Uhm Jung-hwa (; born August 17, 1969) is a South Korean singer, actress and dancer. Uhm is considered to be one of the most influential women in the Korean entertainment industry, finding success in both music and film. Her legacy and career reinventions have given her the nickname of "Korean Madonna".
Uhm began her career in 1989 as a chorus member for the broadcasting company MBC. She starred in the romantic drama film On a Windy Day, We Must Go to Apgujeong (1993) and released her debut studio album Sorrowful Secret that same year. Though both releases found limited audiences, the album's lead single, "Pupil", helped to establish a sensual image for Uhm.
She pivoted to dance music with the single "Sad Expectation" (1996), and found success with "Rose of Betrayal" () from her third studio album, After Love (1997). Subsequent album releases Invitation (1998) and 005.1999.06 (1999) were bolstered by a string of hit singles: "Poison", "Invitation", "I Don't Know" (), and "Festival", which gained status as her signature songs.
In 2001, Uhm began to focus on her acting career. Her performance in the erotic comedy Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002) won Best Actress at the 39th Baeksang Arts Awards, a category she received another nomination for with Princess Aurora (2006) and won again with Dancing Queen (2012).
Her 2000s musical output saw declining commercial reception but greater appeal with critics. Uhm began experimenting with electronica on Self Control (2004), and funk on Prestige (2006), the latter of which won Best Dance and Electronic Album at the 4th Korean Music Awards. In 2008, she experienced a commercial resurgence with the single "D.I.S.C.O". Following a nearly decade-long hiatus from music, she released her tenth studio album The Cloud Dream of the Nine in 2017.
Biography Early life Uhm Jung-hwa, born on August 17, 1969, in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea, is the second of four children to her father, Uhm Jin-ok, and mother, Yoo Kyung-sook. Her siblings include an older sister, Uhm Jung-hye, a younger sister, Uhm Jung-sun, and a younger brother, the actor Uhm Tae-woong. Her father, a trumpet player and middle school music teacher who majored in music at Seorabol College of Arts, died in a motorcycle accident in 1974. Following his death, the family faced a difficult financial situation, with Uhm even having to live in a school cafeteria dormitory.
She graduated from Cheongjeon Elementary School and Uirim Girls' Middle School in Jecheon. She then attended Jecheon Girls' High School before transferring to Bukwon Girls' High School in Wonju, Gangwon-do, from which she graduated in 1989. Uhm recalled traveling to Seoul during her high school years to attend a Deulgukhwa concert. She became well-known for her singing skills after transferring to Bukwon Girls' High School. Her friends would line up to request songs from her during school picnics and talent shows.
After high school, Uhm moved to Seoul, where she worked part-time at a café while her mother ran a street food stall selling tteokbokki and fish cakes. In 1989, she passed audition for the MBC Chorus, beginning her career as a member of its 12th class. Uhm revealed that she was initially rejected because the formal recruitment process only hired college graduates. However, she was later able to join through a special recruitment. During this period, she also worked part-time as a chorus member at the Holiday Inn Seoul, which was operated by Lee Joo-il. While in the MBC Chorus, she made connections in the entertainment industry, including with Yang Hyun-suk.
Music career 1990s Uhm Jung-hwa officially debuted as a singer in 1993 with her first studio album Sorrowful Secret. By the mid-90s she established herself as one of the top Korean female singers and entertainers, with a series of hit singles: "Sad Expectation" (), "A Love Only Heaven Permits" (), "Rose of Betrayal" (), and "Tell Me" ().
Uhm's fourth studio album, Invitation, introduced a new mature side of the singer. The music video for its title track caused a lot of controversy due to its suggestive nature. Invitation quickly became one of the highest selling albums of the year and received positive reviews from critics and fans.
She released two of her most recognizable singles of her career, "Poison" and "Invitation" (). She remained successful the following year, in 1999, with her fifth studio album 005.1999.06.
As of 2020 she currently released ten studio albums, two compilation albums and one extended play.
2000s–present During the 2000s, Uhm began to focus more on her acting career and committed herself to taking a variety of acting roles. She also began to pursue and experiment with different musical genres, in particular electronica. In 2004, she released her double album Self Control, which featured songs composed by Jung Jae-hyung, Fractal and Roller Coaster. Music critics praised Uhm for her ability to reinvent her image and sound.
After a two-year break from the music scene, she released her ninth studio album Prestige. Throughout the year she released two singles, "Come 2 Me" and "Song of the Wind" (), each enjoyed positive critical reception. In early 2007, she won a Korean Music Award for Best Electronic Dance Record.
In the summer of 2008, she released her first EP titled D.I.S.C.O with help from her longtime friend Yang Hyun-suk of YG Entertainment. The lead single "D.I.S.C.O" featured T.O.P, a member from the popular boy band Big Bang. The EP was one of the best-selling albums by a female artist in 2008, and was further promoted by the digital single "D.I.S.C.O Part 2" which was a remix version of "D.I.S.C.O" and featured G-Dragon, the leader of BigBang.
After an eight-year-long hiatus Uhm announced that she would be releasing her first new album since D.I.S.C.O in 2008, the album title would be The Cloud Dream of the Nine. She revealed that she would be releasing the album in two parts, the first part would be released on December 27, 2017, and the second part at a later date. Uhm performed the title tracks "Watch Me Move" and "Dreamer" on Gayo Daejeon along with "D.I.S.C.O", she would also perform the two tracks on MCountdown on the January 5. One year after the release of Part 1, Uhm revealed through her Instagram account that she was in the preparation stage of her comeback with part 2 of The Cloud Dream of the Nine.
