Baek A-yeon (; born March 11, 1993) is a South Korean singer and songwriter signed under Eden Entertainment. She is best known as the second runner-up contestant in season 1 of K-pop Star. As a soloist, she has released a total of five extended plays and a total of ten singles, after her contract with JYP Entertainment expired in 2019, she subsequently joined EDEN Entertainment.
Early life and education Baek was born on March 11, 1993, in Seongnam, South Korea. During her fifth year of elementary school she underwent treatment for cancer. She is currently studying at the Department of Practical Music at Howon University.
Career 2011–2012: K-Pop Star
Baek participated in the first season of competition television show K-pop Star. She was one of the top three contestants, along with Park Ji-min and Lee Hi. After she was eliminated she was approached by a number of entertainment agencies seeking to sign her. Baek eventually signed with JYP Entertainment, the company of K-pop Star judge JYP.
2012–2014: I'm Baek, A Good Girl and original soundtrack Baek released her debut EP, I'm Baek, on September 10, 2012, with a total of five tracks including the lead single "Sad Song". On September 16, Baek made her official debut stage on the music program Inkigayo with performances of "Stay" and "Sad Song".
On December 15, Baek released her first original soundtrack "Daddy Long Legs" for the SBS drama Cheongdam-dong Alice.
In April 2013, Baek recorded "Introduction to Love," for MBC's drama When a Man Falls in Love. Baek released her second EP, A Good Girl, on June 17, 2013, with the lead single "A Good Boy". One months later, she recorded "Tears Are Also Love", for the MBC's drama Goddess of Fire OST.
In May 2014, Baek released track, "The Three Things I Have Left", for the SBS drama Angel Eyes. Two months later, she released another track, "Morning of Canon", for MBC's drama You Are My Destiny.
2015–present: Breakthrough, Bittersweet, Dear Me, and Observe Baek released her first single and first self-composed song, "Shouldn't Have" (featuring Day6's Young K), on May 20, 2015. The song went on to become a sleeper hit, reaching number one on several Korean music real-time charts a month after its release among fierce competition. Following the success of the song, she began promotions for it on music programs beginning with Show! Music Core on June 13. Later in the year, she contributed her vocals to the song "So We Are" for the SBS drama Yong-pal.
In May 2016, Baek released a digital single album, consisting of the lead track "So-So", composed and written by herself, as well as side track "Something to Say". "So-so" followed the success of "Shouldn't Have", securing the top spot on all major Korean music charts within a day of its release. Later that year, she released holiday single, "Just Because" (featuring Got7's JB), on November 30.
Baek's third EP, Bittersweet, was released on May 29, 2017, leading to the media coining the name "May Queen" for her consistency in releasing music during that month. The EP contained six tracks, with the lead single "Sweet Lies" featuring vocal trio The Barberettes. While Bittersweet did not have the same success chart-wise as its predecessors, the album was praised for its quality with Billboard including it among their top five critic's picks of the K-pop albums released that year."The album as a whole, is hypnotic in its pop glory, and lives up to Baek's reputation within Korea as one of the country's most captivating young female soloists. As a whole, Bittersweet features a wide array of sounds that blend to create an otherworldly listening experience."
- T.H., BillboardBaek A Yeon's fourth EP, Dear Me was released on November 21, 2018, with the lead single "Sorry To Myself" along with five other songs. Later that year, she was confirmed to have landed a role in Korea's first virtual reality (VR) musical film, "Anna, Mari", which won Korea Creative Content Agency's 2018 "VR Frontier Content Project".
On September 16, 2019, it was revealed that Baek A Yeon's contract with JYP Entertainment had come to an end. She chose not to renew her contract, and left the company. On December 7, she formally announced that she had joined Eden Entertainment.
On July 13, 2021, Baek A Yeon was supposed to release her fifth EP, Observe, with the lead single "0%", but it was delayed due to rising cases of COVID-19 in Korea. It was later announced that the new release date would be September 7.
On August 17, 2022, Baek released the track "Doctor", a track that was included in the Pokémon Exhibition Track.
On October 21, 2022, it was announced that Baek has renewed her contract with Eden Entertainment.
Personal life On February 28, 2023, Baek's agency confirmed that she is in a relationship with her non-celebrity boyfriend. On March 2, 2023, Baek announced in a handwritten letter that they will be holding their wedding ceremony. The couple married on August 12, 2023.
Baek announced her pregnancy on April 30, 2024. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, on September 12, 2024.
