Kwon Boa is one of the top Korean pop stars, famous in Korea, Japan and across Asia. She’s also making her mark in the west with her debut English album in 2009.
Kwon Boa profile
Name: Kwon Boa
Korean name: 권보아
DOB: November 5, 1986
Birthplace: Guri, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Height: 162cm
Blood type: AB
Religion: Catholic
Profession: Singer
(Name often stylised as BoA; also credited as Boa Kwon, Gwon Boa, Kwon Bo-ah, etc.)
Kwon Boa biography
BoA was discovered when she was 11 years old while accompanying her brother to an audition at SM Entertainment. Her brother didn’t make it, but BoA caught the eye of the talent scout instead and was signed by the company soon after.
BoA was trained for two-years before releasing ID; Peace B, her debut Korean album in 2000. The result was moderate, but it’s enough to convince Japan’s Avex Agency to make a joint venture with SM to launch her career in Japan.
BoA released a few singles before making releasing Listen to My Heart, her first full Japanese album in March 2002. The album was a huge hit, and BoA became the first Korean to top Japan’s Oricon sales chart.
Following Japan’s success, BoA launched her 2nd Korean album No.1 in April, which became one of the best selling albums of the year. She was just 16 then.
BoA’s popularity continue to grow across Asia over the years; she is one of only two artists to have six consecutive albums topping Oricon chart. Her popularity in Korea dipped a little though, probably due to her lack of activities there.
It’s also a known fact that BoA is interested in acting. She voiced for Korean version of Animated film The Hedge in May 2006; there were rumours that she would be starring in a full movie, but SM has other plans in mind…
In September 2008, SM announced the plan for BoA’s American debut. She released a digital single Eat You Up in October 2008 and her self-titled debut English album in March 2009. A repackaged deluxe album was released in August.
BoA released her seventh Japanese album, Identity, in February 2010. She also released Hurricane Venus in August, her first Korean album in five years, which did very well. She also made a cameo appearance in drama series Athena.
To date BoA has released (excluding singles and compilations) nine Korean studio albums, seven Japanese albums and one English album, with decent sales record overall. An amazing feat considering the fact that the pop star is just 23 of age.
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