Lee Kyung-eun (; born February 17, 1975), better known by her

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Harisu (), is a South Korean pop singer,

model A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , . Models can be divided in ...

, and actress. In 2002, she became the second person in Korea to legally change their gender. Her stage name is an adaptation of the English phrase "hot issue". She first gained public attention in 2001, after appearing in a

television commercial A television advertisement (also called a commercial, spot, break, advert, or ad) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization. It conveys a message promoting, and aiming to market, a product, service or idea. ...

for DoDo

cosmetics Cosmetics are substances that are intended for application to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance. They are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either Natural product, natural source ...

. The commercial was a success and marked the launch of her career, which allowed her to branch out into other fields such as music and acting. She has recorded five Korean musical

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s, switching

genres Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other form ...

between

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

and R&B, and her overseas releases have featured songs recorded in

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

. Her first major acting role was in the 2001 film '' Yellow Hair 2'', and since then her credits have included '' Hi! Honey'', a

Taiwanese drama Taiwanese drama (, also known as T.W. drama) refer to dramatic programming of television programming extended stories usually dramatizing relationships through the general range of ten to forty one-hour episodes. They are produced in Taiwan and ha ...

series, and '' Colour Blossoms'', an erotic drama by

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

Yonfan. On May 19, 2007, Harisu married Micky Jung, but the couple divorced in 2017.

Early life and transition

Harisu was born in

Seongnam Seongnam (; ) is the fourth largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi Province after Suwon and the 10th largest city in the country. Its population is approximately one million. It consists of three administrative districts: Bundang District, J ...

, Korea, and is one of five children.Li Ee Kee, "Eve from Adam", ''The Star Online'', September 19, 2005. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
. Retrieved on April 27, 2007. Although assigned male at birth, she knew she was female from an early age, recalling, "I was always a girl who loved playing with dolls."Kang Kyong-hee

, ''The Digital Chosun'', March 29, 2001. Retrieved on April 27, 2007. This did not go unnoticed by her family or school friends, who often remarked that she looked and acted like a girl.Gina Choon

''Asiaweek.com'', September 14, 2001. Retrieved on April 27, 2007. A failed relationship with a boy during her teenage years convinced Harisu of the need to change her sex, and by the time she graduated from the all-boys Naksaeng High School,Cindy Friedman et al.
transcript for "NewsWrap" on This Way Out program #706
, October 10, 2001. Retrieved on May 5, 2007. she was already undergoing

hormone replacement therapy Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also known as menopausal hormone therapy or postmenopausal hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy used to treat symptoms associated with female menopause. Effects of menopause can include symptoms such ...

.Christopher Torchia
"Transsexual entertainer testing the boundaries of South Koreans' Confucian ideals"
''The Korea Times'', September 20, 2001. Retrieved on April 27, 2007. It was for this reason that she was exempted from the

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer military, volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Few nations, such ...

usually required of males in the Republic of Korea, being rejected on the grounds of "

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

".Markus Augustus, "Harisu Superstar", ''Giant Robot'', issue #28 p.56-59. By the end of the 1990s, Harisu had undergone several surgeries in Korea and Japan including:

breast augmentation In medicine, breast augmentation and augmentation mammoplasty are terms that describe a cosmetic surgery procedure that uses either a Breast implant, breast implant or a fat-graft to realise a mammoplasty to increase the size, change the shape ...

sex reassignment surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their gender identity. The phrase is most often associat ...

rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty (, nose + , to shape), commonly called nose job, medically called nasal reconstruction, is a plastic surgery procedure for altering and reconstructing the human nose, nose. There are two types of plastic surgery used – plastic sur ...

, and surgery to increase the size of her hips. Harisu lived in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

for several years, where she studied to be a hair stylist. It was while working as a

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

that she was discovered by a

talent agency A talent agency is a company that represents actors, authors, musicians, model (person), models, professional athlete, athletes, writers, dancers, and other professionals in various industries. Talent agencies specialize, either by creating dep ...

