Secret (South Korean group)
| Company type | Female music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | TS Entertainment |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Music recordings, albums, singles |
Secret () was a South Korean female ensemble established by TS Entertainment in 2009, originally comprising Jun Hyo-seong, Jung Ha-na, Song Ji-eun, and Han Sun-hwa. Their initial release, "I Want You Back," debuted in October 2009 but achieved modest commercial results. Nevertheless, in 2010, the singles "Magic" and "Madonna" climbed to No. 2 and No. 1 on the Gaon Digital Chart, respectively, significantly enhancing their industry standing. They were honored with the "Newcomer Award" at the 25th Golden Disk Awards.
In 2011, Secret adopted a more approachable girl-next-door concept, producing hits such as "Shy Boy" and "Starlight Moonlight", which earned them two accolades at the first-ever Gaon Chart Awards. Their debut full-length album, Moving in Secret, was released in October 2011 and featured "Love is Move" as its lead single. That August, they expanded into the Japanese market by releasing a Japanese version of "Madonna," which entered the Oricon charts at number nine. Throughout 2012, their promotions in Japan included singles like "So Much For Goodbye" and "Twinkle Twinkle", culminating in their inaugural Japanese album, Welcome to Secret Time. Notably, "Twinkle Twinkle" served as the ending theme for the Naruto spin-off series "Naruto SD: Rock Lee and his Ninja Pals" broadcast on TV Tokyo.
Following an almost year-long hiatus from South Korea’s music scene, Secret returned with their third EP Poison in September 2012, succeeded by the digital single Talk That in December. They maintained momentum with their fourth EP Letter from Secret in April 2013 and released their third single album Gift From Secret in December of the same year. Their fifth EP Secret Summer was launched in August 2014.
2009–2010: Launch with I Want You Back, Secret Time, and Madonna
The debut journey of Secret was documented in Secret Story, aired on Mnet, highlighting their invitation-only debut showcase held on September 29, 2009. The group officially debuted on October 13, 2009, with the track "I Want You Back", followed by their first live performance on M! Countdown two days later. Early exposure also included contributing "Friends" to the soundtrack of Master of Study, released in January 2010.
On March 31, 2010, Secret premiered the music video for "Magic," which served as the lead single from their initial mini album Secret Time. Their comeback stage was broadcast on April 8 via M! Countdown. The single reached number five on the Music Bank K-Chart. The video rapidly surpassed one million views online and popularized their signature "Suspender Dance" among fans.
Their sophomore mini album, Madonna, was released on August 12, 2010, with the title track unveiled a day earlier. Composers Kang Ji-won and Kim Ki-bum drew inspiration from American pop icon Madonna to express themes of confidence and empowerment. The accompanying music video also quickly exceeded one million views. Surpassing the success of "Magic," "Madonna" topped major online charts within two weeks and secured the number one spot on the Gaon Chart. This track earned them a Bonsang Award at the 20th Seoul Music Awards. Additionally, Secret received the Newcomer Award at the year-end 25th Golden Disk Awards.
2011–2012: Growing Recognition, Entry into Japan, Poison, and Talk That
In January 2011, Secret unveiled the single Shy Boy, which secured their inaugural music program trophy on M! Countdown on January 13 and dominated Music Bank’s top position for three consecutive weeks. They also earned a mutizen award on Inkigayo. Their follow-up single album, Starlight Moonlight, was launched on June 1, 2011, garnering them a second "Mutizen" accolade on Inkigayo. On August 3, 2011, Secret made their Japanese debut with the track "Madonna," which climbed to number nine on the Oricon charts.
Their first full-length studio album, Moving in Secret, was released on October 18, 2011. Subsequently, "Shy Boy" was reimagined as the lead track of their initial Japanese mini album, Shy Boy, which came out on November 16, 2011. In December of the same year, they took part in the Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo (KBEE) held in Paris. February 2012 saw the release of their second Japanese single, So Much For Goodbye. On February 22, Secret received two "Singers of the Year" honors at the Gaon Chart Awards for both "Shy Boy" and "Starlight Moonlight".
