Megan Lee (born September 18, 1995) is an American actress, director, and former singer-songwriter best known for her role as "Sun Hi Song" on Make It Pop and her singing talents on YouTube.
Early life and education Lee was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Northridge, California. She officially began her professional career in acting and singing at the age of ten. In 2013, she eventually moved to Seoul, South Korea and was home-schooled through high school after having been signed to South Korean Kim Tae-woo's (lead singer of g.o.d) label, Soul Shop Entertainment.
Career 2007–2010: Early acting roles and Nickelodeon Since the age of ten, Lee first appeared in numerous national commercials including spots for McDonald's, Verizon Wireless, Nintendo (the Nintendo DS), Bratz, Kidz Bop, Wal-Mart, Big Lots, and Trix as well as TV programs such as the Crash TV series, iCarly, Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, Disney's Get Connected, 3 Minute Game Show & various independent film projects.
In 2008, Lee had won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Best Speech Contest at the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards. She also played Hyori in the Short Film/Music Video, My First Crush, directed by Rocky Jo, with Arden Cho starring as the older Hyori. Also in 2008, Lee starred as "Julie" in several episodes of Disney's TV series Disney Get Connected. She also played "Ji Sun" in an episode of Crash alongside Dennis Hopper, Tom Sizemore, Brian Tee and Kelvin Han Yee.
2014–2022: Transition to mainstream roles In 2014, Lee was officially cast and starred as a lead member of XO-IQ, featured in the hit Nickelodeon series Make It Pop. She was one of the show's three main stars and plays a character named "Sun Hi Song", alongside Filipino-Canadian Louriza Tronco and Singaporean-Canadian Erika Tham. The series was co-produced by Nick Cannon.Tambay A. Obenson, indieWire, Nick Cannon Gets Behind New Live-Action Musical Series, 'Make It Pop,' for Upcoming TV Season, http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/nick-cannon-gets-behind-new-live-action-musical-series-make-it-pop-for-upcoming-tv-season-20150226
After Make It Pop finished airing for two seasons on Nickelodeon, Lee would go on to appear in several other television shows and feature films, such as The Other Kingdom, Modern Family and S.W.A.T.
Lee will next appear on Murmur after having won several film festival awards, including Best Ensemble, alongside fellow co-stars Logan Polish, Colin Ford, Johnny Jay Lee, Cyrus Arnold, and Brandon Wilson, and directed by Mark Polish.Murmur Movie, https://www.murmurmovie.com//
2022 to present: Film directing In 2022, Lee began taking film directing courses at UCLA, studying under TV director Peter Lauer. She makes her official directorial debut in 2023 with her short film titled En Pointe.
Music Lee writes her own original songs and released three singles as an independent artist, "In The Future", "Love, Laugh & Live" and "Destiny". "Love, Laugh & Live" was Megan's first official music video and was shot and directed by Steve Nguyen. "Destiny" was also made into a music video, and was directed by Timothy Tau.AllKPop, Youtube sensation Megan Lee releases teaser for "Destiny", http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/youtube-sensation-megan-lee-releases-teaser-for-destinya-Tunes.net, Discover Megan Lee's "Destiny", http://a-tunes.net/2011/09/18/discover-megan-lees-destiny-music-video/ ("As the previously released preview suggested, the teen star and her team chose to go a different route this time by going in a slightly more mature direction to match the inspirational tone of the track – a good choice. And to be quite frank, this may be my favorite visual release by Megan yet.") In May 2019, she released her debut extended play, I Am. and released a new single, "Me, Myself and I", with its lyric video released simultaneously; the song served as the lead single of her debut extended play, I Am, which was released on May 24.
