Yang Yo-seob (Korean양요섭; born January 5, 1990), known mononymously as Yoseob, is a South Korean singer and musical actor. He is the main vocalist of the boy group Highlight.

Yang Yo-seob
Yang in June 2016
Born (1990-01-05) January 5, 1990 (age 34)
Seoul, South Korea
EducationDong-ah Institute of Media and Arts
Occupations
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Years active2009–present
Labels
Member of
Websitearoundusent.com
Korean name
Hangul
양요섭
Hanja
梁曜燮
Revised RomanizationYang Yo-seop
McCune–ReischauerYang Yosŏp

Biography

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Yang was born in Seoul, South Korea on January 5, 1990,[1] in a small family with one older sister, Yang Hae-yeon.[2] His name Yoseob was the Hanja version of the name Joseph, which was later sinicized by the decision of his grand father.[3] He first gained interest in music and started practicing singing after listening to Brian McKnight's music. He then listened to a lot of music of a similar style, but realized that he should not be biased towards a certain genre and started listening to dance music and rock as well. When he was in high school, he joined a school band where he performed a lot of hard rock and metal during their performances. Yang wanted to try modern rock; however, his seniors at that time said that it would ruin the mood and ultimately not be a success.[2]

Yang became a JYP Entertainment trainee, but left after receiving a bad grade from practice reviews. He moved agencies, to M Boat Entertainment (a former sister company of YG Entertainment) where he was trained for five years before transferring to Cube Entertainment where he became a member of Beast. While still a trainee at Cube Entertainment, he became a backup dancer for AJ, his soon-to-be group member and former high school friend, now known as Lee Gi-kwang, in the music videos and live performances of "Wiping the Tears" and "Dancing Shoes".[4]

Yang is the main vocalist of Beast.[4] He released a digital single together with Dalmatian's Daniel titled "First Snow and First Kiss" [5] and participated in singing original sound tracks (OSTs) for various Korean dramas such as "Happy Birthday" for More Charming by the Day[6] and "I Cherish That Person" for My Princess.[7] and "Loving You" – for All My Love. Yang has also participated in various TV shows, including KBS' "Oh! My School".

Yang Yoseob attended Dong-ah Institute of Media and Arts, formerly known as Dong-Ah Broadcasting College, and graduated in 2014.[citation needed]

On January 24, 2019, Yang began his mandatory military service as a conscripted police officer[8] and was discharged on August 30, 2020.[9]

Career

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Highlight (formerly known as Beast)

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The group has released five studio albums, thirteen Korean EPs and various singles. Yang is the main vocalist.[citation needed]

Solo career

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Along with fellow Beast member Junhyung, MC Lee Hyukjae, Moon Heejun (formerly of H.O.T.) and Kim Sook, Yang welcomed Japanese tourists for the "Visit Seoul 2010" campaign, where Korean celebrities and Japanese tourists explored Seoul through MBC's Star Guide Doshiraku to boost visibility of Seoul's famous landmarks and cuisine.[10] On July 16, 2010, Yang participated in the official soundtrack of the Korean drama More Charming By The Day as part of its promotional campaign, with the song "Happy Birthday".[6]

On November 29, 2010, Yang released a digital single together with Dalmatian's Daniel titled "First Snow and First Kiss". Both were friends from their trainee years at M Boat Entertainment and had released a UCC series, "To Pick On Mr. Daniel", which became a hot topic when it was selected as number one amongst the weekly TOP 5 UCCs by a sports newspaper.[5] He also became a permanent cast member on KBS' Oh! My School (a.k.a. 100 Points out of 100), along with other idols such as MBLAQ's Lee Joon, Secret's Hyoseong, T-ara's Soyeon, Miss A's Min, and Simon Dominic.[11]

