Hyun Jin-young

Heo Hyeon-seok (Korean: 허현석; born February 3, 1971),^[1] better known by his stage name Hyun Jin-young (현진영),^[2] is a South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer. He is best known for his role in introducing hip-hop music to South Korea.^[3]

Hyun Jin-young 현진영
Hyun in 2021
Background information
Birth name	Heo Hyeon-seok
Born	February 3, 1971 (age 53) Seoul, South Korea
Genres	Hip-hop K-pop jazz
Occupations	Singer rapper dancer
Years active	1990–present
Labels	S.M. Studio SidusHQ FUN Han Entertainment
Formerly of	Hyun Jin-young and Wawa I.W.B.H
Spouse	Oh Seo-un ​ (m. 2011)​
Korean name
Hangul	현진영
Revised Romanization	Hyeon Jin-yeong
McCune–Reischauer	Hyŏn Chinyŏng
Birth name
Hangul	허현석
Revised Romanization	Heo Hyeon-seok
McCune–Reischauer	Hŏ Hyŏnsŏk

Hyun is known as the first artist to be signed to SM Entertainment, then operating as S.M. Studio, in 1989. In 1995, his contract was completed and he left SM.

Hyun has been involved with music since he was a child; his father Ho byong chan [ko],was a jazz pianist who was the first person to create a jazz big band called AAA(Triple A) inside the 8th US army village. While growing up in Hannam-dong UN Village (8th US Army Village near the U.S. Army Base),^[4] he was introduced to African-American music by American friends.^[3] He learned how to sing, dance and rap throughout his childhood.At the age of 14 in korean age, he was noticed by the dance crew "Spark", which was considered as the first korean breaking dance group, and the crew recruited him.^[5] He dropped out of high school at age 16 to become a hip-hop musician.

He eventually met Lee Soo-man, and Hyun passed Lee's audition since he pulled off the toggichum (토끼춤, 'The Roger Rabbit"). He then trained under Lee's supervision to prepare for his debut.^[6]

Debuting as Hyun Jin-young and Wawa in 1990,^[7] Hyun released hit songs such as "Sad Mannequin(슬픈 마네킹)", "Sexy Lady(야한여자)" and "You Are in My Unclear Memory(흐린기억속의그대)".^[1] Though album sales were mediocre, he gained popularity as a forerunner of hip hop music in South Korea, which at the time was a shock for most audiences.^[3] At first, Wawa consisted of Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae from Clon, later Lee Hyun-do and Kim Sung-jae, both of Deux fame,^[6] and finally Sean, a future half of Jinusean. Hyun's career was damaged by a series of drug convictions from which it never fully recovered. He was incarcerated for marijuana use in 1991, then methamphetamines in 1993. Hyun later said he became addicted to methamphetamines after befriending a drug dealer inmate during his first stint in jail. Further arrests followed in 1995 and 1998.^[8][9] In 1997, he formed a hip hop duo named I.W.B.H. with Lee Tak.^[10]

In 2001, Hyun returned to the music scene with his fourth solo album, Wild Gangster Hip Hop-21C Hyun Jinyoung Vol.IV.^[10] The response from his fans was favorable. He checked himself into hospital in 2003 and underwent a drug rehabilitation program.^[8] In 2006, he released his fifth album called Street Jazz In My Soul. This album contained jazz music, a departure from his exclusively hip-hop origins.^[10] The following year, he began teaching at RAUM, a professional music academy in Gangnam.^[7]

He was also a chief producer of SidusHQ.^[11]

Hyun legally married actress and entrepreneur Oh Seo-un in June 2011. Their wedding ceremony was postponed and took place in 2013.^[12]