, and soon after she began her career as a model. After returning to Korea in 2000, she signed with management company TTM Entertainment, and first began using the stage name "Harisu", derived from the English phrase "hot issue"."Who is the Real 'Hot Issue'?"
''Korea Now'', November 29, 2003. Retrieved on May 5, 2007.

Career

Debut

Harisu made her acting debut in 1991—while still living as a boy—as a

supporting actor A supporting actor or supporting actress is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor(s), and above that of a bit part. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give ...

in a high school TV drama series, and this was followed by other minor film and TV roles as an

extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...

during the 1990s. Her big break came in early 2001, when she appeared in a

TV commercial A television advertisement (also called a commercial, spot, break, advert, or ad) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization. It conveys a message promoting, and aiming to market, a product, service or idea. ...

for DoDo

. The commercial hinted at the fact she is transgender, zooming in to reveal her

Adam's apple The Adam's apple is the protrusion in the neck formed by the angle of the thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx, typically visible in men, less frequently in women. The prominence of the Adam's apple increases in some men as a secondary mal ...

(although this was added digitally, since Harisu herself does not have a prominent Adam's apple). DoDo were initially cautious about using the commercial and had been prepared to withdraw it if the response was negative, but the commercial turned out to be a big success and quickly established her as a celebrity. As the Republic of Korea's first transgender entertainer, there was a great deal of media interest in Harisu, and she was routinely described as being "more beautiful than a woman". Explaining her reasons for "

coming out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBTQ people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. This is often framed and debated as a privacy issue, ...

", she said, "I don't want to face people dishonestly. I won't be able to hide it after all. It's better to make it clear from the start."Park Soo-in
"Harisu Redefines Gender Identity"
''The Korea Times'', June 28, 2001. Retrieved on May 6, 2007. In June 2001, Harisu was the subject of a

television documentary Television documentaries are televised media productions that screen documentaries. Television documentaries exist either as a television documentary series or as a television documentary film. * Television documentary series, sometimes called d ...

produced by KBS, which covered her childhood, family relationships, and debut as an entertainer. Later that year she was cast in the film '' Yellow Hair 2'', her first leading role. In addition to contributing songs for the film's

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

, Harisu played a transsexual who goes on the run after the apparent death of a

convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lotter ...

owner. Regarding her decision to appear in the film, she said, "I wanted to break the stereotype of transsexuals — the demureness and extreme weakness with which they are often portrayed." The film was released on July 21. Also in 2001, Harisu published her

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

, ''Eve from Adam'', and appeared in a

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

for dance group

Turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...

. In September, she entered the

K-pop K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...

music scene with her debut album, ''

Temptation Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment that threatens long-term goals.Webb, J.R. (Sep 2014). Incorporating Spirituality into Psychology of temptation: Conceptualization, measurement, and clinical implications. Sp ...

'', a mix of

-style

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...

and slow ballads, which peaked at number 32 on the MIAK (Music Industry Association of Korea) K-pop albums chart. She released her second album, '' Liar'', in October 2002, describing it as "a high-energy dance record with a very upbeat rhythm." ''Liar'' became her biggest domestic chart success, reaching number 23 in its first month of release.

2003–2005

In October 2003, Harisu made the decision to leave her management company, TTM Entertainment. However, TTM claimed to hold the rights to her stage name, and announced their intentions to use that name to promote other artists. The matter was taken to

court A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...

, and in early 2004 the ruling went in favour of Harisu, allowing her to keep the name. She subsequently set up her own company, G&F Entertainment, in order to make her own decisions regarding her career.Krista Kim, "Harisu: Woman Revealed", ''The Korea Herald'', February 11, 2004. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
. Retrieved on May 12, 2007. In February she released her third album, ''

Foxy Lady "Foxy Lady" (or alternatively "Foxey Lady") is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It first appeared on their 1967 debut album '' Are You Experienced'' and was later issued as their third single in the U.S. with the alternate spelling. It is ...