Yang was cast in his first musical as Ji Yong in Kwang Hwa Moon Love Song. The musical started its performances on March 20, 2011, and ended on April 10, 2011.[12] He also contributed to the soundtrack of My Princess, with the song "Cherish That Person" which was released on February 7, 2011.[7] On May 1, 2011, KBS announced plans of creating a new singing variety program featuring an all idol cast titled Immortal Songs 2 – Sing the Legends; Yang was one of the artists cast in the original line-ups.[13] He received first place on the show's pilot episode with his performance of "Eomma (엄마, lit. Mother)", which helped silence the critics that had dismissed his singing abilities as just a hype.[14] However, on June 8, 2011, the show announced that Yang would leave the show due to his conflicting overseas promotions schedule with Beast.[15] He expressed that although he felt extremely stressed competing against his peers, he felt regret having to leave. Yang said "when we decided on the withdrawal, I did feel some relief. It was too nerve-wracking and burdensome. However, at the same time, I felt regret. I don't think I was able to show my all. If another opportunity came by to be on the show again, I would definitely take it. I think I will. I want to show different sides of myself."[14]

Yang was featured in Bang Yong-guk's first solo track, "I Remember" which was jointly composed by Bang and One Way's Chance. The track has gained a lot of interest from netizens and become a hot topic. Yang was not able to sing "I Remember" with Bang Yongguk live.[citation needed]

On September 27, 2011, KBS' 'Poseidon' released part one of their original soundtrack series which featured Yang’s vocals. His song, "No", was a collaboration piece between Rado (of Huh Gak's "Hello") and production duo Ji In and Wontag, the men behind MBLAQ's latest releases. The song features sorrowful lyrics of a man who has no choice but to let go of his lover.[16]

Yang released his solo album on November 26, 2012. All five songs were produced by fellow band member, Jun Hyung, including the title song, "Caffeine". A music video for "Caffeine" was released two days later, on November 28. A music video for his song "Even then, I" was released on February 14, 2013, as a valentines gift for his fans.[citation needed]

Yang was chosen as one of the judges and coaches in Mnet The Voice Korea Kids or Voice Kids for short. The contestants were between the ages of 6–14 years old.[17] He was also chosen as the most desired coach by the contestants of Voice Kids.[18]

Yang joined MBC's I Live Alone, a real-variety show that showcases the daily lives of single celebrities (men) who live alone.[19]

In December 2013, he starred as the title character in a Seoul production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and was mentioned in the New York Times.[20]

Yang left I Live Alone in which he received much love as the youngest member of the show after a short six months on broadcast due to his responsibilities and schedules as a member of Beast. He said that due to their Japan Tour 2014, along with their upcoming comeback planned to be in April 2014, he would be unable to participate in the show.[21]

It was announced in March 2014 that Yang would be participating in the musical-remake of the 2004 hit romantic comedy drama series Full House as the lead character, Lee Young-jae. The musical was on stage in April 2014.[22]

On September 20, 2021, Yang released his first studio album Chocolate Box, with "Brain" serving as the lead single.[23]

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Chocolate Box (2021)

Songwriting credits

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Year Album Artist Song Lyrics Music
Credited With Credited With
2009 Beast Is the B2ST BEAST "Beast Is the B2ST" Yes BEAST No Shin Sa Dong Tiger, Choi Gyu Seong
"Bad Girl" Yes BEAST, Lee Sang Ho, Shin Sa Dong Tiger No Lee Sang Ho, Shin Sa Dong Tiger
2010 My Story BEAST (Yoseob & Junhyung) "Thank To" Yes Yong Jun-hyung Yes Yong Jun-hyung, Shinsadong
2016 Highlight BEAST "Practice" Yes Yong Jun-hyung, Gyuberlake Yes Gyuberlake
BEAST (Yoseob Solo) "Come Out" Yes Gyuberlake Yes
2017 Can You Feel It? HIGHLIGHT "Beginning" Yes Yong Jun-hyung, Gyuberlake Yes
The Emperor: Owner of the Mask OST Yoseob "The Tree" Yes Gyuberlake Yes
2018 White "Where I Am Gone" Yes Yes
"Star" Yes Yes
"Beginning (Solo ver.)" Yes Yes
"Yang Yoseob" Yes Yes
"Consolation" Yes No 1601
Outro HIGHLIGHT "Wind" (Yoseob & Dongwoon) Yes Son Dong-woon, Gyuberlake Yes Son Dong-woon, Gyuberlake
2019 20 Full Moons Yoseob "With you" Yes Gyuberlake Yes Gyuberlake
"Moonlight" Yes Yes

