Jung Whee-in (; born April 17, 1995),
known mononymously as Wheein, is a South Korean singer. She rose to prominence in 2014, as a member of the Korean girl group
Mamamoo
Mamamoo (; commonly stylized in all caps) is a South Korean girl group formed and managed by RBW (company), RBW. The group is composed of four members: Solar (singer), Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa. Known for their strong live vocals, Harm ...
. In 2017, her song "Anymore" with
Jung Key, topped the Gaon Charts. In April 2018, she made her debut as a solo artist with her digital single "Easy", peaking at number three in South Korea. In September 2019, Wheein released her first single album ''Soar''.
In 2021, Wheein released her debut
EP ''
Redd
Redd may refer to:
* Redd (band), a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu
* Redd (biology), the spawning ground of a salmon
* ''Redd'' (EP)
* Redd (given name), a masculine given name
* Re ...
'', which peaked inside the top ten in Korea. In the same year she left
RBW, and signed to The L1ve. In 2022, she released her second EP ''Whee'', which reached number four on the Circle Album Chart. In 2023, she released her debut studio album, ''In the Mood''.
Name
Whee-in's given name "" (Hwi-in) was derived from the male lead character of the
manhwa
Manhwa () is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons. Outside Korea, the term usually refers to Korean comics.
Modern Manhwa has extended its reach to many other countries. These comics have branched outside of Korea by acce ...
"" (For the Mermaid Princess), with the name "" (Jo Hwi-in). Her mother thought it was a pretty name and named her after the character. Her name in
Hanja
Hanja (; ), alternatively spelled Hancha, are Chinese characters used to write the Korean language. After characters were introduced to Korea to write Literary Chinese, they were adapted to write Korean as early as the Gojoseon period.
() ...
is written as "", meaning a "shining person".
Early life
Jung Whee-in was born in
Jeonju
Jeonju (, , ) is the capital and List of cities in South Korea, largest city of North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many resi ...
,
Jeollabuk-do
North Jeolla Province, officially Jeonbuk State (), is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, Special Self-governing Province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeonbuk borders the provinces of Sout ...
, South Korea, where she lived with her grandmother as an only child. She graduated from Wonkwang Information Arts High School.
Career
2014–2020: Debut with Mamamoo and solo career
In June 2014, Wheein officially debuted as a member of Mamamoo, serving as one of the group's vocalists, when they released their debut single "Mr. Ambiguous" and EP ''
Hello
Hello is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826.
Early uses
''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the '' Norwich Cou ...
''. She had first appeared in the group's first R&B collaboration "Don't Be Happy", alongside member
Solar
Solar may refer to:
Astronomy
* Of or relating to the Sun
** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun
** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels")
** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate t ...
and featuring Korean singer
Bumkey, that January.
Wheein
featured on multiple tracks with several artists including
Kiggen
Lee Ki-won (; born March 13, 1979), better known by his stage name Kiggen, is a South Korean rapper, singer, lyricist, composer, and record producer who is a former member of hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popu ...
of
Phantom and
Standing Egg in 2014;
CNBLUE and
Louie in 2015;
Monsta X
Monsta X (; stylized as MONSTA X) is a South Korean boy group formed through the reality survival program ''No.Mercy'' under Starship Entertainment. The group is currently composed of six members: Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Jooho ...
and
Sandeul
Lee Jung-hwan (; born March 20, 1992), better known by his stage name Sandeul () is a South Korean singer-songwriter. He is a member of the South Korean boy group B1A4, that debuted on April 23, 2011. He debuted as a solo artist on October 4, ...
in 2016;
Jung Key, Jung Min-hyuk and Standing Egg in 2017.
On April 17, 2018, Wheein debuted as a solo artist by releasing her first single album ''magnolia'' with the lead single "Easy" featuring rapper
Sik-K.
In 2019, she went on to feature in a few more tracks with artists including
DinDin
Lim Cheol (; born November 20, 1991), better known by his stage name DinDin, is a South Korean rapper, singer, actor, comedian, producer, television personality and radio personality. He made his debut in the entertainment world in 2013 when he a ...
,
Park Bom and also collaborated on a song with Kim Hyun-chul.
On September 4, 2019, she released her second single album ''Soar'', with the single "Good Bye."
Wheein's first physical release, ''Soar'' peaked at number four on the Gaon Album Chart, selling over 23,000 copies in 2019.
The single "Good Bye" debuted on the ''Billboard''
World Digital Song Sales
The World Digital Song Sales chart (formerly World Digital Songs) is a weekly record chart compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Established in 2010—its first issue was dated January 23—as one of 21 genre-speci ...
chart at position 24.
