My Name (band)

My Name (Korean: 마이네임); stylized as MYNAME) is a South Korean boy group signed under H2 Media. Created by Fly to the Sky member Hwanhee, the group consists of five members: Gunwoo, Insoo, Seyong, JunQ, and Chaejin. They released their debut single "Message" (메시지) in October 2011.

History

2011: debut

On July 30, 2011, Fly to the Sky member Hwanhee announced that he would be debuting an idol group. The five members of the group, dubbed "Hwanhee Boys" at the time, were trained by Hwanhee for two years; he acted as their vocal trainer and record producer. The group was set to debut between September and October of that year.^[1]

While in middle school, SeYong was a trainee for JYP Entertainment for three years, starting from 2007. He left due to "personal issues" and later joined current agency.^[2] SeYong then went on to star in the KBS drama I Believe in Love. InSoo auditioned for Superstar K2 in 2010. The show featured his studies as a dance major in university as well as a visit from his high school friend, MBLAQ leader Seungho, who gave him advice and encouragement before his audition.

My Name was given a reality show on SBS MTV titled Ta-Dah It's My Name. The pilot episode aired on October 25, 2011, and the program began to be regularly aired on November 5.^[3] On October 26, 2011, the music video teaser for My Name's debut single, "Message" (메시지; Mesiji) was released. The full music video was released the following day.^[4]

After wrapping up promotions for "Message" by performing an acoustic version with indie duo Rooftop Moonlight, My Name made a cameo appearance on the KBS drama Dream High 2 in January 2012.

2012: "Hello & Goodbye" and Japanese debut

H2 Media first announced the group's comeback on May 16, 2012 as well as the official fan name for the group, 'MYgirl."^[5]

My Name released the music video for "Hello & Goodbye" on May 31, 2012 as the title track for the first single album, which was released the next day. Actress Son Eun-seo co-starred in the video. Their preparations and promotions for the album as well as their preparations for their Japanese debut were chronicled on a new season of SBS MTV's Diary which premiered on June 25, 2012.^[6]

My Name officially made their Japanese debut with the release of a single album featuring a Japanese version of "Message" on July 25, 2012. It was accompanied by a brand new music video for the song as well as a music video for the original Japanese track, "Summer Party." They held a debut showcase at the Shibuya-AX in Tokyo with 2,000 fans in attendance.^[7] In August, the group became the first male models for Japanese swimwear brand San-ai.^[8]

The group would release their 2nd Japanese single "What's Up" on November 21, 2012 with music videos for the title track and a Japanese version of "Hello & Goodbye." The group drew 5,000 fans to their first solo concerts in Japan in Osaka and Tokyo on December 15 and 17, 2012 respectively.^[9]

2013: "Baby I'm Sorry", Korean singles, first Japanese album and feature film

After being pushed back from an October 2012 release,^[10] My Name released their second single album on January 25, 2013 with the title track "그까짓거 (Just That Little Thing)." ^[11] The group successfully held their first solo Korean concert on March 3, 2013 at the Interpark Art Center in Seoul.^[12] Also continuing activities in Japan, the group's MYNAME W Kitchen cooking show premiered on January 7, 2013 on Tokyo MX.^[13] Co-hosted by AKB48’s Mariya Nagao, the show aimed to introduce Korean food to the Japanese audience.

On March 28, 2013, My Name released their first full length Japanese album entitled We Are MYNAME with the title track "We Are the Night" and ranked 3rd on the Oricon Daily and Weekly Chart. In support of the release, My Name staged sold out concerts in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo on May 18, 19 and 25, 2013 respectively.^[14]

H2 Media announced a July 2013 comeback with the release of the group's first mini album and the production of a 500 million won music video and short film for the title track "Baby I'm Sorry." Filmed in Busan, the music video is inspired by the 2001 Korean film Friend about a group of friends who get sucked into the world of back-alley gangs. Directed by ZanyBros, the music video featured actor Yu Oh-seong (who starred in Friend) and Mixed martial arts fighters Choo Sung-hoon and Kim Donghyun. H2 Media plans to enter the 30-minute short film version of the music video to film festivals.^[15]

The music video was released on July 4, 2013 and was rated 19+ for violence.^[16] The group released the full mini album to online music sites and made their comeback performance on M! Countdown the same day. The physical album, released July 9, 2013, topped both the Hanteo and Gaon charts, ranking #1 with the initial printing of 20,000 units selling out and another 20,000 copies also selling fast.^[17][18] Making their first performance on KBS' Music Bank on July 19, 2013, "Baby I'm Sorry" debuted at #5, the group's highest ever position on the countdown.^[19]

The group also guest starred on Episode 8 of the Tooniverse mystery/children's series Thunderstruck Stationery on September 12.

My Name recruited Lee Hyun Do of the legendary Korean hip hop duo Deux for their third single album. Lee, under the stage name D.O, wrote, composed and featured in "Day by Day," the album's hip hop and R&B title track.^[20] The single album and music video for "Day by Day" were released online October 11, 2013, with the physical album released on October 14. The group first performed the song on Arirang TV's Simply K-Pop on October 7 while making comeback performances on KBS' Music Bank and SBS' Inkigayo the following weekend.

On September 23, the trailer for My Name's first Japanese film Shinokubo Story was released online. The film, released on November 16, 2013, tells the story of five young Korean men from different walks of life who are scouted to be part of a potential K-Pop group from the Shin-Ōkubo neighborhood of Tokyo.