K-Pop Lee also contested in South Korea's popular show, MBC Star Audition - The Great Birth (위대한 탄생) Season 1 (and Season 2) on one of South Korea's main broadcast networks (MBC). On Season 2 of MBC's Star Audition, Lena Park personally selected Megan over a number of other competitors to be Lee's mentor. She also finished in the Top 13 of contestants at the end of Season 2.MTV K, Homeland Love: Korean-Americans Crash the Korean Music Scene, http://www.mtvk.com/articles/homeland-love-korean-americans-crash-the-korean-music-scene/ Lee has also written music for various K-Pop artists such as Exo's Baekhyun and Girls' Generation's Taeyeon.
Lee's official debut track during her time on Soul Shop Entertainment was entitled "8dayz" (read as 8 Days), which was released on May 15, 2014.AllKpop, Megan Lee releases teaser for her debut song '8dayz', http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/05/megan-lee-releases-teaser-for-her-debut-song-8dayz The track features B2ST's Yong Jun-hyung, and is also composed by German composers Andreas Bärtels and Rüdiger Schramm, who also composed a track for veteran K-pop singer Nami.Soompi.com, YouTube Star Megan Lee Drops Debut Track "8dayz" Teaser feat. Beast's Yong Jun Hyung, http://www.soompi.com/2014/05/11/youtube-star-megan-lee-drops-debut-track-8dayz-teaser-feat-beasts-yong-jun-hyung/#.U3HPO_ldV8E
Lee and her vocals are also featured in the g.o.d reunion track, "The Story of Our Lives."Daily KPop News, god release MV for 'The Story of Our Lives' featuring Megan Lee, http://www.dkpopnews.net/2014/07/god-release-mv-for-story-of-our-lives.html The music video for the song was released on July 11, 2014, and marked the first time the band g.o.d has sung together in over 10 years.Carol, G.O.D TELLS "THE STORY OF OUR LIVES" FEAT. MEGAN LEE [MV], http://24-7kpop.com/g-o-d-tells-the-story-of-our-lives-feat-megan-lee-mv/snoopy, g.o.d.: "The Story of Our Lives" (Featuring Megan Lee), http://koreandramareviews.com/g-o-d-the-story-of-our-lives-featuring-megan-lee/
Lee has also released a music video and track with Kim Tae-woo entitled "Oppa".
On November 10, 2014, Megan Lee filed a civil lawsuit with the Seoul District Court against Soul Shop Entertainment requesting nullification of her 5-year contract.allkpop.com, Megan Lee files lawsuit requesting nullification of contract + Soul Shop Entertainment responds, http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/11/megan-lee-files-lawsuit-requesting-nullification-of-contract-soul-shop-entertainment-responds Megan, along with her representation, claimed that she was severely verbally abused by some of the members of management, and that intimidation tactics were used to impose their will on her career. She also claimed that a contract was signed on her behalf without her consent, a fraudulent bank account in her name was made without her consent, and that the financial activity regarding her career with Soul Shop was not made transparent as it was promised to her in their initial agreement with the label.Soompi.com, Megan Lee Reveals Reasons for Soul Shop Lawsuit, Claims She Was Verbally Abused by Kim Tae Woo's Wife, http://www.soompi.com/2014/11/27/megan-lee-reveals-reasons-for-soul-shop-lawsuit-claims-she-was-verbally-abused-by-kim-tae-woos-wife/
During the second half of 2018, a song written by Lee titled "Psycho", which was sung by EXO's Baekhyun, was performed exclusively during EXO's recent Elyxion concert. The original piece was solely written by Lee, and produced by Zayson, and soon went viral.
Lee also co-wrote "Horizon" for Taeyeon's Japanese extended play, Voice.
The Voice In 2018, Lee was a contestant in season 14 of the American music talent show The Voice, where she was eliminated in the Battle round. In an episode broadcast on March 6, 2018, she performed "Killing Me Softly with His Song", with Alicia Keys turning her chair. In the Battles Round broadcast on March 19, 2018, she was confronted with Team Alicia teammate Johnny Bliss both singing "Versace on the Floor" from Bruno Mars.
