© Wikimedia CommonsTaeyeon
Jeonju, South KoreaKim Tae-yeon was discovered through an SM Entertainment open audition at 16 and trained for two years before debuting as Girls' Generation's leader in 2007. As the leader of the most commercially successful girl group in Korean pop history, she spent the group's peak years carrying a public profile of extraordinary intensity. Her solo debut 'I' (2015) debuted at number two on Korea's Gaon chart, and her voice — a clear, richly textured soprano with exceptional sustained high notes — has been consistently rated by professional vocal coaches as one of the most technically accomplished in K-pop history.
Photography — she shoots seriously and maintains a personal archive — piano, and a carefully maintained private life she has spoken about protecting as a deliberate choice.