in the Philippines. Park Sang-Hyun or better known as Cheondong, her younger brother, is a member of MBLAQ boy band under J. Tune Entertainment, the JYP Entertainment subsidiary. In 2009, Dara released her Kiss first digital single and it was included in 2NE1′s first studio album the 2010s To Anyone, as the 9th track. Sandara Park was chosen to become CLIO’s endorsement model and became their new endorsement model in February 2013.

Park Bom

2ne1, Park Bom, age 29

Park Bom was born on March 24, 1984 in Seoul, South Korea, but grew up in the United States when the family moved during her younger age. Park Bom, is a South Korean pop idol singer, a primarily a pop and R&B singer, and the main vocalist of the 2NE1 girl group under the YG Entertainment. Park Bom recorded with her labelmates Big Bang, Lexy, Masta Wu and also starred in Anystar with co-actress Lee Hyori in her CF in 2006. She also starred as the lead actress in Tell Me Once More a Kim Ji Eun;s music video in 2008, and made her debut in 2009 with the 2NE1 girls group in 2009. Up until now, Park has released two solo singles, You and I and Don’t Cry, and the two singles became number one on the national chart of Korea, the Gaon Chart. In 2010, their single “You and I” won at the Mnet Asian Music Awards as the “Best Digital Single. The 2NE1 group collaborated with Big Bang, their senior label-mate for the song Lollipop, which gained success, but questions were still raised as to whether the group could survive on its own. Mariah Carey and Beyonce are the American celebrity singers, whom she said as her biggest influences and her inspiration to pursue her singing career.

15)  Super Junior

Super Junior at Kaohsiung Arena,Taiwan

Super Junior (Syupeo Junieo) is a South Korean pop idol boy band formed by Lee Soo-man producer and owner of the SM Entertainment, formed in 2005, comprising a total of thirteen members, although originally debuted with twelve members, consisting of Leeteuk as the leader, Heechul, Hankyung, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kibum, and Kyuhyun was added in 2006. Known as the “Kings of the Hallyu Wave”, Super Junior is also known as the Kings of the Hallyu Wave, launched into international recognition, and followed by the release of Sorry, Sorry, in 2009 their best-selling single, and were the best-selling Korean pop artists for three years. Hankyung departed from the group in December 2009, after filing a lawsuit against the  S.M. Entertainment. In December 2010, Hankyung won the lawsuit, although his departure from Super Junior was not made official until he was finally released officially on September 27, 2011. While one member, Heechul enlisted for his mandatory military service on September 1, 2011. Kangin was absent from the group’s 4th and 5th promotional albums, but completed his service in April 2012, and rejoined the group for their 6th album promotions, however, the absent of the Super Junior three members are considered as part of the group without concern. Leeteuk also enlisted for his mandatory military service on October 30, 2012. As of 2012, Super Junior has nine active members as of 2012, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae Ryeowook and Kyuhyun. 

Park Jeong-su aka Leeteuk

Leeteuk, (Park Jeong-su) age 29

Park Jeong-su was born on 1 July 1983, best known by stage name as Leeteuk, is a South Korean pop idol singer-songwriter, actor, television host and MC. Leeteuk is the leader of Super JuniorK-pop boy band and it’s subgroups, Super Junior-T and Super Junior-H. When Leeteuk and Park Inyoung, his older sister, and a South Korean actress, traveled in 2000 for a holiday in Myeongdong, he was discovered and advised by a SM Entertainment talent scout to audition for Starlight Casting System.Being older than the other trainees, Leeteuk as the oldest member among the trainees, he became the leader of the group. Leeteuk revealed that he  choses this stage name due to his desire to have a name with the same effects as Kangta, and to avoid confusion with Park Jeong-su, a veteran actress, which also his agency treated him as special member of the group, thus the name Leeteuk denotes special. After Super Junior-T‘s release of their first single Rokuko, on April 19, 2007, Leeteuk had a car accident and had serious injuries with Shindong, Eunhyuk, Kyuhyun and two managers, while on the way  home after a radio show recording of the  Super Junior Kiss the Radio. Due to this accident, Leeteuk was not able to take part in Super Junior’s debut in 2007s Attack on the Pin-Up Boys in a big-screen production, but was revealed at the end of the movie, that Leeteuk had played as the panda mascot, which was later confirmed that it had been Ryeowook who replaced hin and portrayed it in most of the film.

Kim Hee-chul

Kim Heechul, age 29 (image credit:www.asianpopcorn.com)

Kim Hee-chul was born on July 10, 1983, best known by his stage name as Heechul, a South Korean pop idol singer, actor and presenter, and member of Super Junior South Korean boy band and its subgroup, Super Junior-T. Heechul enlisted for his mandatory military service on September 1, 2011, and after four weeks of basic training at the Nonsan Military Camp in Chungcheongnam-do Provinve and will be serving as a public service worker for 23 months. Heechul was involved in a car accident on August 10, 2006 while heading back to Seoul from Mokpo after attending the funeral of Donghae’s father, their fellow Super Junior member. His car tires malfunctioned while his car attempted to switch lanes. Heechul obtained fractured left leg in five places, including his femur, knee, and ankle, was required a leg surgery for six hours. Heechul‘s other injuries, includes a tear in his tongue which required stitches. Heechul started to perform again in 2007 regularly despite still having a few rods that the doctors had attached to his leg. Heechul had recovered enough in late April to May 2007, to be able to take part in Super Junior’s strenuous dance routines, though the remaining rods in his leg were removed in 2008.

Han Geng

Hangeng, age 29

Han Geng  (Hankyung) was born on February 9, 1984 born in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China, an ethnic Nanai descent from Noertheast China. Han Geng is a Chinese Mandopop singer, actor and dancer as skillful in all 56 ethnic Chinese traditional dances, as well as ballet and hip-hop dance. Han Geng has been dubbed in China as the “Dancing King” and “King of Popularity”. In 2001, Han Geng started his career, when he was chosen by  SM Entertainment to become a part of the Super Junior South Korean boy band, debuted in 2005, and chosen to be the leader of SUper Juniro-M, its sub-group in 2008. Han filed a lawsuit against SME on December 21, 2009, to terminate his contract as feeling that the 13-year contract was unlawful, overly restrictive and unfair, that he was forced to work outside of his contract and refused to file sick leave leading and no day off given over two years. Han also included in his argument, that he had developed Gastritis and kidney disease and has returned to China to pursue a solo career.On September 27, 2011, Han Geng’s departure from Super Junior became official by Han Geng’s legal representatives and SM Entertainment company, with statement of “amicable settlement on a mutual agreement and the lawsuit was able to come to a close after Han Geng submitted his Notice of Withdrawal of Appeal”.

Kim Jong-woon aka Yesung

Yesung, age 28, 2011

Kim Jong-woon was born on August 24, 1984, in Seoul and at the age of 10, their family moved to Cheonan, South Chungcheong. Kim Jong-woon is best known by his stage name Yesung, is a South Korean pop idol singer, musical actor and DJ on Radio, and member of the Super Junior K-pop boy band and Super Junior-K.R.Y and Super Junior-H, its subgroups, as one of the three main vocalists. His stage name ‘Yesung‘ as his stage name, term art-like voice and is taken from the phrase which means “vocal cords of an artist”. Yesung’s soundtrack for SBS That Winter, The Wind Blows melodrama, entitled “Gray Paper”was released on February 13, 2013. During the Super Show 5 Tour Seoul concert, Yesung announced that he will enlist for his mandatory military service scheduled on May 6, 2013, and will serve as a public service worker after four weeks of basic training, will not be able to take part in the Super Show 5 Tour South American leg.

Kim Young-woon aka Kangin

Kim Young-woon, age 28 (image credit:www.asianpopcorn.com)

Kim Young-woon was born on January 17, 1985,  known by his stage name as Kangin, a South Korean pop idol singer, actor, and MC, also a member of Super Junior boy band. Kangin, means strong benevolence, which was given to him as his stage name, to complement his personality. Kangin enlisted for mandatory military service at the Nonsan military camp in Chungcheongnam-do Province, in July 2010, for a basic training program for five weeks and active duty for the Republic of Korea Army for 20 months, and in April 2012, he was discharged. Kangin‘s debut was on November 6, 2005, and was officially part Super Junior 05, a 12-member project group under the SBS’s Popular Songs music program. Kangin was arrested for his involvement in a fight outside a bar in Nonyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, between two men on September 16, 2009. According to witnesses that two men entered a room where Kangin and a friend were seated and began a heated argument. Kangin left the bar, but the two men followed him outside and began showed acts of violence. Some source said, that Kangin was trying to stop the fight, and a surveillance camera caught the incident, and was reported to the police. Kangin was cleared after the interrogation and was later proven that Kangin act as self defense. Because of the incident, Kangin was removed as the main model for Andre Kim’s fashion show, and all his future schedules was cancelled after his Super Junior’s Super Show 2 concert appearance concert in Hong Kong. On October 16, 2009 around 3am, Kangin crashed into a parked taxi but no one inside, and left the accident scene, however, Kangin turned himself to the police after five hours, and was reported to have 0.082% alcohol level when he went to the police station. Despite of Kangin’s turning himself to the police, he was still charged of hit-and-run. Kangin was summarily charged for drunk driving and hit-and-run and a fine of ₩8 million on January 13, 2010, by the Seoul Central District Court.

Shin Dong-hee

Shindong, age 27, 2011

Shin Dong-hee was born on September 28, 1985, best known by his stage name as Shindong, a South Korean singer, actor songwriter, MC, and radio host. He is a member of the Super Junior K-pop boy band and Super Junior-T and Super Junior-H, its subgroups. Shindong is one of four lead dancers and rapper of Super Junior, and often co-writes rap lyrics with Eunhyuk, his band mate and is noted for his comedy style, and enjoys cracking jokes and attends gag performances frequently. Shindong loves to present a healthier image to his fans, thus, he went on a diet in and lost around 19 kg in 2008. Shindong lost another 10 kg in early 2009, after Leeteuk announced that Shindong will lose more weight for his fans, a comment in “Super Junior’s Kiss the Radio“. Shindong had previous acting as a comedian, his acting debut was in Attack on the Pin-Up Boys, the Super Junior film, which premiered on 26 July 2007, followed by a major supporting role in Single Dad in Love, a mini TV series in 2008. and also participated in the original soundtrack of the drama. Shindong with partner Kim Shin-young in their radio program, appeared in Queen of Housewives, MBC drama episode.

Lee Sung-min

Sungmin, age 27

Lee Sung-min was born on January 1, 1986 in Ilsan District of Goyang, Gyeonggi, best known for his stage name as Sungmin, is a South Korean pop idol singer, DJ and Musical theater actor, and gained popularity when he became a member of Super Junior K-pop boy band who debuted officially as part of the 12-member rotational group Super Junior 05 on November 6, 2005 and Super Junior-T, Super Junior-H and Super Junior-M, its sub-groups. Sungmin has a younger brother, Lee Sungjin. Lee Chun-hwa is Sungmin‘s father, is the CEO of two companies, SendBill, creating e-tax software, and an analytic company known as Network Mania. Sungmin‘s teaser photo was released on June 25 showing a feminine look profile-sided and long blond hair holding a large baby breath flowers bouquet. Super Junior-M released their second album, Break Down with the music video for the lead single of the same name on January 7, 2013.

Lee Hyuk-jae

Eunhyuk, age 27, 2011

Lee Hyuk-jae was born on April 4, 1986 in Neunggok, Goyang, Gyeonggi, best known with his stage name as Eunhyuk, a singer, songwriter, dancer, rapper and television host, and the main dancer and rapper of the Super Junior K-pop boy band and their subgroups, Super Junior-T and Super Junior-H. Eunhyuk  joined Super Junior‘s Mandopop subgroup, Super Junior-M and the Donghae&Eunhyuk  duo in 2011. During Eunhyuk‘s elementary days he was a member of SRD dance group, which stood for song, rap and dance, with childhood friend Kim Junsu. When Eunhyuk turned thirteen, along with Junsu he auditioned for SM Entertainment in 2009, through the company’s Starlight Casting System, and undergo a training in singing, dancing, acting, and a short course of Mandarin Chinese. Eunhyuk, Kim Junsu and Sungmin were placed in a R&B project group in 2002. Eunhyuk was diagnosed with H1N1 influenza on February 26, 2010, but was set to appear as a guest at the Into the New World by Girls Generation label mate encore concert in Seoul, but has to be pulled out and replaced by Leeteuk and Heechul, his band mates. Eunhyuk, with Sungmin was added as two new members of Super Junior-M in 2011. Eunhyuk with Yesung and Shindong filled in for Heechul, their bandmate, who enlisted on September 1  for mandatory military service on September 27, 2011, during the Music Bank performance and Kim Jang-hoon‘s Show! Music Core latest single, “Breakups are So Like Me“. After almost two months release of the Super Junior-T’s first single Rokuko,  on April 19, 2007, Eunhyuk was involved in a car accident, with Shindong, Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and two managers, on their way home after  Super Junior Kiss the Radio show recording.

Lee Dong-hae

Lee Donghae, age 26,

Lee Donghae, 2011

Lee Dong-hae born October 15, 1986,in Mokpo, Jeollanam, known as Donghae. is a South Korean pop idol singer, dancer, rapper, songwriter, actor and promotional model. Donghae is the main dancer, vocal, and rapper of the Super Junior K-pop boy band and its subgroup, Super Junior-M, also one of the chosen  first four Korean artists to appear on Chinese postal stamps. In 2004, Donghae, with Leeteuk were placed into another boy band group and formed Super Junior with other ten trainees. These group was later named as Super Junior 05, the first generation of Super Junior, a rotational music group. Donghae had been cast as the male lead for You Belong Here movie,  as announced on December 14, 2012, that marked as official actor on the big screen, and set to be filmed and release in 2013.