March marked their first headline tour across Japan with performances in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Their third Japanese single, Twinkle Twinkle, launched on June 13 and was featured as the ending theme for the anime series Naruto SD: Rock Lee and his Ninja Pals. The group’s debut Japanese studio album, Welcome to Secret Time, arrived on August 22 and included the Japanese version of "Love is Move" as its lead single, alongside Japanese renditions of Korean hits like "Madonna" and "Shy Boy", plus original singles "So Much for Goodbye" and "Twinkle Twinkle".
In September, Secret introduced the EP Poison in South Korea. The title track presented an energetic dance style crafted by Kang Ji-won and Kim Ki-bum and signaled a transition from their previous innocent image to a more sultry and feminine concept as described by TS Entertainment.
Their single Talk That, produced by Shinsadong Tiger—who also worked on their hit "Magic"—was released on December 4. The accompanying music video, directed by Zanybros' Hong Won-ki, was praised for its sophisticated aesthetic and mature theme.
On December 11, 2012, Secret experienced a car accident; members Hyoseong, Jieun, and Sunhwa sustained minor injuries while Hana suffered broken ribs and a bruised lung, leading to a temporary halt in her activities. Later that month, on December 27, Sunhwa teamed up with labelmate B.A.P's Youngjae to release the digital single "Everything is Pretty" as a special gift for fans.
2013–2014: Letter from Secret, Gift From Secret, and Secret Summer
In January 2013, Secret continued promoting "Talk That" without Hana, who officially returned to the group at the 22nd Seoul Music Awards where they secured a bonsang award. On March 29, they held a solo concert at Marina Bay Sands Convention Hall in Singapore before an audience of 5,000 attendees. Their fourth mini album, Letter from SECRET, featuring the lead track "YooHoo", was released on April 30. The song quickly topped real-time charts including Mnet, Bugs Olleh, and Sorribada, making Secret one of the most searched keywords across South Korean portals.
By June 2013, Secret had signed with Kiss Entertainment for their Japanese activities and shifted from Sony Music to Universal Music Group Japan under its Universal D's sub-label. On December 9, they issued their third single album titled Gift From Secret, headlined by "I Do I Do," an upbeat winter-themed song produced by Kang Ji-won and Kim Ki-bum.
On February 5, 2014, they released the Japanese version of "I Do I Do," marking their initial release under Kiss Entertainment in Japan. Prior to launching their fifth Japanese single, they embarked on their third Japan tour named 2014 Secret's Summer Live ~YooHoo~. The Japanese rendition of "YooHoo" followed on July 23. On August 11, Secret dropped their fifth mini album Secret Summer, featuring "I'm In Love" as the lead track produced by renowned hitmakers Duble Sidekick. Additionally, New Sun from Sonamoo contributed to composing "Look At Me," included in the album.
2015–2018: Departure of Members, Legal Conflicts with TS Entertainment, and Apparent Disbandment
Sunhwa exited the group on September 26, 2016, after deciding against renewing her contract with TS Entertainment to focus on an acting career. Her contract officially expired on October 13, after which the group continued activities as a trio.
By February 2018, both Hyoseong and Jieun were engaged in legal battles against TS Entertainment concerning unpaid wages and breaches of contract. In August 2017, Jieun initiated arbitration to invalidate her contract, citing TS Entertainment's failure to uphold contractual obligations. She subsequently announced on Instagram that she was no longer part of Secret.
In September 2017, Hyoseong filed a civil suit aiming to terminate her contract due to unpaid earnings and unauthorized transfer of her management rights by TS Entertainment. According to her legal representative, these violations eroded trust and disrupted promotional activities, making it improbable for her to remain with Secret under TS Entertainment’s management, effectively signaling the group's dissolution.