'', which marked a change from the sound of her previous albums towards a more

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

/ R&B style, with Harisu saying "now I am on my own, and showing my true colors, doing exactly the kind of music that I've always wanted." The album, however, failed to make the top 50 in the Korean charts. In 2004, Harisu began to develop her career overseas, expressing frustration at being "pigeon-holed" as a transsexual in Korea. She starred in the

series '' Hi! Honey'' alongside local celebrity Pace Wu, despite not being fluent in

(her lines were spoken in Korean and later dubbed). She drew attention by promoting

sanitary napkin A menstrual pad is an absorbent item worn in the underwear when menstruating, bleeding after giving birth, recovering from gynecologic surgery, experiencing a miscarriage or abortion, or in any other situation where it is necessary to absorb ...

s in a series of

advertisement Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...

s for Taiwanese company UFT, for which she was paid an estimated

₩ The won sign , is a currency symbol. It represents the South Korean won, the North Korean won and, unofficially, the old Korean Empire won, Korean won. Appearance Its appearance is "W" (the first letter of "Won") with a horizontal strike ...

100 million per ad. Although she had been initially reluctant to take on the project, observers hailed the casting of a

trans woman A trans woman or transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity and may experience gender dysphoria (distress brought upon by the discrepancy between a person's gender identity and their ...

in such a campaign as a sign of progress.Hwang Su-cheol
"Transgender Singer to Do Menstrual Pad Ads"
''Digital Chosunilbo'', April 13, 2004. Retrieved on May 18, 2007.Tom Musbach

''PlanetOut.com'', April 13, 2004. Retrieved on May 18, 2007. Towards the end of the year Harisu appeared in Yonfan's '' Colour Blossoms'', an erotic drama film from

in which she shared a role with veteran Japanese actress Keiko Matsuzaka. Released on October 18, 2004, it was poorly received at the

box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...

and by the media, though it had some success at

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

s, and picked up several awards and nominations.Alexandra A. Seno
"A filmmaker bucks Hong Kong trends"
, ''International Herald Tribune'', February 7, 2005. Retrieved on May 19, 2007. Harisu made a return to Korean screens in early 2005, after being cast in the MBC

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

'' Beating Heart'', her first major role in a

Korean drama Korean drama (), also known as K-drama or Koreanovela, refers to Korean language, Korean-language television shows made in South Korea. These shows began to be produced around the early 1960s, but were mostly consumed domestically until the rise ...

. She starred in several episodes as a transsexual woman, returning to her family after a lengthy absence in a bid to gain acceptance."TV Drama to Show Life of Transsexual", ''The Korea Times'', March 21, 2005. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
. Retrieved on May 19, 2007. Later that year her ''Foxy Lady'' album was released in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

with the inclusion of songs re-recorded in Mandarin, and she was even promoted by her Taiwanese

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

as the "

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...

of the East". In September 2005, Harisu gained a foothold in

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

after signing a three-year memorandum of understanding with Hock Star Entertainment, a deal which included the production of two

feature films A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film ( motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation ...

and secured the Malaysian release of her album.Nurliana Kamaruddin
"The 'Foxy Lady' Spell In Malaysia"
, ''Cinema Online'', September 3, 2005. Retrieved on May 19, 2007.

2006–present

After a prolonged absence from the Korean music scene, Harisu returned in January 2006 with her fourth, self-titled album. Although her comeback was originally scheduled for the summer of 2005, this had been prevented by other commitments overseas. The album was preceded by a

digital single In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album ( LP), typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standa ...

