Hwang Min-woo

Hwang Min-woo (황 민 우) (born May 17, 2005) is a South Korean teenaged actor, singer and dancer. He is best known for his appearance in the music video for the 2012 international hit single "Gangnam Style".

In this Korean name, the family name is Hwang.
Hwang Min-Woo
Hwang in December 2012
Born
Hwang Min-Woo

(2005-05-17) May 17, 2005
South Korea
NationalitySouth Korean
Occupation(s)Actor, dancer, singer
Years active2010–present
Musical career

Career

National fame

In 2010, he rose to fame and caught the attention of the Vietnamese-South Korean media with his dance moves during the South Korean TV series Star King.[1] He also appeared on the reality television show Korea's Got Talent, where he was praised by the judges for his stage presence and dance skills.[2]

International recognition

After my stage performance, 10 huge American bodyguards came to protect me as people were about to run me over. I thought to myself: Am I the president?

—Hwang Min-woo's interview with ABC News[3]

Hwang's performance on Korea's Got Talent was witnessed by the South Korean music artist PSY, who subsequently called him up to appear in the music video of "Gangnam Style".[4]

As a result of the worldwide popularity of "Gangnam Style", Hwang has gained an international cult following and also caught the attention of foreign broadcasting networks such as CNN[4] and ABC News, with the latter reporting that "he's now dancing in domestic awards ceremonies as a special guest, going live on national television news and even shooting commercials for companies such as LG", and that his "mounting popularity" has put him on concerts overseas in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Los Angeles."[3] According to Soompi, he has become one of the "hottest" celebrities in K-Pop.[5]

In February 2013, Hwang arrived in Singapore to promote the LG Optimus G smartphone. During an interview with reporters, he expressed his desire to step away from "Gangnam Style" and disclosed the title of his single, "Showtime".[6]

Personal life

Hwang's father is South Korean and his mother is a Vietnamese named Vu Thi Ly.[7] In 2012, Hwang was selected as one of the 10 recipients of South Korea's 1st "Multicultural Youth Awards" launched by the Korea Times to recognize contributions made by people who have enhanced the cultural diversity of South Korea.[8] However, due to the prevalence of racism in South Korea, his family has had to take legal action against those who have bullied him over his ancestral heritage.[9]

During an interview with the news agency Reuters, Hwang revealed that he aspires to become a "global star" and surpass PSY's popularity in the future.[10]

References
  1. "Little Shindong on Star King!". Allkpop. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  2. "Who's the dancing kid in PSY's "Gangnam Style" MV?". Allkpop. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  3. Lee, Sung-eun. "'Little Psy', 7, Grabs 'Gangnam Style' Spotlight". ABC News. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  4. Cha, Frances. "Interview: PSY on 'Gangnam Style,' posers and that hysterical little boy". CNN. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  5. ""Gangnam Style" Makes "Little Psy" Hwang Min Woo Top Event Guest". Soompi. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  6. "Never mind Gangnam Style, Little Psy is ready to step out of Big Psy's shadow". The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  7. "Local Newspaper Organizes 1st Korea Multicultural Youth Awards". Arirang News. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  8. "10 students receive multicultural youth award". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2012. The award recipients included "Little Psy" Hwang Min-woo, whose popularity soared after appearing in South Korean pop sensation Psy's "Gangnam Style" music video, and Nigerian Vanessa Ossy.
  9. Kang, Tae-jun (August 20, 2013). "Korea's Multicultural Growing Pains". The Diplomat. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. Powell, Alicia. "Little Psy sets his sights high". Reuters. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
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