You Hee-yeol (Korean유희열; Hanja柳喜烈; born April 19, 1971)[1] is a South Korean singer-songwriter, radio disk jockey, and the host of You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook. He is the founder of the record label Antenna Music and the sole member of the project band Toy.

You Hee-yeol
유희열
You Hee-yeol at the LG Optimus LTE showcase event, on October 10, 2011
You Hee-yeol at the LG Optimus LTE showcase event, on October 10, 2011
Background information
Born (1971-04-19) April 19, 1971 (age 53)
OriginSeoul, South Korea
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • television host
Years active1992–present
LabelsAntenna Music
Websiteantenna - You Hee-yeol
Korean name
Hangul
유희열
Hanja
柳喜烈
Revised RomanizationYu Hui-yeol
McCune–ReischauerYu Hŭi-yŏl

Biography edit

You Hee-yeol was born in Seoul and attended Kyungbock High School. He graduated from Seoul National University's College of Music with a major in composition. He first appeared in the local pop music scene by winning the grand prize at the fourth You Jae-ha Music Contest held in 1992 with the song "달빛의 노래" ("The Moonlight Song").[2]

In 1994, he started the band Toy as a duo with Yoon Jeong-oh. But after releasing Toy's first album, Yoon left the band to study overseas and You joined the navy for his mandatory military service. Since 1996, Toy has continued as a one-man band with You as the sole member. After his discharge from military service, Toy's second album Fairy Tales for Adults was released, with the title song "Remember I Was Next to You" sung by Kim Yeon-woo becoming a big hit. Since then, You has rarely sung the songs in his albums and instead features guest vocalists such as Kim Yeon-woo, Kim Hyung-joong, Lee Jang-woo, Yoon Jong-shin, Kim Jang-hoon, Jinu (also known as Hitchhiker), and Byeon Jae-won.[3]

You has also produced many albums for K-pop musicians including Lee Seung-hwan, Yoon Jong-shin, Lee Sora and Lee Moon-se. In 1997, he founded the record label Antenna Music, then known as Toy Music.

In July 1999, You published a book of illustrations titled In Front of a Familiar House. The album of the same title contained instrumental tracks in a range of genres.[3] Besides songwriting, You has worked as a radio DJ, appearing on MBC FM4U's Yoo Hee-yeol's Music City (1999–March 2001),[3] MBC FM4U's All That Music (October 2, 2002 – April 25, 2004), and KBS 2FM's You Hee-yeol's Radio Heaven (2008–Nov 11, 2011).

Since 2009, You has hosted the major K-pop live music program You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook on KBS 2TV. He was also a member of the judging panel for K-pop Star 3 (2013–14) and a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live Korea in September 2013.[4] In 2015, he appeared in the music video for Psy's single "Daddy". Since 2015, he became a co-host with Yoo Jae Suk in Two Yoo Project Sugar Man.

On December 11, 2021, You was diagnosed with COVID-19, canceled all of his schedules and is taking necessary measures in accordance with quarantine agency guidelines.[5] As of December 21, 2021, it was reported that Yoo had recovered from the infection as of December 19 after completing home treatment for COVID-19 according to a decision by health officials.[6]

In 2022, You faced multiple allegations of plagiarism. After acknowledging the similarities between his song "Very Private Night" and "Aqua" by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, the controversy continued over songs "Happy Birthday to You" (composed by You and performed by Sung Si-kyung) and "Time to Turn On". On July 18, 2022, You published an apology through his record label Antenna, announcing his intention to step down from his program You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook, and that he "will look after [himself] more strictly so that a controversy such as this does not arise again."[7]

Discography edit

  • In Front of a Familiar House (익숙한 그 집 앞) (1999)
  • A Walk Around the Corner (유희열이 초대하는 새로운 음악세계) (2002)
  • Summer Days (여름날) (2008)

Singles edit

  • "Mother's Sea" (엄마의 바다) (2014)

Music video edit

  • IU - The Red Shoes (분홍신) (2013)
  • Unnies (언니쓰) - Shut Up (2016)
  • Sechs Kies (젝스키스) - Don't Look Back (뒤돌아보지 말아요) (2021)

Television shows edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009–2022 You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook Host [8]
2020–2022 Sing Again Judge Season 1–2 [9]
2021 Many Chat Host with Cha Tae-hyun [10]
2022 Famous Singers Season 2 [11]
New Festa [12]