Discography Extended plays Title EP details Peak chart positions Sales I'm Baek Released: September 10, 2012 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 11 KOR: 2,148+ A Good Girl Released: June 17, 2013 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download 14 KOR: 1,765+ Bittersweet Released: May 29, 2017 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download — Dear Me Released: November 21, 2018 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download — Observe Released: September 7, 2021 Label: Eden Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download —
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
As lead artist "Sad Song" () 2012 2 11 KOR: 995,710+Total sales for "Sad Song":
I'm Baek "A Good Boy" () 2013 12 26 KOR: 346,987+Total sales for "A Good Boy":
A Good Girl "Shouldn't Have" () 2015 1 — KOR: 2,500,000+Cumulative sales for "Shouldn't Have": rowspan="3" "So-So" () 2016 1 — KOR: 1,070,347+ "Just Because" () 12 — KOR: 185,203+Total sales for "Just Because":
"Sweet Lies" 2017 5 — KOR: 278,224+Total sales for "Sweet Lies":
Bittersweet "The Little Match Girl" () 55 — KOR: 59,483+Cumulative sales for "The Little Match Girl":
SM Station "Sorry to Myself" () 2018 — — rowspan="5" Dear Me "Looking for Love" () 2020 47 — rowspan="2" "I Need You" () — — "Fickle Person" () 2021 — — The Late Kim Hyun Sik's 30th Anniversary Memorial Album "0%" () 113 — Observe As featured artist "Pursuit of Happiness" () 2012 — — rowspan="2" TO... "Please Come Back" () 2014 — — Go Crazy! (Grand Edition) "Kibuntat" () 2015 39 — KOR: 51,563+Total sales for "Kibuntat": F/W Pre-debut singles "Atlantis Princess" 2012 154 — K-Pop Star Top 8 "Can't Fight the Moonlight" 100 — KOR: 45,274+Total sales for "Can't Fight the Moonlight": K-Pop Star Top 7 "Saving All My Love for You" 93 — KOR: 46,548+Total sales for "Saving All My Love for You": K-Pop Star Top 6 "Run Devil Run" 55 97 KOR: 111,780+Total sales for "Run Devil Run":
K-Pop Star Top 5 "I Miss You" 23 37 KOR: 325,867+Total sales for "(I Miss You)":
K-Pop Star Top 4 "Ma Boy 2" 50 67 KOR: 116,457+Total sales for "Ma Boy 2":
K-Pop Star Special No. 3 "I Was Wrong" — — K-Pop Star Top 3
Other charted songs Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album "Stay" () 2012 37 47 KOR: 136,772+Total sales for "Stay":
I'm Baek "Love, Love, Love." 44 65 KOR: 81,151+Total sales for "Love, Love, Love": "Always" 55 — KOR: 70,219+Total sales for "Always": "You're Leaving" () 59 — KOR: 68,973+Total sales for "You're Leaving": "The First Time I Met You" () 2015 49 — KOR: 51,089+Total sales for "The First Time I Met You":
투유 프로젝트 - 슈가맨, Pt. 4 "Something to Say" () 2016 29 — KOR: 102,393+Total sales for "Something to Say": So-So "Screw You" () 2017 81 — KOR: 34,548Total sales for "Screw You": "Bittersweet" "Just Friends" () 94 — KOR: 30,231Total sales for "Just Friends: "Jealousy" () 27 — KOR: 71,801Total sales for "Jealousy": "Magic Girl" () — — KOR: 21,070Total sales for "Magic Girl":
Soundtrack appearances Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album "Daddy Long Legs" 2012 6 KOR: 469,000+Total sales for "Daddy Long Legs":
Cheongdam-dong Alice OST "Introduction to Love" () 2013 37 KOR: 170,436+Total sales for "Introduction to Love": When a Man Falls in Love OST "Tears Are Also Love" () — Goddess of Fire OST "The Three Things I Have Left" () 2014 11 KOR: 232,433+Total sales for "The Three Things I Have Left": Angel Eyes OST "Morning of Canon" () 70 KOR: 79,425+Total sales for "Morning of Canon": You Are My Destiny OST "So We Are" () 2015 14 KOR: 265,169+Total sales for "So We Are":
Yong-pal OST "A Lot Like Love" () 2016 25 KOR: 131,894+Cumulative sales for "A Lot Like Love":
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo OST "Was it You" () 2018 — rowspan="12" Wok of Love OST "Why" — Webtoon Yeonnom () OST "Always Be with You" () 2019 164 Encounter OST "Story of Us" () — Anna, Mari OST "Just Go" — Doctor John OST "Hello My Lover" — Vagabond OST "" 2020 — Anna, Mari OST "Wherever" () — The Spies Who Loved Me OST "Sweet Home" () 2021 — Webtoon Bunny and Guys () OST "Stay with Me" () — Monthly Magazine Home OST "Stained" () 2022 — Elsword OST "There, There" () — Love All Play OST
Concerts and tours Headlining Baek A Yeon 1st Concert "Whispering the First Story" (2015) Baek A Yeon 2nd Concert "Whisper, Whisper - The 2nd Story" (2016)
Concert participation 2014 JYP Nation ONE MIC (Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bangkok) 2016 JYP Nation Mix & Match (Seoul and Tokyo)
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2019 Princess Aya Princess Aya animated, Korean dubbed, Officially released in 2022 Anna, Marie
Variety programs Year Title Role Notes 2011 K-pop Star season 1 Contestant 2015 100 People, 100 Songs Episode 34 2015 Idol Star Athletics Ssireum Basketball Futsal Archery Championships Participant Sugar Man Show Man with Hwang Chi-yeol Remake a song (The First Time I Met You) by Park Jun-ha 2016 Show Man with Sandeul B1A4 Remake a song (Gift) by UN Duet Song Festival Duet with Park Soon-ho Song choice (Please) by Lee So-ra King of Mask Singer Contestant as "I Will Back Music Box" Episodes 83–84
Music video appearance Year Song title Artist Role 2013 "Somebody" 15& Herself
Theatre Year Title Role 2015 Cinderella Cinderella 2021–2022 Theatrical Boy Radio ONAIR DJ
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2013 Best New Artists 2015 7th MelOn Music Awards Top 10 Artists Best Ballad Song Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Song Of the Year Best Vocal Performance – Female Sina Weibo Global Fan's Choice – Female 2016 25th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang Award Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Popularity Award Hallyu Special Award 30th Golden Disk Awards Digital Bonsang Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Popularity Award (Korea) Global Popularity Award Discovery of the Year – Hot Trend Shouldn't Have (feat. Young K of DAY6) Best Female Artist Best Vocal Performance – Female So-So 2017 31st Golden Disk Awards Digital Bonsang Asian Choice Popularity Award 26th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang Award So-So Best Ballad Award Popularity Award Hallyu Special Award Song of the Year – May So-So
Notes
References
External links Official Website