The breakthrough yearThe year she turned 15, she debuted in the five-member Wonder Girls, and in September began promoting “Tell Me” from the group’s first full-length album. The song ranked No. 1 on the main weekly online charts for an average of more than seven weeks.
In 2008, she followed with “So Hot” and “Nobody.” In 2009, the year she turned 17, she went to the U.S. and toured with the Jonas Brothers, and her agency said “Nobody” had reached No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, it was announced that she was leaving Wonder Girls to return to school. In 2011, she enrolled at Dongguk University.
In 2013, the year she turned 21, she released the solo single “24 Hours” three years and seven months after leaving Wonder Girls. In 2014, she released “Full Moon.” In 2015, she rejoined Wonder Girls and released the third full-length album Reboot. In 2016, she released “Why So Lonely” with Wonder Girls.
In 2017, the year she turned 25, Wonder Girls disbanded in January, her contract with Makeus Entertainment became known in March, and she made a solo comeback in August with “Gashina.” In 2018, she released “Heroine” and the mini album Warning, and reached six music-show wins with “Siren.” In 2019, she began her first world tour since her debut and released “Lalalay.”
In 2020, the year she turned 28, she released “Pporappippam.” In 2021, she released “Tail” and the mini album 1/6. In 2022, she released “Heart Burn” and announced her second world tour.
In 2023, the year she turned 31, she returned after one year and four months with “Stranger.” In 2024, she released “Balloon in Love.” In 2025, she released “Blue!” and in November her first full-length album since her debut. In 2026, she released “Forever July.”
Sunmi (born May 2, 1992) debuted with Wonder Girls on Feb 13, 2007, the year she turned 15, and became known when she began promoting “Tell Me” from Wonder Girls’ first full-length album on Sep 13, 2007, the year she turned 15. She made her solo debut in 2013, the year she turned 21.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Debuted as one of the five members of Wonder Girls, with Sunye, Yeeun, Sohee and Hyuna. JYP Entertainment’s Park Jin-young produced the group himself.
Source 01 · MyDaily (Korean) · The records Wonder Girls left behind · opens in a new tabSource 37 · Herald Muse (Korean) · Sunmi’s birthday · opens in a new tab Her birthday (May 2) and birth year are from Herald Muse (May 2, 2022).Released their first full-length album and began promoting “Tell Me.” Star News reported that it ranked No. 1 on the main weekly online charts for an average of more than seven weeks. It came seven months after their debut.
It was the group’s third project, after “Tell Me.” The album concept was “Funky.”
Source 05 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · “So Hot” released · opens in a new tabA new song after “Tell Me” and “So Hot,” marked by a 1960s retro melody, according to Electronic Times. It ranked No. 1 in every category of Mnet’s chart in its first week.
Source 06 · Electronic Times (Korean) · “Nobody” released · opens in a new tabAfter going to the U.S. in April, the group toured the country with the Jonas Brothers from late June to Aug. 31.
Source 07 · Star News (Korean) · Park Jin-young, the U.S. push and Billboard · opens in a new tab The article says only “late June” for the start, so the month is given.The agency JYP Entertainment said “Nobody” had reached No. 76 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Star News wrote that it was the first time a Korean singer had done so in the 115-year history of the Billboard chart.
Source 07 · Star News (Korean) · Park Jin-young, the U.S. push and Billboard · opens in a new tabSource 08 · Star News (Korean) · Wonder Girls enter the Billboard Hot 100 · opens in a new tab Oct. 22 is the date of the agency’s announcement; the chart is dated Oct. 31.Her agency said Sunmi would stop her entertainment activities and return to Korea and school. Hyerim, a former trainee, was to fill her place.
Source 09 · OSEN (Korean) · Sunmi leaves · opens in a new tab After finishing the U.S. schedule booked through the end of February, she was to prepare for university from March. Dong-A Ilbo (July 21, 2015) says she stopped activities in 2012, which differs from other articles.Attended the 2011 entrance ceremony. She had been admitted the previous October in the first early-admission round through the talent track (acting), and passed the high school equivalency exam in the first half of the year.
Source 10 · Star News (Korean) · Enrolls at Dongguk University · opens in a new tabReleased at noon as a digital single, and Newsis reported it was No. 1 in real time on the main music charts. It came three years and seven months after leaving Wonder Girls, and Park Jin-young produced the whole record.
Source 11 · Newsis (Korean) · “24 Hours” tops the charts · opens in a new tabSource 12 · Star News (Korean) · Solo return · opens in a new tabReleased to music sites at midnight on the 17th. The producer Brave Brothers produced it, and she began comeback promotions on M Countdown on the 20th.
Source 13 · MyDaily (Korean) · “Full Moon” released · opens in a new tabRejoined Wonder Girls, which had become a four-member group after Sunye and Sohee left. In the first teaser video, released at midnight on the 21st, she played bass.
