Lee Hyun

Career

2007–2014: 8Eight

Lee joined Big Hit Entertainment as a trainee in 2005 and signed with the company in 2007. That same year, he debuted as part of the co-ed trio 8Eight, alongside Baek Chan and Joo Hee. The group released three studio albums between 2007 and 2009, and two extended plays in 2010 and 2011. On 21 December 2014, Big Hit announced that Baek and Joo Hee’s contracts had expired and that group activities were suspended; the label noted the members remained on good terms and did not rule out a future reunion.

On 31 January 2020, Big Hit confirmed that 8Eight would release a new single on 7 February to commemorate the 10th anniversary of “Without a Heart”, produced by “Hitman” Bang and Wonderkid. The digital single Fool Again was issued on 7 February 2020 with a new “Without a Heart (10th Anniversary Ver.)” as the B-side, marking the trio’s first release together in six years.

2009–present: Solo activities and Homme

Lee released his solo debut single “30분전” (“30 Minutes Ago”) on 8 September 2009, in both digital and physical formats. A duet featuring Lim Jeong-hee, it was written by Bang Si-hyuk as the final part of his “Goodbye” trilogy, following Baek Ji-young’s “총 맞은 것처럼” (“Like Being Hit by a Bullet”) and 8Eight’s “심장이 없어” (“Without a Heart”). He performed the song for the first time on Music Bank on 11 September 2009. He also contributed “숨이 막혀” (“I Can’t Breathe”) to the KBS2 series Invincible Lee Pyung Kang, released on 2 November 2009.

In 2010, Lee recorded “왜 나를 울려요” (“Why Make Me Cry”) for the SBS drama Big Thing; it was released as the fourth OST single on 27 October 2010. That year he also formed the project duo Homme with Changmin of 2AM, releasing the single “I Was Able to Eat Well” (밥만 잘 먹더라) under producer Bang Si-hyuk.

Lee’s first solo studio album, The Healing Echo, was released on 2 January 2012 with “Because It’s You” as the title track. In 2018, following the expiry of Changmin’s contract with Big Hit at the end of January, the label announced his departure to establish a one-man agency; Lee remained with Big Hit as a soloist.

In 2019, Lee recorded “You Are Here” for the BTS World: Original Soundtrack, released globally on 28 June. He renewed his Big Hit contract in March 2021 and launched a YouTube channel to mark his 14th anniversary with the company. That summer he contributed the ballad “Deep Sadness” to the season two soundtrack of Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (released 26 June 2021), and issued his single “Moon in the Ocean” in July.

Lee introduced his alter ego Midnatt in May 2023 with the digital single “Masquerade”, released via Big Hit and Hybe Corporation’s interactive media subsidiary HYBE IM. As Midnatt, Lee became the first artist in HYBE’s “Project L”, employing AI voice synthesis (through the Supertone technology acquired by HYBE) and extended reality to release simultaneous multilingual versions of the song.

Personal life

Lee enlisted in the South Korean military on October 8, 2012, in order to carry out his mandatory military service. He received five weeks of basic training before serving as an active-duty soldier for 21 months. While enlisted, Lee co-starred in the military musical The Promise, co-produced by the Ministry of National Defense and the Korea Musical Theatre Association in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. The musical ran from January 9 to 20, 2013, at the National Theater of Korea and co-starred actors Ji Hyun-woo, Kim Mu-yeol, and Jung Tae-woo, and singers Leeteuk of Super Junior and Yoon Hak of Supernova. Lee was discharged on July 7, 2014.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Filmography

Television shows

Web shows

Theater

Radio

Awards

Notes

References

References

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5. "8Eight – ''Fool Again'' (single album)". Big Hit Music.
6. (7 February 2020). "'Fool Again' – Single by 8Eight".
7. "Lee Hyun – ''30 Minutes Ago''". Big Hit Music.
8. link. Lee. Jung-ah. (September 10, 2009). Osen
9. link. Choi. Jeong-ju. (September 11, 2009). Seoul Newspaper
10. (October 27, 2010). "Big Thing, Pt. 4 (OST) – Single".
11. "Homme by “hitman” bang – project single". Big Hit Music.
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16. (June 28, 2019). "Lee Hyun – “You Are Here”".
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18. link. Hwang. Hye-jin. (June 24, 2021). Newsen
19. link. Kang. Jin-ah. (July 17, 2021). Newsis
20. Choi, Ji-won. (May 15, 2023). "Hybe opens up an era of 'tech-tainment' with new artist Midnatt". The Korea Herald.
21. (May 15, 2023). "Hybe uses AI voice technology for Midnatt’s multilingual single". The Korea Times.
22. (May 17, 2023). "HYBE AI K-Pop Artist Midnatt Uses AI for Human Purposes". Billboard.
23. Sunwoo, Carla. (September 26, 2012). "8eight's Lee Hyun to enter the Army on Oct. 8". Korea Joongang Daily.
24. (December 28, 2012). "Star-Studded Army Musical to Open in January". The Chosun Ilbo.
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26. (See #76). link. Gaon Music Chart
27. link. Kim. Myung-mi. (January 27, 2019). Newsen
28. Lee, Seung-hoon. (June 22, 2023). "박규리·이현·조권·김재환·아이키, '알유넥스트' 코치 합류 [공식]". MT Star News.
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31. link. (December 9, 2014 . ''MAMA''. Retrieved 20 January 2015.)