Choi Si-won

Siwon, age 26, 2011

Choi Siwon in Bangkok

Choi Si-won born April 7, 1986 but officially registered as February 10, 1987, best known for his stage name as Siwon, is a SOuth Korean pop idol singer, actor and model, and best known as a member of Super Junior K-pop boy band and its subgroup Super Junior-M. Siwon is chosen as one of the first four South Korean artists to appear on Chinese postal stamps, also the first Korean celebrity to exceed 3 million Twitter followers. Siwon has one younger sister, Jiwon. His father is the CEO currently of a pharmaceutical company, Boryung Medience. Siwon is a Protestant Christian, and has said in an interview, he want to become a missionary after his career. Siwon made an appearance in Precious Family, a short drama, after a year and again in 2005, Eighteen, Twenty-Nine a KBS drama, playing the role as young Kang Bong-man and played the supporting role of Park Sang-woo in 2006 Spring Waltz drama. Siwon played Kang Min, a top celebrity with a prickly personality, with Kim Myung-min playing as production CEO and Jung Ryeo-won, a Korean actress and was aired at the conclusion of Faith. 

Kim Ryeo-wook

Kim Ryeowook, age 25, 2011

Kim Ryeo-wook was born on 21 June 1987, best known for his stage name as Ryeowook, a South Korean pop idol singer, songwriter, Radio DJ. Ryeo-wook is one of three main vocalists of Super Junior, plays the piano and do the accompaniment for fellow members on stage during concerts, K-pop boy band member and its subgroups, Super Junior-M and Super Junior-K.R.Y. Ryeowook  with four other Super Junior members, is one of the first Korean artists to appear on Chinese postal stamps. Ryeowook was the last member to join Super Junior after few weeks before their 2005 official debut, and Kyuhyun came as additional member in 2006. On January 7, 2013, Super Junior-M released their  Break Down second album, with the music video for the lead single with the same name.

Kim Ki-bum

Kim KiBum, age 25, (image credit:DramaWiki.com)

Kyuhyun in Bangkok, age 25

Cho Kyuhyun, 2011

Cho Kyu-hyun was born on February 3, 1988, best known for his name as Kyuhyun , is a South Korean pop idol singer, musical theater actor, radio DJ, MC. Kyuhyun is best known as maknae, or the youngest member, of Super Junior a K-pop boy band, and Super Junior-M and Super Junior-K.R.Y., its sub-groups, and one of the three main vocalists of Super Junior, and debuted in May 2006 (formerly with Super Junior 05 who debuted in November 2005 with Twins (Knock Out) single). Kyuhyun is also one of the first four Korean artists to appear on Chinese postage stamps. Kyuhyun lives with his parents and Cho Ara, his only sister. Kyuhyun as prommotional model, has endorsed for brands such as Pepsi, Yamaha (New Fino), 12 Plus, SPAO, Kyochon Chicken, LG phone, Lotte Duty Free and Bonrich and endorsed from 2011 to 2013 the Masita Seaweed. Kyuhyun and fellow other SM artists Yoona, Choi Minho, Sulli, Seohyun, Siwon become SK Telecom main models in 2013. On the early morning of April 19, 2007, Kyuhyun with fellow Super Junior members Leeteuk, Shindong, Eunhyuk and two managers met a serious car accident when a front tire burst and the car hit a guard rail while returning from the Super Junior Kiss the Radio show, and were all rushed to the hospital. Kyuhyun, had the most injury with fractured hip, pneumothorax from broken ribs and bruises and scratches in his face, who was sitting behind the driver’s seat when the accident occurred. Kyuhyun’s parents was told by the doctors, that they to repair his pierced lungs or else a hole will be develop in his neck and cause damage permanently to his voice. But Kyuhyun’s father rejected to the operation stating that Kyuhyun would rather die than not be able to sing, and pleaded to the doctor to find another way to repair Kyuhyun’s lungs.Kyuhyun was in a state of coma for four days and the chance to live is about 20 percent, and spent in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for 6 days, and was discharged after 78 days in hospital, and released  on July 5, 2007 .

Famous Korean Pop Idols

The arrangement between a couple with (maybe hired or depends on the agreement) a woman that will carry and deliver a child is known as surrogacy. The traditional surrogacy can be the genetic mother of the child being born, which can be conceived through “home artificial  insemination” using fresh or frozen sperm cells or impregnated through intrauterine insemination (IUI), or intracervical insemination (ICI) performed at a health clinic, or the child is unrelated genetically which is known as the gestational surrogacy, which requires the transferring of a created womb or embryo previously, in which the process always takes place in a clinic or hospital. The parent(s) to be are called social parents sometimes, and can do the arrangement of surrogate pregnancy because of infertility of the woman or other medical issues that makes pregnancy or delivery of the child impossible, or maybe at risk, or otherwise undesirable, or because the intended parent(s) are male. The eggs or sperm cells may be provided by the parents who grant the authority, but the sperm, eggs and embryo donor can also be used. In spite of the fact that the idea of vanity surrogacy is a common use of figurative language in popular culture and anti-surrogacy arguments, monetary compensation can or may not be involved in arrangements of surrogacy processing. The commercial surrogacy term is used if the surrogate receives compensation beyond the medical reimbursement and other medical expenses, or it is often referred to as altruistic surrogacy. The surrogacy have various reasons for legality and costs between jurisdictions, resulting in international high rates and interstate activity of surrogacy.

1)  Sofia Vergara

Sofía Vergara, age 40

The Colombian actress, comedian, television host and model, star of the Modern Family, Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara (born July 10, 1972) decided to move to Miami, Florida, to take advantage of opportunities and to  forget the tragedy of her murdered older brother, Rafael in the streets of Bogota, Colombia in 1998. Sofia Vergara, brought her son, mother and sister with her when she migrated to the United States, where her cousin and adopted sister, Sandra worked as television actress. At the age of 18, Sofia Vergara was married to her childhood sweetheart Joe Gonzalez, and gave birth to their son in September 1992, but they later divorced. In 2000, Sofia Vergara was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, undergo a thyroid surgery and iodine radiation treatment and made a full recovery. Sofia Vergara was engaged to her boyfriend Nick Loeb , a businessman in July 10, 2012. According to New York Post reports, Sofia  her fiancé Nick Loeb have announced that they are in the very early stages of a surrogate pregnancy. Sofia Vergara, at age 40, who has a son, 21 year-old Manolo, 21, from her previous marriage,asked a close girlfriend to be the surrogate according to some report.

2)  Bill and Giuliana Ramcic

Bill and Giuliana Rancic (image credit:www.usmagazine.com)

William “Bill” Rancic born May 16, 1971, is an American entrepreneur who was hired by the Trump Organization and the first candidate at the conclusion of the first season The Apprentice of Donald Trump’s reality television show. While his wife is an Italian-American TV personality and journalist and the current E!News co-anchor, Giuliana DePandi-Rancic, was on born August 17, 1974.  Bill Rancic and Giuliana were married on September 1, 2007 in a ceremony at Santa Sophia Church on Capri in Anacapri. The couple have discussed publicly their fertility issues on television talk shows, having tried to conceive since the beginning of 2009. In March 2010, the couple began (IVF) in vitro fertilization, and Giuliana Rancic got pregnant in 2010 spring, however, at nine weeks of pregnancy, she suffered a miscarriage. In November 2010, Giuliana Rancic had a second time IVF transfer, but the procedure failed and did not result in a pregnancy. Her doctor recommended that she undergo for a mammogram,when the couple decided to try for an IVF transfer for the third round, which is how she found out she had breast cancer. But in spite of her cancer, the couple were still motivated to have a baby, so they continued with the egg retrieval until they found a surrogate. Giuliana and Bill Rancic, announced on April 23,2012 on The Today Show that they were expecting their first child, through gestational carrier due in late summer. On August 29, 2012, The Rancic couple welcomed son Edward Duke Rancic on August 29, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. Rancic announced she had been diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer on October 17, 2011, for which she would undergo a lumpectomy (removal of lump in the breast), followed by radiation treatment and returned to work at E! News about a week later. Giuliana Rancic disclosed she had decided to undergo a double mastectomy (removal of breasts) on December 5, 2011.

3)   Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks, age 39

Max Handelman and wife Elizabeth Banks (image credit:http://www.zimbio.com)

Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell February 10, 1974) is an American actress, producer and director. Banks met her husband, on September 6, 1992 on her first day at college, sportswriter and producer Max Handelman, and were married in 2003. The couple struggled with infertility and failed IVF treatments for years, and turn for surrogacy which was the best option for them, which Banks stated, that they want a child “half of me and half of him”. Elizabeth Banks and her husband welcomed their first child, Felix, who was born on March 2011, through a surrogate. Banks announced that her family had welcomed another son, Magnus Mitchell, on November 14, 2012, also born through gestational surrogacy. Banks was raised in a family of both Irish Catholic and Anglo-Saxon Protestant, and went through parts of the Judaism conversion process, her husband’s faith, and studied with rabbis.The couple live in Los Angeles.

4)  Joan Lunden

Joan Lunden, age 62

Joan Lunden and twins (image credit:kinderkord.com)

Joan Lunden born as Joan Elise Blunden in Fair Oaks, California, born September 19, 1950, is an American journalist, author and TV host, from 1980 to 1997 she was a co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) and is the author of 8 books. Lunden has appeared on the Biography Channel and Biography program. In 1978, Joan Lunden was married to Michael A. Krauss but later divorced in 1992, the couple have three daughters: Jamie Beryl Krauss, born July 4, 1980; Lindsay Leigh Krauss (born 1983); and Sarah Emily Krauss (born 1987). After Lunden marriage to Krauss, she converted to Judaism. On April 18, 2000, Joan Lunden married Jeff Konigsberg  and have four children, two sets of twins, one boy and one girl, Max and Kate, born on June 10, 2003, and Jack and Kimberly, born on March 1, 2005. The two sets of twins were born through the help of a surrogate mother, thus, Joan Lunden has become a spokeswoman for surrogacy. At age 54, Joan Lunden decided to use a surrogate to have twins, as she revealed to MSNBC, due to failure to have children with husband Jeff Konigsberg, when they attempt to have surrogacy using their own fertilized womb. The couple now have two stes of twins ages seven and nine through a surrogate mother and the same carrier. Lunden stated, “surrogacy could be difficult, because the woman that carry the child was biologically related to the child”.

5)  Sarah Jessica Parker

Matthew Broderick, age 51 and Sarah Jessica Parker, age 48

Sarah Jessica Parker with twins (image credit:www.usmagazine.com)

Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress, model, singer and producer, best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw’s 1998 to 2004, Sex and the City HBO television series, for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Emmy Awards. From 1984 to 1991, Sarah Jessica Parker was romantically linked with Robert Downey,Jr. after they met at Firstborn set. Robert Downey, Jr. had a drug problem, which affected their relationship until they broke up. Parker married Matthew Broderick on May 19, 1997, introduced by one of Jessica Parker’s brothers The couple married in a historic synagogue on the Lower East Side in Manhattan in a civil ceremony. In 2002, the couple welcome their first son, James Wilkie Broderick, named after Broderick’s father, James Joseph Broderick, the actor and Wilkie Collins, a writer. In June 2009, Parker and Broderick, welcomed twin daughters, Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge, who were delivered through a surrogate. According to 47 year-old Parker, the gestational carrier was harassed by paparazzi, who had discovered her identity during her pregnancy.

6)  Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Nicole Kidman, age 45 with husband Keith Urban, age 45

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban with kids (image credit:www.celebritybabycraze.com

Nicole Mary Kidman, AC, born June 20, 1967, is an Australian actress, singer and film producer. Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is a New Zealand born and Australian raised country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. Nicole Kidman has been married twice, first to Tom Cruise, actor and current husband Keith Urban, singer. Kidman has an adopted son, born in 1995, Connor Anthony and Isabella Jane, born 1992, adopted daughter, with Tom Cruise and two biological daughters with husband Keith Urban, which Kidman met  in Australian country music festival. They married on June 25,2006, Kidman and Urban’s first daughter, was born in 2008, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, in Nashville. In 2010, Kidman and Urban welcomed their second daughter, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban,  in 2010 through surrogacy. 

7)  Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin and his twins, Matteo and Valentino (image credit:pryncepality.com)

The Puerto Rican pop singer, actor, songwriter and author, who gained popularity as the first member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, Enrique “Ricky” Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), and since 1991, he became known as a solo artist. Ricky Martin revealed that he was a “fortunate homosexual man”, in 2010 ending his fan’s speculation on the gay rumors for years. His twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, were born in 2008 via a surrogate mother. Martin also is also the co-owner of Casa Salsa, a Miami restaurant, and in 2007, Martin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ricky Martin acquired Spanish nationality on November 4, 2011 in recognition of his artistic talents and for having roots in the country, because of Martin’s grandmother is Spanish, and owns a residence in Madrid, Spain. After the birth of his biological twin boys, Valentino and Matteo, who was conceived in 2008, through an anonymous surrogate mother,  hearthrob singer Ricky Martin, decided to open up about his homosexuality.