Source 14 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Sunmi rejoin teaser · opens in a new tabReleased their third full-length album at noon on the 3rd. The title track “I Feel You” ranked No. 1 in real time on Mnet, Genie, Olleh Music and Naver Music right after its release.
Source 15 · Xportsnews (Korean) · “I Feel You” at No. 1 · opens in a new tabMBN reported that it ranked No. 1 on eight music charts right after its Korean release on the 5th. It was Wonder Girls’ first try at reggae pop.
Source 16 · MBN (Korean) · “Why So Lonely” · opens in a new tabJYP Entertainment announced the disbandment of Wonder Girls after ten years together. It said the group would release a last digital single on Feb. 10, the 10th anniversary of their debut.
Source 01 · MyDaily (Korean) · The records Wonder Girls left behind · opens in a new tabHer agency said on the 14th that she had signed an exclusive contract at the end of February. The agency is home to Park Won, Urban Zakapa and others.
Source 17 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Exclusive contract with Makeus · opens in a new tabSource 28 · IZE (Korean) · Sunmi’s choice · opens in a new tab Makeus Entertainment later became Abyss Company (IZE writes “Abyss Company (formerly Makeus Entertainment)”).Released “Gashina,” her first solo comeback song in three years, and Maeil Business Newspaper reported that it ranked near the top of the music charts.
Source 18 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · “Gashina” and “Bebe” · opens in a new tabReturned with “Heroine” on the 18th. On the 28th she reached three music-show wins with the song on SBS “Inkigayo.”
Source 19 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Sunmi and Chungha · opens in a new tabSource 20 · OSEN (Korean) · Three wins on “Inkigayo” · opens in a new tabReleased the mini album on the 4th, and on the 9th the title track “Siren” was No. 1 on the real-time and daily charts of six music sites at the same time. A first-place win on “Inkigayo” on the 23rd brought her to six music-show wins.
Source 21 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · “Siren” perfect all-kill · opens in a new tabSource 22 · Star News (Korean) · Six wins on “Inkigayo” · opens in a new tabHer first world tour since her debut, Warning, began with a concert at Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, Seoul. Hankook Ilbo reported that tickets sold out within five minutes of going on sale.
Source 23 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Warning Seoul concert sells out · opens in a new tabSource 24 · News1 (Korean) · “Noir” teased · opens in a new tab The date is confirmed by Hankook Ilbo (scheduled for Feb. 24) and News1 (which says it was held on the 24th).A song she made herself, worked on with inspiration from her tour of North America and Mexico. It reached No. 1 in real time on five music sites right after its release.
Source 25 · MyDaily (Korean) · “Lalalay” at No. 1 · opens in a new tabA comeback about ten months after “Lalalay.” Segye Ilbo reported that it ranked near the top of Melon, Bugs, Genie and others right after its release.
Source 26 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · “Pporappippam” sweeps the charts · opens in a new tabReleased at 6 p.m. on the 23rd. A song that likens the traits of a cat to a woman’s love, composed with FRANTS.
Source 27 · MK Sports (Korean) · “Tail” released · opens in a new tabReleased on the 6th. It was a comeback about six months after “Tail,” and her first mini album in about three years.
Source 29 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · “1/6” press conference · opens in a new tabHer seventh digital single. She held a release showcase in Mapo District, Seoul, on the 29th.
Source 30 · News1 (Korean) · “Heart Burn” showcase · opens in a new tabHer agency, Abyss Company, announced 16 shows in 16 cities across 10 countries, starting in Poland on Aug. 14. It came about three years after her first world tour in 2019.
Source 31 · Newsis (Korean) · Second world tour · opens in a new tab The date is the date of the announcement.Her first new release in about one year and four months, since “Heart Burn” in June 2022. She took part in writing the words and music, and held a showcase in Yongsan District, Seoul, on the 17th.
Source 32 · Edaily (Korean) · “Stranger” showcase · opens in a new tabReleased on the 13th. A comeback after eight months, it is a Britrock song she wrote the words and music for herself.
Source 33 · Xportsnews (Korean) · “Balloon in Love” · opens in a new tabReleased on the 26th, about one year and two months after “Balloon in Love.”
Source 34 · OSEN (Korean) · “BLUE!” poster · opens in a new tabSource 38 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · “Blue!” out today · opens in a new tabHer first full-length album since her debut, it has 13 songs, including the title track “CYNICAL.” Sunmi took part in working on every song.
Source 35 · MBN (Korean) · First full-length album HEART MAID released · opens in a new tabA new song about eight months after HEART MAID. She took part in writing the words and music.
Source 36 · TenAsia (Korean) · “Forever July” · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2007–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Music · South Korea
May 2, 1992 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1992: the year of the event minus 1992, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.