Kim Hyo-yeon

Kim Hyo-yeon (born September 22, 1989), most often credited as Hyoyeon, is a South Korean pop singer. She is a member of South Korean girl group Girls' Generation.

Early life

Hyoyeon was born in Incheon, South Korea on September 22, 1989. She grew up with her parents and her younger brother, Kim Min-gu.

Hyoyeon auditioned for S.M. Entertainment at the age of 11 through SM 2000 Casting System. Hyoyeon said she auditioned because her mother brought her to the offices of S.M. Entertainment in the hopes of meeting H.O.T. Hyoyeon then danced in an audition show. In 2004, along with Super Junior's Siwon, she was sent to study Chinese in Beijing.

Hyoyeon was also picked as Korea's No. 1 idol dancer on Star News.

Hyoyeon's formal dance training started in elementary school. At her neighborhood's small hip-hop school, she learned hip hop, jazz and Latin dance. In 1999, she enrolled in Winners Dance School, a famous dance school in South Korea specializing in popping, locking, animation and various other hip-hop styles. At the school she met Miss A's Min, with whom she formed the dance team Little Winners (리틀위너스). The duo performed at various showcases and was spotlighted by HipHoper.com in 2004.