Filmography

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Variety shows

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Year Title Role Note
2011 School Variety 100 Points Out of 100 MC/Fixed cast
Immortal Songs Guest
2012 1 vs. 100 Episode 260
2013 The Voice Kids – Korea Judge/Coach
I Live Alone Cast Episode 28-45
2015 Let's Eat with Friends Cast
2016 Law of the Jungle (in East Timor) Cast
2017 Fantastic Duo Season 2 MC
2020–2021 King of Mask Singer Contestant as "Buttumak Cat" (episodes 273–290)[24]
2022 Artistock Game User agent [25]

Television dramas

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Year Title Role Notes
2012 Seoyoung, My Daughter Yang Yo-seob Cameo – Episode 25
2015 Let's Eat 2 Yang Yo-seob Cameo – Episode 16

Web shows

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2020 COMEBACK SHOW MU:TALK LIVE Host
2022 Delivery 2 with Son Dong-woon [26]
My Playlist with Seo Eun-kwang [27]

Musical theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Gwanghwamun Sonata Ji Yong Lead Role
2013 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Joseph
2014 Full House Lee Young-jae
Zorro Zorro
2015 Robin Hood Prince Philip
Cinderella Prince Christopher
2017 Those Days Moo Young
2020
2021–2022 Something Rotten Nick Bottom[28]

Radio show

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Year Title Role Ref.
2018–2019 Yang Yoseob's Dreaming Radio DJ
2022 Gikwang's Song Plaza Special DJ [29]

Concerts

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Korean tours

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  • 2018 YANG YOSEOB Solo Concert <白> - Kyunghee University Grand Peace Palace, Seoul (June 16–17, 2018)[30]

Awards and nominations

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Golden Ticket Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 Himself Musical Rising Star Award[31] Won
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 "Caffeine" Best Dance Performance – Male Solo Nominated

SBS MTV Best of the Best

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 "Caffeine" Best Male Artist Won
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 "白" Bonsang (Album)[32] Nominated
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 Himself Best Newcomer Award (Radio) Won

