Woo Hye-rim (Korean: 우혜림; born September 1, 1992), known professionally as Hyerim or Lim, is a South Korean singer, rapper, and songwriter known for her work as a former member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls.
Early life
Woo Hye-rim was born on September 1, 1992, in Seoul, South Korea. She was a Hong Kongresident for 14 years. She can speak Korean, English, Cantonese, and Mandarin fluently. Her father is a grandmaster and promoter of Taekwondo, with the highest 9th-degree black belt in the discipline.[citation needed]
Career
Pre-debut
Originally, Hyerim was a part of five-member group in training in 2009. While still in training, the group flew to China where they appeared in numerous variety shows performing dance routines and songs to showcase their talent to the Chinese audience. As the group had no official name they were widely known to the Chinese audiences as "JYP Sisters" or simply as "Sisters". They were also dubbed by JYPE as the "Chinese Wonder Girls". However, before the group could officially debut, two of their members withdrew leaving only three which included Lim herself as well as Jia and Fei, who both went onto become members of Miss A.[1] Hyerim later confirmed that she originally prepared debut as a member of Miss A for three-years and two months prior the group's debut, she was added as new member of Wonder Girls in January 2010.[2][3]
On January 22, 2010, Hyerim was revealed as new member of Wonder Girls, after member Sunmi put her musical career on hiatus to focus on studies.
[4][5] Her official debut stage with the group was on February 5, 2010, in a performance in Shanghai.[6]
In 2013, she became a co-host for EBS radio broadcast English Go Go!.[7] From August 20, 2013 to March 10, 2014, she also served as the host of Arirang TV's Pops in Seoul.[7][8]
On June 24, 2015, it was announced that Wonder Girls would be making comeback after two-year hiatus, as a four-member band.[9] On the band's August 2015 release REBOOT, she contributed to the writing and production of three songs.
Woo at a fansigning event in 2016
Hyerim released a collaboration single with Bernard Park titled "With You" on April 3, 2016, as a part of JYP Entertainment's JYP Duet Match project. In July of the same year, she also contributed to the composition of two songs on Wonder Girls' single EP Why So Lonely.
On January 26, 2017, it was announced that Wonder Girls were to disband after unsuccessful contract renewal negotiation with some of its members. Hyerim was one of the members who renewed her contract with JYP Entertainment. The group released their final single "Draw Me" on February 10; it also serves as a celebration for their 10th anniversary since debut.[10]
Hyerim left JYP Entertainment on January 25, 2020, and her departure from the label was announced three days later.[11]
On March 10, 2020, Hyerim signed with RRR Entertainment, a new agency founded by fellow Wonder Girls member Yubin since she left JYP Entertainment.[12] In February 2023, the agency announced that Hyerim has decided not to renew the contract.[13]
In January 2024, Hyerim signed contract with Wave Entertainment.[14][15]
Personal life
In 2017, Hyerim began majoring in Interpretation in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, under the school's Department of English for International Conferences and Communication (EICC). She was accepted into the program in December 2016 and received a scholarship in her first semester.[16] In February 2018, she was honored with a certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for creating a voluntary video on safety in traveling overseas.[17] She helped translate The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank from English to Korean for its publication in South Korea.[17] Woo graduated from Hankuk in 2021.[18]
Hyerim began dating taekwondo athlete Shin Min-chul in 2013.[19] They were confirmed to be engaged in May 2020 and got married on July 5.[20]
On October 8, 2021, Hyerim announced she was expecting her first child with Shin.[21] On February 25, 2022, Hyerim's agency confirmed that she gave birth to her first son on February 23, 2022.[22][23] On June 25, 2024, Hyerim announced that she was expecting her second child with Shin.[24]
^"JYP 측 "유빈·혜림 전속계약 종료..함께해 영광이었다"[전문]" [JYP announces, "Yubin and Hyerim's contract ended, it's been an honor"]. Daum (in Korean). January 28, 2020. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
^Jang, Jin-ri (February 17, 2023). "원더걸스 우혜림, 유빈 품 떠난다…르엔터 계약 종료 "결혼·출산 함께해 큰 기쁨"[전문]" [Wonder Girls Woo Hye-rim leaves Yubin's arms... Termination of contract with Le Enter "It is a great pleasure to have marriage and childbirth together" [Full text]] (in Korean). SpoTV News. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Naver.
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"JYP 측 "원더걸스 혜림, 한국외대 통번역학과 최종합격"(공식)" [JYP Confirms Wonder Girls' Hyerim Has Been Accepted in Interpretation and Translation Department in Hankuk University]. Newsen (in Korean). December 26, 2016. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
^ ab"원더걸스 혜림 "해체뒤 대학생활 1순위…장학금 받고 책도 번역"" [Wonder Girls' Hyelim Talks Going to College After Group's Dissolution, Receiving Scholarship, and Translating Books]. Naver (in Korean). March 4, 2018. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
^Kim Na-yeon (August 21, 2021). "신민철♥' 혜림, 한국외대 졸업 인증…브레인 '엄친딸' 포스" [Shin Min-cheol ♥' Hyerim, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies graduation certificate... Brain 'Umm Daughter' Force]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
^"혜림♥신민철, 7년 연애 끝에 7월5일 결혼..원더걸스 2호 유부녀[공식입장]" [Hyerim & Shin Min-chul to be married on July 5 after 7 years of love, second member of Wonder Girls to get married]. Daum (in Korean). May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
^Lee Ji-hyun (February 25, 2022). "우혜림, 오늘(25일) 득남…♥신민철X'갓파더' 강주은 축하 "위대한 순간" [종합]" [Hyerim Woo, gave birth today (the 25th)... ♥ Shin Min-cheol X 'Godfather' Kang Joo-eun congratulations "Great Moment" [General]] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Jae-ha (January 12, 2023). "출국장 우혜림, 촬영 잘하고 올게요~[포토엔HD]" [Woo Hye-rim at the departure hall, I'll do a good job filming~ [Photo N HD]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-young (December 27, 2021). "갓파더' 강주은·우혜림-KCM·최환희 합류…NEW 라인업 구축" [‘Godfather’ Kang Joo-eun, Woo Hye-rim, KCM, Choi Hwan-hee join… NEW line-up] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021 – via Naver.
^Yeon Hwi-seon (June 21, 2022). "원더걸스 혜림·인피니트 성규가 EBS에 왜 나와?" [Why are Wonder Girls' Hyerim and Infinite's Sunggyu appearing on EBS?] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Soo-jin (September 3, 2021). "우혜림, 2021 한·아세안 문화혁신 포럼 MC [공식]" [Hyerim Woo, MC of the 2021 ASEAN-Korea Cultural Innovation Forum [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021 – via Naver.
^Jo Ji-young (October 12, 2021). "[공식] 원더걸스 출신 혜림, 가치봄영화제 홍보대사 위촉" [[Official] Wonder Girls former Hyerim appointed as ambassador for Gachibom Film Festival] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Naver.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Woo Hye-rim.