On May 1, 2020, Wheein released the song "With My Tears" for the
tvN drama ''
Hospital Playlist''. She featured on a track again for DinDin in May, for
Peakboy in August, for
Jvde Milez in September and for
Basick
Lee Cheol-joo (; born 12 August 1986), better known by his stage name Basick (), is a South Korean rapper under OUTLIVE. He won the fourth season of Mnet's rap competition ''Show Me the Money''.
Biography
Basick was born on August 12, 1986, in ...
in December. On September 28, she released a soundtrack titled "Shine On You" for the
tvN drama ''
Record of Youth
''Record of Youth'' () is a South Korean television series starring Park Bo-gum, Park So-dam, and Byeon Woo-seok. It aired on TVN from September 7 to October 27, 2020, every Monday and Tuesday at 21:00 ( KST), and is available for streaming worl ...
''.
2021–2022: ''Redd'', ''WHEE'' and other solo activities
Wheein's debut EP ''
Redd
Redd may refer to:
* Redd (band), a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu
* Redd (biology), the spawning ground of a salmon
* ''Redd'' (EP)
* Redd (given name), a masculine given name
* Re ...
'', was released on April 13, 2021. It debuted at number seven on the Gaon Album Chart, making it her second top-ten debut on the chart.
[Peaks on the Gaon Album Chart:
*
* ] The EP was the 13th best-selling album of April 2021, with over 72,000 copies sold.
Lead single "Water Color" debuted and peaked at number 70 on the Gaon Digital Chart
and 15 on the ''Billboard'' World Digital Songs Sales chart.
On April 23, the English version of "Water Color" was released as a digital single.
On June 11, 2021, Wheein decided not to renew her exclusive contract with RBW, but instead signed a deal with the company allowing her to promote with Mamamoo for at least 2 more years. On August 31, she signed an exclusive contract with
Ravi
Ravi may refer to:
People
* Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director
* Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist
* Ravi (rapper) (born 1993), a Sou ...
's label, The L1ve.
On August 26, 2021, she featured on a track titled "AM PM" from
Jay B
Lim Jae-beom (; born January 6, 1994), better known as Jay B (; stylized in all caps), and formerly JB, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and actor. Jay B is the leader of South Korean boy band band Got7, a member of boy band duo JJ Proje ...
's first EP ''
SOMO:Fume''.
On November 19, she released the soundtrack "I wish" for the
MBC drama ''
The Red Sleeve
''The Red Sleeve'' () is a South Korean television series starring Lee Jun-ho (entertainer), Lee Jun-ho, Lee Se-young, and Kang Hoon. It is a fictionalised account of the lives of Jeongjo of Joseon, King Jeongjo and his royal consort Royal No ...
''. On November 28, she released another soundtrack titled "Ice Cream Love" for the
Coupang Play
Coupang Play () is a South Korean video on demand over-the-top streaming television service launched by Coupang in December 2020. It is based on the former Hooq's assets. After the 2022 '' Saturday Night Live Korea'' sketch lampooning Korean pre ...
drama ''
One Ordinary Day
''One Ordinary Day'' () is a 2021 South Korean television series starring Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Seung-won. It is based on the British television series ''Criminal Justice'' written by Peter Moffat. It premiered on Coupang Play in South Korea on ...
''. On December 11, Wheein and singer
Ailee
Amy Lee (born May 30, 1989), known professionally as Ailee, is an American singer and songwriter based in South Korea. Amassing digital sales success in South Korea, she has released four studio albums, six extended plays, and twenty one singles ...
released a duet song titled "Solo Christmas".
On January 16, 2022, Wheein released her second EP ''WHEE'', which is her first release under The L1ve. It consists of six tracks, including the lead single "Make Me Happy". It debuted number four on the
Circle Weekly Album Chart and sold over 81,000 copies.
On February 13, 2022, Wheein released a re-interpretation of The Stray's song "You, You", as a soundtrack for the
webtoon
Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones
A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
''Nth Romance''. On March 18, she released another soundtrack titled "In Your Days" for the
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; ; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on December 1, ...
drama ''
Thirty-Nine
''Thirty-Nine'' () is a 2022 South Korean television series directed by Kim Sang-ho and starring Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun. The series remake of Chinese Drama Nothing But Thirty revolves around the life, friendship, romances, a ...
''.
On April 17, 2022, Wheein held her first solo fanmeeting titled '2022 WHEE IN FANMEETING
-DAY for her birthday. She also released the digital single "D-DAY" on the same day.
On May 18, she released the soundtrack "Melody" for the film ''Gongzza: Gonggi Tazza''.
On August 15, 2022, she featured on
Ravi
Ravi may refer to:
People
* Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director
* Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist
* Ravi (rapper) (born 1993), a Sou ...