Web shows edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021 Clumsy Antenna Main Cast with Artist from Antenna [13]
2022 Take 1 Participant [14][15]

Bibliography edit

  • You Hee-yeol Illustrations - In Front of a Family House (유희열 삽화집 - 익숙한 그 집 앞)[16]

Awards edit

Music show awards edit

KBS Music Bank edit

Year Date Song
2014 November 28 "Three People"

References edit

  1. ^ He intentionally spells his family name as 'You', not 'Yoo'. See his album cover Toy6
  2. ^ "가비아 호스팅 서비스:웹호스팅,웹메일호스팅,쇼핑몰호스팅,단독서버,동영상호스팅". www.yjh.or.kr.
  3. ^ a b c Toy (You Hee-yeol) KBS World.
  4. ^ "SNL 코리아 유희열 "합류 결정한 진짜 이유는…?"".
  5. ^ Park So-young (December 13, 2021). "백신 2차 접종했는데"..유재석x유희열, 코로나19 확진→안테나 비상 [종합]" ["I got the second dose of the vaccine".. Yoo Jae-seok x Yoo Hee-yeol, Corona 19 confirmed → Antenna emergency [General]] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved December 13, 2021 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Kim Hyun-kyung (December 21, 2021). "유재석·유희열, 코로나19 완치 판정…활동 재개" [Yoo Jae-seok and Yoo Hee-yeol, confirmed full recovery from Corona 19... resume activity] (in Korean). Korea Economy TV. Retrieved December 21, 2021 – via Naver.
  7. ^ Yang Seung-jun (18 July 2022). "유희열 '스케치북' 13년 만에 하차... "표절 의혹 동의하기 어려운 부분도"". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  8. ^ Jang Su-jeong (July 18, 2022). "유희열의 스케치북' 측 "22일 방송분 끝으로 프로그램 중단" [Yoo Hee-yeol's Sketchbook' side "The program is suspended after the episode aired on the 22nd"] (in Korean). Dailyan. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Kang Hyo-jin (October 21, 2021). "'싱어게인2' 윤도현 합류, 이선희→송민호 심사위원 라인업 확정[공식]" ['Singer Gain 2' Yoon Do-hyun joins, Lee Seon-hee → Song Min-ho Jury lineup confirmed] (in Korean). SPOTV news. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Naver.
  10. ^ Moon Ji-yeon (October 5, 2021). "[공식] 유희열·차태현 JTBC '다수의 수다' MC 호흡..11월 첫방송" [[Official] Yoo Hee-yeol and Cha Tae-hyun, JTBC 'Many Chatter' MC breathing.. First broadcast in November]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Cha Hye-young (March 6, 2022). "싱어게인2' TOP6, '유명곡 주인공' 만난다…4월 첫 방송 ('유명가수전')" ['Singer Gain 2' TOP6, 'famous song protagonist' meet... First broadcast in April ('Celebrity Singers')] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Retrieved March 6, 2022 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Kwak Hyun-su (April 20, 2022). "윤종신·유희열, JTBC 음악예능 '뉴페스타'서 뭉친다" [Jong-Shin Yoon and Hee-Yeol Yoo to get together at JTBC's 'New Festa'] (in Korean). YTN. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Naver.
  13. ^ Kang Jin-ah (September 16, 2021). "유희열→유재석 총출동…'우당탕탕 안테나' 10월 공개" [Yoo Hee-yeol → Yoo Jae-seok is in full force… 'Woodang Tangtang Antenna' released in October]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved September 16, 2021 – via Naver.
  14. ^ Han, Hye-jung (July 12, 2022). "조수미·임재범·유희열·비…넷플릭스, 美친 라인업 '음악쇼' 제작" [Jo Su-mi, Lim Jae-beom, Yoo Hee-yeol, Rain… Netflix to produce 'Music Show', a beautiful lineup] (in Korean). Maeil, Star Today. Retrieved July 12, 2022 – via Naver.
  15. ^ Ahn, Tae-hyun (September 15, 2022). "조수미부터 임재범까지…넷플릭스 '테이크 원', 10월14일 공개 확정" [From Jo Sumi to Im Jae-beom... Netflix's 'Take One' to be released on October 14] (in Korean). News1. Retrieved September 15, 2022 – via Naver.
  16. ^ You Hee-yeol (1999). 유희열 삽화집 - 익숙한 그 집 앞 [You Hee-yeol Illustrations - In Front of a Familiar House] (in Korean). Random House Korea. ISBN 978-89-8375-286-4.

External links edit