Sulli, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri, was a beloved South Korean singer, actress, and model. Born on March 29, 1994, in Busan, she captured hearts with her vibrant personality and talent. Sadly, she passed away on October 13/14, 2019, at the age of 25 in Seongnam.Sulli first rose to fame as a child actress and later became a K-pop idol with the group f(x). Her journey was full of highs, from hit songs to bold roles, and she was known for her outspoken style that made her a standout in Korean pop culture.
Early Life: From Busan to the Spotlight
Sulli grew up in Busan as the only daughter in her family, with three older brothers. Her mom spotted her acting potential early and enrolled her in acting school when she was young. In 2004, at just 10 years old, Sulli moved to Seoul alone while in fourth grade to chase her dreams. She attended Jungbu Elementary School before switching to Seoul Cheongdam Elementary School, then Chungdam Middle School, and finally graduated from the School of Performing Arts Seoul, majoring in Theatre & Film.Her birth name, Choi Jin-ri, means "the truth" in Korean. But when she signed with SM Entertainment, a reporter suggested changing it to Sulli because her real name sounded "too Christian." She once said her stage name reminded her of "pear blossoms in the snow." Sulli trained hard in singing, dancing, and acting at SM's MTM Academy. She even lived in a dorm with future Girls' Generation members Taeyeon and Tiffany during her trainee days.
Acting Beginnings: A Child Star on the Rise (2005–2008)
Sulli kicked off her career at age 11 in 2005, playing young Princess Seonhwa of Silla in the SBS historical drama "Ballad of Seodong". That same year, she had a cameo in "Love Needs a Miracle" and appeared in Drama City: "Goblins Are Alive". In 2006, she popped up in the film Vacation as young Jin-joo and another Drama City episode, "The Flower Girl is Here."Her roles grew in 2007 with a small part in the film "Punch Lady" as Gwak Chun-sim, her first big dramatic role. In 2008, she played young Ji-ho in the indie film "Ba:Bo: Miracle of Giving Fool" (also called "Babo"). These early gigs showed her natural charm and set the stage for bigger things.
K-Pop Fame with f(x) (2009–2015)
In 2009, Sulli joined SM Entertainment's girl group f(x) as a singer and dancer. They debuted on September 5 with the digital single "La Cha Ta" and quickly became hits, scoring four Korean number-one singles. f(x) even made history as the first K-pop act to perform at SXSW. Sulli handled vocals in the group, which mixed K-pop with fun, edgy vibes.While in f(x), Sulli kept acting. In 2010, she voiced Shelly in the Korean dub of "A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures" and had a cameo in "Oh! My Lady". From 2010 to 2011, she hosted SBS's music show Inkigayo. In 2011, she played a fictional version of herself in "Welcome to the Show" and was a special MC on "TV Animal Farm".Her big acting break came in 2012 with the lead role in "To the Beautiful You, a Korean take on the manga "Hana-Kimi. Playing Goo Jae-hee, she earned praise and won two SBS Drama Awards, plus a nomination at the 49th Paeksang Arts Awards.In 2014, during promotions for f(x)'s album "Red Light, Sulli took a break due to health issues from malicious rumors and exhaustion. SM took legal action against the rumor-spreaders, but charges were dropped after an apology. In August 2015, Sulli left f(x) to focus on acting, ending her group era.
Solo Career and Later Projects (2015–2019)
After leaving f(x), Sulli modeled for brands like Estée Lauder from 2015 to 2017. She starred in films like "The Pirates" (2014) as Heuk-myo and "Fashion King" (2014) as Kwak Eun-jin. In 2017, she led the thriller "Real" as Song Yoo-hwa.Sulli returned to music in 2018, featuring on Dean's "Dayfly" with Rad Museum. That year, she starred in her own reality show "Jin Ri's Market" (also called "Jinri's Shop"), where she opened a pop-up hat shop. In 2019, she hosted "The Night of Hate Comments" on JTBC2, tackling online negativity.Her solo debut came on June 29, 2019, with the single album "Goblin", featuring tracks like "Goblin," "On the Moon," and "Dorothy" – all co-written by her. She held a special stage called "Peaches Go!blin" at SM Town Theatre. Later that year, she had a cameo in "Hotel del Luna" as Jung Ji-eun, reuniting with friend IU. Sulli also appeared in documentaries like "I Am" (2012), "SM Town Live in Tokyo Special Edition in 3D" (2012), and the posthumous "Persona: Sulli and Dear Jinri" (2023).
Discography Highlights
- As Lead Artist: "Goblin" (2019) – Peaked at No. 96 on Korean Hot and No. 14 on US World charts.
- Featured: "Dayfly" (Dean, 2018) – No. 37 on Korean charts.
- Guest Appearance: "The Way an Idol Breaks Up" (Kim Hee-chul, 2011).
- She composed and wrote lyrics for her "Goblin" tracks.
Filmography Snapshot
- Films: "Vacation" (2006), "Punch Lady" (2007), "Ba:Bo: Miracle of Giving Fool" (2008), "The Pirates" (2014), "Fashion King" (2014), "Real" (2017), "Dear Jinri" (2023, released posthumous).
- TV Series: "Ballad of Seodong" (2005), "To the Beautiful You" (2012), "Hotel del Luna" (2019, cameo).
- Web Series: "Persona: Sulli" (2023, released posthumous).
- Variety Shows: "Running Man" (multiple episodes), "Strong Heart", "Invincible Youth", and more.
Awards and Nominations
Sulli won the New Star Award at the 2012 SBS Drama Awards for "To the Beautiful You". She was nominated for Most Popular Actress at Baeksang Arts Awards (2013, 2015) and 20's Upcoming 20's at Mnet 20's Choice Awards (2012).
Personal Life and Legacy
Sulli was open about her life, dating rapper Choiza (2014–2017) and brand director Kim Min-joon (2017). She faced harsh online criticism but spoke out for acceptance, saying people should embrace differences. Her MBTI was ENTP, and she loved elephants – her fans are called "Peaches." Sulli inspired IU's songs "Peach" and "Red Queen," and had a pet cat named Goblin.She was a trendsetter, topping Google's most-searched people in South Korea in 2017. Sulli endorsed brands like LG, Etude House, and Swarovski. Even after her passing, her Instagram was memorialized in 2020 to preserve happy memories.Sulli's story reminds us of her courage and creativity. She left a mark on K-pop and acting, inspiring fans to be true to themselves.
Source
Wiki, Namu.
