Hyun Jin-young

In 1995, his contract was completed and he left SM.

• Name — Hyun Jin-young • Birth Name — Heo Hyeon-seok • Born — 3 February 1971 • Birthplace — Seoul, South Korea • Genre — * Hip-hop • K-pop • jazz • Occupation — * Singer • dancer • Years Active — 1990–present • Label — * S.M. Studio • SidusHQ • FUN Han Entertainment • Past Member Of — * Hyun Jin-young and Wawa • I.W.B.H • Native Name — 현진영

Hyun has been involved with music since he was a child; his father Ho Byong Chan, was a jazz pianist who was the first person to create a Jazz big band called AAA (Triple A) inside the 8th US army village. While growing up in Hannam-dong UN Village (8th US Army Village near the U.S. Army Base), he was introduced to African-American music by American friends. He learned how to sing, dance and rap throughout his childhood. At the age of 14 in Korean age, he was noticed and recruited by the dance crew "Spark", which was considered as the first Korean break dance group. He dropped out of high school at age 16 to become a hip-hop musician.

He eventually met Lee Soo-man, and Hyun passed Lee's audition since he pulled off the toggichum (토끼춤, 'The Roger Rabbit"). He then trained under Lee's supervision to prepare for his debut.

Debuting as Hyun Jin-young and Wawa in 1990, Hyun released hit songs such as "Sad Mannequin", "Sexy Lady" and "You Are in My Unclear Memory". Though album sales were mediocre, he gained popularity as a forerunner of hip hop music in South Korea, which at the time was a shock for most audiences. At first, Wawa consisted of Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae from Clon, later Lee Hyun-do and Kim Sung-jae, both of Deux fame, and finally Sean, a future half of Jinusean. Hyun's career was damaged by a series of drug convictions from which it never fully recovered. He was incarcerated for marijuana use in 1991, then methamphetamines in 1993. Hyun later said he became addicted to methamphetamines after befriending a drug dealer inmate during his first stint in jail. Further arrests followed in 1995 and 1998. In 1997, he formed a hip hop duo named I.W.B.H. with Lee Tak.

In 2001, Hyun returned to the music scene with his fourth solo album, Wild Gangster Hip Hop-21C Hyun Jinyoung Vol.IV. The response from his fans was favorable. He checked himself into hospital in 2003 and underwent a drug rehabilitation program. In 2006, he released his fifth album called Street Jazz In My Soul. This album contained jazz music, a departure from his exclusively hip-hop origins. The following year, he began teaching at RAUM, a professional music academy in Gangnam. He was also a chief producer of SidusHQ.

Hyun legally married actress and entrepreneur Oh Seo-un in June 2011. Their wedding ceremony was postponed and took place in 2013.

• Title — Album details • New Dance 1 (as Hyun Jin-young and Wawa) — * Released: April 1, 1990 * Label: S.M. Studio * Format: LP • New Dance 2 — * Released: August 1, 1992 * Label: S.M. Studio * Format: CD, cassette • Int. World Beat and Hiphop Of New Dance 3 — * Released: September 1, 1993 * Label: S.M. Studio * Format: CD, cassette • Wild Gangster Hiphop 21C Hyun Jinyoung Vol.IV — * Released: January 1, 2002 * Label: King Entertainment(currently listed as RIAK) * Format: CD, cassette • Street Jazz In My Soul — * Released: March 27, 2006 * Label: Seal Media * Format: CD, cassette

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 2023–present — Mr. House Husband — Cast Member — Season 2