Who is Yulee Choi, and why should you get to know this Korean Singer-Songwriter?

Yulee Choi, also known as YULEE (유리), may not be a household name in the Korean music industry just yet, but it certainly won’t be long before she is. Be it turning heads on the red carpet of the Venice International Film Festival in 2022 or gracing the cover of Harper’s BAZAAR Vietnam that same year, we take a closer at Choi’s rapid rise to fame thus far and what fans of the star can look forward to in the coming years.

The Korean star is the founder and CEO of SRP Entertainment, which manages the K-pop girl group Rocking Doll, featuring members Roa, Ahri, Juri and Rena. The group debuted on December 19, 2021 and Yulee has been composing songs for and promoting the group ever since.

If Choi wasn’t on the world’s radar before, her show-stopping entrance at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2022 most definitely turned heads. She wore a stunning silver and white Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda gown for the event, made of layers of tulle and hand-embroidered with crystals, outshining even the brightest of Hollywood celebrities that night.

She also attended LaQuan Smith’s Spring/Summer 2023 show in New York with Rocking Doll, wearing a hot pink body-hugging dress with her hair slicked back into a ponytail.

Gracing the October cover of Harper’s BAZAAR Vietnam, Choi opened up about her eight-year track record of composing music, what it took to launch a company like SRP Entertainment and her longtime history with Rocking Doll.

Now, Choi has returned with her own music, having dropped her latest single “Back to the Unknown” on 30 August, a rock ballad expressing heartbreak and longing for the memories with her ex-lover. Check out the song below:

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Having now proven her talent in producing music, writing lyrics and composing songs, Choi’s foray into singing herself marks yet another creative highlight in her extensive career. And while she may maintain a relatively low profile in the media, we look forward to tracing the future developments of this rising star.

This article was originally published in Harper's Bazaar Singapore.