, "Winter Story", and marked a change in her image, with an emphasis on being "cute" rather than "sexy".Kim Yoon-mi, "Ha Ri-su makes comeback ", ''The Korea Herald'', January 11, 2006. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
Retrieved on May 23, 2007. '' Harisu'' charted at number 46 in Korea, and as with her previous album it was released in Taiwan and China with extra songs recorded in Mandarin. Her fifth Korean album, ''

Summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...

'', was released just six months later, though it failed to chart in the top 50. Her next film—the first as part of the deal with Hock Star Entertainment—was ''

Possessed Possessed may refer to: Possession * Possession (disambiguation), having some degree of control over something else ** Spirit possession, whereby gods, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may temporarily take control of a human body *** ...

'', a Malaysian

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

released on November 30, 2006, in which she starred alongside Amber Chia. Harisu played Lisu, a murdered pop singer who becomes a vengeful

ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

, and also performed the films

theme song Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...

, though it was necessary for her dialogue to be spoken in Korean and later dubbed. She was praised by director Bjarne Wong for her hard work and professionalism, and has hinted that they may collaborate on another film in the future."The singer"
, ''The Star Online'', November 24, 2006. Retrieved on May 23, 2007."The director"
, ''The Star Online'', November 24, 2006. Retrieved on May 23, 2007. In early 2007, Harisu was cast as the lead actress in ''Police Line'', a Korean drama series produced for

cable network Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broa ...

On-Media ON Media Corporation ("Orion Network Media"), is a South Korean broadcasting company. Formerly a subsidiary of Korean food company Orion Confectionery and conglomerate company Tongyang Group and Kumho Asiana Group, it was acquired by the CJ Group ...

. The series, based around a special unit for victims of

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...

, starred Harisu as a policewoman who was molested as a child by her

stepfather A stepfather or stepdad is a biologically unrelated male parent married to one's preexisting parent. A stepfather-in-law is a stepfather of one's spouse. Children from his spouse's previous unions are known as his stepchildren. In fiction Thou ...

."Harisu to star in TV series"
, ''China Daily'', March 28, 2007. Retrieved on May 23, 2007.Kim Pil-kyu
"Korean dramas lock horns with their American rivals"
, ''JoongAng Daily'', April 14, 2007. Retrieved on May 23, 2007. Filming for ''Police Line'' began in April 2007, and the series was launched in June with Harisu's husband Micky Jung making a cameo appearance.
, ''Digital Chosunilbo'', April 13, 2007. Retrieved on May 23, 2007. In December 2007, Harisu released a digital mini-album, ''Winter Special'', which featured a duet with her husband on the track "First Snow".Chang May Choon

, ''asiaone'', January 31, 2008. Retrieved on February 23, 2010. Harisu published a collection of essays in Japan in March 2008, titled ''Haris Beauty'' (sic). The essays formed a comprehensive guide to beauty, diet and fashion, and contained photographs of Harisu taken by Yamagishi Shin, who had traveled to Seoul the previous December for a four-day photo shoot. Harisu also provided narration for the visually impaired for the 2008 film ''If You Were Me: Anima Version 2'', an animated film about

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

. As of 2008, Harisu believed that she still faced discrimination within the entertainment industry, saying on television, "Many people pretend to smile and welcome me, but after the filming, they'd scold me behind my back".

Personal life

Harisu's decision to undergo sex reassignment surgery placed a strain on her relationship with her family, and she noted that when her parents first found out they "were very upset. They weren't angry, but very sad." Her father in particular had great difficulty accepting his child as a daughter, but her family have since accepted this and show great pride in her career. Harisu has been given credit for raising social awareness of transgender people in the Republic of Korea,Howard W. French
"Doctor overhauls attitudes by changing Koreans' sexes"
, ''San Francisco Chronicle'', June 23, 2003. Retrieved on May 27, 2007. and has said in interviews that she hopes to be a

role model A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success serves as a model to be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term ''role model'' is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who hypothesized that individuals compa ...

for other trans people. In April 2007, she came to the aid of a Chinese trans woman unable to afford surgery, giving her the financial support needed to undergo this costly procedure.Li Qian
"Wannabe woman funded by transsex celeb"
, ''Chinadaily.com.cn'', April 9, 2007. Retrieved on May 27, 2007. Affected by the 2008 suicides of gay actor Kim Ji-hoo and transgender television personality Jang Chae-won, Harisu opened a transgender club "Mix-Trans" in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, in June 2009.

