Sohyang

Kim Sohyang 소향 김소향
Sohyang in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Kim So-hyang
Also known as	Sohyang
Born	(1978-04-05) April 5, 1978 (age 43) Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, South Korea
Genres	CCM, gospel, Pop music
Occupation(s)	Singer, author
Instruments	Vocals (lyric soprano), guitar
Years active	1996–present
Associated acts	POS, Michael Bolton, JinJoo Lee, David Foster, Brian McKnight, Kirk Franklin
Website	café.daum.net/sohyang

Kim So-hyang (Korean: 김소향, born April 5, 1978), known mononymously as Sohyang, is a South Korean singer-songwriter who has been dubbed by the international media as the "Korean Mariah Carey".^[1] According to Sohyang, her goal is to use her voice to comfort people who are going through difficult times.^[2] Sohyang is also an author of fiction, who has published multiple fantasy novels since 2013,^[1] the most well-known of them being Crystal Castle and Anaxion.^[1]

Life and career[]

Career[]

Sohyang made her debut in 1996 with the song "Mr."(선생님). She was practicing in a recording studio and composer Jo Hwan-gon heard her singing and asked her to record a song with him. After being tested by him, Sohyang released her first single and then went on a tour with Jo Hwan-gon and participated in many concerts and musical performances.^[3] She joined her husband's family band "POS" and released several CCM albums. Sohyang became one of the most popular and influencing CCM singers of Korea. She held concerts in around 50 countries until now.^[4] In 2014, she became the first South Korean artist to sing the American national anthem at an NBA game.^[5] She achieved further fame when she sang with Kirk Franklin.^[6]

Since 2012, Sohyang has participated multiple times on various television music competition programs Immortal Songs 2, King of Mask Singer, and I Am a Singer 2, winning twice on Immortal Songs 2 with songs "Lean on Me" and "Bridge over Troubled Water", and setting up a new record on King of Mask Singer.

After winning the Michael Bolton special episode on Immortal Songs 2 with a score of 442 points (fifth-highest ever), Michael Bolton—who described Sohyang as a "virtuoso"^[7][8]—asked Sohyang to tour South Korea with him, and they performed many concerts together throughout the country.^[9] Furthermore, her performance of "Lean on Me" won an award at the 2015 Banff World Media Festival.^[10]

In 2016 Sohyang was awarded the Grand Prize of the Seoul Success Award in the Culture category.^[11][12] In Disney's movie Moana, Sohyang provided the singing voice of the protagonist in the Korean-dubbed version.^[13][14] Sohyang also gives lectures about singing and vocal technique at Baekseok University in Cheonan City.^[15]

In the first half of 2017, Sohyang appeared on MBC's King of Mask Singer as "Spirited Lady" for the show's 2nd anniversary and became the winner six consecutive times (Generation 53-58), making her the female singer with the highest number of consecutive wins ever achieved to that time (second highest overall) before losing her crown in July 2017 and departing from the show after appearing for 14 consecutive weeks.^[16] Sohyang sang the main OST, "Wind Song" (바람의 노래), which is a remake of Cho Yong-pil's original song, for the Drama Confession Couple (고백부부). This OST was at No. 1 on the charts on Melon (online music service) for several weeks and additionally won the 1st place on Music Bank on November 24 in 2017.^[17] She was given a special stage on which to perform the main OST "Wind Song" at the KBS Drama Awards on the last day of 2017.^[18] Sohyang performed at the MBC Entertainment Awards 2017 and was awarded the Special Prize in the Music Show category for her participation in King of Mask Singer.^[19][20] She became the King of the show with the highest number of consecutive wins ever achieved as a female contestant at that time.

During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, ice dancer Yura Min and Alexander Gamelin performed to Sohyang's rendition of "Arirang Alone".^[21] Furthermore, during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang Sohyang performed, together with Sumi Jo, the song "Here as One", which they both recorded specifically for this occasion.^[22]

Personal life[]

Sohyang is a devout Christian. She first began singing in her local community, with no aspirations of pursuing a career as a professional singer.^[1] Sohyang's parents divorced when she was in her third year of high school. Due to this, Sohyang experienced great financial difficulties, and, according to her, was often very sad as a result. She has said that she used to listen to artists Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion often, whose music helped her to get through these difficult times.^[23] In 2017 she was quoted as having said that her favorite album is still Mariah Carey's Music Box.^[24][25] In 1998, at the age of twenty, Sohyang married Kim Hee-jun, the drummer of her band POS. Soon afterwards she was diagnosed with uterine cancer; due to the early detection, she was able to survive the cancer, but was rendered infertile.^[2][26] Her sister-in-law is the guitarist JinJoo Lee from DNCE.^[27][28]

