Mink (singer)

mink (real name Lee Mink; 이밍크, born February 15, 1984, in Cheonghak-dong, Incheon, South Korea) is a female Korean pop singer active in Japan.

Upon traveling to Japan in her early teens to continue her education, she was discovered after she submitted a demo to Avex Trax, one of Japan’s leading J-pop labels. Her initial success occurred in Japan with the release of her first two albums. mink was born and raised in Korea, however she does not sing in Korean. She also had not shown her face on her albums, instead replacing her pictures with an anime-like character until 2008's mink II ～endless love～ album.[1] She had previously shown herself in her music videos, however.

In 2005, her song "Beautiful" was used for the film Initial D: The Movie and featured on her debut album.

In 2006 her song "Glory of Life" was released and licensed to Rhythm Zone/King Street Records and remixed by Chris Cox, John Creamer and Stephane K. "Glory of Life" hit the number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. A second single "4 Love" was scheduled to be released to the U.S. in April 2006, but was later canceled (although it was still released in Japan). Mink is one of the first Asian Artists to have any sort of number one single in the US, some others being Kumi Koda (with "Trust Your Love") and Utada Hikaru (with "Devil Inside").

In April 2006, mink's "Eternal Love (Remix Version)" was used for the film Chisaki Yusha Tachi Gamera. In December 2006, mink's "Here by my side (Original Version)" was used as the theme song for the 3D animated short Joe and Marilyn, part of the omnibus film Amazing Nuts! produced by Studio 4°C.

On January 1, 2007, mink's "Innocent Blue -Chi Hate Umi Tsukiru Made-" was released. The song is the theme song for the Japan-Mongol epic film Aoki Ookami, based on the life of Genghis Khan.

Japanese Albums

• mink (RZCD-45228, Released on August 3, 2005 - Featuring "Beautiful" from INITIAL D THE MOVIE and covers of Eagles "I Can't Tell You Why," Steve Wonder's "Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing," DREAMS COME TRUE "Suki" and Extreme's "More than Words")
• e+motion (RZCD-45314, Released on December 7, 2005)
• Shalom (RZCD-45516, February 28, 2007)
• mink II ～endless love～ (RZCD-45754, April 23, 2008)
• Best of My Love (RZCD-46081, December 10, 2008)

Special Album Releases

• minkREMIX (RR12-88477, released on January 20, 2006, 12' ANALOG RELEASE by Rhythm REPUBLIC)

Japanese Singles

• 栄光の花 ("Glory of Life")
• おまじない ("Good-luck Charm")
• Rescue Me
• Beautiful / One Suitcase (Maxi-single) (RZCD-45267, October 5, 2005)
• 4 Love (RZCD-45342, April 19, 2006 - "Eternal Love" used as theme song for "Chisaki Yusha Tachi GAMERA")
• Hold on to a Dream (RZCD-45425, August 23, 2006)
• Innocent Blue ~Chi Hate Umi Tsukiru Made~ (RCZD-45483/B, January 1, 2007 - Theme song for the film "Aoki Ookami")
• Together Again (RZCD-45647, August 8, 2007)
• Sense (RZCD-45680, October 31, 2007)

Mink also performed an English version of 'Together Again' that featured in the 2007 CGI anime 'Vexille.'

US Singles

• Glory of Life (Chris Cox Anthem Club Mix) (English Version, April 2006)