Legal recognition of gender

On November 29, 2002, Harisu filed a petition with the

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

District Court to have her sex corrected on her

family register Civil registration is the system by which a government records the vital events (births, marriages, and deaths) of its citizens and residents. The resulting repository or database has different names in different countries and even in differe ...

, and that her birth name be changed to Lee Kyung-eun."Ha Ri-soo Appeal to the Law"
, ''dongA.com'', December 4, 2002. Retrieved on May 24, 2007. The subsequent court ruling went in her favour, and on December 13, 2002, she became the second person in the Republic of Korea to legally change their sex.Park Don-kyu
"Ha Ri-su now Legally Female"
, ''Digital Chosunilbo'', December 13, 2002. Retrieved on May 24, 2007."Now, I am a Perfect Woman"
, ''dongA.com'', December 13, 2002. Retrieved on May 24, 2007. Speaking of the difficulties she had previously encountered, Harisu has said: "My most embarrassing moments were when I have had to show my personal

identification card An identity document (abbreviated as ID) is a document proving a person's identity. If the identity document is a plastic card it is called an ''identity card'' (abbreviated as ''IC'' or ''ID card''). When the identity document incorporates a ...

in public... I couldn't get a passport, visa or even my own bank accounts because I was legally a man".Shim Sun-ah
"S. Korea in dilemma over transgender citizens' right to choose"
, ''Yonhap News'', May 23, 2006. Retrieved on May 24, 2007.

Marriage

Since her debut in 2001, Harisu has consistently expressed a desire to marry and have a family of her own. In 2005, she began dating Micky Jung (real name Jung Yong-jin), a rapper whom she had met online.
, ''The Sunday Mail'', May 19, 2007. Retrieved on May 26, 2007. Jung, who had been a member of dance group EQ during the 1990s, later joined Harisu's management company and worked on her fourth and fifth albums.
, ''Digital Chosunilbo'', February 22, 2007. Retrieved on May 26, 2007. The couple briefly separated in 2006, but were reunited after Jung saw her dating another man on a TV show.Cathy Rose A. Garcia, "Harisu to Get Married Early Next Year", ''The Korea Times'', November 15, 2006. A copy of this article can be read a
empas
. Retrieved on May 5, 2007. Rumours that the two were to marry began circulating in November 2006, and a date for the wedding was announced in February, following meetings between their respective families. Harisu and Jung starred in a

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

show on cable network Mnet showing their everyday lives and preparations for their wedding, but the couple were subjected to harsh criticism from netizens.Kim Rahn
"Transgenders Face Difficulty in Adoption"
, ''The Korea Times'', April 24, 2007. Retrieved on February 23, 2010. On May 19, 2007, Harisu and Jung were married at Central City Millennium Hall in the

Seocho District Seocho District () is one of the 25 districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Seocho is a part of the Gangnam region, along with the Gangnam district of Seoul. Seocho District ranks as one of the richest neighborhoods in South K ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. The ceremony was presided over by KBS anchor Shin Young-il, and officiated by Kim Seok-Kwun, a Dong-A University professor who had performed Harisu's sex change surgery in the 1990s. The couple honeymooned on the Thai island of

Ko Samui Ko Samui (or Koh Samui), often locally shortened to Samui (, ), is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Mu Ko Samui, Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted munic ...

, and began their married life at Harisu's family home in Nonhyun-dong, in the Gangnam District of Seoul. The couple have said that they plan to adopt four children, though the news prompted a mixed public reaction. A poll by Mnet found that 69% of 1,300 respondents were in favour of Harisu's decision to adopt, while in a similar poll by Daum, 58% of 8,094 respondents were against the idea. Harisu and Jung divorced in 2017 after ten years of marriage.