's single titled "BYE". On September 2, she released the soundtrack titled "The Only One Have to Forget" for the
TVING
TVING () is a South Korean subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service operated by TVING Corporation, a joint venture comprising CJ ENM Entertainment Division (CJ Group), Naver and JTBC by its JTBC Studios, now calle ...
dating reality show ''
EXchange 2''. On November 9, she released the single "Sunny Shower" featuring
Colde
Kim Hee-soo (; born May 10, 1994), better known as Colde (), is a South Korean singer-songwriter. He debuted in 2016 as a member of the indie duo Off On Off. As a solo artist he has released the extended plays ''Wave'' (2018), ''Love Part 1'' ...
for Dingo Live. On December 23, she released the soundtrack titled "Cheers!" for the
TVING
TVING () is a South Korean subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service operated by TVING Corporation, a joint venture comprising CJ ENM Entertainment Division (CJ Group), Naver and JTBC by its JTBC Studios, now calle ...
web series ''
Work Later, Drink Now 2''. On December 31, Wheein featured in
Don Malik
Moon In-seop (; born January 21, 1996), known professionally as Don Malik () is a South Korean rapper. In 2020, he released his debut studio album ''Malik the Cactus Flower'', which received critical acclaim.
Early life and education
Moon In ...
's song "Bathtub", alongside
Justhis
Heo Seung (, born May 7, 1991), better known by his stage name Justhis (), is a South Korean rapper. He released his first album, '' 2 Many Homes 4 1 Kid'', on June 14, 2016. He is a member of the Korean hip hop crew IMJMWDP, and is currently s ...
for the
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
show, ''
Show Me the Money 11''.
2023–present: First studio album ''IN the mood'', World tour and more
On October 12, 2023, Wheein released her first studio album ''IN the mood''. The album consists of 11 tracks with "17" featuring
Hwasa
Ahn Hye-jin (; born July 23, 1995), known professionally by her stage name Hwasa (; sometimes stylized as Hwa Sa), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Mamamoo in ...
and "Bite Me" featuring rapper
HAON
HaOn () is a kibbutz on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. Located at the foot of the Golan Heights about a twenty-minute drive from the city of Tiberias, it is part of Emek HaYarden Regional Council. HaOn formerly operated as a ...
. She stated that her previous EP ''WHEE'' and the album ''IN the mood'' are two parts of her project based on her
Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
ID, "whee_inthemood". It debuted number ten on the
Circle Weekly Album Chart and sold over 82,000 copies.

On January 3, 2024, Wheein announced her debut solo world tour, 'Whee In The Mood
eyond. On February 15, she released a digital single titled "WHEEE" produced by
Young K
Kang Young-hyun (; born December 19, 1993), known professionally as Young K, is a South Korean musician, singer, songwriter, and rapper. He is best known as the bassist and vocalist of South Korean pop rock band Day6.
Early life
Kang Younghyu ...
and Na Sang-hyun.
The world tour 'WHEE IN THE MOOD
EYOND, began in
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 ...
with concerts held on February 24 and 25.
On March 15, she released the soundtrack "Rainy Season" for the re-release of the 2022 Japanese film, ''
The Last 10 Years''.
The Asian leg of her tour commenced on March 26, with a show in
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 ...
followed by concerts in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
,
Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
,
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
and
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
.
On April 17, a
double LP
A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...
titled ''WHEE IN the mood'' was announced. The LP consisted of tracks from her previous EP ''WHEE'' and her studio album ''IN the mood''.
Her Europe and USA leg of the tour was held from May 9 to June 4 with shows in
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
,
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
,
Tilburg
Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...
,
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
,
Orlando
Orlando commonly refers to:
* Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States
Orlando may also refer to:
People
* Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name
* Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
,
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale ( ) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it ...
,
Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
and
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
.
On May 15, her collaboration soundtrack with
Moonbyul
Moon Byul-yi (, born December 22, 1992), known professionally as Moonbyul (; stylized as Moon Byul), is a South Korean rapper and songwriter under RBW Entertainment. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Mamamoo and its sub-unit Mama ...
"Frankly Speaking" for the
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; ; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on December 1, ...
drama ''
Frankly Speaking'' was released. On July 20 and 21, she held encore concerts titled 'WHEE IN THE MOOD
EYOND ENCORE' in Seoul.
On August 3, The L1ve announced that her exclusive contract with them had ended.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Single albums
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Soundtrack appearances
Other charted songs
Composition credits
All song credits are adapted from the
Korea Music Copyright Association
The Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) is a South Korean non-profit copyright collective for musical works, administering public performance and broadcasting rights, and mechanical recording and reproduction rights. Founded in 1964, it ...
's database unless stated otherwise.
Filmography
Television shows
Radio shows
Music videos
Tours and concerts
2024 Whee In 1st WORLD TOUR: WHEE IN THE MOOD EYOND/h2>
Fanmeetings
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1995 births
Living people
People from Jeonju
Musicians from North Jeolla Province
K-pop singers
South Korean female idols
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean jazz singers
21st-century South Korean women singers
Mamamoo members