Moon Byul-yi (Korean: 문별이, born December 22, 1992), known professionally by her stage name Moonbyul, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter and talk show host currently signed to RBW. She is the rapper and performer of the South Korean girl group Mamamoo and its sub-unit Mamamoo+.
She made her debut as a solo artist in May 2018, releasing the digital single "Selfish". According to the Korea Music Copyright Association, Moonbyul has songwriting credits on over 100 songs, making her one of the most credited female artists in the Korean music industry. She is also known for winning first place on JTBC's survival show The Second World.
Early life and education
Moon Byul-yi was born on December 22, 1992, in Bucheon, South Korea. The oldest of three daughters, she has two younger sisters who are four and twelve years apart from her in age. Her dream before discovering music was to become a police officer or teacher.
During her middle school years, she became interested in singing after watching TVXQ's performance of "Rising Sun". She found her passion for performing and decided to become a singer after being applauded for a performance she gave at her school's Christmas caroling contest. She also admired the girl group Girls' Generation, especially their leader Taeyeon, and attended SM Entertainment's academy in an attempt to follow in her footsteps. She graduated from Wonmi High School, and later from the Paekche Institute of the Arts majoring in media, music and vocals.
Name
Her stage name Moonbyul is derived from a combination of her surname "Moon" and her birth name "Byul-yi". A rare name, her name originates from her father who looked up at the sky on the night of her birth as he was wondering what to name her – when he saw more stars twinkling than usual, he decided on the name "Byul" which means 'star' in Korean. It also has the message that he wanted her to become person who sparkles and shines. She is often nicknamed "Byul" or "Byulie" by acquaintances and fans.
She adopts the alias Moonstar as her rap name, as it is what her name symbolizes in English. Since her debut, she has included it as a signature sound and incorporated it in various forms in her lyrics, as well as when she provides a featuring in songs by other artists. The motifs of the moon and stars are often associated with her as well.
Career
2011–2014: Career beginnings
In pursuing her path to become a singer, Moonbyul attended 11 auditions, signed trainee contracts with at least three agencies, and also fell victim to scams by fake entertainment companies. It is said that among all the Mamamoo members, she underwent the most colorful and event-filled journey during her trainee days until she was finally able to successfully make her debut.
She joined her present label RBW in 2011. Despite originally passing her audition as a vocalist and training as one, it was suggested to her by their record producer that she switch to becoming a rapper, as the group needed a rapper. Although she was rather unfamiliar with the genre and was only informed six months prior, she would go on to successfully debut as a member of Mamamoo on June 19, 2014. According to the group's WAW documentary, Moonbyul also specialized in freestyle dance and hip-hop, and would show up to monthly evaluations with self-made routines she choreographed herself.
2014–present: Mamamoo
Moonbyul debuted as a member of the girl group Mamamoo on June 19, 2014, with the release of their first extended play (EP) Hello. As one of the members in charge of performance, she was responsible for creating the choreography for the group's debut track, the lead single "Mr. Ambiguous".
Since the release of their second extended play Piano Man in November 2014, Moonbyul has co-written almost all lead singles released in Mamamoo's discography, including the entirety of her own raps.
In November 2016, Mamamoo performed at the 37th annual Blue Dragon Film Awards, one of the most prestigious film awards in South Korean entertainment industry. They put a creative twist on their song "Decalcomanie" by including adlibs that referenced famous quotes and well-known lines from popular movies that year. In particular, Moonbyul's line "Jung Woo-sung, if I drink this in one shot, will you go out with me?" towards the actor garnered the most attention, along with his reaction that was captured on screen. The moment went viral in South Korea, garnering 1.5 million views within a day. As a result, the group and their song "Decalcomanie" gained a surge in popularity and rose to the top of real-time music charts, becoming a hit domestically.