Yang Joon Il

Yang Joon-il (born 19 August 1969), also known as Joon-il Yang, JIY and V2, is a Korean-American singer-songwriter. Nicknamed the "G-Dragon of the 1990s", Yang made his debut in 1991 with a song titled "Rebecca". He was active in South Korea from 1991 to 1993 before he was banned to perform on TV. He fled back to America disappearing away from the public scene. He recently gained attention through JTBC's Two Yoo Project Sugar Man, a program dedicated to finding and rediscovering old singers from the past. As of 2020, he is active in various fields such as fan meeting, book writing, broadcasting, lectures, commercials, beauty and fashion related activities.

Yang was born in Vietnam during the war in 1969 and spent his childhood in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. Yang emigrated to the United States with his family at age nine and grew up in Los Angeles. After one year of dating Yang married a woman who fell in love at first sight in 2006 and the first son was born in 2015.

He studied business at the University of Southern California. In his second year at university, he decided to become a singer in Korea after meeting with a Korean pop music composer who persuaded him to do so.

Yang debuted in 1991 at the age of 22 with a song titled "Rebecca". He released other hit songs like "Dance with Me Miss" (1992) and "GaNaDaRaMaBaSa" (1992).

He was credited as the first pop musician to introduce Korean audiences to the new jack swing genre, which was popular in the mid-1980s and early 1990s in the U.S.

Active in South Korea from 1991 to 1993, he suddenly disappeared from the public scene and returned to the U.S. In a 2019 interview with the The Korea Times, he revealed that "he was hated by many for his unusual looks and songs." Some also threw rocks during his performance at an open-air stage. While a 10-year visa he held in Korea as a U.S. national had to be recertified every six months, he was denied an extension to his visa for no reason by an official at the Immigration Office. His nationality as an American also made it hard for him to gain acceptance in South Korea.

In 2001, he made another debut as JIY, a member of a music band V2, with a third album "Fantasy". He hid his true identity as music producers told him he would not make it again due to his previous controversial image in Korea. His new song "Fantasy", composed by Valery Gaina of Cruise, enjoyed a brief popularity before he finally put an end to his music career. Due to the agency's circumstances, it became impossible to work as a musician and after that he worked as an English teacher for 14 years. In 2015, he returned to the United States. Because of his age, he had a hard time finding work. He worked as a warehouse worker, office cleaner, and restaurant server.

In 2019, he gained attention through JTBC's Two Yoo Project Sugar Man, a program dedicated to finding and rediscovering old singers from the past. He sang "Rebecca", "GaNaDaRaMaBaSa", "Dance With Me Miss", and "Fantasy". Still slim in figure and soulful in his performance, he dazzled the audience and show hosts. When asked his next plans amid this viral syndrome, he simply said: "I don't make any plans; I just focus on fully living every moment. If there's any plans, I hope to live as a humble husband and dad." When the show hosts asked him to give a message to 20-year-old himself living 30 years ago, Yang said: "I know nothing will happen how you want. But don't worry, everything will come out perfectly in the end." After his fame skyrocketed again after his appearance on the show, he quit his job at the restaurant to focus on his entertainment career.

On December 25, Christmas Day, he appeared on JTBC's "News Room". He said "It's like a dream every day", "I've been trying to get rid of my prejudice against myself, which is full of my mind as if I had to abandon my unhappiness before I was happy.""There are no more tears" Yang said, adding that his powerful fandom, which claims to be a support group, is also a big boost to Yang.

In a press conference at a fan meeting, he revealed that his sole dream of becoming a K-pop star in his 20s was finally accomplished now, at age 50.

He shot a commercial with Lotte Home Shopping for the first time in his life.

He is in the process of publishing a memoir, recalling his music career and his life from a one-time singer into an English teacher and then a restaurant server in the U.S. He also plans to re-arrange and re-record his old songs to release a repackaged album. After that, he hopes to release new songs.

Album

• "겨울 나그네" (1991) Produced by Lee Beom-hee
  • 겨울 나그네
  • 헬프 미 큐핏 Help me, Cupid!
  • 오월의 교정
  • 리베카 Rebecca - Written by JIY
  • 강변의 한 사람
  • 재수생
  • 졸업과 이별과 친구
  • So Insane - Written by JIY

• "Your Backside That Caught My Attention" (1993)
  • 나의 호기심을 잡은 그대 뒷모습 Your Backside That Caught My Attention
  • Dance with me, 아가씨 Dance with me, Miss!
  • Party Invitation
  • 가나다라마바사 GaNaDaRaMaBaSa
  • 추억만의 사랑
  • J에게 To My Dearest J
  • 그리움
  • 추억만의 사랑(Instrumental)
• "Fantasy" (as V2, 2001)
  • Fantasy Official M/V
  • Goodbye
  • True Love
  • Do You Speak English?
  • 너의 이유
  • 외로움
  • 왔다갔다
  • 우리만의 여행
  • Oh My God
  • Because
  • Fantasy[Remix]
  • Do You Speak English?[Remix]
  • Goodbye[Instrumental]
  • True Love[Instrumental]

• Party Invitation(파티에의 초대) at Viva Art Hall, Seoul (June 26, 27, 1993)
• A Gift of JIY(양준일의 선물) at Daeyang Hall, Seoul (December 31, 2019)

Endorsements

In 2019, Yang shot a commercial with Lotte Home Shopping for the first time in his life.

In 2020, Yang came in 3rd place in brand reputation rankings for male advertisement models revealed by The Korean Business Research Institute. Yang became a official model for Pizza Hut. He was selected as an endorsment model for Siwon School. He has been working as an embassador for Shinsegae International.It was also reported that Shinsegae International is planning to launch a collaborative product with Yang. He appeared in commercials for Berocca by Bayer Korea.He was appointed as a new face of Jenny House Cosmetics. Jenny House Cosmetics announced to release a new product in collaboration with Yang. Re;BAK Style Repair Shampoo and Treatment was officialy lunched in March and Rebecca Salon, their collaboration site, was opened on the same day.

• 2019 The Fact Music Awards - Special Prize acceptance speech

• jiytime(JIY Official) on Instagram
• official JIY on YouTube