Welfare and politics

In November 2007, Harisu unveiled plans to build and run an

orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusi ...

, stating that it was one of her "long-cherished dreams". With the support of her husband and mother-in-law, she purchased a plot of land in Janghowon,

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

, and studied for a community service license. Harisu campaigned for the New Progressive Party in the 2008 Republic of Korea legislative elections, supporting the legalization of marijuana.Park Si-soo
"Stars Spruce Up Campaign Rally"
''The Korea Times'', April 6, 2008. Retrieved on February 23, 2010.

Discography

As of 2007, Harisu has released five Korean language studio albums, though her song lyrics typically include English as well. While her early work has been described as "techno-flavored K-pop", her more recent albums have leaned towards the R&B, hip-hop, and

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

. She has named

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

and

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

as her musical influences; of her contemporaries, she holds Chae Rina in high esteem.

Studio albums

Other releases

Compilation albums

The Queen/11th Anniversary(2012)

Single albums

Re:Su(2018)

Music videos

* "History" by

(2001) * "Temptation" (2001) * "Always" by Kang Sung (2002) * "Liar" (2002) * "Foxy Lady" (2004) * "Reaction" (2006) * "Shopping Girl" (2012) * "Make Your Life" (2018)

Filmography

Bibliography

* ''Eve from Adam'' (2001) Dai San Media, * ''Beauty Goddess's Change'' (2002) Taiwan Kadokawa, * ''Perfect Woman'' (2005) Bo Shi, * ''Haris Beauty'' (2008) Takeshobo,

Awards

Notes

* a. Although the cited source states that Harisu has an older brother, other sources refer to her as being an "only child".Lee Seung-Heon
"Ha Ri-Soo, Who Became a Woman: Story Behind"
, ''dongA.com'', June 3, 2001. Retrieved on April 27, 2007."Court makes it official – he's now a woman", ''The Straits Times'', December 22, 2002. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
Retrieved on April 27, 2007. * b. The exact dates that Harisu underwent surgery are unclear. Some sources state that she had sex change surgery in 1995,Su Aziz, "10 Minutes With Harisu: A role model for transsexuals ", ''New Straits Times'', August 12, 2006. A copy of this article can be read a
TNUKdigest
Retrieved on May 5, 2007.Anthony Faiola
"South Korea Loosens Its Collar
, ''washingtonpost.com'', December 16, 2003. Retrieved on May 5, 2007.
''Digital Chosunilbo'', May 21, 2007. Retrieved on May 26, 2007. while others give the year as 1998 (or when she was 23 years old).Peter Yap
"She's a lady"
, ''Sun2Surf'', September 6, 2005. Retrieved on May 5, 2007. * c. Harisu is sometimes written as Ha Ri-su, Ha Ri-soo, or Ha Risu. * d. The actual title for this song is in Korean. Alternative translations include "When it Snows" and "Falling Snow". * e. In a more recent interview, Harisu seems to contradict herself by saying that "There wasn't any reaction at all" from her family.

References

External links

Harisu Official Blog (Japan)
* *
Harisu discography
at FormulaRecordings {{Authority control 1975 births Living people Actresses from Seongnam Singers from Gyeonggi Province 20th-century South Korean women singers 20th-century South Korean actresses 21st-century South Korean women singers 21st-century South Korean actresses K-pop singers South Korean female models South Korean women pop singers South Korean film actresses Transgender female models South Korean television actresses Nightclub performers South Korean expatriates in Japan Mandarin-language singers of South Korea South Korean LGBTQ singers South Korean transgender actresses 20th-century South Korean LGBTQ people 21st-century South Korean LGBTQ people South Korean transgender women LGBTQ women singers Transgender women singers