As per the results on my Instagram poll, we have our latest girl crush introduction! In case you missed my last two, here are the links to read up on Gemma Chan and Laura Harrier.

Lee Sunmi is a top female soloist from South Korea who rose to fame during her time as a member of former girl group Wonder Girls.

Even though some of you may be unfamiliar with most K-pop artists, the group name may ring a bell because of their 2012 Nickelodeon movie "The Wonder Girls" or saw them in 2009 on the Jonas Brothers' world tour.

Sunmi was with Wonder Girls from 2007-2010, but took a break from the group to finish school seeing as she was only 15 upon debut. In 2013, the group went on hiatus when Sunye announced that she would be getting married and Sohee left to delve into her acting career. Sunmi was ready to get back to her first love and released her first solo "24 Hours" which hit the roof on numerous Korean music sites and led her to release her EP Full Moon just six months later. Praises for her ability to exude unexpected elegance through sensuality were non-stop. This is when she really began to bloom as an artist and songwriter. (She also did her only feature to date on B1A4's song "You"in 2014 btw... Yes, this is promo I love that song.)

Wonder Girls were finally back in action with Sunmi in tow to produce what I find to be one of the greatest pop albums of all time, Reboot. The girls all pitched in for this self-produced and self-directed work that reflected their consistent retro stylings but completely immersed itself in the best elements of 80s pop. Sunmi contributed on three of the albums tracks "Rewind", "Back", and "Faded Love" alongside members Yubin, Yeeun, and Hyelim. The album soared as high as #2 on Billboard's US World Albums chart and was recognized as one of the best albums of 2015 by FuseTV and iTunes Japan.

Their follow-up single album in 2016 Why So Lonely once again gave Sunmi the chance to shine on the title track and b-side "To The Beautiful You" toting 70s girl-band performing at a music festival sounds crafted with the girls playing their own instruments just as they did for Reboot. Unfortunately for fans, the girls amicably parted ways with goodbye single "Draw Me" to pursue their individual passions as they reached their late 20s and early 30s.

Sunmi signed on as a solo artist with MakeUs Entertainment, home to popular Korean artists Urban Zakapa and Park Won. She sought out the chance to fully develop her individual artistry and capture the full range of her creative abilities. It wasn't necessarily a re-brand, but more like embellishing on what was already beginning to show.

On her first two comeback singles "Gashina" and "Heroine" Sunmi collaborated with well-known producer Teddy Park who is predominantly known for working with artists under YG Entertainment such as Big Bang and Blackpink. This was a surprising duo considering Teddy's typical instrumentals which lean toward hip hop and tropical house beats whereas Sunmi's love for 80s pop and darker themes contrasts this entirely. Gashina went on to smash at #1 in Korea and #3 on Billboard with Heroine close behind at #2 in Korea and also #3 on Billboard upon its release.

Fans were getting antsy for more music because of Sunmi's three-year hiatus as a soloist, but oh, did she deliver. Warning arrived in late 2018 as Sunmi's second ever EP (still no full album, yes we are very greedy) helmed by lead single "Siren" which topped six music charts in Korea and kickstarted her announcement for a 2019 world tour.

As an extra treat, Sunmi released Noir just days before her tour in the US and still held on strong on both domestic and international charts amongst a dozen other releases.


Now that I've given you all the background on her musical career, we can get into what makes Lee Sunmi so stanworthy.

Sunmi was penned the nickname "Miya" by her father when she was growing up and has expressed countlessly how much it means to her and how much more greatly it represents her as a person and performer than her full name. She wanted to become a celebrity because of her father, who was ill and could not work while Sunmi and her younger brother were still just kids. Her thought was that being an idol could support her family and her dad more quickly than waiting to get through college and become a part of white collar society. Sadly, her father passed a few days prior to her debut with Wonder Girls, but carries her father's spirit with her wherever she goes.

Her bubbly, quirky personality and humor are often misunderstood as being an airhead, but when she is able to sit down and discuss what inspires her music, you can feel how well-read and eager to research more she truly is. About her latest single Noir, she likens it to the film noir genre and how social media's affecting everyone around her, including herself. Film noir is centered around crime with tones of cynicism and mild eroticism, and in the music video, Sunmi portrays a character putting herself in increasingly dangerous situations for attention, likes, and subscribers. She also often opens up about how women are treated in the industry like in this quote from her interview with Dazed Korea, "The standards for female celebrities tend to be stricter. Female celebrities are more affected by dating news and scandals. You can just tell from the comments on how it's different from male celebrities. Words of defamation to sexual harassment...I want to be nonchalant about them but I get so angry nowadays."

Seeing her perform live is an ethereal experience. You get to watch as she fully immerses herself in the music or has your mouth agape during her powerful choreography. She might not have Whitney Houston vocals, but her voice has a sultry appeal that perfectly weaves itself into her lyrics like a snake on a vine.

Obviously she's quite easy on the eyes with the whole looking like a freaking Dior ambassador goddess all the time, but you soon find out she's simultaneously the most adorable 26-year-old on planet Earth.

If you're ready to fall in love check out the music video for Noir below or follow her on Instagram and Twitter! (You can also find all of her music on iTunes and Spotify)