Voice[]

Sohyang's vocal type is a Full Lyric Soprano.^[29] Her showcased vocal range spans from D3 to A6^{[citation needed]} a total of three octaves, three notes and a semitone. According to Sohyang, the highest note she can sing is an E♭7.^[30] This means that she has an overall range of approximately four octaves and one semitone. However, this range hasn't been showcased to its fullest extent yet, as the highest note she has publicly showcased is A6. Her belting range/mixed voice extends up to a Soprano C♯ (C♯6). She is known for her emotive and powerful vocals and meticulous control. Her vocals have been praised by various vocal coaches and singers like Seth Riggs and Michael Bolton.^{[31][better source needed]}

Discography[]

POS albums[]

Album title	Album details
소향 (POS)	Released: 1999 Label: 정규 Studio Format: CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Under The Wing (ko. 주 날개 아래)"	POS (포스)	4:17
2.	"Whisper (ko. 속삭임)"	POS (포스)	4:20
3.	"I Swear"	POS (포스)	4:34
4.	"I Love Him (ko. 그를 사랑해)"	POS (포스)	3:56
5.	"The Lord Protects You (ko. 주가 널 지키시는 건)"	POS (포스)	4:28
6.	"Understanding (ko. 이해)"	POS (포스)	4:19
7.	"Into Lord's Desert (ko. 주의 광야로)"	POS (포스)	4:06
8.	"Truly (ko. 진짜야)"	POS (포스)	3:32
9.	"Light (ko. 빛)"	POS (포스)	4:40
10.	"Towards The Gates of Heaven (ko. 천성을 향해 가는 성도들아)"	POS (포스)	6:00
Total length:			42:52

Album title	Album details
Letter to the Sky	Released: 2001 Label: 정규 Studio Format: CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Shelter (ko. 피난처)"	POS (포스)	4:49
2.	"Letter to the Sky"	POS (포스)	4:57
3.	"Calling"	POS (포스)	4:11
4.	"Upon This Rock (ko. 반석위에)"	POS (포스)	5:04
5.	"Jesus Loves Me (ko. 예수 사랑하심은)"	POS (포스)	5:14
6.	"Hold On"	POS (포스)	4:14
7.	"Tears (ko. 눈물)"	POS (포스)	5:02
8.	"Confession (ko. 고백)"	POS (포스)	4:11
9.	"Deliver (ko. 전하리)"	POS (포스)	4:33
10.	"Oath (ko. 맹세)"	POS (포스)	4:13
11.	"A Gift of Love (ko. 사랑의 선물)"	POS (포스)	3:43
12.	"Waiting (ko. 기다림)"	POS (포스)	4:04
13.	"Yearning (ko. 그리움)"	POS (포스)	4:10
14.	"O Holy Night"	Adolphe Adam	4:42
15.	"Shelter MR (ko. 피난처 (MR))"	POS (포스)	4:46
Total length:			65:53

Album title	Album details
Butterfly	Released: 2004 Label: June Music Format: CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Butterfly (ko. 나비)"	POS (포스)	4:53
2.	"Wings (ko. 날개)"	POS (포스)	3:48
3.	"A Passionate Desire (ko. 열방의 소망)"	POS (포스)	4:27
4.	"Until The Lord Returns (ko. 주님 다시 오실 때까지)"	POS (포스)	4:18
5.	"You in Heaven (ko. 천국에서 그댈)"	POS (포스)	3:52
6.	"Light"	POS (포스)	4:07
7.	"Rose (ko. 장미)"	POS (포스)	4:46
8.	"I Love You (ko. 널 사랑하는 걸)"	POS (포스)	3:52
9.	"Heaven"	POS (포스)	3:34
10.	"I'm Always With You"	POS (포스)	3:25
11.	"You (ko. 난 널)"	POS (포스)	4:27
12.	"Butterfly (Inst.) (ko. 나비 (Inst.))"	POS (포스)	4:53
13.	"A Passionate Desire (Inst.) (ko. 열방의 소망 (Inst.))"	POS (포스)	4:24
Total length:			51:66

