# Joo Hyun-mi

Joo Hyun-mi (Korean: 주현미; Hanja: 周炫美; born September 27, 1961) is a South Korean trot singer. Sometimes referred to as an "Empress of Trot", Joo is credited as being one of the leading figures in the trot music revival of the 1980s.

## Early life

Joo Hyun-mi was born on September 27, 1961 in Gwangju, South Korea to a South Korean mother and a father from Shandong, China. When she was a child, her parents moved to Taiwan to try to improve the family's financial situation, leaving Joo and her three younger siblings in the care of their grandmother. Following her grandmother's death, Joo raised her younger siblings alone, relying on money her mother sent from Taiwan. Joo was a citizen of Taiwan until adulthood when she became a South Korean citizen.
Joo attended Seoul Chinese Primary School and studied pharmacy at Chung-Ang University. While in university, she received an award for competing in the MBC Riverside Song Festival. After graduation, she worked as a pharmacist in Seoul.

## Career

Joo debuted as a singer in 1984 with the trot medley album Couple's Party, which sold 3 million copies, primarily through cassette tape sales at highway rest stops. The following year, in 1985, she released her first album of original songs, featuring the single "Rainy Yeongdong Bridge", which became one of her signature songs. That year, she won awards for Best New Artist at both the KBS Music Awards and MBC Gayo Daejejeon.
Over the next few years, Joo released several hit albums, including 1988's That Man in Shinsadong. The album and its lead single of the same name swept the year-end music awards shows, garnering Joo awards for Album of the Year at the Golden Disc Awards, the Grand Prize at the KBS Music Awards, and the two top awards for Most Popular Song and Most Popular Singer at the MBC Gayo Daejejeon.

## Personal life

In 1988, Joo married singer and guitarist Lim Dong-shin (임동신), who performed on Cho Yong-pil's album Cho Yong Pil and the Great Birth. They have two children.

## Discography
### Studio albums

* Rainy Yeongdong Bridge (비내리는 영동교) (1985)
* My Love Don't Go (님아 가지말아요) (1985)
* I Have to Forget (잊어야지) (1985)
* Crying and Regretting (울면서 후회하네) (1985)
* Tangeumdae Story (탄금대 사연) (1986)
* Rainwater (빗물이야) (1986)
* First Affection (첫 정) (1986)
* Why Am I Crying? (내가 왜 웁니까) (1986)
* That Man in Shinsadong (신사동 그 사람) (1988)
* One-Sided Love (짝사랑) (1989)
* Wait (잠깐만) (1990)
* Love Story (사랑이야기) (1991)
* We Met Again (또 만났네요) (1992)
* First Love (첫사랑) (1993)
* Love Letter (러브레터) (2000)
* Really Good (정말 좋았네) (2003)
* Uhhura Love (어허라 사랑) (2006)
* 30th Anniversary Album (2014)

### Medley albums

* Couple's Party (쌍쌍파티) (1984)

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2013 | Hidden Singer 2 | Contestant / Herself |
| 2019 | Mother of Mine | Wang Wei (cameo) |
| 2020 | Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend | Legend / Herself |
| 2020 | K-Trot in Town | Herself |
| 2020 | Trot National Sports Festival | Leader / Herself |
| 2020 | Yesterday (인생앨범 예스터데이) | Host / Herself |
| 2022 | Fire Trot (불타는 트롯맨) | Judge / Herself |
| 2023 | King of Active Singers (현역가왕) | Judge / Herself |

## Awards

| Award | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 1987 | Best Original Song (TV) | "My Heart Is Like A Star" | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1986 | Album Bonsang | Crying and Regretting | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1987 | Album Bonsang | Why Am I Crying? | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1988 | Album of the Year (Daesang) | That Man in Shinsadong | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1988 | Album Bonsang | That Man in Shinsadong | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1989 | Album Bonsang | One-Sided Love | Won |
| Golden Disc Awards | 1990 | Album Bonsang | Wait | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1985 | Best New Female Artist | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1987 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1987 | Popularity Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1988 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | "That Man in Shinsadong" | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1988 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1989 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1990 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1991 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1992 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1995 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 1996 | Singer of the Year (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 2000 | Singer of the Year – Adult Category (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| KBS Music Awards | 2001 | Singer of the Year – Adult Category (Bonsang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1985 | Best New Artist | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1986 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1988 | Most Popular Song | "That Man in Shinsadong" | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1988 | Most Popular Singer (Daesang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1988 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1989 | Most Popular Song | "One-Sided Love" | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1989 | Most Popular Singer (Daesang) | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1989 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1990 | Most Popular Song | "Wait" | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1990 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1991 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1992 | Top Ten Singers Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Gayo Daejejeon | 1999 | Top Singer – Chosen by People Over 30 | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| MBC Riverside Song Festival | 1981 | Encouragement Award | Joo Hyun-mi | Won |
| Mnet Asian Music Awards | 2009 | Trot Music Award | "Jjarajajja" (with Seohyun) | Nominated |

### State honors

Name of country, year given, and name of honor :
| Country | Year | Honor | Ref. |
| South Korea | 2010 | Presidential Commendation | |