YouTube Lee is most likely known for her viral covers of pop songs, many of which have received significant view counts including covers of Christina Aguilera's "I Will Be", Bruno Mars' "Lazy Song", Lil Wayne's "How to Love", Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill you)" and others. She has also collaborated with other YouTube artists, for example, when she covered "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green with Arden Cho in 2011. In 2011, Lee also won 2NE1's "Lonely" Cover Contest with her cover of 2NE1's single "Lonely", and was flown to Korea to meet with the group. She also made a cover of Adele's "Someone Like You" on YouTube with Sungha Jung.
In 2012, she won a Cover Contest sponsored by Jason Mraz and Warner Music Korea, and collaborated with Mraz in a duet for his track, "Lucky" which is viewable on YouTube.a-Tunes.net, Megan Lee Duets "Lucky" with Jason Mraz, http://a-tunes.net/2012/06/11/megan-lee-duets-lucky-with-jason-mraz/ She has also performed and recorded a number of duets with acoustic guitarist Sungha Jung, covering famous K-pop songs such as "Monster" by BIGBANG.iTunes, Monster - Megan Lee and Sungha Jang
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Tranquility Sun Kim Short film 2008 My First Crush Hyori Short film 2008 A Quiet Little Marriage School girl 2009 Crush Jeremy's Sister Short film 2010 The Legend of Beaver Dam JuJu Short film 2010 Santa Paws Singing voice role; uncredited 2010 The Case Against Jill Jill Short film 2010 Choson Mi-ok Short film 2011 L.A. Coffin School Connie/Granddaughter 2011 Love, Laugh, & Live herself Short film 2011 Destiny The Artist Short film 2014 Anita Ho Young Anita Lee 2014 Prophecy of Eve Young Eve 2017 Just Another Nice Guy Sandra 2017 Back To SCHOOL vs Back To WORK! Vicky 2022 Murmur Kenzie Feature film 2022 Teardrop Teala Feature film 2022 Sing Herself Music Video; Creative Director 2023 En Pointe N/A Short film; Director and writer only 2025 KPop Demon Hunters Additional Voices
Television Year Title Role Notes 2008 Battleground Earth Chaperone kid Episode: "Something's Fishy" 2008 Disney Get Connected Julie 4 episodes 2008 Crash Ji Sun Episode: "Pissing in the Sandbox" 2009 BrainSurge Herself Contestant; episode 1.1 2009 Lost Tapes Joey Sykes Episode: "Jersey Devil" 2010 3 Minute Game Show Herself Contestant; episode: "Camp Rock 2: Part 5" 2010 Star Audition: The Great Birth Herself Contestant 2011 Star Audition: The Great Birth 2 Herself Contestant 2015–2016 Make It Pop Sun Hi Song Lead role 2016 The Other Kingdom Sunny Episode: "Get a Job" 2017 Modern Family Florence Episode: "The Long Goodbye" 2018 The Voice (Season 14) Herself Contestant 2018 S.W.A.T. Lila Episode: "School"
Discography
Original singles YearTitle Album Notes2011 "Love, Laugh & Live" "Destiny" "In the Future" 2014 "8dayz" First professional single, released as 메건리 "Ready for Love" You Are My Destiny OST Part 3 Released as 메건리 2015 "Make It Pop (Acoustic Mashup)" 2016 "Stronger" 2019 "Me, Myself and I" I Am 2022 "Sing" Released with Kode PinK
Extended plays TitleDetailsI Am To be released: May 24, 2019 Label: Wishing Tree Formats: Digital download
Collaboration singles YearTitle Other(s) artist(s) Album2012 "Time Seemed To Have Stopped" Hyeokseong & Wooyeonseok New Story Part 42013 "Brother" (오빠) Kim Tae-woo T-Love 2014 "The Story of Our Lives" (우리가 사는 이야기) g.o.d Chapter 82017 "Young & Broken"No RiddimNon-album singles2018 "Ice Cold"4B
Cover singles