U;Nee

Infobox musical artist
Name = U;Nee


Img_size = 213
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Heo Yoon
Alias = U;Nee
Lee Hye-Ryeon
Born = birth date|1981|5|3|mf=y
Died = death date and age|2007|1|21|1981|5|3
Origin = Seoul, South Korea
Instrument =
Genre = K-pop
Occupation = Singer, actor
Years_active = 1998 - 2007
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =

U;Nee, (Hangul: 유니, born Heo Yoon (hangul: 허윤;) May 3, 1981 – January 21, 2007) was a South Korean singer and actress. Before dedicating her career to music, she used the stage name Lee Hye-Ryeon (hangul: 이혜련; hanja: ), which was believed to be her birth name. She used the name professionally until her death.

Music career

Heo was known for her sexually provocative image throughout her short career. Her label marketed her largely as a sex symbol, an image she enhanced by getting breast implants; Subsequently, she received more attention for her large bosom than for her music. She was encouraged urged to pose in the Korean edition of "Playboy" as well as other adult entertainment publications. Heo, who was personally soft-spoken and reserved, found this difficult to bear. [http://photo.media.daum.net/gallery/today_enter/200701/23/SpoSeoul/v15474058.html 앨범토크 유니, 데뷔부터 죽음까지 "한 많은 연예생활"] ]

U;Nee in Japan

U;Nee is known as "ユニ" ("yuni"). Her debut single, "One", taken from the "Passion & Pure" LP, was released in February 2006 in the archipel.

Altantuya scandal

U;Nee's image suffered further when she became associated with a scandal involving the late singer Altantuya Shaaribuu, who was murdered in October 2006 in Selangor, Malaysia. [ [http://thestaronline.com/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/8/nation/15951450&sec=nation&focus=1 Mongolian model shot and blown to bits] ] Abdul Razak Baginda, a political analyst, was charged in connection with the murder of Altantuya. [ [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/241471/1/.html Two Malaysian police officers charged with murder of Mongolian model] ]

Following the murder, photographs purported to of her circulated in Malaysian and Singaporean tabloids. [ [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/11/nation/15995457&sec=nation Is this Altantuya?] ] The photographs were later shown to her father, Shaariibuu Setev, who denied they were of his daughter, saying: "That's not her...don't spoil her name". [ [http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=229274 Altantunya's Family Believes She Is Still Alive] ] Readers subsequently established that the photographs were those of U;Nee. [ [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/14/nation/16013566&sec=nation Confusion over which Altantuya was murdered] ] . [ [http://www.slackernetwork.com/out.php?id=59700 Altantuya Modelling Pictures] ]

According to "The Straits Times", these photographs were posted via e-mail throughout Malaysia; the emails were titled "Altantuya@Mongolia". [The Sunday times, November 12, 2006, "Is this her?", News section, Page 4, by Leslie Lau, Malaysia Correspondent] Shaariibuu Setev, in a later interview in "Bernama", criticized the press for publishing them. [ [http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=232091 Altantuya's Father Intends To Make Film In Tribute Of Her] ]

uicide

On January 21, 2007, U;Nee hanged herself in her home in Seo-gu, Incheon, South Korea.

After her death, her mother held a press conference at the hospital. She confirmed that U;Nee suffered from bouts of depression, for which she took medication, and had problems dealing with the pressure of fame. [ [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200701/200701220006.html Pop Singer U;Nee Dies in Apparent Suicide] ] [ [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200701/200701230018.html Singer’s Death Highlights Malicious Online Slander] ]

U;Nee's management company stated that they would release her third album as planned on February 1, 2007.

Discography

* "Passion & Pure" (2005)
* "U;nee code" (2003)
* "call call call" (2004)
* "habit" (2007)

Music Videos

* "Go"
* "Call Call Call"
* "Habit"

ee also

* Lee Eun-ju
* Jung Da Bin

References

External links

* [http://www.celebvids.co.uk/2007/01/22/south-korean-popular-pop-singer-u-nee-commits-suicide/ U;nee committed suicide]
* [http://jetlink.dgc.jp/unee/ U;Nee's official Japanese site] ja icon
* [http://www.freewebs.com/tribute-to-unee U;nee Tribute Site] en icon
* [http://www.so-net.ne.jp/bitway/entame-tengoku/ Entame-Tengoku site] ja icon

Media

* [http://www.rank-10.com/bitway/sample/entame_stream08.asx U;Nee@Entame-Tengoku promo Pt.1] ja icon
* [http://www.rank-10.com/bitway/sample/entame_stream12.asx U;Nee@Entame-Tengoku promo Pt.2] ja icon
* [http://www.rank-10.com/bitway/free/sample.asx U;Nee@Entame-Tengoku interview]

Persondata
NAME=U;Nee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Yoon, Heo
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Singer, actor
DATE OF BIRTH= May 3, 1981
PLACE OF BIRTH= Seoul, South Korea
DATE OF DEATH= January 21, 2007
PLACE OF DEATH= Seo-gu, Incheon, South Korea