8)  Angela Basset and Courtney Vance

Angela Bassett, age 54 and Courtney Vance, age 53

Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. Angela Bassett, earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama in 1983, where she met future husband, Courtney B. Vance, a drama school 1986 graduate. Bassett worked as a receptionist for a beauty salon and as a photo researcher after graduation. Angela Bassett and actor, Courtney B. Vance,  married in 1997, and had children, son Slater Josiah and daughter Bronwyn Golden, were born via surrogate, on January 27, 2006. Courtney Bernard Vance is an American actor,born March 12, 1960, a regular cast member of the Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the television series, in which he played the role as Ron Carver, the Assistant District Attorney. Angela Bassett, 54, and her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance, 52, struggled for seven years to try and have a child. After failed fertility treatments, the college sweethearts talked to a friend who recommended surrogacy.

9)  Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris with David Burtka and their twins (image credit:celebkids.whyfame.com

Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, director, producer and magician, best known for the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D.  On November 2006, Neil Patrick Harris confirmed he is gay. In September 2007, Harris attended the Emmy awards with his partner David Burtka, an American actor and chef, born May 29, 1975, which Burtka later confirmed the relationship, which began in 2004.  Harris announced on August 14, 2010, that he and Burtka were expecting twins via a surrogate mother, and the fraternal twins, son, Gideon Scott and daughter, Harper Grace in 2010. Harris and Burtka had been together for seven years when they started the process for surrogacy, which resulted in twins, and revealed with his longtime partner.  Harris told People magazine, “We inserted two eggs, one with my sperm, one with David’s sperm and they both took,” for the gestational process.

10)   Elton John

Elton John and David Furnish with their baby (image credit:numberoneentertainment.tv)

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947),age 66, is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor. John was engaged to be married to his first lover, secretary Linda Woodrow, in the late 1960′s who is mentioned in the song ” Someone Saved My Life Tonight”. He married Renate Blauel, German recording engineer, on February 14, 1984, in Darling Point, Sydney, with speculation of “covering his homosexuality” with that the marriage. In 1976, John had revealed and come out as bisexual, but after his divorce in 1988 from Blauel, John stated that he was “comfortable being gay”. Elton John began a relationship in 1993 with David Furnish, born October 25, 1962, age 50, a Canadian-British former advertising executive and now filmmaker and film director for his Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras documentary. On December 21, 2005, John and Furnish entered a civil partnership. On December 25, 2010, John and Furnish welcomed  their son, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, born to a surrogate mother in California. Lady Gaga and magazine editor Ingrid Sischy’s partner Sandy Brant was chosen as Zachary’s godmothers. Then on January  11, 2013, a second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, was born by the same surrogate mother, to the couple, John and Furnish. In September 2009, John announced his intention to adopt a 14-month-old boy, Lev, in September 2009, from an AIDS orphanage in Ukraine, but he was denied due to his age and marital status.

11)    Matt Bomer

Matt Bomer, age 35

Matt Bomer and Simon Halls with three children (image credit:thesenews.com)

Matthew Staton “Matt” Bomer (born October 11, 1977) is an American film, stage and television actor, best known from his role on 2009 premier of White Collar. In 2001, Bomer made his television debut with Guiding Light, and received notice with his recurring role as Bryce Larkin in the Chuck NBC television series. Matthew Bomer is in a relationship with Simon Halls, publicist. Bomer and Halls has three sons, including a set of twins via a surrogate mother. In 2012, Bomer publicly acknowledged that he was gay, when he thanked Simon Halls and their children during his Steve Chase Humanitarian Award’s acceptance speech.

12)   Jillian Michaels

Jillian Michaels and Heidi Rhoades with son Phoenix and daughter Lukensia (image credit:www.usmagazine.com)

Jillian Michaels (born February 18, 1974), age 39, is an American personal trainer, reality show personality, host of a talk show, The Doctors, program and entrepreneur from LA, California. Jillian Michaels is best known for her The Biggest Loser appearances on NBC and Losing It With Jillian. Michaels who revealed that she was lesbian in 2011,  has two children with her partner Heidi Rhoades. In May 2012, Michaels adopted their then-two-year-old daughter, Lukensia from Haiti, and Rhoades gave birth to their son, Phoenix, that same month. Michaels has stated on her sexuality, “Let’s just say I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a woman, that’s awesome. If I fall in love with a man, that’s awesome. As long as you fall in love… it’s like organic food. I only eat healthy food, and I only want healthy love!” During childhood, Michaels suffers from (ADHD) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The 38 year-old Michaels and partner Heidi Rhoades, declined to reveal on what method they used for Rhoades to conceive and the identity of the biological father of their son.

Jodie Foster with her sons Christopher, 12 and Charlie, 10 (image credit:www.adelaidenow.com.au)

Jodie Foster, age 50

Melissa Etheridge, age 51

Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwriter and iconic gay and lesbian activist since her revelation in January 1993. Etheridge is known for her mixture of personal-style lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and husky, smoky vocals. Etheridge had a long-term partner, Julie Cypher,gave birth to two children, Bailey Jean, born February 10, 1997, and Beckett, born November 1998, fathered by David Crosby, the sperm donor. However, in September 19, 2000, Melissa Etheridge and  Julie Cypher announced their separation, after Cypher began to consider again her sexuality. Etheridge documented her breakup and experiences during her long term relationship with Cypher in her memoir in 2001. Etheridge began dating actress Tammy Lynn Michaels in 2002, and the couple had a commitment ceremony on September 20, 2003. Etheridge and Michaels announced in April 2006,  that Michaels was pregnant with twins through an anonymous sperm donor. On October 17, 2006, Michaels gave birth to twins, a daughter, Johnnie Rose, and a son, Miller Steven. Etheridge and Michaels announced they had separated on April 15, 2010. It was announced that their two- year battle for  child custody had been settled in May 2012. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2004, and underwent chemotherapy treatment.

15)  Marissa Jaret Winokur

Marissa Jaret Winokur, age 40

Marissa with son, Zev Isaac Miller (image credit:igossip.com)

Marissa Jaret Winokur or better known as Marissa Winokur, (born February 2, 1973), is an American actress, noted for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in the Hairspray film, a Broadway musical highly successful adaptation of John Waters, as well as her work on the Stacked, a Pamela Anderson sitcom. During the early development stages of Hairspray, Winokur was diagnosed with cervical cancer during her Hairspray musical work, and underwent treatment for her cancer, without revealing her health condition to anyone except her immediate family out of fear that she would be replaced in the film. Winokur finally, made a full recovery and remained in the show. On October 7, 2006, Marissa Winokur married Judah Miller, writer on Stacked. The couple announced in March 2008, that they were expecting their first  born son, to be named Zev, through a surrogate mother in her five months pregnancy. On July 22, 2008, Winokur and Miller, helped their son,  Zev Isaac Miller delivered by surrogate mother,weighing in at 8’7 pounds and measured 21 inches long.

16) Dennis Quaid

Dennis Quaid, age 59

Dennis Quaid with Kimberly and 5 years old Thomas and Zoe (image credit:www.usmagazine.com

Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for his comedy and drama roles, who gained attention in 1980′s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder. Quaid has been married three times and has three children. Quaid and his first wife,  P.J. Soles, also an actress, were married on November 25, 1978 but filed divorce and finalized on January 23, 1983. On February 14, 1991, Dennis Quaid married his second wife, on February 14, 1991, Meg Ryan, a famous actress, and had a son, Jack Henry born on April 24, 1992. Quaid and Ryan were divorced on July 16, 2001. For the third time, Quaid married Kimberly Buffington, a real estate agent from Texas, on July 4, 2004 at his Paradise Valley, Montana ranch. On November 8, 2007, the couple welcomed their fraternal twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, born through a gestational carrier in Santa Monica, California. In March 2012, Kimberly Buffington filed for divorce from Quaid, and stated to the divorce petition, that their marriage had “become insupportable because of conflict of personalities.” However, on April 26, 2012, the lawyer of Buffington then withdrew the divorce papers, and the family moved to California in the 2012 summer.  In October 2012, Quaid and Buffington again decided to separate, in October 2012, and Buffington filed for legal separation, and seeking joint legal and sole physical custody of the twins. Dennis Quaid filed for divorce on November 30, 2012, after waiting for the required six months residency in California to be establish,  asking for joint legal and physical custody of the children and offering to pay spousal support to Buffington.

17)  Katey Sagal

Katey Sagal, age 59

Catherine Louise “Katey” Sagal (born January 19, 1954) is an American actress, singer and songwriter, best known for her role and performance as Peggy Bundy on Married…with Children, a long running Fox comedy series. Sagal was married to Freddie Beckmeier, a German-American musician (1978–1981) and and Jack White (November 26, 1993 until July 24, 2000). While working on “Married… with Children”, in 1991,  Sagal learned she was pregnant, and this was unexpected pregnancy was written into the storyline of the show. However, in her seventh month pregnancy, in October 1991, she had to have an emergency Caesarean section, ending in the stillbirth (a fetus has died in the womb) of a daughter. Katey Sagal and, second husband, Jack White had two children, a daughter, Sarah and Jackson, a son. On October 2, 2004, Sagal married Kurt Sutter, a writer-producer in a private ceremony at their Los Feliz, California home. Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter welcome their daughter, Esme, who was born through a surrogate mother. 

18) Laurie Metcalf

Laurie Metcalf, age 57

 Lauren Elizabeth “Laurie” Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress, gained popularity for her performance as Jackie Harris, on Roseanne, the ABC sitcom, and has also had roles as Carolyn Bigsby on Desperate Housewives and as Mary Cooper on The Big Bang Theory television series. Laurie Metcalf married Jeff Perry,co-founder member of  Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1983. They had a daughter, Zoe born in 1984, and later divorced, in 1992. Metcalf had relationship with her Roseanne co-star, Matt Roth,who played her abusive boyfriend as Fisher. The couple had a son, Will, born on November 1993 and eventually got married. The couple worked together in the “Blink” thriller film in 1994 and the Chicago Cab, 1998 drama,they also appeared together in a Desperate Housewives episode. In 2005, they welcome their daughter, Mae, via a surrogate mother. Matt Roth filed for divorce, in September 2011, citing irreconcilable differences, and on November 26, 2008, Roth and Metcalf separated.

19) Kelsey Grammer

Kelsey Grammer, age 58

The American actor and comedian, Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) best known for portrayal as Dr. Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist on Cheers NBC sitcoms and Frasier for two decades. Grammer has won five Emmy Awards, and has also worked as a producer for television,director, writer, and as The Simpsons voice artist. Grammer has been married four times and has five children. In 1996, Kelsey met on a blind date, a former Playboy model, Camille Donatacci, and got married in August 1997. Together they have a daughter, Mason Olivia (born October 24, 2001), and a son, Jude Gordon (born August 28, 2004), both born to a surrogate mother. On July 1, 2010, it was announced that Camille Donatacci had filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, was finalized on February 10, 2011. Kelsey Grammer announced on August 12, 2010, that he was going to be a father for the fifth time with his girlfriend Kayte Walsh, a British flight attendant who is 25 years his junior. However, in October, Grammer announced six weeks earlier that Walsh had miscarriage. Grammer announced in January 2012,  that he and Walsh were expecting twins. On July 13, 2012, Walsh gave birth to the couple’s first child together, a daughter named Faith Evangeline Elisa, Faith’s expected twin, a boy, had died in utero or embryo (womb).

20) Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe

Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe

Michael Jackson and his three children

Michael Jacksons children, Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket (image credit:www.gossipmagnews.com)

The famous American singer, songwriter, entertainer, music producer, actor, dancer and choreographer, musician, businessman and philanthropist Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958, died June 25, 2009) famously referred to as the King of Pop and his MJ Jackson’s initials.  MJ. Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley married on May 26, 1994, in the Dominican Republic. Lisa Marie- Jackson disagreed with having children by the singer, stated that imagining the future and what would happen if their marriage ended, Presley saw a “custody battle nightmare”. In early 1996, Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and noting as December 10, 1995 as their date of separation shortly after the hospital incident. The divorce was finalized on August 20, 1996. Michael Jackson met Debbie Rowe in the mid-1980′s, while working as an assistant for the MJ’s dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein (rumored to be the biological father of Prince Jackson). MJ was diagnosed with vitiligo in 1986. Debbie Rowe treated Jackson’s vitiligo, and that would affect Jackson’s physical appearance for the rest of his life. During those days of married life of Jackson and Presley, she had refused to carry Jackson’s child, Debbie Rowe offered to give birth to a child for the  Michael Jackson, Shortly after the Jackson and Presley’s separation, Rowe became pregnant but in March 1996, she had a miscarriage. According to some reports Jackson impregnated Rowe via artificial insemination with his own sperm cells, a “foolproof” method of insemination. When the news of Rowe’s pregnancy broke to Jackson’s mother Katherine, heard the news of Rowe’s pregnancy, she urge Michael Jackson, to marry Rowe, the mother of his unborn child. On November 13, 1996,  Jackson and Rowe married in a ceremony at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Sydney, Australia, and exchanged I do’ witnessed by 15 friends. Jackson and Rowe’s first child, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. better known as Prince Michael, was born on February 13, 1997, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.  Debbie Rowe saw her son for the first time, six weeks after the birth of Prince Michael.Rowe had met with Jackson to pose for photographs with their newborn son at a hotel room, where Rowe was ushered, where she was given the infant to hold and told to smile for the camera with Michael. After the brief meeting and pictorials, Rowe, was sent on her way, because she did not want to become too attached to Prince, as she felt it would give her harder situation to deal with. In November 1997, Rowe announced that she was pregnant with Jackson’s second child, and the expected baby girl will be named Paris, after the French city, where she conceived. On April 3, 1998, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born, where her middle names come from her grandmother and father. According to some claims, Michael Jackson  was so anxious following the birth of his daughter, that he “snatched” his newborn daughter, ran straight home “with all the placenta and everything all over  the baby”. Rowe confirmed that Jackson had the placenta kept and frozen. Debbie Rowe asked MJ Jackson for a divorce, because she feels uncomfortable with their arrangement,  which he granted on October 8, 1999, without a fuss. Rowe received around $10 million in a settlement, and was given initial immediate payment of $1.5 million. Rowe gave Jackson full custody rights to their children after the divorce. After the couple’s  divorce, Jackson, announced to have a third child. Prince Michael II nicknamed Blanket, was born on February 21, 2002, to an anonymous surrogate mother. Debbie Rowe denied being the biological mother of Prince Michael II or Blanket Jackson. Michael Jackson stated that the baby was produced via artificial insemination using his own sperm cells, through a surrogate mother whom Jackson claimed he did not know the surrogate mother, and the mother did not know him. Jackson added that in asking for a surrogate mother, he did not care what race does the surrogate mother have. However, it does matter to MJ that the mother was intelligent, healthy and had uncorrected eyesight. There are questions that frequently arisen as to whether Jackson was the biological father of his three children, with doubts, that surfaced after it was reported that the African American King of Pop’s son, Prince had light skin, but in 2003, Michael Jackson insisted that he was the biological father of his three children.

