For almost 2 decades, K-pop legends Super Junior have won countless awards, achieved multiple records and even have their own label! Wanna know more about these K-pop icons? Here are top 10 things you need to know about them:
They debuted on November 6, 2005
Super Junior is one of the longest-running male K-pop groups. Formed by SM Entertainment, Super Junior debuted on November 6, 2005, and went by the name Super Junior 05. Originally, their goal was to have a rotational system where old members would “graduate” and new members would join the line-up.
Twelve members debuted on the said date namely, Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Kangin, Hangeng, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Sungmin, Siwon, Ryeowook, Donghae, and Kibum. When Kyuhyun joined the group in May 2006, SM abandoned the rotational concept and made the 13-member lineup permanent. They also removed the 05 suffix and stuck with the name Super Junior until the present day.
Their fandom name is called ELF
On July 2, 2006, E.L.F. was announced as the fandom name of Super Junior. E.L.F. stands for Ever Lasting Friends. The fandom's name came from Super Junior’s leader, Leeteuk. During the 2015 Teen Choice Awards, Super Junior won the "Best Fandom" award.
They were the first Korean group that featured a Chinese member
For recent Korean acts, having foreign members in the group is now common. However, back in 2005, Han Geng was the first ever Chinese national to debut in a Korean group. He was one of the few candidates who stood out among the 3,000 hopefuls who auditioned to be part of SM Entertainment. He debuted with Super Junior in 2005, and went on to gain international recognition despite having limited television appearances because of his visa restrictions.
remember when super junior's original visual line up was heechul, hangeng, siwon & kibum? SUPER JUNIOR'S F4 😂💙 pic.twitter.com/23IYHVp5ik
— ᴋɪᴍ ʜᴇᴇᴍɪ (@heechullieoppa) September 12, 2019
In 2008, he became the leader for Super Junior-M, a subunit of the group that featured both Korean and Chinese members. Though he already left both Super Junior and SM Entertainment in 2009, it was no doubt that Han Geng helped popularize K-pop music in the Chinese market.
They started the Sub-Unit trend
Ever wonder how sub-units such as Orange Caramel, Oh!GG, Super M, EXO-CBX, NCT 127, and many others were first created? Look no further because Super Junior was the first K-pop group to ever have a sub-unit. A sub-unit is a smaller group formed from members of a larger group. The subunit will have their own music releases and promotions.
Super Junior is really a rare boygroup. Their sub-unit even already reached their 10th anniversary. They're still active and released group albums even though the group is already 16 yo. There are not many active 16 yo groups in the whole K-Pop industry.#SUPERJUNIOR #슈퍼주니어 pic.twitter.com/BlgO6k6o5d
— 💙Everlasting Friends💙 (@sapphirecloud1) January 10, 2022
The first major sub-unit was Super Junior- K.R.Y. The group is composed of SJ’s three main vocalists namely, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung. They debuted in November 2006 with the song “The One I Love”, an OST From the 2006 tvN drama, Hyena.
Aside from K.R.Y., Super Junior also formed several other subunits such as:
- Super Junior-T (T for trot) which includes Leeteuk, Heechul, Shindong, Kangin, Sungmin, and Eunhyuk
- Super Junior - M (M for Mandarin) with members composed of Han Geng, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun. This also marked the debut of two new members, Zhou Mi and Henry.
- Super Junior -H (H for Happy) composed of Leeteuk, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Kangin, and Eunhyuk.
- Super Junior D&E - D&E stands for Donghae and Eunhyuk, Super Junior’s first-ever duo that debuted in 2011 with the single “Oppa, Oppa”.
Their fandom color is Sapphire Blue
sapphire blue ocean is still the prettiest🥺💙#SS9inBKK_DAY1 pic.twitter.com/j8JnhwufaC
— 🌊 (@96temps) July 30, 2022
They were the best-selling K-pop artist for four years in a row
With 12 studio albums, 6 live albums, 51 music videos, and 2 extended plays, it is no wonder that Super Junior is considered a legendary act in the K-Pop industry.
They were the best-selling K-pop artist for four years in a row, having earned thirteen music awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, nineteen from the Golden Disc Awards, and the second singing group to win Favorite Artist in Korea at the 2008 MTV Asia Awards. In 2012, they were nominated for “Best Asian Act” in MTV Europe Music Awards. They also became the first Asian artist to win the Best International Artist during the 2015 Teen Choice Award. To the present day, Super Junior is still receiving accolades for their music despite being in the industry for more than a decade.
They are the first SM Entertainment group to have their own dedicated label
Established in November 2005, Label SJ is an exclusive label by SM Entertainment created to manage Super Junior’s solo and joint activities. The label was announced during their 10th anniversary, and it marked the first time a subsidiary was dedicated to a single group. All of Super Junior’s productions since then have come out from Label SJ. Though they have their own label, Super Junior still operated under SM Entertainment, and participates regularly in SM-wide ventures, including SM Town concerts.
They were the first K-pop artist to enter Billboard’s Latin Songs chart
Super Junior was the first ever K-pop act to enter the Billboard’s Latin Songs chart with their song “Lo Siento”, the title track from their repackaged album "Replay”. The track is a trilingual song featuring Dominican-American singer Leslie Grace and producers Play-N-Skillz.
The song ranked No. 13 on Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales chart, and No. 2 at the Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales in April 2018. Billboard has stated that this is the first time a K-pop artist has ever been on the chart.
Super Junior members are all multitalented artists and creatives
Aside from being super talented Korean Pop Idols who can sing and dance, Super Junior members have expanded their artistry and pursued projects outside of the group. They have very diverse interests and skills, which established their success as individuals outside of the group.
Most SJ members are known as reality show and variety show kings such as Leeteuk, Heechul, Kyuhyun, Shindong and Eunhyuk. They are also active MCs and hosts, producers, and directors. Some members are also well-known actors such as Siwon and Yesung. Super Junior has also created their own reality shows such Super TV, and have recently participated in various creative fields.
They are dubbed as the Kings of Hallyu Wave
Kpop fan or not, everyone is familiar with the song Sorry, Sorry. When it was released in 2009, it became an instant hit and ranked #1 on the Hanteo Charts. It also became a viral hit all over the world and achieved national and international success.
In fact, when the song was released, the world-renowned Cebu Dancing Inmates made a dance cover that now has over 7 million views. The video caught the attention of Super Junior members themselves and has since left a huge impact in the Philippines.
Don't miss out the chance to witness Super Junior perform for their devoted Filipino ELFs on August 6 at Mall of Asia Arena. Tickets are still available via SM Tickets online and outlets nationwide.