Han Hee-jun

Han Hee-jun (Korean: 한희준; born April 20, 1989),^[2] also known as Heejun Han,^[3] is a South Korean singer.^[4] He finished in ninth place on the eleventh season of American Idol in 2012.^[3] He also finished in the top six of K-pop Star 3 in 2014.^[5]

Han Hee-jun
Han in 2018
Background information
Also known as	Heejun Han
Born	(1989-04-20) April 20, 1989 (age 35) Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Origin	Flushing, New York, U.S.
Genres	Pop, R&B
Occupation	Singer
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Polaris Entertainment[1]
Korean name
Hangul	한희준
Revised Romanization	Han Hui-jun
McCune–Reischauer	Han Hŭichun

In this Korean name, the family name is Han.

Early life

Han was born on April 20, 1989^[2] in Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea. He has an older brother. Han and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 12, moving to Flushing, Queens in New York.^[6] He graduated from Francis Lewis High School.^[7]

Han returned to South Korea from 2009 to 2010 to train to be a singer. When he moved back to the United States, Han worked for the non-profit Milal Mission in New York, working with children with disabilities.^[6] He later said the experience pulled him out of a depression and that the children motivated him to audition for American Idol.^[8]

Career

2012: American Idol

See also: American Idol (season 11)

Han auditioned for the eleventh season of American Idol in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in early 2012. He received praise from the judges for his performance of Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" and advanced to the next round.^[9]

Han advanced through the semi-finals with a performance of "Angels" by Robbie Williams.^[10] He then advanced through the finals with performances of "All in Love Is Fair" by Stevie Wonder,^[11] "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx^[12] and "My Life" by Billy Joel.^[13] However, after finishing in the bottom three for two weeks in a row, Han was eliminated from the show, finishing in ninth place.^[14]

After the show concluded, Han performed as part of the American Idols Live! Tour 2012, which began July 6, 2012 and ran until September 21, 2012.^[15]

Performances and results

Episode	Song choice	Result
Audition	"How Am I Supposed to Live Without You"[9][16]	Advanced
Hollywood 1
Hollywood 2	"Broken Strings"[17] (with Phillip Phillips, Richie Law and Jairon Jackson)
Las Vegas	"I Only Have Eyes for You"[18]
Final Judgment	"New York State of Mind"[19]
Top 25 (13 Men)	"Angels"[10]
Top 13	"All in Love Is Fair"[11]	Safe
Top 11	"Right Here Waiting"[12]
Top 10	"My Life"[13]	Bottom 3
Top 9	"A Song for You"[13]	Eliminated

2013–2014: Debut single and K-pop Star 3

Han released his debut single, "Bring the Love Back", featuring rapper Pusha T, on September 17, 2013.^[20]

In 2013, he tried out for the third season of K-pop Star and passed the audition.^[21] He reached the Top 6 of K-pop Star 3.

2015–present: Korean releases and After School Club

Since then he has concentrated on his K-pop career and released the single "Q&A" feat. Tiffany from Girls' Generation.^[22]

In 2018, he replaced Jae of Day6 as co-host of After School Club.^[23]

Discography

Singles

Title	Year	Album
"Bring the Love Back" (feat. Pusha T)	2013	Non-album singles
“QnA” (with Tiffany)	2015
“I'm Fine Thank You” (with Kim Bum-soo, Ivy, Rumble Fish, Sunwoo, Sojung)
“Think of You” (생각나)	2017	Puppy Love (풋사랑) single album
“Springkle You” (좋아하나봄) (feat. NOV)		Non-album single
“Deep Inside” (feat. Sojung)	2018	Deep Inside single album
“Starry Night”		Non-album singles
“The Last” (그만)	2020
“RainDrop”
“Room”
"Moving On" (아무 일 없듯이)	2021
"If You Can" (만날까)
"Tuesday" (feat. Yoo Iseol)	2022
"Dang" (feat. DeAndre, Greg Priester)
"Wake Up"	2023
"Non Sweet Song" (달콤하지 않은 노래) (feat. NOV)
"Easy" (feat. Wynn)