21)  Peri Gilpin

Peri Gilpin, age 51

Peri Gilpin and husband Christian Vincent with 5 years old twins (image credit:ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com)

Peri Gilpin (born Peri Kay Oldham, May 27, 1961) is an American actress, who gained popularity for the role as Roz Doyle, in Frasier, the U.S. television series that runs from 1993 until 2004. On July 31, 1999, Gilpin married Christian Vincent, the realist painter. The couple have twins , Stella May and Ava, born on May 7, 2004, through a surrogate mother. Peri Gilpin is godmother to Jane Leeve, a co-star of the sitcom Frasier to daughter Isabella, while Jane Leeve is the godmother to Gilpin’s daughter, Stella.

22)  Michelle Stafford

Michelle Stafford,

Michelle Stafford with Daughter (image credit:sn.soapnet.go.com)

Michelle Stafford is an American actress, known for her portrayal on The Young and the Restless, as Phyllis Summers (born September 14, 1965). Michelle had a daughter, Natalia Scout Lee Stafford, born on December 21, 2009, through a surrogate mother. After unsuccessful several attempts to conceive with failed egg retrieval surgeries, artificial insemination and invitro fertilization, Stafford stated that the process of trying to become pregnant was “the hardest thing she ever done in her life.” When Natalia Scout Lee Stafford was born on December 21, 2009, Stafford’s dreams came true to become a mother.

23)  Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry, age 33

Chris Daughtry with twins (image credit:igossip.com)

Christopher Adam “Chris” Daughtry (born December 26, 1979) is an American musician known as the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the Daughtry rock band, and the 4th place on the 5th season of American Idol contestant. On May 10, 2006, Daughtry was eliminated from Idol competition, and was given a record deal by RCA Records and formed the Daughtry rock band. Chris Daughtry stated that his hair started to get bald, and made the decision to completely shave his head in order to retain a pleasing personality. Since November 11, 2000 Daughtry was married to Deanna Daughtry, and together, they have four children, a stepdaughter, Hannah, born September 7, 1996 from his Deanna’s previous marriage, a stepson, Griffin, born June 30, 1998 and twins, Adalynn Rose and Noah James, born November 17, 2010. In 2006, Deanna Daughtry, underwent a partial hysterectomy. When the Daughtry couple wanted to give their two other children another sibling, they turned to a gestational surrogate, and their dream of additional family member came true, when they welcomed fraternal twins Adalynn Rose and Noah James Daughtry, on November 2010,through gestational carrier.  Due to Deanna’s partial hysterectomy, the couple used a surrogate mother to carry their twins.

24)   Cindy Margolis

Cindy Margolis, age 47

Cynthia Dawn “Cindy” Margolis is an American actress, and  glamorous spokesmodel (born October 1, 1965). Margolis’ career began with a greeting cards business class project at the California State University at Northridge, where she created personalized greeting cards with her pictures wearing lingerie with her contact number on it, she stated during an interview with Playboy.Thus, Margolis’ modeling career went off when her agents started asking about the woman on the cards. She also became a commercial model in advertising companies such as Vidal Sassoon, Hanes, Sunkist, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Reebok, and became 1986 Miss Makita Power Tools and made appearances at woodworking trade shows. Raised as Jewish, Margolis was married to Guy Starkman, a restaurateur. Margolis gave birth to her son, Nicholas Isaac in 2002, following in-vitro fertility treatment. On 2005, their twin daughters Sabrina and Sierra were born via a surrogate mother. In 2008, Margolis and her husband, Guy Starkman separated .

25)  Taylor Dane

Taylor Dayne, age 51

Born Leslie Wunderman best known in her stage name as Taylor Dayne (born March 7, 1962), an American actress, pop singer and songwriter. Taylor Dane was best known for her 1980′s dance hit Tell It To My Heart, and also was featured in the VH1 series, Remaking in late 1987, also featuring were her close friends, Lea Remini and Michelle Reid, referred to as the VH1 Don. Dayne’s return to music after taking time off to take care of her twins, Levi and Astaria, born on December 30, 2001, through a surrogate mother.

26)  William Petersen

William Petersen, age 60

William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor and producer, best known for his portrayal as Dr. Gilbert “Gil” Grissom on the hit CSI: Crime Secen Investigation on CBS series, as Richard Chance in the To Live and Die in L.A. and in the Manhunter film as Will Graham. In July 2003, William Petersen married longtime girlfriend Gina Cirone. He has a daughter, Maite born in 1975, from his previous marriage. Maite gave birth to his grandsons, Mazrik William in October 2003 and Indigo August, in August 2009. On July 5, 2011, Petersen and Cirone welcome their twins, a son and a daughter on July 5, 2011 through a surrogate mother.

 27)  Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower

Robert De Niro, age 69 and wife,Grace Hightower, age 58

Robert De Niro born August 17, 1943, is an American actor, director and producer. Robert De Niro and his first wife Diahnne Abbott have a son, Raphael, a former actor who works in New York real estate, and adopted Abbott’s daughter from a previous marriage, Drena De Niro. In 1995, De Niro and long term live-in partner, Toukie Smith, a former model,welcomed twin sons, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrik, conceived via in-vitro fertilization and delivered through a surrogate mother. De Niro married his second wife in 1997, actress Grace Hightower, an American actress, singer and philanthropist (born April 7, 1955) at their Marbletown home. In 1998, the couple welcome a son, Elliot De Niro, and the couple split in 1999, however their divorce was never finalized and renewed their vows in 2004. Hightower and De Niro welcomed a daughter, Helen Grace, born in December 2011 through a surrogate mother. In addition to his six children, De Niro has grandchildren, from his eldest daughter Drena he has one grandchild and from his son Raphael he has two grandchildren. De Niro had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2003, and underwent surgery in December same year, at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and it has now gone into procedure that ends the medication.

 

 

Celebrity Hired Surrogate Mother

Korean drama or k-drama for short, referring to television miniseries dramas, filmed and produced in South Korea. These Korean drama became a phenomenon and popular of the Korean wave called Hallyu, throughout Asia and other parts of the world, and also “drama fever” in some countries. The popularity of the Korean drama programming became available in areas with ethnic Koreans, and became famous in the United States. Netflix began offering several Korean dramas as part of its video selection in November 2008, then the DramaFever ,began offering free subtitled video streaming services in the United States on August 2009, with video advertisements. The Korean dramas began airing on a DramaFever channel on Hulu, and Viki stream streams most of the popular dramas with subtitles in different languages from the last few years in May 2010.The Korean dramas streams English-subtitled versions of the most popular current dramas in South Korea. However, some Korean dramas,are not available for North America (region 1) encoding and NTSC video format.

1) Dream High

Dream High

Bae Su Ji  aka Suzy

Suzy , age 18, 2013

Suzy was born in Gwangju, South Korea on October 10, 1994, born Bae Su Ji better known by her stage name Suzy. She is a South Korean actress, singer, dancer, model and MC. Suzy became known for her role as Go Hye-mi in Dream High a KBS2 TV series, as Jang Ma Ri in Big and Young Yang Seo Yeon in the Architecture 101 movie. Suzy is a member of the Miss A Korean girl group, which she started in 2010, under JYP Entertainment with the AQ Entertainment.

Ok Taec-Yeon

Ok Taekyeon, age 24 , Dream High TV drama series

Ok Taec-Yeon born December 27, 1988, in Busan, South Korea, better known as Taec-yeon, is a member of the 2PM Korean boy band, in which he is the main rapper. Taecyeon started as an actor in 2010, in Cinderella’s Sister, the Korean drama and became a main character in Dream High, the KBS drama. Taec-yeon and his parents and Jihven, an older sister, immigrated to Bedford, Massachusetts, a small town situated in the Greater Boston Area, where they lived there for seven years, attending Bedford High School, where he was an active member of the Chess Club, Jazz Band, JV Soccer Team and National Honor Society, before returning to South Korea, to pursue his acting career. Taec-yeon continued his studies at Gel In High School in Seoul and took up Business Administration at Dankook University. Tae-cyeon  can speak English, Korean, and Japanese fluently.

Lee Ji-eun

IU, Korean Singer, age 19

Lee Ji-eun born May 16, 1993, is a South Korean actress and singer, known by her stage name IU. Her  unique stage name is derived from the phrase “I and You“, symbolizing unity or that we can become one through music. In her South Korean country home, she is referred to as the “Nation’s Little Sister” because of her different personality traits. Her fan club name is U-ana (Uaena), U symbolized as “you”, is from English, and “ae” is Sino-Korean for “love”, and “na” is Korean for “me”.

Jang Wooyoung

Jang Wooyoung, age 23

Jang Wooyoung better known as Wooyoung, was born on April 30, 1989, is a South Korean idol and K-pop singer and boy band 2PM as one of six members managed by JYP Entertainment. Woo-young speaks Korean, Japanese and English language learned from his elementary education. At a young age, Woo-young’s dream is to become a singer but his father is not in favor of his dream career and wanted him to have a simple and normal life, but his mother supported him. Woo-young however, did not give up on his dream, and attended dance rehearsals often, but remained focus on his studies and don’t want to disappoint his father. Woo-young wrote letter to his father three times to convince him, until his father gave his approval. Since Woo-young became a popular singer, his father sends him encouragement letters to boost his moral.

Ham Eun-jeong

Ham Eun-jeong, age 24

T-ara, South Korean girl group, in Cyworld Dream Music Festival

Ham Eun-jeong sometimes spelled as Ham Eun Jung, born December 12, 1988, in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean actress, singer, dancer, rapper, model and a member of T-ara K-pop girl group. Ham Eun-jeong’s mother, a graduate of Ewha Womans University, a former piano teacher and now works as agent to her only child, Eun-jeong. She starred and played the role of Baek-Hee in the Dream High drama. Eun-jeong  also took part in K-dramas such as King Geunchogo and Queen Insoo, a historical dramas.

Kim Soo Hyun

Kim Soo Hyun , age 25 (image credit: www.ristizona.com)

Kim Soo-hyun is a South Korean actor, singer and model,born February 16, 1988, best known for his roles in Dream High, a KBS TV series, and played the role as Song Sam-dong and fictional king of Joseon Lee Hwon in Moon Embracing the Sun, an MBC historical drama. As a child, Kim Soo-hyun was very quiet and shy in middle school and no one expected him to enter the world of entertainment field. To change his personality, Kim Soo-hyun, first started acting in high school, but became serious in memorizing scripts and practiced for school plays, and made Kim’s inspiration to fulfill and become an actor. Kim enrolled in Chung-Ang University, majoring in Film Studies and Theater and in 2003, Kim appeared in Grease and A Midsummer Night’s Dream musicals.

2)  Dr. Champ

Dr Champ

Jung Gyu Woon

Jung Gyu Woon, age 30 (image credit: www.askkpop.com)

Jung Gyu-woon is a South Korean actor, born June 28, 1982, in 2004, made his acting debut with the mobile drama Five Stars. In 2008, Jung Gyu-woon was first  notice when he portrayed two different roles, as a crazy young executive in La Dolce Vita and in Women of the Sun, as a calm and patient boyfriend who suffers for love. In 2009, Jung’s became popular with the melodramas Again, My Love, and Loving You a Thousand Times, the second one became the first Korean drama exported to Bulgaria. Jung began to be cast in lead roles, in 2010 to 2011 including a role as Park Ji Heon, a judo athlete training for the Olympics in Dr. Champ, and as a cop working in the violent crimes division in forensic medical drama series, Sign, and a man who fall in love with a maid in Romance Town. In 2012, Jung Gyu-woon, received the best reviews of his career for his corporate spy role in History of a Salaryman.

