Jessica Jung
Jessica Jung | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 18, 1989 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, actress, author, entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | Former member of Girls' Generation; founder of Blanc & Eclare; author of Shine |
Jessica Jung (born April 18, 1989) is a multifaceted American and South Korean artist, encompassing roles as a singer-songwriter, actress, author, and entrepreneur. She gained prominence as a former member of the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. Her acting portfolio includes portraying Elle Woods in the Korean rendition of the musical Legally Blonde (2010) and appearing in the television drama Wild Romance (2012).
In August 2014, Jung introduced her own fashion label, Blanc & Eclare. The following month, she parted ways with Girls' Generation due to conflicts between her group responsibilities and entrepreneurial pursuits. After concluding her contract with SM Entertainment in 2015, she signed with Coridel Entertainment in 2016 and subsequently released her solo debut album With Love, J. In May 2018, she joined United Talent Agency. Her first novel, Shine, was published in September 2020.
Early life
Born on April 18, 1989, in San Francisco, Jessica Jung was discovered alongside her sister Krystal by an SM Entertainment scout during a trip to South Korea. She became a trainee with the company in 2000 and trained for seven years prior to debuting with Girls' Generation. During her adolescence, Jung attended .
2007–2014: Girls' Generation and solo endeavors
Jessica was the inaugural member to sign with SM Entertainment in 2000 before debuting in 2007 as part of the nine-member ensemble Girls' Generation. Beyond group activities, she released tracks such as "Love Hate" (, literally Bad Older Brother) alongside Seohyun and Tiffany, and "Mabinogi (It's Fantastic!)" for the Nexon game Mabinogi. Collaborations include "I Love You" with 8Eight on their 2008 album Infinity, duets like "One Year Later" with Shinee's Onew, and "Naengmyeon" with comedian Park Myung-soo on Infinite Challenge. Additionally, she performed "Seoul Song" with members from both Super Junior and Girls' Generation.
Jung’s theatre debut came in 2009 through the South Korean staging of Legally Blonde. That same year, she appeared on variety programs including Infinity Challenge and was a frequent guest on shows such as Happy Birthday and Star King. She also released the digital single "Sweet Delight" in 2010.
In 2011, she contributed "Because Tears Are Overflowing" to the soundtrack of KBS’s drama Romance Town. Her acting debut followed with the drama Wild Romance in 2012. She returned to musical theatre reprising her role in Legally Blonde alongside Jung Eun-ji. Her soundtrack work expanded to include songs for dramas like Wild Romance, To the Beautiful You, and Dream of the Emperor, as well as Hyundai’s commercial track "My Lifestyle". In 2013, she recorded "The One Like You" for the series Dating Agency: Cyrano.
In 2014, Jung collaborated with Krystal and former Exo member Kris Wu on "Say Yes" for the soundtrack of Make Your Move. That August marked the launch of her fashion brand Blanc—later rebranded as Blanc & Eclare—which has since grown to operate sixty stores worldwide. Jessica and Krystal also starred in their reality program Jessica & Krystal, which premiered on June 3, 2015, spanning ten episodes.
On September 30, 2014, Jung revealed via Weibo that she had been "forced out" of Girls' Generation. SM Entertainment confirmed her departure from the group while noting they would continue managing her solo career. Through a statement issued by her fashion company, Jung explained that both the agency and fellow members requested her exit. Her final contribution to Girls' Generation was the song "Divine," featured on their repackaged Japanese greatest hits album, The Best.
2015–2016: Solo Debut and Acting Ventures
In 2015, Jung took on the female lead role in the Chinese romantic comedy film I Love That Crazy Little Thing, sharing the screen with William Chan and Nicholas Tse. The movie premiered in August 2016, during which Jung collaborated with Chan on the theme track "Love! Love! Aloha!". On August 6, 2015, SM Entertainment officially confirmed the end of their contract with Jung. The following year, she starred alongside Stephon Marbury in his autobiographical film My Other Home. Additionally, Jung appeared in the short action-comedy Two Bellmen Three with Ki Hong Lee, took part in the Chinese sports variety show YES! Coach, and co-hosted the beauty program Beauty Bible alongside Kim Jae-kyung.
