# San E

Jung San (Korean: 정산; born (1985-01-23)January 23, 1985), more commonly known by his stage name San E (산이), is a South Korean rapper. He debuted in 2010 under JYP Entertainment, where he was the label's first solo rapper. He left the company in 2013 to sign with hip hop label Brand New Music. He left the company in 2018 and established hip hop label FameUs Entertainment in 2019.
San E has released one full-length album: The Boy Who Cried Wolf (2015), and three extended plays: Everybody Ready? (2010), 'Not' Based on the True Story (2013), and Season of Suffering (2017). San E has received several major awards, including Best Hip Hop Song at the 2010 Korean Music Awards, Best Rap Performance at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, and the Hip Hop Award at the 2016 Golden Disc Awards and at the 2016 Seoul Music Awards.

## Early life

San E was born on January 23, 1985, in South Korea. He moved with his family to Atlanta, Georgia, US, when he was a middle school student because his parents had been struggling financially as a result of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He attended the University of Georgia, where he majored in graphic design.

## Career
### 2008–2009: Mixtapes and underground fame

San E released his first mixtapes Ready To Be Signed and Ready To Be Famous in 2008 and 2009, respectively. As a way to draw attention to his self-released music, San E jokingly dissed established underground rapper Verbal Jint in one of his songs. The diss brought him attention from the Korean hip hop community and from Verbal Jint himself, who invited San E to join his hip hop crew, Overclass.

### 2010–2012: JYP Entertainment and Everybody Ready?

Still unsigned, San E won Best Hip Hop Song at the 2010 Korean Music Awards for the track "Rap Genius." Soon after, he became the first solo rapper to sign with JYP Entertainment, one of the "big three" records labels in the k-pop industry. That September, he released his first mini-album, Everybody Ready?, which featured fellow JYP Entertainment artists Min (of Miss A), and Joo and Yeeun (of Wonder Girls). He debuted several days later on the television music show, M Countdown, with his single "Tasty San," featuring Min. In November, San E started another round of promotions for the single, "LoveSick," the music video for which starred label mate Sohee of Wonder Girls.
In 2011, San E released several singles, including "Please Don't Go," a collaboration with rapper Outsider and singer Lee Changmin (of 2AM). The song reached #14 on the Gaon Digital Chart, making it his highest charted song while contracted under JYP Entertainment. He also collaborated that year with Verbal Jint, Beenzino, Swings, and other artists on the single "Stand Up, Japan!" which benefited Japan's relief efforts after the Tohoku tsunami.

### 2013–2018: Brand New Music and top ten success

In April 2013, San E ended his contract with JYP Entertainment, saying that he was leaving on good terms. That June, he joined hip hop label, Brand New Music, home to his Overclass crew mate, Verbal Jint. San E achieved his first #1 hit on the Gaon Digital Chart with the song, "Story of Someone I Know," from the album 'Not' Based on the True Story. His next three singles, "Where Did You Sleep?" (feat. Verbal Jint and Swings), "Break-Up Dinner" (feat. Sanchez of Phantom), and "What's Wrong With Me" (feat. Kang Min Hee), all reached the top ten of the Gaon Digital Chart. San E's success continued with the single "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness," a collaboration with Raina (of After School). The song was an instant hit and achieved #1 on ten music charts shortly after its debut. The song went on to win awards that year at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards, the MelOn Music Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards. His next single, "Body Language" (featuring Bumkey), was also a #1 hit, topping both the Gaon Digital Chart and seven Korean real-time music charts shortly after its release, despite its 19+ rating. In June 2017, San E was featured in Hyoyeon's single "Wannabe". San E was also the rap mentor for KBS2's survival show, The Unit.
In late 2018, Brand New Music terminated San E's contract after the rapper made a series of controversial remarks about feminism.

### 2019–present: CEO of FameUs Entertainment

In 2019, San E established hip hop label FameUs Entertainment and recruited rappers Errday, Malkey, and Be'O. They released their first compilation album God FameUs on April 9, 2020.

## Personal life
### Relationship and marriage

San-E married his girlfriend in a private ceremony on September 24, 2022, in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak position | Sales |
| Title | Album details | KOR | Sales |
| The Boy Who Cried Wolf (양치기 소년; Yangchigi Sonyeon) | Released: April 23, 2015 Label: Brand New Music, LOEN Formats: CD, digital download | 17 | 1,816+ |

### Extended plays

| Title | Album details | Peak position | Sales |
| Title | Album details | KOR | Sales |
| Everybody Ready? | Released: September 13, 2010 Label: JYP Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download | 20 | [No data available] |
| 'Not' Based on the True Story | Released: November 21, 2013 Label: Brand New Music, LOEN Formats: CD, digital download | 27 | 1,558+ |
| Season of Suffering | Released: January 23, 2017 Label: Brand New Music, LOEN Formats: CD, digital download | 22 | 845+ |
| Ballad Rap Song | Released: December 12, 2019 Label: FameUs Entertainment Formats: Digital download | — | — |