Kim So-Yeon

Kim-So-Yeon, age 32 (image credit: www.hot-idol.com)

Kim So-yeon born November 2, 1980 in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean actress who starred in All About Eve and main actress in hit Korean drama, Iris television series, and performed in 2005 in Tsui Hark’s Seven Swords. In 2008, Kim So-yeon starred a main role in Gourmet Korean miniseries drama that consists of 20 episodes. Kim plays the role of Kim Seon-hwa, a North Korean agent in Iris miniseries. Kim also portrayed in the love story drama in a lead role Prosecutor Princess, with recent Chuno star Yoo gun and Iljimae star Park Si-hoo, while Kim So-yeon belongs to the Namoo Actors agency. Kim portrayed as guest role in Iris spin-off Athena: Goddess of War, A return to an original theme of her role as Kim Seon-hwa in two episodes.

Uhm Tae-woong

Uhm-Tae-Woong, age 38, (image credit: koreanvibe.com)

Uhm Tae-woong and wife Yoon Hye-jin (image credit:koreanindo.net)

Uhm Tae-woong is a South Korean actor,born April 5, 1974. Uhm Tae-woong‘s mother was pregnant with him, when his father (a music teacher in a public school), died from a motorcycle accident. After his father’s death, his mother, three older sisters, and Uhm as the youngest, faced financial problems and hardship. Uhm Jung-hwa, his older sister,known as Madonna of Korea, entered show business as a pop singer and released her first album in 1993, and became an actress. In 2007 to 2009, Uhm dated Lee Young-jin, actress-model, but parted ways. Uhm Tae-woong made the surprise announcement that he was engaged to professional ballerina Yoon Hye-jin, on November 4, 2012 during 1 Night 2 Days episode, and that they are expecting their first child. Yoon Hye-jin  a principal dancer with the Korea National Ballet and transfered to Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, is the daughter of veteran actor Yoon Il-bong and niece of veteran actor Yoo Dong-geun, Uhm’s older sister Uhm Jung-hwa introduced him to Yoon Hye-jin, the couple married at the Conrad Hotel Seoul on January 9, 2013. Uhm Tae-woong portrayed the role of Dr. Lee Do Wook in Korean drama sereis, Dr. Champ.

Uhm Jung hwa, Madonna of Korea, elder sister of Uhm Tae-woong

Uhm Jung-hwa (born August 17, 1969) in Jecheon, North Chungcheong, South Korea, is a South Korean actress and pop singer, second child of Yoo Gyeong-sook and Uhm Jin-ok, elder sister of Uhm Tae Woong. She was four when their father died of accident, and her family struggled with financial difficulties. Uhm Jung-hwa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and by May 2010 she undergone a thyroidectomy and fully recovered after surgery.

Lee Young-jin, age 32 (image credit:www.tvrage.com/)

Lee Young Jin sometimes spelled as Lee Yeong-jin, born February 24, 1981, is a South Korean actress. The 32 year-old actress was once linked to Uhm Tae-woong.

3) Prosecutor Princess

Prosecutor Princess

Kim So-yeon, portrayed the role as Ma Hye-ri, a prosecutor with beauty and sexy body that attract other male prosecutors in her office, but hated by  Jin Jeong-seon.  Ma Hye-ri passed the Bar Exam in one shot, graduated from the Judicial Research and Training Institute with top grades.

Park Si-hoo

Park-Si-Hoo, age 36, (image credit:www.boleh.com)

Park Si-hoo born Park Pyeong-ho on April 3, 1976,  is a South Korean actor. He was noted for his character as Seo In-woo, a lawyer in Prosecutor Princess, a television series in 2010 followed by The Princess’ Man in 2011. In 1997, Park Pyeong-ho started his acting career in theater, putting up posters, handing out flyers, worked as underwear model and appeared  in bit parts or as an extra on stage, and led to his acting debut in The Twelve Nyang Life play. Park Si-hoo played the role of lawyer Seo In-woo in Prosecutor Princess, where he gained  the fame and the term “Seo Byun syndrome” was developed for his growing fans. This success followed in 2011 with the Jo-seon drama period, The Princess’ Man, a critical big hit and ratings. Park Si-hoo’s father was a fashion and commercial model during his younger days, and Park Wu-ho, his younger brother is a former Hyundai Unicorns’ baseball player . Park Si-hoo was charged with allegedly raping a 22-year-old aspiring un-named actress on February 18, 2013. According to some reports, on February 15, 2013, the said starlet and Park Si-hoo was heavily drunk, from a bar at Gangnam District, she and Park went to his apartment in Cheongdam-dong at around 2 a.m., where she lost consciousness and when she woke up, she realized she had been raped. Park Si-hoo denied the allegations, in a statement released through his management agency, but he admitted that he had sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual.

Han Jung-soo

Han-Jung-soo, age 39 (image credit: www.koreandramafc.com)

 Han Jung-soo, born Novemebr 11, 1973 in Seoul, South, Korea, is an actor, portrayed the role as Yoon Se-joon, the Chief Prosecutor of Ma Hye-ri’s office, tall and handsome, capable, cold, cynical, harsh and this attractive man is called “The Gregory Peck of the Prosecutor World.”   He is best known for his television series roles in The Slave Hunters and Prosecutor Princess. 

Choi Song Hyun

Choi Song Hyun (image credit: www.dramawiki.pl)

Choi Song-hyun, born April 11, 1982, is an actress and announcer, her first drama debut was Gourmet in 2008. Choi Song-hyun, played the role of prosecutor Jin Jeong-seon, and (Kim So-yeon) Ma Hye-ri‘s natural enemy, as the hot-blooded prosecutor who lives by justice and dies by justice. She runs around the prosecutors office as though she’ll save the world all by herself, and the reason why she was called older sister or “Eagle Noona” and also as “Double Blade”, because the way she talk she cuts like a knife. She fell in love secretly and admire chief Yoon Se-joon from afar. The chief who lost his wife few years ago, thus, prosecutor Jin Jeong-seon wait for his wounds to heal. She asked her mother, using threats and pleas, to baby-sit Bin, Yoon’s seven year-old daughter, and looks after Bin providently. Her character is inept at expressing emotions, as well as bumbling, timid, and naively unaware of social norms, until she finally expressed her feelings for Se-joon and became friend with Ma Hye-ri.

Park Jeong-Ah or Park Jung-ah

Park Jeong-ah, age 32

Park Jeong-Ah  or spelled Park Jung-Ah, born on February 24, 1981, is a South Korean actress and singer. Park Jeong-Ah first debut as a girl group member Jewelry in 2001, and she became the group leader. Park became one of the more popular Jewelry members and has been noted for being the bandmate’s older sister. She debuted as an actress in 2003, and has since appeared in various movies and dramas. Park Jung-ah, portrayed the role as Jenny Ahn,the 29 year-old best friend of lawyer In-woo, an international lawyer, a Korean whowas adopted into the U.S. as an infant. She met In-woo when he came to live with an adoptive father and enrolled in her middle school. Soon Park Jung-ah found out about In-woo’s heartbreaking past, which was even deeper than her own heartbreak over being abandoned by her biological parents, she held out her helping hand to him: “I’ll be your sister,” and treat like brother and sister, like family. When Lawyer In-woo decided to leave for Korea to fulfill his “revenge” work that he’s dreamed of all his life, she followed In-woo to help him.

4) City Hunter

City Hunter

Lee Min Ho

Lee Min Ho, age 25

Lee Min-ho born June 22, 1987, in Heukseok-dong, Dongiak-gu, Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean actor who is best known for his 2009 Boys Over Flowers  leading roles as Gu Jun-pyo, the leader of F4 group of students, and 2011 action drama City Hunter. Lee Min-ho lives with his father, mother and one older sister. Lee became an actor when he was in his second year of high school. And during his high school  senior year, he joined Starhaus Entertainment with the help of an acquaintance. Min-ho started joining auditions after a training and landed in television drama series with small roles. However, in 2006, he had a serious car accident, where he was injured severely and his acting career was put on hold for a year, where a childhood friend and Jung Il-woo, a fellow actor, was also injured in the accident. In 2009, Min-ho’s breakthrough came, with the lead role of Gu Jun-pyo in KBS2 Boys Over Flowers, the Korean adaptation of the Hana Yori Dango popular Japanese television drama, followed by Personal Taste in 2011′s MBC TV drama, he starred in the hit action drama City Hunter as Lee Yoon-sung/ Johnny Lee or Puchai. Yoon-sung‘s ultimate goal is to avenge his father’s killers, as the lead character of City Hunter,using the identity of a Korean-American teenager, who is later revealed to have died several years before, he assumes a double life by graduating from MIT with a doctorate degree, acquiring job at South Korea’s presidential palace, and cross paths with Kim Na-na (portrayed by Park Min-young), the presidential bodyguard,with whom he falls in love.

Park Min-young

Park-Min-Young, age age 27

Park Min-young born 4 March 1986, was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean actress and model, and became popular for her roles in 2010 Sungkyunkwan Scandal and 2011 City Hunter, played the role as Kim Na-na or Nana Kim. Kim Na-na  during her early age, she was forced to ward off for herself, after her mother died in a drunk driving incident following his dad’s being ill and comatose. She became a Presidential guard at the Presidential Security Service because of her exceptional martial arts skills. Kim Na-na falls in love with Lee Yoon-sung, during her time as a bodyguard, and discovered his real identity. From August 23, 2011 to January 25, 2012, Park Min-young dated South Korean actor City Hunter co-star, Lee Min-ho. In February 15, 2013, Park Min-young, finished Theater and Film department and graduated from Dongguk University.Min-young starred in other television drama series as Kang Yoo-mi in Unstoppable High Kick in 2006, as Yoon Eun-byul in I Am Sam in 2007, Princess Ja Myung go in 2009 as Princess Ra-hee, as Kim Na-na in City Hunter in 2011 and as Yoo Mi-na/Hong Young-rae in 2012 drama Dr Jin.

Lee Joon-hyuk

Lee-Joon-Hyuk, age 29, (image credit:www.phstars.com)

Lee Joon-hyuk (born March 13, 1984) is a South Korean actor best known for his roles in the Three Brothers, City Hunter, Man from the Equator and Chinese drama Half a Fairytale, television series. Lee Joon-hyuk played the role as Kim Young-joo (Jiro Kim) an intelligent prosecutor, who possesses a strong sense of justice, even against the South Korean corrupt politicians, a son of one of the officials who ordered the operation in 1983, and sometimes the City Hunter’s rival by working towards the same goals under legal cover, and at the same time, he tries to figure out the true identity of the City Hunter. However, Young-joo died when he attempted to arrest Chun Jae-man in the next to the last episode.

Kim Sang Joong

Kim Sang-Joong, age 47

Kim Sang Joong (born August 6, 1965) born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, is a South Korean actor who is best known for his role in SBS Television series City Hunter as Steve Lee. Kim Sang Joong have 2 brothers and 3 sisters, and is the third child in the family. In 2011, Sang-joong starred in the City Hunter, the hit action drama as a villain Lee Jin Pyo/Steve Lee with Lee Min-ho. The City Hunter drama’s popularity had throughout the Asia, and was praised due to his excellent acting as a villain. In 2012, Sang-Joong again played as a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another role in The Chaser, as a corrupt Presidential Candidate, Kang Dong Yoon , a former marine cop, in order to pursue power and achieve his one and only dream with Son Hyun-Joo. The Chaser has made an impressive result by breaking 20% ratings even though without any idol, and was awarded as The Best Korean Drama in SBS Drama Awards, and won 2 awards as Best Male Actor in SBS Drama Award and Korean Festival Drama due to his role as Kang Dong Yoon. In the City Hunter, Kim Sang-joong played the role as Lee Jin-pyo (Steve Lee) Operation Clean Sweep’s sole survivor, and spend to come between disputing people, or groups years in the Golden Triangle as a drug lord.  As Lee Jin-pyo or Steve Lee, he was full of anger, and wanted to kill all of the people who ordered his team dead. He pretended as a Korean-American investor and uses Lee Yoon-sung as his agent of vengeance. Steve Lee  is killed by the Presidential Security Service in the final episode after he failed to kill President Choi.

Kim Sang-ho

Kim Sang Ho, age 42, (image credit:www.gooddrama.net)

Kim Sang-ho born July 24, 1970, is a South Korean actor for film and television. In 2007, Kim Sang-ho won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, for his performance in The Happy Life, in 2010 he appeared in Prosecutor Princess as Na Joong-seok, in 2011′s City Hunter playing the role as Bae Shik-joong/Bae Man-deok (Lyndon/Dindo Bae) a problematic gambler but a very good cook whom Lee Yoon-sung saves from Thailand’s organized gangs of professional assassins and later becomes his close friend. Over the course of the series, Bae and Lee become partners under the scheme of Lee Jin-pyo and shelved up huge debts buying stuff from the home shopping network. Bae Shik-joong, however,was revealed that he witnessed the accident that resulted in Kim Na-na’s deep distress or misery and was hiding in Thailand by the start of the series after he was paid by the culprit, Kim Jong-shik to change his story. At the end of the drama series, Bae decides to start a new life with Kyung-hee in the United States.

Hwang Sun-hee

Hwang Sun-hee, age 26 (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

Hwang Sun-hee born August 15, 1986, is a television actress in South Korea. In 2011 she appeared in the Korean drama, 2011′s City Hunter as Jin Se-hee, (Clarisse Jin), a veterinarian by trade, and the ex wife of Young-joo, a good friend to other characters, and played the role as Eun-seol  (ex girlfriend of Lee Se-yoon who died from cancer) in the A Hundred Year Legacy Korean drama in 2013.