References

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  1. ^ Mark Russell (April 29, 2014). K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. Tuttle Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-4629-1411-1.
  2. ^ a b "BEAST│My Name is..." 10Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  3. ^ "요셉 어메이징 양요섭 '원래 이름이 요셉, 운명적인 만남'". Busan Ilbo.
  4. ^ a b 비스트 이기광 "'하이킥' 촬영, 멤버들에게 미안하기도"(인터뷰) (in Korean). Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Dalmatian's Drama & BEAST'S Yoseob join together for a 'Kiss', in their Digital Single". Daum News (in Korean). November 26, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  6. ^ a b "BEAST's Yang Yoseob takes part in 'More Charming By the Day' OST". Newsen (in Korean). July 17, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  7. ^ a b "Beast's Yang Yoseob supports Lee Kikwang's "My Princess" with the OST "I Cherish That Person"". Newsen (in Korean). February 7, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  8. ^ "하이라이트 측 "양요섭, 내년 1월 24일 의경으로 군 입대"(공식)". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  9. ^ "H I G H L I G H T (@yysbeast) posted on Instagram • Aug 29, 2020 at 3:07pm UTC". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  10. ^ ""Visit Seoul 2010" Korean Stars and Japanese tourists explore Seoul in MBC's Star Guide Doshiraku". East-01 (in Japanese). January 5, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  11. ^ "'100 points out of 100' Yang Yoseob, "I'm Kikwang and Doojoon's friend" witty PR causes laughter". Review Star (in Korean). January 15, 2011. Archived from the original on February 22, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  12. ^ "BEAST Yang Yoseob takes on a musical". ENS (in Korean). February 25, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "KBS will be making a new idol singer competition program". Naver (in Korean). April 29, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  14. ^ a b "Yang Yoseob regrets leaving 'Immortal Songs 2′". Newsen (in Korean). June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
  15. ^ "BEAST's Yoseob leaves 'Immortal Songs 2'..Which idol singers are coming up?". Nate (in Korean). June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  16. ^ "allkpop.com" (in Korean).
  17. ^ "B2ST's Yoseob, Seo In Young, and Yoon Sang to coach young contestants on 'Voice Korea'". Allkpop.
  18. ^ "B2ST's Yoseob chosen as the most desired coach by the contestants of 'Voice Kids'". Allkpop.
  19. ^ "B2ST's Yoseob and Jun Hyun Moo are joining 'I Live Alone'". Allkpop.
  20. ^ Healy, Patrick (December 26, 2013). "Heartthrobs Rule the Korean Stage (Published 2013)". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  21. ^ "양요섭 하차, '나혼자 산다' 막내 떠난다…"신입회원 보니 깜짝" - 1등 인터넷뉴스 조선닷컴". The Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  22. ^ "양요섭, 뮤지컬 '풀하우스' 주인공 전격 캐스팅". entertain.naver.com.
  23. ^ "양요섭, 9년 만에 첫 솔로 앨범 '초콜릿 박스' 공개". entertain.naver.com.
  24. ^ Kim Joon-seok (January 17, 2021). "'복면가왕' 부뚜막 고양이=양요섭, '9연승 실패'…보물상자 새 가왕 등극[종합]". Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  25. ^ Park, Se-yeon (September 29, 2022). "[종합]음악, 주식을 만나다…'아티스탁 게임', 발칙하지만 더없이 순수한" [[General] Music meets stocks... 'Artistak game', quirky but supremely pure] (in Korean). Star Today, Maeil Business News. Retrieved October 2, 2022 – via Naver.
  26. ^ Choi Ji-yoon (June 2, 2022). "양요섭·손동운, 사연 배달…'무엇이든 딜리버리2' MC" [Yoseob Yang and Dongwoon Son, story delivery... 'Delivery Anything 2' MC] (in Korean). Newsis. Retrieved June 2, 2022 – via Naver.
  27. ^ Yoo Byung-chul (June 15, 2022). "양요섭X서은광, 시즌 오리지널 예능 '마이 플레이리스트' MC 출격…환상 호흡 기대" [Yoseob Yang and Eunkwang Seo, the season original entertainment show ‘My Playlist’ MC scramble… fantasy breath expectation] (in Korean). Korea Economy TV. Retrieved June 15, 2022 – via Naver.
  28. ^ Jeong Hye-Yeon (December 3, 2021). "썸씽로튼' 양요섭→윤지성, 스페셜 포스터 공개..유쾌한 비주얼" [Something Rotten' Yang Yoseob → Yoon Ji-sung, special poster released... Pleasant visuals] (in Korean). Herald POP. Retrieved December 3, 2021 – via Naver.
  29. ^ Yang Kwang-mo (April 12, 2022). "이기광, 코로나19 자가진단키트 양성…'가요광장' 양요섭 진행" [Gikwang Lee, self-diagnosis kit for COVID-19… Hosted by Yoseob Yang of ‘Gayo Plaza’] (in Korean). Sporld World. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Naver.
  30. ^ "'V앱' 양요섭 "6월 16·17일 솔로 콘서트" 깜짝 발표". mydaily. May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  31. ^ "2011 Golden Ticket Awards". Interpark. January 19, 2012. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  32. ^ "33rd Golden Disc Awards Announces Nominees". Soompi. December 7, 2018.
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