### Charted songs

| Title | Year | Peak position | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | Sales | Album |
| "Tasty San" (feat. Min) | 2010 | 45 | [No data available] | Everybody Ready? |
| "LoveSick" | 2010 | 19 | [No data available] | Everybody Ready? |
| "Someone's Dream" (feat. So Hyang) | 2011 | 48 | [No data available] | Dream High OST Pt. 3 |
| "Please Don't Go" (feat. Outsider & Changmin) | 2011 | 14 | 407,462+ | Non-album single |
| "Wish U To Be Unhappy" (feat. Bee of Rphabet) | 2011 | 54 | 242,259+ | Non-album single |
| "Big Boy" (feat. Bee of Rphabet) | 2011 | 39 | 108,996+ | Non-album single |
| "Story Of Someone I Know" | 2013 | 1 | 1,139,790+ | 'Not' Based on the True Story |
| "Where Did You Sleep?" (feat. Verbal Jint & Swings) | 2013 | 8 | 570,537+ | 'Not' Based on the True Story |
| "Break-Up Dinner" (feat. Sanchez of Phantom) | 2013 | 3 | 608,340+ | 'Not' Based on the True Story |
| "What's Wrong With Me" (feat. Kang Min-hee) | 2014 | 4 | 952,054+ | You're All Surrounded OST Pt.1 |
| "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | 2014 | 1 | 2,176,748+ | Non-album single |
| "Body Language" (feat. Bumkey) | 2014 | 1 | 727,872+ | Non-album single |
| "Brand New Day" (with Brand New Music artists) | 2014 | 30 | 100,723+ | Brand New Year Vol.3 |
| "Coach Me" (with Hyolyn) (Feat. Jooheon) | 2015 | 16 | 150,317+ | No Mercy Part.1 |
| "On Top Of Your Head" (모두가 내 발 아래; Moduga Nae Bal Arae) (feat. MC Gree) | 2015 | 17 | 122,579+ | The Boy Who Cried Wolf |
| "Me You" (feat. Baek Yerin) | 2015 | 2 | 1,127,476+ | The Boy Who Cried Wolf |
| "Like Father, Like Son" (그 아버지에 그 아들; Geu Abeojie Geu Aduel) | 2015 | 23 | 143,833+ | Non-album single |
| "Sour Grapes" (못 먹는 감; Mot Meongneun Gam) (with Mad Clown) | 2015 | 2 | 774,942+ | Non-album single |
| "Like An Airplane" (마치 비행기; Machi Bihaenggi) (feat. Gary) | 2016 | 12 | 250,502+ | Non-album single |
| "Sugar and Me" (달고나; Dalgona) (with Raina) | 2016 | 5 | 418,248+ | Non-album single |
| "I Am Me" (feat. Hwasa of Mamamoo) | 2017 | 61 | 28,700+ | Season of Suffering |
| "Mohae" (feat. Bolbbalgan4) | 2017 | 5 | 158,185+ | Non-album single |
| "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness: Summer Again" (한여름밤의 꿀: 다시 여름; Hannyeoreumbamui Kkul: Dasi Yeoreum) (with Raina) | 2021 | 62 | | Non-album single |

## Filmography
### Television variety programs

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2014 | Show Me The Money 3 | Appeared throughout season as producer on "Team Brand New Music." |
| 2015 | Show Me The Money 4 | Appeared throughout season as producer on "Team Brand New Music." |
| 2015 | Unpretty Rapstar | Host of season 1 |
| 2015 | Unpretty Rapstar 2 | Host of season 2 |
| 2015 | Off to School | Cast member for episodes 44-46 |
| 2016 | Hip Hop Nation | Co-host with Shin Dong Yup |
| 2016–2017 | Battle Trip | Co-host (until April 2017) |
| 2017 | The Unit | Mentor/Host of season 1 |
| 2018 | High School Rapper 2 | Mentor |
| 2021 | Show Me the Money 10 | Contestant |

## Awards and nominations
### Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2013 | "Story of Someone I Know" | Song/Artist of the Year (August) | Won |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Song/Artist of the Year (July) | Won |

### Golden Disk Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2015 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Digital Bonsang | Nominated |
| 2016 | The Boy Who Cried Wolf | Best Rap/Hip Hop Award | Won |

### Korean Music Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2010 | "Rap Genius" | Best Hip Hop Song | Won |

### MelOn Music Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Best Song | Nominated |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Hot Trend | Nominated |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Rap/Hip Hop | Won |
| 2014 | "What's Wrong With Me?" | OST | Nominated |

### Mnet Asian Music Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | "Body Language" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | "Body Language" | Best Rap Performance | Nominated |
| 2014 | "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness" (with Raina) | Best Collaboration | Nominated |
| 2015 | "Me You" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 2015 | "Me You" | Best Rap Performance | Won |

### Seoul Music Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | San E & Raina | Hip Hop/Rap Award | Won |
| 2015 | San E | Hip Hop/Rap Award | Won |