In February 2016, Jung announced her debut solo album under Coridel Entertainment. The EP, titled With Love, J, was released on May 17, 2016, featuring the lead single "Fly" with rapper Fabolous. Jung contributed as both lyricist and composer for four out of six tracks. The music video for "Fly" attracted over two million views within its first day. The extended play achieved number one across eight different music charts, including both the Hanteo Weekly and Gaon Weekly Album Charts. An English-language version was released shortly thereafter on May 27.
Starting June 1, Jung embarked on an Asian fan meeting tour beginning in Seoul and continuing to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and Shanghai. Planned appearances in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam were canceled due to health issues prior to her subsequent album release.
In December 2016, she unveiled a Christmas-themed EP titled Wonderland, consisting of six tracks with Jung involved in writing four songs. This EP was also made available in an English edition.
2017–2019: My Decade Era and Literary Debut
On April 18, 2017, Coridel Entertainment released Jung’s digital single "Because It's Spring". That same month, she earned a place on the prestigious Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list recognizing influential individuals under age 30. The track was included on her third EP, My Decade, which dropped on August 9, 2017, commemorating her tenth anniversary since debut. Jung co-wrote five of the six songs featured on this release. The lead single "Summer Storm" and its accompanying music video were launched simultaneously.
In July 2017, Jung initiated her first mini-concert tour titled "On Cloud Nine," performing in Taipei, Seoul, Osaka, Tokyo, and Bangkok. A scheduled show in Hong Kong was canceled due to Typhoon Khanun. The tour wrapped up with a final performance in Macau on March 3, 2018.
By May 2018, Jung secured representation with United Talent Agency for North American activities spanning music, film, television, and endorsement deals. In October of that year, she held a second mini-concert event in Taiwan named "Golden Night". On December 14, she released a holiday single titled "One More Christmas" through a collaboration with South Korean cosmetics brand Amuse Cosmetics.
In June 2019, Jung filmed a second reality series in the United States alongside her sister Krystal. Her single "Call Me Before You Sleep" was digitally released on September 26 featuring rapper Giriboy for the Korean market; the Japanese physical version came out on October 9 featuring Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ member CrazyBoy. Produced by Cha Cha Malone, this single supported a fan meeting tour with stops in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.
October 2019 marked the announcement of Jung’s debut novel Shine, secured via a two-book contract with Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster). Glasstown Entertainment sold publishing rights to eleven countries worldwide; a film adaptation is also underway through ACE Entertainment’s Matthew Kaplan. Released on September 30, 2020, Shine debuted at number five on The New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Best Seller list. Its sequel titled Bright was published on May 10, 2022.
2022–present: Activities in China and Fourth EP Beep Beep
Between May and August 2022, Jung participated in season three of Sisters Who Make Waves, a Chinese reality competition featuring female celebrities over thirty vying for spots in a ten-member girl group. She secured second place during the finals and debuted as part of X-Sister. Additionally, Jung took on a managerial role for one team on the music reality show Sound Like Summer Flowers. Later that year in November, she reunited with fellow cast members for another reality series titled Seaside Band.
On November 7, 2023, Jung revealed plans to release her fourth extended play entitled Beep Beep, scheduled for November 22. Simultaneously, she launched her Diamond Dreams concert tour commencing November 25 in Macau, followed by performances across Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and Bangkok.
Other ventures
Endorsements
Beyond her work with Girls' Generation, Jung has represented various brands including Chinese athletic company Li-Ning and South Korean handbag label Lapalette alongside her sister Krystal in 2014. On April 30, 2020, she was appointed global ambassador for international cosmetics and personal care brand Revlon.
Business
Jung established her own fashion label Blanc & Eclare in August 2014. She later branched into hospitality by inaugurating her first restaurant named Clareau on January 19, 2021; it is situated within the Blanc & Eclare flagship store building located in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.
Personal life
During a mini concert held in Taiwan in July 2017, Jung disclosed that her passport lists her birth name as "Jessica Jung," while her Korean name "Sooyeon" was adopted subsequently for official documentation purposes. She describes herself as "Christian curious" and maintains regular church attendance.