Album title	Album details
Dream	Released: 2007 Label: CCM Sky Format: CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Rainbow (ko. 무지개)"	POS (포스)	3:18
2.	"Dream (ko. 꿈)"	POS (포스)	3:56
3.	"Look at the Sky (ko. 하늘을 봐요)"	POS (포스)	3:55
4.	"Hallelujah (ko. 할렐루야)"	POS (포스)	4:09
5.	"I Love You (ko. 사랑할께요)"	POS (포스)	5:11
6.	"Waiting (ko. 기다리고)"	POS (포스)	3:29
7.	"Love and Pain (ko. 사랑하고 아파하고)"	POS (포스)	4:22
8.	"YOU"	POS (포스)	3:56
9.	"Where You Are (ko. 그대있는 곳에)"	POS (포스)	3:24
10.	"You Raise Me Up"	Secret Garden	3:59
11.	"Hosea (ko. 호세아)"	POS (포스)	3:35
12.	"Dream (Inst.) (ko. 꿈 (Inst.))"	POS (포스)	3:56
13.	"Hallelujah (Inst.) (ko. 할렐루야 (Inst.))"	POS (포스)	4:05
Total length:			48:45

Album title	Album details
Story	Released: 2009 Label: Judy's Fashion Format: CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"My Lord (Psalms 139) (ko. 내 하나님 (시편 139편))"	POS (포스)	4:25
2.	"Eternal Friend (ko. 영원한 친구)"	POS (포스)	4:09
3.	"Thorn Tree (ko. 가시나무)"	POS (포스)	4:31
4.	"Stay With Me"	POS (포스)	3:06
5.	"Are You Too Far? (ko. 너무 멀리 왔나요)"	POS (포스)	4:43
6.	"Story (ko. 이야기)"	POS (포스)	4:06
7.	"To Where You Are (ko. 그대 있는 곳 까지)"	POS (포스)	3:58
8.	"Good Enough"	POS (포스)	3:25
9.	"Grown Up"	POS (포스)	3:38
10.	"I Miss (ko. 그리워)"	POS (포스)	4:14
11.	"Emmanuel"	POS (포스)	4:26
12.	"Story"	POS (포스)	4:06
13.	"Miss You Now"	POS (포스)	4:14
14.	"Dream"	POS (포스)	3:56
Total length:			54:57

Soundtrack appearances[]

Title	Year	Album
"Someone's Dream" (어떤이의 꿈) (San E featuring Sohyang)	2011	Dream High OST
"Only One Thing" (오직 단하나)	2012	The King's Doctor OST
"Don't Forget Me" (잊지말아요)	2013	Iris II: New Generation OST
"Home"	2017	Strongest Deliveryman OST
"Wind Song" (바람의 노래)		Confession Couple OST
"Close My Eyes" (눈을 감아)	2018	The Time OST
"I Love You" (사랑합니다)		My Only One OST
"Only My Heart Knows" (가슴만 알죠)		The Hymn of Death OST
"Last Promise" (마지막 약속)		A Pledge to God OST
"Starlight"	2019	Perfume OST
"Road" (길)		Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life OST
"Hopefully Sky" (하늘바라기)	2020	Hi Bye, Mama! OST
"Once"		When I Was the Most Beautiful OST
"Hello"		18 Again OST
"Beautiful Destiny"		Birthcare Center OST
"Did You Forget?" (잊었니)		Homemade Love Story OST
"Beautiful Words" (아름다운 말)	2021	Navillera OST

Filmography[]

Variety shows[]

Year	Title	Network	Notes
2012	I Am a Singer 2	MBC	Contestant, 3rd place
2014–2016, 2018	Immortal Songs 2	KBS2	Contestant, 6 Episodes, 2 Final wins
2017	King of Mask Singer	MBC	Spirited Lady, Episodes 105–118, 6 wins
2018	You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook	KBS2	Guest, Episode 406
2020	Begin Again	JTBC	Cast member, Season 4, Episode 6-10
2021	Voice King	MBN	Judge, Season 1

Sohyang: I Am a Singer 2 song and rank list[]

Month	Round	Song	Original Artist	Result
July	Group B	"I Have Nothing"	Whitney Houston	Rank 1
	Singer of July	"In the Flower Garden" (꽃밭에서)	Jung Hoon Hee	Rank 3
August	Group A	"Running to the Sky" (하늘을 달리다)	Lee Juck	Rank 1
	Singer of August	"Never Ending Story"	Boohwal	Rank 1 / Singer of August
September	Singer of September	"Beauty and the Beast", duet with Park Wan-kyu	Celine Dion	Special Stage
Super December	Opening	"Dream" (꿈)	Sohyang – POS	Rank 2
	Week 1	"Where Are You" (그대는 어디에)	Yim Jae-beom	Rank 2
	Week 2	"As I Live" (살다가)	SG Wannabe	Rank 2
	Week 3	"I Always Miss You" (나 항상 그대를)	Lee Sun-hee	Rank 3
	Week 4	"For Thousands Days" (천일동안), duet with The One	Lee Seung-hwan	Rank 2
		"Fate" (인연)	Lee Sun-hee	Rank 1
	Semi-finals	"O Holy Night"	Adolphe Charles Adam	Rank 2
		"It's Only My World" (그것만이 내 세상)	[ko]	3. Rank / Drop out

