Park Jung-soo (born July 1, 1983), better known by his stage name Leeteuk, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the K-pop boy band Super Junior and its subgroups, Super Junior-T and Super Junior-Happy.
Career[]
2000-2005: Pre-debut[]
When Leeteuk and his older sister, Park Inyoung, traveled to Myeongdong for a holiday in early 2000, he was recommended by a talent scout to audition for SM Entertainment's Starlight Casting System. After several test recordings and performances, he signed with SM Entertainment and became a trainee. That same year, he appeared as an extra in the MBC Korean drama All About Eve, and briefly as a model for Pepsi in 2002. In 2003, he was put into five-member boyband Smile, with future bandmate Donghae and aimed to be a rival group of TVXQ. The project was dropped and they were then put into rotational group Super Junior along with ten other boys. Being older than the other trainees, Leeteuk became the leader of the group.
Leeteuk has explained that he uses a stage name due to his desire to have a name with the same effects as Kangta, and also to prevent confusion between veteran actress Park Jeong-su and himself. His stage name denotes being "special" as his agency wants him to be a special member in the group.
2005-2008: Debut with Super Junior, Sub-groups[]
Leeteuk officially debuted as part of the 12-member project group, Super Junior'05 on 6 November 2005 on SBS's music programme Popular Songs, performing their first single, "Twins (Knock Out)". Their debut album Super Junior05 (Twins) was released a month later on 5 December 2005 and debuted at #3 on the monthly MIAK K-pop album charts.
In March 2006, SM Entertainment began to recruit new members for the next Super Junior generation. However, this was met with fans' objections and strong opposition to the rotational style (much like popular rotational groups in Japan's pop music industry) that the group intended to be. Thus, plans changed and the company declared a halt in forming future Super Junior generations. Following the addition of thirteenth member Kyuhyun, the group dropped the suffix "05" and became officially credited as Super Junior. The re-polished group's first CD single "U" was released on 7 June 2006, which was their most successful single until the release of "Sorry, Sorry" in March 2009.
Leeteuk has partnered with Eunhyuk as host DJs for KBS Super Junior Kiss The Radio (aka SUKIRA) since 2006. With the exception of four months from March to June 2011, where band mate Yesung temporarily replaced Eunhyuk, while he was away on promotional activities for Super Junior-M's third EP Perfection.
In February 2007, Leeteuk was placed in the trot-singing Super Junior-T. A year later, Leeteuk became a member of Super Junior-H.
2009-2011: Variety shows and MC[]
From 2009 onwards, Leeteuk, along with Eunhyuk and Shindong, were regular guests on SBS's Strong Heart, where they hosted a special segment, Boom Academy, headed by entertainer Boom. In October 2009, when Boom enlisted for mandatory military service, Leeteuk took over and the segment's name was temporarily changed to Teukigayo, or Teuk Academy. He was a frequent guest on Star King, also on SBS, with fellow Super Junior members.
In 2010, Leeteuk became the new MC for MBC Enjoy Today, replacing Big Bang's Seungri who left to focus on Big Bang's new album. On the show, Leeteuk sang with f(x)'s Krystal for the song "Grumbing". Leeteuk was also the MC for MBC's Love Chaser alongside Yesung.
In 2011, following Kang Ho Dong's retirement from the entertainment industry, Leeteuk and Boom took over as co-MCs of Star King. From September to November, Leeteuk became a dad in Hello Baby season 4 with girl group Sistar. Leeteuk also became part of MBC reality show We Got Married's new on-screen couples, with actress Kang So-ra becoming his on-screen wife. As of the 10 April 2012 broadcast, following the change in MCs and the departure of Shindong from Strong Heart, the show was re-vamped with Leeteuk and Eunhyuk billed as two of the 'six-fixed guests'.
2012–present: Comeback with Super Junior and military service[]
In June 2012, Leeteuk reunited with his Super Junior band mates for their sixth studio album, Sexy, Free & Single released on 4 July. On 23 June Leeteuk's teaser photo was released showing him with platinum silver hair, gold necklace and heavy black eye makeup. On 25 June he also tweeted another version of his teaser photo with the same outfit but in a different pose leaning on his hand looking as though he was deep in contemplation. In the repackaged edition of the album, re-titled Spy, Leeteuk composed "Only U" and co-wrote the lyrics with Donghae.
During the Indonesia leg of the SMTown Live World Tour III concert in Jakarta on 22 September, Leeteuk was unable to perform with his label mates due to exhaustion and enteritis, for which he made an apology the following day via his Twitter account.
