Tony Ahn (Korean: 토니안; born June 7, 1978) is a South Korean singer, best known as a member of boy band H.O.T.. After H.O.T. disbanded in 2001, its ex-members Tony Ahn, Jang Woo-hyuk and Lee Jae-won formed the dance music trio jtL. Eventually, JTL unofficially disbanded as each member, including Ahn, released their solo material.
Biography
He is the CEO of TN Nation Entertainment, a music entertainment company; Skoolooks, a school uniform company; and Shinenihs, an undergarment company. Popular comedians Jung Hyung-don and Jo Hye-ryun were both part of TN Nation Entertainment.[2][3]
In 1997, Ahn was admitted to Dongguk University. He majored in stage performance and graduated in 2003.[4]
Career
Solo
Ahn changed his genre to fast-paced soft rock songs and gave a speech, telling about his views on his former H.O.T. members, and how he tried to contact them. He also released a music video title "Melody" featuring SAT from his special album, "Untold Story".
On April 28, 2008, Ahn came back with a new special album entitled "Look Blank", with its principal song "Wallet".
In September 2010, Ahn completed his 2-year army duty and released a new song, "Going To Meet You Now". He released an EP titled 'Top Star' in February 2011, and after leaving as MC for the popular No. 1 Kpop chart show Mcountdown! in 2012 he released a single called "Beautiful girl" which also features Hyun Jun of SMASH.
When JTL was created, Ahn was the lead vocal for the group and not just a back-up vocal and English rapper. H.O.T. fans had mixed feelings for jtL. Many of jtL's music videos were boycotted. However, things changed around when jtL held a 'Guerilla Concert' in front of 12,133 fans.[5]
TN Nation Entertainment
After Ahn wanted to pursue a solo career during his jtL days, he created his own label, TN Nation Entertainment. Artists under this label are Ahn and former Click-B member Yoo Ho-suk, going under the name "Evan", along with Jung Ju-ri, Shin Bong-sun, 어썸베이비 (Awe5omeBaby), and others. South Korean comedian and entertainer Jung Hyung-don was the member of this company.
TN Nation Entertainment also debuted a boy band named SMASH, who released a music video for their debut song, "비상[Emergency]", on August 14, 2008. Ahn collaborated with SMASH in February 2012 with 'Get Your Swag On'. They promoted the song together on various live music shows.[6] SMASH later disbanded at the end of 2014.[7][unreliable source?]
On June 19, 2015, the company debuted their first girl group, a five-member beatpella (beatbox + a cappella) group called 어썸베이비 (literally Awesome Baby, stylized as Awe5omeBaby). The members include June, Sumin, Yechan, Dahee, and Lina. Their debut single was '내가 왜?' or 'Why Should I?'.
Personal life
In November 2013, Ahn was investigated for illegal online sports gambling alongside South Korean comedian Lee Soo Geun and South Korean entertainer Tak Jae-hoon. Reportedly, he gambled a total of 400,000,000 KRW (approximately $376,000 USD) between May 2009 and March 2012. He had his first hearing on December 6 and received a six-month prison sentence with one year probation on December 27.[8][unreliable source?][9][10][unreliable source?]
On February 13, 2014, in light of Ahn's illegal gambling incident, KBS revealed they had imposed a ban on all of H.O.T.'s songs and prevented his show appearances on their media outlets while MBC simultaneously announced a temporary ban on Ahn's show appearances on their channels as well.[11][unreliable source?][12] As of 2016, all the major stations lifted the ban on Ahn.
An is currently housemates with Sechs Kies's member Kim Jae-duck. The arrangement had caused a stir amongst their contemporaries as both groups were regarded as one another's fiercest industry rivals during the late 1990s and largely avoided any contact with one another despite crossing paths many times. They had met and befriended one another during their mandatory military service.
^Han, Hyun-jeong (November 16, 2022). 리버스' 임원희 "카메오 토니안, 배우로서도 손색없어 ['Reverse' Lim Won-hee "Cameo Tony An, as an actor is not inferior] (in Korean). Maeil Business Star Today. Retrieved March 19, 2023 – via Naver.
^Seo Ye-jin (August 10, 2021). [공식] 토니안, '두 번째 남편' 특별출연…엄현경과 의리 지켰다→차서원과 호흡 [[Official] Tony An, special appearance on 'Second Husband'... I kept my loyalty with Uhm Hyun-kyung → Breathing with Cha Seo-won]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
^Ko Da-yeon (October 28, 2021). 형원 주연, 하이틴 뮤지컬 드라마 '다시, 플라이' 11월 공개 [Starring Hyungwon, teen musical drama 'Again, Fly' to be released in November] (in Korean). Newsis. Retrieved October 28, 2021 – via Naver.
^ abRecording Industry Association of Korea chart positions:
Believe: "2004.10월 - 가요 음반 판매량". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
Yutzpracachia's Love: "2006.4월 - 가요음반 판매량". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
Behind The Clouds: "2005.11월 - 가요 음반 판매량". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
Untold Story: "2007.5월 - 가요음반 판매량". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
^2004년 총결산 가요 음반 판매량. Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
^2006년 - 가요 총결산 판매량. Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