In addition to their film debut, My Name released their next Japanese single entitled "Shirayuki" on November 20 and debuted at #6 on the daily Oricon chart^[21] and #7 on the weekly chart with sales of 25,263 albums.^[22] The music video was released on November 2. The single album included "Sha La La" which was used as the opening and ending theme for live broadcasts of the July 2013 National High School Baseball Championship in Japan^[23] as well as in television commercials for Aoyama Mainland.^[24]

2014: Second Japanese album and live tours

My Name held concerts in Tokyo and Osaka for their "Hands Up" tour on January 12 and 13, 2014, respectively, in preparation for the release of their second full-length Japanese album, entitled Five Stars.^[25]

The music video for the lead single off the album, "F.F.Y.," was released on February 19 ^[26] with the album itself released online on March 19 and physically on March 26, 2014. The album sold 19,473 physical copies on its first day of release and ranked 2nd on the Oricon daily chart. The group completed the six date Live House Tour 2014 Wow in May in support of the release.^[27]

The group also sang the theme song "Take Me to the Moon" for the Toei Company film Taekwondo Soul - Rebirth (テコンドー魂～REBIRTH) released February 15, 2014.^[28]

SeYong participated in and won the MBC Music reality dance series Idol Dance Competition D-STYLE as the #1 male idol. Along with #1 female idol winner, GI's OneKet, SeYong won an endorsement deal with DEMISODA which included a CF that also starred InSoo and ChaeJin.^[29]

2015: Return to Korea, third Japanese album and MYBESTNAME

My Name completed an eight date live house tour entitled Wow 3!" and "Wow Special ~Complete~" in January 2015^[30] before announcing new releases in both Korea and Japan.

The group's 2nd Korean mini album was released on February 12 with the title track "너무 Very 막" ("too very so Much").^[31] The song was produced by Kim Gun Woo, known for working with MC Mong and Supreme Team, and written by the lyricist team 220volt. The music video, featuring model Kim Jinkyung, was released the same day with a dance choreography version released the following day. This marked their first time since their debut in which they were able to perform on all four main Korean music programs the same weekend as their album release.

The group released their Japanese album I.M.G. ~without you~ on March 10 featuring the lead single "Stop The Time." A one-minute preview of the music video filmed in Thailand was released to the group's official YouTube channel on February 8 with the full music video released on March 2. The album topped the Oricon Daily Album Chart with 34,879 albums sold within 24 hours.^[32] "Stop The Time" was also chosen as the theme song for the NTV drama series Five Star Tourist.^[33]

Coinciding with the new albums, My Name released a 4-disc 2014 Special DVD which included full video of their 2014 Japan "2nd Hall Tour" and "~Hands Up~" live tour and their first solo Korean concert "The Beginning." The DVD set also included the full-length Baby I'm Sorry short film, making it available to the public for the first time since the 2013 mini-album release.

My Name released their 4th Korean single album Just Tell Me on May 13.^[34]

To celebrate the 3rd anniversary of their Japanese debut, My Name released their 4th single Hello Again on July 28. The single debuted at #1 on the Oricon Daily Chart with 31,129 units sold. This is their second #1 daily ranking, but first for a single album. The group will also have special events in Osaka and Tokyo in August with fans.

My Name currently stars in a daily web series entitled Pocket Boyfriend from MUH Lab which has each member individually trying to woo a mysterious person and is told from the point of view of that person. The episodes are available on a dedicated YouTube channel with English subtitles.

In August, a fan vote was initiated to determine the track list of a "best of" album entitled MYBESTNAME which was released on November 4. The album includes the top 10 songs as voted on by fans plus songs chosen by the members and one new song, "Mygirl." MYBESTNAME debuted at #4 on the Oricon Daily Chart, but jumped to #1 with sales of 22,798. To support the album release, My Name embarked on a month-long national tour and held a Christmas fan meeting on November 28 in Tokyo.

On November 10, Gun Woo announced on Twitter his first solo mini-album to be released in Japan. The music video for title track "I am 27" was released to YouTube on January 7, 2016 with the full album of the same name released on January 30. "I am 27" debuted at #5 on the Daily Oricon charts.

2016: MYNAME Euro tour

After completing another house tour in Japan entitled "1st Story" in March and April, My Name will embark on a European tour under Arpeggios Entertainment. The group will be holding concerts in eight countries from September 1 to 11, 2016.^[35]

Korean discography

Digital singles

Singles

Mini albums

Japanese discography

Japanese singles

Notes

Japanese albums

Soundtracks

Filmography

Feature films

• 2013: Shinokubo Story – lead actors

Dramas

• 2011: I Believe in Love (KBS) – Seyong as Lee Seong Min
• 2012: Dream High 2 (KBS) – Episode 1 cameo
• 2013: Thunderstruck Stationery Store (Tooniverse) – Episode 8 guest stars
• 2016: Beautiology On Style TV – JunQ as Oh Duyi

Reality shows

• 2010: INFINITE! You Are My Oppa (Mnet) – JunQ as Yoo Jiae's friend; Episode 6 & 7
• 2011: Ta-Dah! It's MYNAME Real Story (SBS MTV)
• 2012: Diary (SBS MTV)
• 2013: MYNAME W Kitchen (Tokyo MX)
• 2013: MYNAME is MYNAME (Online)
• 2012–Present: Let's Go! Dream Team Season 2 (KBS) – recurring

Variety shows

Web series

• 2015: Pocket Boyfriend (MUH Lab)

References

External links

• Official Japanese website (Japanese)
• MYNAME on Yoshimoto R and C (Japanese)