Musical styles and themes
Secret's musical identity predominantly revolves around a retro sound, although their repertoire includes pop, dance-pop, contemporary R&B, and hip-hop genres. Their debut track "I Want You Back" showcased an R&B and hip-hop orientation. Seoulbeats observed that after initially presenting an urban R&B style, Secret earned the title "queens of retro" with hits like “Magic” and “Madonna.” As Wonder Girls moved away from retro concepts, Secret assumed a leading position in defining this musical identity. Yahoo! Philippines’ Catherine Deen praised the group’s distinctive ability to personalize retro music. Park Hyunmin from enewsWorld highlighted Secret’s appeal as stemming from "pop-heavy beats and easy-to-follow dance moves," underlining their retro sound paired with alluring choreography.
The production team Kang Ji-won and Kim Ki-bum contributed live instrumentation including brass sections, saxophones, and drums alongside synthesizers and electric guitars in Secret’s music.
Image
Secret is noted for alternating between a sweet, girl-next-door persona in tracks like "Shy Boy" and "Starlight Moonlight" and a more seductive, strong image in songs such as "Magic," "Madonna," and "Poison," while consistently maintaining retro as their signature sound. Although the group achieved commercial success—with "Magic" and "Madonna" reaching number two and one on the Gaon Charts respectively—they did not claim first place on major South Korean music programs until promoting "Shy Boy." During the "Poison" era, member Jun Hyoseong remarked that Secret evolved beyond their innocent image to reveal distinct charms through a sexier visual concept; she also noted that their real-life personalities align more closely with the "Shy Boy" style.
Endorsements and other activities
The group’s popularity in South Korea led to endorsement partnerships with brands such as Gueoseu Chicken, Googims mall, Grand Mer (Online Fishing Game), Nike, Nene Chicken, Good Day Soju, and Parkga. Sunhwa expanded her career into acting, modeling, and variety programming, securing a regular spot on Invincible Youth in 2009.
In December 2010, Secret collaborated with the Korean Non-Life Insurance Association (KNIA) to create an anti-drunk driving advertisement. They also acted as ambassadors for various initiatives including The Seoul Competition Movie Content 'Streamed Seoul 2009,' The 18th National Women's Soccer Tournament (2010), The Eco-Project 'Urban Farm' (2010), and The 8th International Paralympic Skills Competition (2010). On December 28, 2011, they were appointed public relations ambassadors for the Korea Consumers Forum.
After filming the "YooHoo" music video in Saipan in April 2013, Secret was designated tourism ambassadors for the Northern Mariana Islands that same year, joining Korean artist Psy, who had been named ambassador in 2012.
On January 10, 2013, KBS announced Han Sunhwa’s debut as an actress in prime-time television through Advertisement Genius, Lee Tae Baek, where she portrayed Lee So Ran—an aspiring actress and younger sister to the lead character played by Jin Goo.
Awards
In 2010, Secret launched the popular track "Magic," which received a nomination for Best Dance Performance by a Female Group at the 12th Mnet Asian Music Awards. That same year, their chart-topping single "Madonna" was honored with a Bonsang at the 20th Seoul Music Awards. These achievements culminated in them receiving the "Newcomer award" at the 25th Golden Disk Awards.
Their song "Shy Boy" was pivotal, securing their initial victories on Mnet's M! Countdown and SBS's Inkigayo, while also achieving a Triple Crown on KBS's Music Bank. It earned nominations for both Song of the Year and Best Dance Performance by a Female Group at the 13th Mnet Asian Music Awards, and won Bonsang awards at the 21st Seoul Music Awards as well as the 3rd Melon Music Awards. Moreover, it was awarded the Songs of the Year Award for January at the inaugural Gaon Chart Awards. Subsequently, "Starlight Moonlight" (2011) brought them a second Inkigayo win alongside a Digital Bonsang at the 26th Golden Disk Awards, and it also claimed June's Songs of the Year Award at the first Gaon Chart Awards in 2012.
Concerts and tours
- Secret's inaugural Japan Tour "Secret Time" (2012)
- Secret Live performance in Singapore (2013)
- Second Japan Tour titled Love In Secret (2013)
- Third Japan Tour: Secret's Summer Live ~YooHoo~ (2014)
- First Fan Meeting across Asia by Secret (2015)
Discography
- Moving in Secret (2011)
- Welcome to Secret Time (2012)
See also
External links
- Official Japanese website managed by Universal Music