[ASKKPOP] [Original Feature] Then & Now: HyunA

Known for her striking looks and her risque outfits,HyunAhas been turning heads practically since her debut with4minute. She has garnered her fair share of criticism and whether it is genuinely earned or just jealousy, no one can deny that she is a chart-topper winning awards left and right. It's a formula that is obviously working.

Debuting with theWonder Girlsin 2007, HyunA was practically a fresh-faced schoolgirl, bubbly and exuberant, with a haircut inspired byDoratheExplorer;). However, it was with the girl group 4minute that the video vixen would start to shine. Their first single "HotIssue" peaked at number 5 on the Gaon charts, and the second, "Muzik," hit #3.

Her marketability was not lost on her label,CUBEEntertainment, and they released her solo single and MV, "Change," first in a line of videos that the networks deemed too racy for TV viewers.  The song itself reached #2 on the GAON singles chart almost immediately after release. Whether offended or intrigued, one thing was made clear: no one can rock sportswear like HyunA.

Though she was popular in Southeast Asia, she hit the big time in 2011 with the release of her first mini-album, 'BubblePop.' The track "Bubble Pop" burned up charts in South Korea, but it also got attention in the U.S.; the single made two charts inSPINmagazine. Later that year, she collaborated withB2ST'sHyunseungto formTroublemakerand generated another mega-hit, a nice Christmas present to those of us who were wanting more after 'Bubble Pop'! Her sultry dance moves earned her a collaboration withPSYin "GangnamStyle." Further appearances on variety shows only increased her visibility, and over the next couple years led to more CFs and modeling gigs, including spokesmodel forToyotaCorollaand interviews inBillboardmagazine. Not to mention more comebacks with4minuteand a second album to which she contributed lyrics and music, adding "songwriter" to her growing list of talents. No longer merely an entertainer, she became a brand.

Not long ago she performed at theSXSW2014music festival at Austin, Texas, a part of a program called "K-Pop Night Out," which has featured such luminaries asf(x)andJayPark. More recently, she has been part of 4minute's latest comeback and has released a third mini-album, 'ATalk,' continuing to develop her skills as a songwriter. Her title track "Red" hit number 3 on the digital chart, and rules the download chart as well. She was even interviewed byBillboardmagazine, once again the focus of international attention. She shows no signs of slowing down, that's for certain. And that is a very good thing indeed.