Other charted songs

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Sales	Album
		KOR [24]
"Pass Me By" (지나간다)	2014	88	KOR: 19,071[25]	K-pop Star 3 Battle Audition Part 1

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Ref.
2007	West 32nd	Danny	[26]
2015	Seoul Searching	Chow	[26]

References

1. "Toonaripost". Archived from the original on March 17, 2013.
2. "4월 20일 태어난 스타는 누구?" [Who was born on April 20?]. Sports Today (in Korean). April 18, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
3. Angermiller, Michele Amabile (March 30, 2012). "Castoff Heejun Han on 'American Idol': 'It's a Hunger Game' (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
4. "한희준 "'K팝' 우승했다면 계약금 많이 주는 회사 갔을 것" [화보]" [Han Hee-jun: "If I had won 'K-Pop Star' I would have gone to a company that paid a large down payment" [Photoshoot]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). December 27, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
5. "'K팝 스타3' 알맹, 한희준 탈락... TOP 4 가려졌다" [Almeng and Han Hee-jun eliminated from 'K-pop Star 3' ... Top 4 decided]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). March 23, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
6. "아메리칸아이돌 한희준 "싸이형처럼 모국 사랑받고파"" [American Idol's Han Hee-jun: "I want to be loved in my homeland like Psy"]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). November 13, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2023 – via Naver News.
7. Schapiro, Rich; Burke, Kerry (February 23, 2012). "'American Idol' star in the making: NYC's Heejun Han makes final 24". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
8. Uda Nagu, Suzieana (September 30, 2012). "American Idol: Happy in his own skin". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
9. de Moraes, Lisa (January 20, 2012). "'American Idol' 2012: Auditions continue in Pittsburgh". Washington Post. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
10. "Flushing's Heejun Han named American Idol finalist as Creighton Fraker is sent home". QNS. March 2, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
11. Locker, Melissa (March 8, 2012). "'American Idol' Recap: Whitney vs. Stevie". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
12. Finn, Natalie (March 14, 2012). "American Idol, Down Jermaine Jones, Carries On With Top 11—and It Could've Been 10!". E! News. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
13. "Queens Resident Heejun Han's TV Performance Irks Judge Steven Tyler". CBS New York. March 22, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
14. "Heejun Han voted off "American Idol," eight remain". Reuters. March 30, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
15. "'American Idols Live Tour' Kicks Off, Brings Contestants to Fans". ABC News. July 6, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
16. Rutherford, Kevin (February 9, 2012). "'Idol' Hollywood Week Begins: A Whole Lot of Ups & Downs (Literally)". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
17. Barrett, Annie (February 16, 2012). "American Idol recap: More fainting! (Hollywood Week, Round 3)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
18. Carlson, Erin (February 16, 2012). "'American Idol' Recap: the Best (and Worst) Moments in Vegas". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
19. Schapiro, Rich; Burke, Kerry (February 23, 2012). "'American Idol' star in the making: NYC's Heejun Han makes final 24". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
20. Fred Bronson (July 23, 2013). "'American Idol' Alum Hee-jun Han Enlists Rapper Pusha T for New Song, Video". The Hollywood Reporter.
21. "Hee-jun Han from 'American Idol' starts fresh on 'K-Pop Star 3'". Allkpop. November 24, 2013.
22. "Han Hee Jun Marvels at Girls' Generation Tiffany's Glowing Beauty". Soompi. May 12, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
23. "Stray Kids' Seungmin And Han Hee Jun Announced As New "After School Club" MCs". Soompi. July 18, 2018.
24. "Digital Chart "한희준" Search". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved October 16, 2020.
25. "2014년 8주차 Download Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved October 16, 2020.
26. "Heejun Han – IMDb". IMDb.

External links

• Heejun Han at IMDb