Goo Hara

Goo Hara, age 22

Goo Hara (born on January 13, 1991) in Gwangiu, South Korea, is an actress, model, dancer and singer, best known as a member of Kara, Korean pop girl group, and for portraying as the president’s daughter as Choi Da-hye (Nikki Choi), one of President Choi’s two children, she fall for Lee Yoon-sung as her tutor, in 2011′s drama City Hunter. On January 5, 2010, During an appearance at SBS’ Strong Heart, on January 5, 2010, Goo Hara admitted undergone a minor surgery fro cosmetic and dental repair on her face, and one filler injection on her nose. She said that she had always had double eyelids, and need surgery to have them defined. On June 28, 2011, The Cube Entertainment revealed that Goo Hara and Beast member Jun-hyung, but the relationship was brief and parted ways on March 27, 2013.

Chun Ho-jin

Chun Ho-jin , age 52, (image credit:allthingskdrama.com)

Chun Ho-jin (born September 9, 1960) is a South Korean actor, best known for his role as Choi Eung-chan (William Choi), the incumbent South Korea’s president at the start of the series,  President Choi was one of the five men involved in planning the 1983 operation and promised the unit, Choi will help them get home, but later out-voted in the decision of aborting the operation and was forced to live with the guilt for 28 years.

5) Spring Waltz

Spring Waltz

Seo Do-young

Seo Do-young, age 31

Seo Do-young (born April 14, 1981) is a South Korean actor and model. Seo Do-young appeared in different runways for the leading fashion designers for Korea and several foreign designers like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger before he began his acting career. He was best known as Jae-ha, a talented classical pianist and the leading actor for the Spring Waltz Korean drama. Jae-ha was brought up in a rich and enviable family as his father is a foreign diploma., Jae-ha is a lonely person with only one friend because of his eccentric and particular personality, a well-mannered and dutiful son to his parents and never harms others, but his piano melody always sounds sad and keep his secrets of the past. Jae-ha is interested in Eun-young in Austria, at first,  because she is similar to his childhood sweetheart, however when he saw her with Phillip, his playboy friend, he thought of Eun-young is not a decent girl, but  he slowly falls in love with her.

Han Hyo-joo

Han Hyo-joo, age 26

Han Hyo-joo born February 22, 1987, is a popular South Korean actress, best known for her acting in 2009′s Brilliant Legacy and in 2010′s Dong Yi. Her father is in the military, while her mom is an elementary school teacher and later became public school inspector, and the younger brother is still single. In 2003, Han Hyo-joo was first discovered in a teenage beauty pageant, and began her acting career in the Nonstop 5 and My Boss, My Teacher sitcom a gangster comedy series. Han Hyo-joo was also cast in Spring Waltz, and Endless Love season drama series,the fourth and final installment of TV director Yoon Seok-ho. In the Spring Waltz drama, Han Hyo-joo played the role as Eun-young , a cheerful person who works at her adoptive mother’s Korean rolled rice called kimbap restaurant during daytime and and at nighttime she sells homemade accessories and clothes at her street stand. Eun -young, is a talented woman even though she could not finish her studies, who is good with her hands, joined the handicraft contest and be able to win the grand prize. Although living in poverty, Eun-young always smile with her lively spirit. The grand prize she won for the handicraft contest, Eun-young was given the opportunity to visit Austria, and there meets Phillip and Jae-ha by fate.

Daniel Phillip Henney

Daniel Henney, age 33

Daniel Phillip Henney born November 28, 1979 is an American actor and model,  was born in Carson City, Michigan, to a Korean adoptee mother and an American-Irish father. In 2001, Daniel Henney started modeling in the U.S. and while attending college, he worked in France, Italy, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Henney do not speak Korean language, but in spite of this, he became a household name through the South Korean hit TV drama, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, portrayed the as Dr. Henry Kim, a surgeon who is deeply in love with Hee-jin (played by Kim Sun-Ah). In 2009, Henney, played as Agent Zero in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, followed by Three Rivers as Dr. David Lee, in the CBS television drama series in the 2009 fall season. Henney played the role Phillip, best friend and global manager of Yoon Jae-ha.  Daniel Henney was involved in an academic scandal to in which many sources said, that he had an Economics degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, to support his image, but in reality, Henney had no college degree.

Lee So-yeon

Lee So-yeon, age 30, (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

Lee So-yeon born April 16, 1982, is a South Korean actress, portraying villain roles in various television Korean dramas such as Super Rookie, Spring Waltz, Temptation of an Angel, and the most noted role as Jang Hee-bin femme fatale character in Dong Yi. In Korean drama, Spring Waltz, Lee So-yeon played the role as Song Yi-na, a  rich, capable career woman due to her ability she became the director of the planning department of the leading classical record and concert company owned by her parents. Although Yi-na is successful in her career, aside from being a perfect woman, but her desire is to be love by Jae-ha who played the piano with her when they were young, and gave up her career and left for Canada to find Jae-ha after he left Korea. But since Yi-na could not find Jae-ha, she completed her study in Art Business in Canada. She volunteers to promote Jae-ha’s debut in Korea after Yi-na, accidentally saw Jae-ha’s article about his activities in Austria, and Yi-na volunteered to promote Jae-ha’s debit in Korea. The hotel where Jae-ha and Phillip stayed during their stay in Korea, was owned by Yi-na’s parents.

6) Lovers in Paris

Lovers in Paris

Kim Jung-eun

Kim Jung-eun, age 37

Kim Jung-eun (born March 4, 1976) is a film and television actress of South Korea, best known for her roles in Marrying the Mafia, Lovers in Paris and I Am Legend, and also, she is the host of SBS Kim Jung-eun’s Chocolate, a music talk show which she owns. In 2006, while filming Lovers, Kim began dating Lee Seo-jin, her co-star, but in 2008, they broke up. Kim Jung-eun‘s role in Lovers in Paris as Kang Tae-young, is the film director’s daughter, she studied film in Paris as his father’s wish. She worked as a housekeeper, to make ends meet she for Han Ki-joo ( portrayed by Park Shin-yang), which Kang Tae-young, loves because she can watch his movies and drink his wine. But Han Ki-joo was not satisfied with Kang’s services, so Ki-joo fires her. However, Han Ki-joo, realized that Kang Tae-young is from the same hometown as the wife of a potential business partner, Ki-joo rehires Kang to act as his fiancee to warm up to his business partner. She then agree, with the condition of giving her back her previous work as housekeeper. Han Ki-joo, realizes that he is falling in love with Kang Tae-young. However, the fake girlfriend, Kang, plans backfires, and the couple parted on bad terms in Paris. Kang Tae-young, also met Yoon Soo-hyuk ( portrayed by Lee Dong-gun), the nephew of Ki-joo. Ki-joo’s father called him back to Korea, so he return home to South Korea and incidentally, Tae-young also went back home to attend her father’s death anniversary. Ki-joo and Tae-young were both reunited in Seoul and resolved their misunderstandings. Tae-young was preparing to return to Paris but she discovered, that her uncle has squandered away her family house and run away, leaving Tae-young with her young cousin with debts their uncle acquired.

Park Shin-yang

Park Shin-yang, age 44 (image credit:www.asianbite.com)

Park Shin-yang born November 1, 1968, is an actor in South Korea, a cast member of Lovers in Paris, portraying the role of Han Ki-joo, the Korean television series, together with Kim Jung-eun and Lee Dong-gun. As Han Ki Joo, he is the President of GD Motors, and his character falls in love with Kang Tae Yeong (Kim Jung Eun) , but the rivalry competes for her affection with Yoon Soo Hyuk (portryaed by Lee Dong-gun) his nephew. Park Shin-yang is married and has a daughter, born in Hawaii.

Lee Dong-gun

Lee Dong-gun , age 32, (image credit:www.intobox.com)

Lee Dong-gun born 26 July 1980, also known by his English baptismal name as Emmanuel Lee,is a South Korean actor, singer and model, born in Kangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Lee Dong-gun‘s 19 year old brother, a Sydney University student, was fatally stabbed  on March 20, 2008, and a 20 year old man was injured critically, in an incident involving two groups of men beneath the World Tower in Sydney, Australia. Lee Dong-gun, flew to Sydney to identify his brother’s body. On June 15, 2010, Lee Dong-gun enlisted for his mandatory military service at the 102 Reserves in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, for basic training for four weeks followed by active duty for 21 months. Lee Dong-gun, portrayed the role as Yoon Soo-hyuk in Lovers in Paris Korean drama.

Kim Seo-hyung

Kim Seo-hyung, age 36 (image credit:www.digplanet.com)

Kim Seo-hyung is a South Korean actress, was born October 28, 1976. Kim Seo-hyung portrayed the role as Baek Seung-kyung in Lovers in Paris.

6) Gourmet

Gourmet

Kim Rae-won

Kim Rae-Won, age 32 (image credit: star.koreandrama.org)

Kim Rae-won (born March 19, 1981) is a South Korean actor and model, known for his acting when he starred in the 2000 Plum Blossom movie, with actress Bae Doona. In 2009, Rae-won enlisted in the military and served for 2 years and was released on August 23,2011, from the military. In the Korean drama, Rae-won played the role Lee Sung-chan, he was raised as the son of Chef Oh, executive chef of Oonamjeong. Bong-joo (portrayed by Kwon Oh-joong),Chef Oh’s son and Sung-chan have a good relationship as brothers, although Sung-chan was already age 14 when he was adopted by Chef Oh and made him part of the family. Sung-chan grew up misguided that caused him always in trouble, until he learned cooking in his late age.

Kwon Oh Joong

Kwon Oh Joong, age 41, (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

Kwon Oh Joong, Sometimes spelled as Kwon Oh Jung , Gwon O Jung or Kwon O-joong, born November 24, 1971, age 41, is a South Korean actor. In Gourmet Korean drama series, he portrayed the role as Oh Bong-joo, Chef Oh’s son, Sung-chan’s adoptive older brother. He studied Korean cuisine following his father’s footsteps when he was fifteen. In a recent Korean drama, A Hundred Years Inheritance, he played the role as Uhm Ki-choon the husband of Kim Hee-jung as Gong Kang-sook and their son, Lee Tae-woo as Uhm Bo-reum.

Nam Sang-mi

Nam Sang-mi, age 28

Nam Sang-mi (born May 3, 1984) is a South Korean actress. In fall of 2001, Nam Sang-mi was working near Hanyang University Seoul, in a fast food restaurant, when someone posted her picture on the internet. Her popularity as an ulzzang or Uljjang ( also spelled as Eoljjang)  which means good looking or best face, a popular South Korean term, that led Nam Sang-mi discovery as an actress. In 2003 Sang-mi made her debut in Love Letter MBC Korean drama, and began her acting career by acting in cameo or small roles in movies, TV dramas, and commercials. Nam Sang-mi started taking piano lessons as a hobby, after she finished filming Gourmet a SBS drama. In 2010, Nam Sang-mi began dating Lee Sang-yoon, actor after they starred together in Life is Beautiful. Co-actress Kim So-yeon also plays the role as Yoon Joo-hee.  Nam Sang-mi and Lee Sang-yoon broke up in December 2012.

Won Ki-joon

Won Ki-Joon. (image credit:www.video4asian.com)

Won Ki-joon born February 12, 1974 a South Korean actor. Ki-joon plays the role as Min-woo in Korean drama, Gourmet, a senior chef ranked under Bong-joo, who is jealous and envious of Sung-chan. Min-woo plays a villain, though he is skilled, his presence is a nightmare to people around him. He feels that Chef Oh plays favoritism in favor of Sung-chan and even over Chef Oh’s son, Bong-joo.

7) My Lovely Sam-soon also known as My Name is Kim Sam-soon

My Lovely Sam-soon

Other Casts: Lee Ah-hyun as Kim Yi-Young – Sam-soon’s sister, Na Moon-hee as Na Hyun-Sook – Jin-heon’s mom, Suh Ji Hee as Hyun Mi-joo – Jin-heon’s niece, Yoon Ye-hee as Yoon Hyun-sook – Jin-heon’s “aunt”, Lee Kyu-han as Min Hyun-woo – Sam-soon’s ex boyfriend, Lee Yoon-mi as Jang Chae-Ri. Restaurant staff: Yeo Won-kay as Ms. Oh (Manager), Lee Hyun-moo as Kwon Hae Hyo (chef), Han Yeo-won as Lee In-Hye – Sam-soon’s assistant and Kim Hyun-jung as Jang Young-Ja (Dining room captain).

Kim Sun-ah

Kim Sun-ah, age 37 (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

The South Korean actress Kim Sun-ah (born October 1, 1975)  became popular for her role as as Kim Sam-soon in My Lovely Sam Soon. Kim Sun-ah was born in Daegu, South Korea, was educated and spent her school years in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan, and could speak fluent Japanese language. The MBC South Korean television drama series, My Lovely Sam-soon or My Name is Kim Sam-soon was aired on June 1, 2005 to July 21, 2005. Voted as the Bridget Jones Diary Korean version starring, Kim Sun-ah, Hyun Bin, Jung Ryeo-won and Daniel Henney. In Korean term, Sam-soon literally means 30 years  which is the exact age of the female lead star , Kim Sun-ah or Kim Suna, (sam is three, soon  is ten years). Kim Sam-soon is the chubby pastry chef, who falls for rude and nasty twenty-seven-year-old man called Hyun Jin-heon portrayed by Hyun-Bin.  Kim Sun-ah gained 15 pounds for the role of Kim Sam-soon.