Leeteuk stated in September 2011 that he plans to enlist for his mandatory military service in 2012. On 30 October 2012 he reported to the 306 Reserve Battalion training camp in Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province, to undergo five weeks of basic training, followed by active duty for 21 months. He was initially ineligible for active duty following his car crash in 2007 and an aggravated herniated disk, but after receiving treatment he was able to enlist for active duty.
In January 2013, Leeteuk co-starred in military musical The Promise. It was co-produced by the Ministry of National Defense and Korea Musical Theatre Association, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice. It ran from 9 to 20 January at the National Theater of Korea, co-starring actors Ji Hyun-woo, Kim Mu-yeol, Jung Tae-woo; as well as singers Yoon Hak of Supernova, and Lee Hyun of 8Eight. The musical is centered around a group of soldiers who keeps a promise made to each other during the 6.25 war.
Leeteuk completed his military service on 29 July 2014.
Discography[]
Collaborations[]
- 2011: Grumbling (투정) (with Krystal)
- 2011: Please (해주세요) (with Shindong)
- 2011: Ice Cream (아이스크림) (with JOO)
- 2016: My Hero (나의 영웅) (with Suho & Kassy)
OSTs[]
- 2012: Bravo (with Key) [History of a Salaryman OST]
Featurings[]
- 2009: Honey [Super Junior - SUPER SHOW 2 Live Album]
- 2013: She [Super Junior - SUPER SHOW 4 Live Album]
- 2015: Nothing on You [Super Junior - SUPER SHOW 6 Live Album]
Filmography[]
Film[]
- 2007: Attack on the Pin-Up Boys (꽃미남 연쇄 테러사건) - as School panda mascot
- 2010: Super Show 3 3D - as himself
- 2012: I AM. - as himself
- 2013: Super Show 4 3D - as himself
- 2015: SMTOWN The Stage - as himself
Television[]
- 2000: All About Eve (이브의 모든 것)
- 2006: Rainbow Romance (레인보우 로망스)
- 2006: Super Junior Mini-Drama
- 2008: Super Junior Unbelievable Story
- 2011: Dream High (드림하이)
- 2011: The Women of Our Home (우리집 여자들)
- 2012: Salamander Guru and The Shadows (도롱뇽도사와 그림자 조작단)
TV Shows[]
- 2005-2006 Super Junior Show
- 2006: Mystery 6
- 2006: Super Junior Full House
- 2006: Super Adonis Camp
- 2007-2008: Exploration of the Human Body
- 2007-2008: Leeteuk's Love Fighter
- 2008: Bachelor While on a Date
- 2008: Introducing Star's Friend
- 2008: Unbelievable Outing (Season 3)
- 2008: Idol Show
- 2009-2010: Challenge Golden Ladder
- 2009: Challenge! Good Song
- 2009: Miracle
- 2009: Lord of the Rings
- 2009-2010: Oh! Brothers
- 2009-2012: Strong Heart
- 2010: Love Chaser
- 2010-2011: Enjoy Today
- 2010-2011: Super Junior's Foresight
- 2011: Sistar & Leeteuk's Hello Baby
- 2011-2012: We Got Married (Season 3)
- 2011-2012, 2015-2016: Star King
- 2015: I Can See Your Voice
- 2015: Match Made in Heaven
- 2015: White Swan
- 2015: The Mickey Mouse Club
- 2016: Hidden Camera Shot Battle
- 2016: Weekly Idol
- 2016: Law of the Jungle
- 2016: Star Show 360
- 2017: Battle Trip
Radio Shows[]
- 2006-2011, 2016: Super Junior Kiss the Radio
Musicals[]
- 2013: The Promise
Lyrics & Composition[]
- 2007: "I Am" [Super Junior - Don't Don] - Lyrics
- 2010: "All My Heart" (진심) [Super Junior - Bonamana] - Composition
- 2011: "Oops!!" [Super Junior - A-CHA] - Lyrics
- 2011: "Andante" (안단테) [Super Junior - A-CHA] - Composition
- 2012: "Only U" [Super Junior - SPY] - Lyrics & composition
- 2015: "You Got It" (놈, 놈, 놈) [Super Junior - MAGIC] - Lyrics
- 2015: "Sarang♥" [Super Junior - MAGIC] - Composition
Awards[]
- 2009: SBS Entertainment Awards - Best Newcomer Award (Variety) (Star King and Strong Heart)
- 2011: SBS Entertainment Awards - Excellence Award (Talk Show Division) (Strong Heart)
- 2012: Mnet 20's Choice Awards - 20′s Variety Star
- 2012: MBC Entertainment Awards - Popularity Award
- 2012: SBS Entertainment Awards - Best Entertainer Award (Talk Show Category)
- 2013: 7th Daegu International Musical Festival - Newcomer Award
Gallery[]