Discography
Extended plays
- With Love, J (2016)
- Wonderland (2016)
- My Decade (2017)
- Beep Beep (2023)
Film
| Year | Title | Character | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | I AM. | Herself | Biographical documentary about SM Town |
| 2016 | I Love That Crazy Little Thing | Qian Qian | |
| 2017 | Two Bellmen Three | Mi-na Kim | |
| My Other Home | Yang Chen | Biopic featuring Stephon Marbury |
Television series
| Year | Title | Character | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Unstoppable Marriage | Member of Bulgwang-dong's Seven Princesses Gang | Guest appearance |
| 2009 | Hilarious Housewives | English instructor | Guest role |
| 2010 | Oh! My Lady | Herself | Special cameo |
| 2012 | Wild Romance | Kang Jong-hee |
Television shows
| Year | Title | Role | Remarks | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Jessica & Krystal | Main participant | Co-starring with Krystal Jung | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 2016 | Beauty Bible | Co-host | Alongside Kim Jae-kyung | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 2017 | Mix Nine | Herself | Representative from Coridel Entertainment | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 2021 | Jessica & Krystal – US Road Trip | Main participant | Featuring Krystal Jung again | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 2022 | Sisters Who Make Waves 3 | Contestant | Chinese reality survival show; secured second place | [1] |
| 2023 | Great Dance Crew | Manager role | Participated in Season 2 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
Theater
| Year(s) | Production title | Role played | Additional details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010, 2012–2013 | Legally Blonde | Elle Woods (lead) | Principal character in the musical production |
Bibliography
| Book title | Publication date | Publisher name |
|---|---|---|
| Shine | September 29, 2020 | Simon & Schuster |
| Bright | May 10, 2022 |
Awards and nominations
| Award event | Year | Category | Nominee(s) / Work(s) | Outcome |
|---|
| Barbie & Ken Awards | 2012 | "Korean Barbie Award" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fashionista Awards | "2017" | "Global Icon" | "Jessica Jung" | "Nominated" |
| rowspan=2 | Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center"| | "Popularity Award" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" |
| "Best Dressed on the Red Carpet Award" | "Jessica Jung" | "Nominated" | ||
| SBS MTV Best of the Best | style="text-align:center"| | "Best Cameo" | '\'\'Sherlock\'\ | "Nominated" |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Most Popular Drama OST" | "\"Butterfly\" (with Krystal Jung)" | "Nominated" |
| rowspan=2 | Sohu Fashion Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Asian Fashion Icon" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" |
| style="text-align:center"| | "Fashionista Award" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" | |
| Style Icon Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Top 10 Style Icons" | "Jessica Jung (with Krystal Jung) Jessica & Krystal" |
"Nominated" |
| The Musical Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Popularity Award" | '\'\'Legally Blonde\'\ | "Won" |
| rowspan=2 | Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Most Searched Korean Female Artist" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" |
| style="text-align:center"| | "Asian Popularity Award" | "Jessica Jung" | "Won" | |
| YinYueTai#V Chart Awards | style="text-align:center"| | "Hot Trend Artist of Korea Award " | "Jessica Jung " | "Won" |
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- 1989 births
- Living people
- Actresses originating from San Francisco
- American fashion industry CEOs
- American dance music artists
- American expatriates residing in South Korea
- American entrepreneurs in fashion
- American designers in fashion
- Female American fashion designers
- American musicians with Korean heritage
- American musical theatre performers
- Americans of South Korean ancestry
- American retail industry executives
- American television performers
- Founders of American companies
- Female American company founders
- Business figures from San Francisco
- Members of Girls' Generation
- Singers performing in Japanese in South Korea
- Singers performing in Korean in the United States
- Singers performing in Mandarin in South Korea
- Singers hailing from San Francisco
- Artists under SM Entertainment
- Female idols from South Korea
- South Korean film performers
- South Korean television performers
- South Korean female pop vocalists
- Female American chief executives
- American K-pop vocalists
- 21st-century American female business leaders
- 21st-century South Korean actresses
- 21st-century female singers from South Korea
- American businesspeople in fashion