Hyun Bin

Hyun Bin, age 30

Hyun Bin born Kim Tae-pyung on September 25, 1982, is a South Korean actor, beast known for his leading roles in 2005′s My Name is Kim Sam-soon, rude and nasty twenty-seven-year-old owner, Hyun Jin-heon and in 2010′s Secret Garden. Hyun Bin was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and he has two older brothers. From 2006 to 2007, it was rumored that Hyun Bin was dating actress Hwang Ji-hyun. Then in August 2009 Hyun Bin confirmed that he was dating Song Hye-kyo, his co-star in Worlds Within. However, in March 2011, just few hours after Hyun’s military enlistment,Hyun Bin’s and Song Hye-kyo’s agencies confirmed speculation that the couple had separated.

Jung Ryeo-won

Jung-Ryeo-won, age 32, (image credit:www.askkpop.com)

Jung Ryeo-won born January 21, 1981, is a South Korean actress and singer entertainer of former girl group Chakra, and became popular with her role in My Name is Kim Sam-soon, as a cancer patient and ex-girlfriend of Hyun Jin-heon ( Hyun Bin) played the role as Yoo Hee-jin who returns from the US. Jung Ryeo-won is also known for her roles in Two Faces of My Girlfriend, Castaway on the Moon, and History of Salaryman. Ryeo-won is the second of three children, was born in Seoul, South Korea, but emigrated in 1991 to Brisbane, Australia with her family. In Australia, during her grade school days, Ryeo-won experienced discrimination which made her strong determination to learn fluent English, and in her high school, she had adapted to the Australian way of life. In the summer of 1999, she went back to South Korea for a vacation, and she was discovered by an agent on the Apgujeong streets, that led to her career path and changing her life. She joined Chakra K-pop girl group, along with Eeni, Eun and Hwangbo, and their first album was released in 2000. In 2002, Jung hit a low, saying she sometimes felt estranged from her fellow Koreans, and was uneasy wearing sexy clothes she was made to wear as a singer. In 2004, the K-pop girl group Chakra was disbanded, and Jung  decided to pursue her acting career full-time. In the Korean drama, My Name is Kim Sam-soon, Jung Ryeo-won’s role as Yoo Hee-jin, left Jin-heon migrated to the United States, and went back to South Korea with her best friend Dr. Henry Kim (played by Daniel Henney) as her personal doctor.

Kim Ja-ok

Kim Ja Ok, age 61, (www.tvrage.com)

Kim Ja-ok (born October 11, 1951) is a South Korean actress, born in Busan, South, Korea, Kim Ja-ok played the role as Park Bong-Sook, Sam-soon‘s mother in My Name is Kim Sam-soon.
8)  A Hundred Year Legacy

A Hundred Year Legacy

Kim Yoo-jin or Eugene

Kim Yoo-jin , age 32 (image credit:www.asianpopcorn.com)

Ki Tae-Young, age 34, (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Kim Yoo-jin born March 3, 1981, best known in English name as Eugene, is a singer, actress, and emcee, a former member of S.E.S a Korean female idol group popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Eugene has released two solo albums and became star in Korean TV dramas and movies and also worked as an MC in different shows. On May 11, 2011, Eugene announced on her fansite that she is marrying Ki Tae-young born Kim Yong-woo (born December 9, 1978) after a year and a half of dating on May 11. 2011. Ki Tae-young, is a South Korean actor and singer, Eugene’s leading man in the Creating Destiny in 2009 TV series. On July 23, 2011, their wedding was held at the Seoul Central Church in Anyang, Gyeonggi-do. Eugene is the leading star in Korean drama series, A Hundred Years Inheritance as Min Chae-won, is the eldest granddaughter of a family living in a Seoul remote part of a city who have been running a noodle factory for three generations. Married for three years to Chul-gyu (Choi Won-young) whose rich family owns major corporation Golden Dragon Food, Chae-won (Eugene) has had a difficult life because her mother-in-law Bang Young-ja (Park Won-sook) fiercely opposed the relationship and would not accept Chae-won. But when her husband Chul-gyu cheats on her, she separates herself from her in-laws and decides to divorce Chul-gyu. She returns to their noodle factory and struggles to modernize and expand it. Chae-won later meets Lee Se-yoon (Lee Jung-jin), the son of a wealthy family whoever have bad reputation showing unkind behavior treatment of all those around Lee Se-yoon, their son. . They both nurse personal wounds from their past romantic relationships.

Lee Jung-jin

Lee Jung-jin, age 34, (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

Lee Jung-jin (born May 25, 1978), is a South Korean actor, who made his acting debut in the Soonpoong Clinic in 1998 sitcom and has since appeared in different television Korean dramas, that includes Two Outs in the Ninth Inning, Love Story in Harvard and The Fugitive: Plan B, and Korean movies such as Once Upon A Time in High School, Mapado, Troubleshooter and the popular movie Pieta, for which he received the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, a prestigious award. In the drama series A Hundred Years Inheritance, Lee Jung-jin  as Lee Se-yoon was mending a broken heart from the loss of her girlfriend who died from cancer, Eun-seol potrayed by actress Hwang Sun-hee.

Choi Won-young

Choi-Won-Young, age 37 (image credit: koreandrama.com)

Choi Won-Young , born Choi Sung Wook (Choi Seong Wook) on January 10, 1976 in South Korea. In A hundred Years Inheritance drama series, Choi Won-young as Kim Chul-gyu, a mama’s boy and the ex husband of Chae-won. He is the son of Bang Young-ja (Park Won-sook) and his sister is Kim Joo-ri (Yoon Ah-jung). He appeared in other Korean dramas such as Tasty Life (SBS, 2012), While You Were Sleeping (SBS, 2011), Stormy Lovers (MBC, 2010), You Are My Destiny (KBS1, 2008) and many more.

Shim Yi-young

Shim Yi-Young (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Shim Yi-young born Kim Jin-ah on January 31, 1980, is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 2000 Kim Ki-duk’s Real Fiction, and has since appeared in films such as Bongja, Paju and Love, In Between and television dramas The Sweet Thief, My Husband Got a Family and the new Korean drama series, (MBC 2013) A Hundred Years Inheritance, portraying the role as Ma Hong-joo as the second wife of Kim Chul-gyu. A rich girl suffering from a depression.

Yoon Ah-jung

Yoon Ah-Jung, (image credit: star.koreandrama.org)

Yoon Ah Jung born November 19, 1983, a South Korean actress. She appeared in various Korean dramas such as The Shining Hour of Life (KBS2 2012), Yellow Boots (tvN 2012), The Women of Our Home (KBS1 2011), I’ll Give You Everything (KBS2 2009), City of Glass (SBS 2008) and the new Korean drama (MBC 2013) A Hundred Years Inheritance, where she portrayed as Kim Joo-ri, the younger sister of Kim Chul-gyu and her greatest obsession is Lee Se-yoon (Lee Jung-jin).

Jeong Bo-seok

Jeong Bo-seok, age 51 (image credit:www.hancinema.net)

Jeong Bo-seok  sometimes spelled as Jung Bo-seok, born May 1, 1961, is a South Korean actor. The 51 year-old actor became known for his television dramas such as God of War (MBC 2011), Can You Hear My Heart (MBC 2011), Stormy Lovers (MBC 2010), Giant (SBS 2010), High Kick Through The Roof (MBC 2009) and many other and Korean films. In the newest Korean drama series, A Hundred Years Inheritance, Jeong Bo-seok played the role as Min Hyo-dong, the father of lead character, Chae-won.

Park Yeong-gyu

Park Yeong Gyu, age 59, (image credit:www.nautiljon.com)

Park Yeong-gyu (born 28 October 1953) is a South Korean actor,  best known for his roles in Attack the Gas Station, in which he plays the owner of the titular gas station, and Lightereul Kyeora, playing the role as a corrupt politician. In A Hundred Years Inheritance Korean drama series, Park Yeong-gyu played the role as Professor Kang Jin, often called “rooftop Oppa“.

Shin Goo

Shin Goo, (image credit:asianwiki.com)

 Shin Goo (Shin Gu) born Shin Sun Gi  born August 13, 1936, in Seoul, South Korea. He started his career as an actor since 1972. He appeared in various television dramas, and to name a few such as, Feast of the Gods (MBC 2012), Can’t Live with Losing (MBC 2011), You’ve Fallen For Me (MBC 2011), New Tales of Gisaeng (SBS 2011) and the latest A Hundred Years Inheritance (MBC 2013) playing the role as Uhm Pyung-dal, as Chae Won‘s grandfather, owner of the noodle factory.

Jung Hye Sun

Jung Hye Sun, (image credit:dramahaven.com)

Jung Hye Sun ( sometimes spelled as Jeong Hye Seon), born Jung Young Ja (Jeong Yeong Ja),  born on February 21, 1942, is a South Korean actress, married, with 1 son and 2 daughters. She appeared in various television dramas such as My Love, Madame Butterfly (SBS 2012), Time lip Dr. Jin (MBC 2012), Yellow Boots (tvN 2012), Feast of the Gods (MBC 2012), Man of Honor (KBS2 2011), My Love By My Side (SBS 2011), I Believed in Men (MBC 2011) and the new drama sereis A Hundred Years Inheritance (MBC 2013), where she play the role as Kim Kkeut-soon, the grandmother of Chae-won and wife of Uhm Pyung-dal.

Jeon In-hwa

Jeon In-hwa (image credit:www.hancinema.net)

Jeon In-hwa born October 27, 1965, is a South Korean actress best known for her different characters in various Korean drama series such as Feast of the Gods (MBC 2012) played the role as Sung Do-hee, (KBS2 2010) Bread, Love and Dreams as Seo In-sok, (KBS2 2009) Again My Love as Eun Hye-jeong, (SBS 2007-2008) King and I (Wangkwa Na) as King Sung-Jong’s mother, (SBS 2001-2002) Ladies in the Palace as Queen Mun-Jung, (MBC 1996) Sibling Relations (Dongkikan) and (MBC 2013) Hundred Year Inheritance (Baeknyeonui Yoosan) as Yang Choo-Hee / Cafe Madame or Yang Madame, as Min Hyo-dong second wife, Chae-won’s stepmother.

Park Joon-Geum

Park Joon Geum, (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Park Joon Geum, born July 29, 1962 , is a South Korean actress best known for her roles in various TV dramas, The King of Dramas (SBS 2012), Standby (MBC 2012), Rooftop Prince (SBS 2012), Secret Garden (SBS 2010) and her latest drama A Hundred Year;s Inheritance (MBC 2013), playing the role as Do Do-hee. mother of Uhm Ki-moon and wife of Kim Myung Soo (Kim Myeong Su).

Kim Myung-soo

Kim Myung-Soo (image credit:DramaWiki.com)

Kim Myung Soo (Kim Myeong Su), born August 27, 1966 is a South Korean actor. He appeared in various TV dramas such as Bridal Mask (KBS2, 2012), Time Slip Dr. Jin (MBC, 2012), The Duo (MBC, 2011), and many more, and the latest is A Hundred Years Inheritance (MBC, 2013) as he play the role as Uhm Ki-moon of eldest son of the Uhm family who owns the noodle factory, husband of Do Do-hee (Park Joon Geum).

Kim Hee-Jung

Kim Hee Jung, (image credit: www.blike.net)

Kim Hee-jung born December 4, 1970, a South Korean actress played the role as Gong Kang-sook in A Hundred Years Inheritance playing  as the wife of Uhm Ki-choon (Kwon Oh-joong). Hee-jung appeared in other TV shows such as,  Live in Style (SBS, 2011), Warrior Baek Dong Soo (SBS, 2011), Flames of Ambition (MBC, 2010), Three Brothers (KBS2, 2009)  and many others.

Lee Tae-woo

Lee Tae-woo, age 8 (image credit:www.nautiljon.com)

Lee Tae-woo born I Tae-U on December 1, 2005 played the role as Uhm Bo-reum in A Hundred Years Inheritance. Lee Tae-woo as a South Korean child actor, appeared in some TV shows such as , Glass Mask (tvN, 2012), Ghost (SBS, 2012), Goodbye Dear Wife (Channel A, 2012), Take care of us, Captain (SBS, 2012), High Kick 3 : The Revenge of the Short Legged (MBC, 2011-2012), Secret Garden (SBS, 2010) and many more. He played the son of Gong Kang-sook and Uhm Ki-choon.

Sun Woo-sun

Sunwoo Sun (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Sun Woo Sun, born Yoo Jin,  on March 21, 1975, is a South Korean actress, portrayed the role as Uhm Ki-ok in A Hundred Years Inheritance as a piano teacher youngest daughter of the Uhm family. She appeared in some Korean drama series such as, Crime Squad (KBS2 2011), The Woman Next Door (KBS2 2010), Will it Snow at Christmas? (SBS 2009).

Cha Hwa Yeon

Cha Hwa-yeon, (image credit: www.hf.rim.or.jp)

Cha Hwa Yeon born Cha Hwa Yun, born on December 27, 1960,  played the role as Baek Sul-joo as Lee So yoon’s mother in A Hundred Years Inheritance. Keeping her past from husband and son, and the reason why she wants Yang Choo-hee to go back to America.

Nam Myung-Ryul

Nam Myung-Ryul (image credit:asianwiki.com)

Nam Myung-Ryul / Nam Myeong-Ryeol, born May 14, 1959, in South Korea. Nam Myung-ryul portrayed the roles as Lee Dong-kyu, as Lee So-yoon’s father in A Hundred Years Inheritance.