In the summer of 2020, Uhm joined with singers Lee Hyori, Jessi, and Hwasa to form the "supergroup" Refund Sisters. Their first single, "Don't Touch Me" debuted in October 2020, and reached #1 on the Gaon chart.
Acting career
Uhm has established herself as one of South Korea's top actresses. She is known for her roles in the films Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002), Singles (2003), Princess Aurora (2005), Seducing Mr. Perfect (2006),Tidal Wave (2009) and Dancing Queen (2012) which became one of the highest-grossing movies in Korea. She has won two Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Actress, in 2002 for Marriage is a Crazy Thing and again in 2012 for Dancing Queen.
In 2022, Uhm is back on the small screen with the tvN drama Our Blues, which is their comeback on the small screen in 5 years since 2017.
Fashion line Uhm launched her new clothing and lingerie line, "Corner Suite" and "ZHUM in New York", which made $10M USD within three months of its release. "Corner Suite" became an instant hit when the line debuted on online markets, which immediately sold out, and putting the line with more home shopping channels as for its demand.
Personal life Health Uhm was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but fully recovered after surgery in May 2010. Uhm said she felt a little afraid leading up to the surgery, but rather than being discouraged by the pain she was experiencing, she made up her mind to dedicate herself to helping others by inspiring them. "I want to use my talent and influence in a meaningful way", she said.
Image and impact Artists who have cited Uhm as an influence or role model include BoA, Lee Hyori, Baek Ji-young, Sandara Park, Tiffany Young, Jung Eun-chae, Son Dam-bi, Kim Yoon-ji, Dal Shabet's Ah Young, Laboum's Solbin, and Apink's Park Cho-rong.
In 2021, she was selected as Jury member for Actor and Actress of the Year Award in 26th Busan International Film Festival held in October.
She also has been known to be called "The Queen of Charisma" and is also considered to be a sex symbol.
Discography Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales KOR
Sorrowful SecretReleased: July 1993 Label: Samsung Formats: LP, CD, cassette rowspan="4" rowspan="3" Uhm Jung Hwa 2Released: January 1996 Label: Samsung Formats: CD, cassetteAfter Love ()(後愛)Released: March 1997 Label: E&E Media Formats: CD, cassetteInvitationReleased: August 6, 1998 Label: Nuri Entertainment Formats: CD, cassetteKOR: 458,147005.1999.06Released: June 17, 1999 Label: Nuri Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette 1 KOR: 552,373Queen of CharismaReleased: November 1, 2000 Label: EMI Formats: CD, cassette 3 KOR: 238,801Hwa ()Released: October 30, 2001 Label: Istar Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette 5 KOR: 196,063Self ControlReleased: February 17, 2004 Label: YBM Seoul Records Formats: CD, cassette, digital download 3 KOR: 37,218PrestigeReleased: October 26, 2006 Label: Sony BMG Formats: CD, cassette, digital download 17 KOR: 7,456 The Cloud Dream of the NineReleased: December 26, 2017 Label: Mystic Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 22
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales KORBest...My SongsReleased: September 19, 1998 Label: E&E Media Formats: CD, cassette KOR: 31,581All DetailsReleased: December 28, 1999 Label: Nuri Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette 10 KOR: 146,587
Extended plays Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales KOR D.I.S.C.OReleased: June 30, 2008 Label: YG Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 18 KOR: 7,693
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album KOR
"Pupil" () 1993 —Sorrowful Secret"Sad Expectation" ()1996 —Uhm Jung Hwa 2"A Love Only Heaven Permits" () —"Rose of Betrayal" () 1997 70After Love"After Love" () — "Poison" 1998 7Invitation"Invitation" () 19"I Don't Know" () 1999 —005.1999.06"Festival" —"Cross" () —All Details"Escape" 2000 —Queen of Charisma"Crack" () —"All Go Away" () 2001 —Hwa"Eternity" 2004 —Self Control"Invitation" (tvN Remix) (초대 tvN Remix)2006 — "Come 2 Me" —Prestige"Come 2 Me" (New Remix) — "D.I.S.C.O"feat. T.O.P2008 —D.I.S.C.O"D.I.S.C.O Part 2"feat. G-Dragon — "Watch Me Move"2016 —The Cloud Dream Of The Nine"Dreamer" 70"Ending Credit"2017 87"She" —"Hop in" ()feat. Hwasa, DPR Live 2020 —
OSTs Title Year Album"Pupil" () 1993On a Windy Day, We Should Go To Apkujeong Dong OST"Luxury good" ()2002Boss X File OST"Narration"2003Wife OST"Recipe" () 2009He Who Can't Marry OST"Call My Name"with Dancing Queens 2012Dancing Queen OST "Second Chance" with Dancing Queens feat. Cheetah"Let Me Cry" 2017You Are Too Much OST"Who am I?" ()feat. Duk Bae"Emerald" ()
Other appearances Title Year Album"Last Winter" Kim Jang-hoon feat. Uhm Jung-hwa2000Innocence"October - As always" () 2001ZOY Project 1st"My love, crybaby" ()2002Jeon Yeong-Rok's 30th Anniversary Dedication Album "Legend""Sad Christmas" Lee Jae-hoon feat. Leessang, Uhm Jung-hwa2005White winter 2005"Love is" () 2008Song Book"Time passes with you (Original Ver.)" ()Jung Jae-hyung feat. Lucid Fall, Uhm Jung-hwa 2009Promenade
Filmography
Film