Sohyang achieved the highest average rank of every contestant on I Am a Singer 2 ever.^[32] Furthermore, she never placed outside of the Top 3 during the whole time she was present in the show.

Records and statistics[]

Rank 1	Rank 2	Rank 3	Average Rank
4 Times	5 Times	3 Times	1,9 (highest ever)

Sohyang: Immortal Songs 2 episodes list[]

(If the number of rounds won is written in bold, this means that she won the most rounds in that episode.)

Date	Episode Title	Episode No.	Song	Order	Result
October 18, 2014	Michael Bolton Special	Ep.169	"Lean on Me"	7/7	442 Votes, 1 Round won, Final Win
February 21, 2015	Traditional Folk Songs Special	Ep.187	"Arirang Alone" (홀로 아리랑)	1/7	411 Votes, 1 Round won
May 9, 2015	English Pop Songs Special	Ep.198	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	4/7	416 Votes, 4 Rounds won, Final Win
December 26, 2015	The Immortal Big Match Special	Ep.231	"Everyone" (여러분)	4/7	Votes unknown, 0 Rounds won
July 23, 2016	Summer Story With Friends Special	Ep.261	"Childish Adult" (어른 아이) ft. JK Kim Dong-wook	1/7	Votes unknown, 0 Rounds won
May 12, 2018	Shane Filan Special	Ep.354	"You Raise Me Up"	3/6	414 Votes, 2 Rounds won

King of Mask Singer song list[]

Generation #	Episode #	Round #	Song	Opponent	Result (Score)	Notes
53	106	1	"I Miss You" (보고 싶다; Kim Bum-soo)	Minzy	Win (58:41)	Advanced to the second round
	106	2	"Atlantis Princess" (아틀란티스 소녀; BoA)	[ko]	Win (60:39)	Advanced to the third round
		3	"Dear Love" (사랑아; The One)	Bae In-hyuk (Romantic Punch)	Win (74:25)	Advanced to the final round
		Final	Voting based on the first three songs	Lee Hae-ri of Davichi	Win (58:41)	Mask Queen 1st time
54	108		"Do You Know" (아시나요; Jo Sung-mo)	[ko]	Win (66:33)	Mask Queen 2nd time
55	110		"Hug Me" (안아줘;  [ko])	Lee Se-jun (Yurisangja)	Win (77:22)	Mask Queen 3rd time
56	112		"Mona Lisa" (모나리자; Cho Yong-pil)	Hwang Chi-yeul	Win (67:32)	Mask Queen 4th time
57	115		"Breathe" (한숨; Lee Hi)	[ko]	Win (76:23)	Mask Queen 5th time
58	117		"Home" (Park Hyo-shin)	John Park	Win (74:25)	Mask Queen 6th time
59	119		"Day Day" (Bewhy)	Johan Kim	Lose (43:56)	Drop out

Records and statistics[]

Most Wins (Females)	Most Wins	Average Score
2nd rank	3rd rank	66 of 99 Votes
former 1st rank	former 2nd rank

Sohyang was the first female singer to ever achieve 6 consecutive victories at that time and therefore set a new record, which was later broken by Son Seung-yeon ("The East Invincibility"). Sohyang received an average of 65.96 votes out of 99 every round, which was ranked in Top 10 of highest average scores of all Mask Kings and Top 3 highest average score of all female Mask Kings for a period of time.

Awards[]

Year	Awards	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2016	8th Seoul Success Awards	Culture Grand Prize	N/A	Won	[11][12]
2017	MBC Entertainment Awards	Special Award in Music Show	King of Mask Singer	Won	[33][34]
2019	Ten Korean Winners	Singer	Herself	Won	[35]
2020	Korea Day Awards	Special Singer	Herself	Won	[36]
2021	K-Model Awards	Global Artist	Herself	Won	[37]

KBS's Music Bank[]

Year	Date	Song	Album	Ref.
2017	November 24	Wind Song (바람의 노래)	Confession Couple (Original Television Soundtrack), Pt. 2 – Single

References[]