Park Won-Sook

Park Won-sook (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Park Won Sook (Park Won Suk), born January 19, 1949, a South Korean actress, known for her different roles in various TV dramas Bachelor’s Vegetable Store (Channel A 2011), Lights and Shadows (MBC 2011), Poseidon (KBS2 2011) and many other shows, which is the latest is A Hundred Years Inheritance (MBC 2013) playing the role as Bang Young-ja, the villain mother- in- law to Chae-won, and the mother of Chul-gyu and Kim Joo-ri.

Seo Kwon-soon

Seo Kwon Soon (image credit:drama.wiki.com)

Seo Kwon Soon (Suh Gwon Sun), she played the role as mother of Ma Hong-joo (Shim Yi-young), second wife of Chul-gyu,  in A Hundred Years Inheritance. She appeared in some Korean dramas such as I’m Glad I Loved You (KBS2 2010), Amnok River Flows (SBS, 2008), and many more.

Jun Sung-Ae

Jeon Sung-Ae (image credit:asianwiki.com)

 Jun Sung-Ae, born March 29, 1956 in South Korea.  Jeon Sung-ae portrayed the role as Mrs. Park as personal maid of Ma Hong-joo in A Hundred Years Inheritance. Other TV dramas are Bread, Love and Dreams ( Jeppangwang Kim Tak Goo) (KBS2 / 2010) as – Kong Joo-Daek and in My Pitiful Sister  (Keun-eon-ni) (KBS / 2008-2009) – bean sprout store. 

9)  Only You

Only You characters

Han Chae-Young

Han Chae-Young, age 32, (image credit:www.showwallpaper.com)

The South Korean actress, Han Chae-young born Kim Ji-young on September 13, 1980, in Daegu, South Korea, but her family soon migrated to the United States, and spent her growing years in a suburb in Chicago. Han Chae-young was discovered by famous Korean comedian during one of her visits to Korea, and suggested that she put her college plans on hold and try acting. Han Chae-young is her stage name, she made her acting debut in 2000 The Record a horror film. She then played the villain in popular TV melodrama Autumn Fairy Tale. Han Chae-young married Korean-American financial expert Choi Dong-joon on June 2, 2007 at Hotel Shilla in Seoul, South Korea. Han Chae-young portrayed the role as  Cha Eun-Jae in Korean drama Only You. Eun Jae, the lead female protagonist is headstrong and independent who becomes a single mother after a one night stand with Yi Joon.

Jo Hyun-Jae

Jo Hyun-Jae, age 32 (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Jo Hyun-jae (born May 9, 1980) is a South Korean actor, best known for his popular drama 49days. Jo Hyun-jae played the role as Han Yi Joon, the lead male protagonist, and the father of Jin Sol, after a one night stand with Eun-jae. He finds it very difficult to reveal his feelings to Eun Jae in Only You, Korean TV drama.

Lee Chun-hee

Lee Chun-Hee, age 34 (image credit:doramakun.ru)

Jun-Hye-Jin, wife of Lee Chun-hee (image credit: www.gooddrama.net)

Lee Chun-hee (born February 19, 1979) is a South Korean actor. Lee Chun-hee made his debut in the 2003 movie, A Good Lawyer’s Wife and has since starred in several big screen roles such as 2005 film, The Aggressives, in which Lee earned the nickname Chunderella from his stint on variety show Family Outing. Everyone in the “family” would pick on him especially Kim Soo-ro or Stepmother Kim, because of his clumsiness. Lee married his co-star in Smile, You,  Jeon Hye-jin (born June 17, 1988), a Korean actress. on March 11, 2011. On July 30, 2011, the couple welcomed a baby girl. Lee Chun-hee played the role as Jung Hyun-sung, Eun-Jae‘s bestfriend, who always had feelings for her in Only You.

Hong Soo-Hyun

Hong Soo-Hyun, age 32 (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Hong Soo-hyun born February 15, 1981) is a South Korean actress, after she debuted as a magazine model in high school, Hong appeared in 1996, as a Johnson&Johnson commercial model, and began her acting career in 1999. After how many years, true stardom remained elusive as she mostly found herself restricted to supporting roles. Then Hong received good reviews for her back-to-back strong performances in The Princess’ Man in the 2011 period drama, and the 2012 quirky comedy History of a Salaryman. Hong Soo-hyun played the role as Ji Soon Yeon, in Only You Korean drama, an orphan who grew up with Yi Joon and who is in love with him secretly.

10) That Winter, the Wind Blows

That Winter, The Wind Blows

Jo In-Seong

Jo In-seong ( image credit:www.koreanis.com)

Jo In-seong (born July 28, 1981 in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean model and actor. Jo In-seong went to college Chunnam Science College and later at Dongguk University, where he majored in performing arts. However, he was rejected due to lack of faculty participation in clasa.El started as Ziozia model. In Only You Korean drama, Jo In-sung played the role as Oh Soo, an orphan who doesn’t care about anything after the death of his first love, he becomes a playboy and high-class gambler. He was heavily indebted and was so desperate to find money to repay a debt or forfeit his own life, he becomes a con artist who plans on a new target, Oh Young, pretended that he was her long-lost brother.

Song Hye-kyo

Song Hye-kyo, age 31 (image credit:www.hancinema.net)

Song Hye-kyo born November 22, 1981 is a South Korean actress, and gained popularity through television Korean dramas such as 2000′s Autumn in My Heart, All In (2003), and Full House (2004). Song was born a very sickly baby, and her parents and doctor thought she would not survive, but soon she was fully recovered, her parents only registered her birth on February 26, 1982 (instead of her actual birthdate) and was the only child. She loves traveling, figure skating, and swimming. Song began dating actor Lee Byung-hun in 2003, while both were filming All In. In 2004, their relationship end up and generated much media attention and gossip. Song kept in touch with co-star Hyun Bin (Worlds Within), Hyun Bin is in the leading roles in the My Name is Kim Sam Soon in 2005, and 2010 Secret Garden after the drama ended, but it was their separation while Hyun was filming Friend, Our Legend in Busan, South Korea, that made them realize they were in love. They announced their dating status in June 2009. In March 2011 just few hours after Hyun‘s military enlistment, his and Song’s agencies confirmed speculation that the couple had broken up. In That Winter, The Winds Blows, Song Hye-kyo played the role as the blind Oh Young, She became estranged from her mother and older brother when her parents divorced when she was a child. Now legally blind, she is the sole heiress to a big company after her father passes away.

Lee Jae-Woo

Lee Jae Woo (image credit:koreandrama.com)

 Lee Jae Woo, born June 10, 1981, in Daegu, South Korea, is a South Korean actor. Lee Jae-woo played the role as Oh Soo Young‘s estranged older brother, but never had the chance to meet again because he died in an accident.

King Sang-beom or Kim Bum

Kim Bum, age 23, (image credit:www.forumdas.net)

Kim Bum born Kim Sang-beom, July 7, 1989 is a South Korean actor and model. He is best known for his role in Boys Over Flowers as So Yi-jung. Kim Bum joined the “Survival Star Audition”, and was placed 8th out of hundreds of contestants, but, because he was only 17, he could not proceed in the competition, since the program was aimed at actors in their 20′s. Kim Bum became famous and showed his acting skills as the young Lee Dong Chul in East of Eden and So Yi Jung (Sojiroh Nishikado), one of the F4 members, in Korean remake Boys Over Flowers of the Japanese manga ” Hana Yori Dango“. Kim Bum played the role as Park Jin-sung Soo‘s best friend and right-hand man. Loyal and hot-headed, Jin-sung dreams of scraping up enough money to buy his father an organic cattle farm.

Jung Eun-Ji

Jung Eun Ji, age 19, (image credit:koreanupdates.com)

Jung Eun-ji born Jung Hye-rim on August 18, 1993, is a South Korean actress, singer, dancer and main vocalist of A Pink girl group under A Cube Entertainment. She also gained praise for her acting in the Reply 1997 hit TV series. She was introduced to the public as A Pink’s 4th member through a video of Eunji singing her rendition of Love You I Do of Jennifer Hudson. Jung Eun-ji played the role as Moon Hee-sun, younger sister of Hee-joo, Soo‘s first love. Hee-sun is a quirky, tomboyish girl with a deep fondness for flowers. Though Hee-sun tries to despise Soo after he left Hee-joo, she still finds that she cannot turn her back, and instead helps him in his scheme.

Bae Jong-ok

Bae Jong-ok, age 48 (image credit:www.koreanis.com)

Bae Jong-ok (born May 13, 1964) is a South Korean actress, and debuted as a TV actress after she was recruited by Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), and has since been active in both film and television. Bae Jong-ok taught Theater at Chung-Ang University in 2003, as a visiting professor. Bae Jong-ok married a pilot in 1994, but the couple divorced in 1996. She has a daughter studying in the United States. Bae Jong-ok  played the role as Wang Hye-ji, Officially a personal secretary, she runs the company and is Young‘s caretaker, and have interests with Young’s wealth left by her father.

Kim Tae-woo

Kim Tae-woo, age 41, (image credit:koreanmovie.com)

Kim Tae-woo born 15 April 1971 is a South Korean actor. After his breakthrough in blockbuster Joint Security Area. a war movie, Kim became best known for his leading roles in arthouse films, directed by  Hong Sang-soo, namely WOman is the Future of Man, Woman on the Beach and Like You Know It All. Kim Tae-woo played the role as Jo Moo-chul, A gangster, with past ties to Soo, Jin-sung, and Hee-sun.

Kim Gyu-Chul

Kim Gyu Chul (image credit:koreandrama.com)

 Kim Kyu Chul (Kim Gyu Cheol), born April 6, 1960, is a Korean actor, played the role as Jang Sung, family lawyer of the Oh family.

Seo Hyo-rim

Seo Hyo-rim, age 28, (image credit:www.hancinema.net)

 Seo Hyo-rim, born January 6, 1985 is a South Korean actress. In That Winter, The Wind Blows (SBS 2013) television dramas, Seo Hyo-rim, played the role as Jin So-ra, Soo’s ex-girlfriend and mistress of a gang boss. She took the boss’s money, a crime which Soo is framed for. Seo Hyo-rim also appeared in Me Too, Flower (MBC 2011), Scent of a Woman (SBS 2011) and many more..

Kyung Soo-jin

Kyung Soo-jin, (image credit:es.drama.wikia.com)

Kyung Soo Jin, born December 5, 1987, is a South Korean actress.  Kyung Soo-jin portray the role as Moon Hee-joo, Soo’s first love who was pregnant with his child and dies in a motorcycle accident in That Winter, The Wind Blows (SBS, 2013) and other TV drama series, The Horse Doctor (MBC 2012), Ugly Cake (MBC, 2012), Still Cut (KBS2 , 2012), The Equator Man (KBS, 2012) and New Tales of Gisaeng (SBS, 2011).

Yoo Gun

Yoo Gun, age 30, (image credit:www.koreandramafc.com)

Yoo Gun born Jo Jeong-ik on January 21, 1983 is an American-born South Korean actor, born in Arizona, United States to Korean American parents. In 1990′s, Yoo Gun came to South Korea as a teenager. The coloratura soprano of South Korea, Sumi Jo, is his distant relative. Yoo Gun is his stage name since he began his career in 1997 as a singer of Oppa the South Korean boy band group, and renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to serve in the South Korean army, and in March 2011, he enlisted as an ordinary soldier, and was transferred in October 2011, to the Defense Media Agency, where he took over as DJ of the military radio program This is Friends FM Yoo Gun. In December 2012, after his military discharge, Yoo Gun quickly resumed his career, appearing on the travel program The World is Delicious in an episode about Brazil, followed by a melodrama That Winter, The Wind Blows in a cameo role playing the role as Jung Woo, as Young’s first love.

Kim Young-Hoon

Kim-Young-Hoon (image credit:star.koreandrama.org)

Kim Young Hoon, born October 2, 1978 in South Korea.  Kim Young-hoon played the role as Lee Myung-ho, Young’s fiance in That Winter, The Wind Blows (SBS 2013). He had also appeared in some various Korean dramas such as, Rascal Sons (MBC 2012), Fermentation Family (jTBC 2011), That Man is There (KBS2 2011) and Crime Squad (KBS2 2011).

Choi Seung-Kyeong

Choi-Seung-Kyung (image credit:koreandrama.com)

Im Chae Won (image credit: DramaWiki.com)

 Choi Seung Kyeong born December 27, 1971, is a South Korean actor and comedian. His wife, Im Chae-won (born January 12, 1972) is also a South Korean actress.  Choi Seung-kyung portrayed the role as Shim Joong-tae in That Winter, The Wind Blows (SBS 2013). His other TV shows dramas are Oohlala Spouses (KBS2 2012, a cameo role), Please Marry Me (KBS2 2010), Typically Women (E Channel 2010), I Can’t Stop (MBC 2009), Ghost Pang Pang (SBS 2007) and many more.

Han Jung-Hyun

Han Jung-Hyun, (image credit:asianwiki.com)

 Han Jung-Hyun is a South Korean actress.  Han Jung-hyun played the role as Kim Jung-hyun in That Winter, The Wind Blows (Geu Gyeowool, Barami Boonda) (SBS / 2013).

Jeong Kyeong-Soon / Jung Kyung-soon

Jeong Kyeong-Soon (image credit:asianwiki.com)

Jung Kyung-Soon / Jeong Kyeong-Soon, born September 15, 1963 in South Korea. Jung Kyung-soon played the role as Jo Sun-hee, A doctor, and Moo-chul‘s estranged older sister.

Famous Korean Drama Actors