EXID | |
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EXID in July 2016
(L–R): LE, Solji, Jeonghwa, Hani and Hyelin |
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Background information | |
Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
Genres | |
Years active | 2012 | –present
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Associated acts | |
Website | bananact |
Members | |
Past members |
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EXID (/iː ˈɛks aɪ ˈdiː/; Hangul: 이엑스아이디), short for "Exceed In Dreaming", is a South Korean girl group formed in 2012. The group consists of five-members: Solji, LE, Hani, Hyelin and Jeonghwa. They made their debut as a six-member group in February 2012, with the single "Whoz That Girl". Their first EP Hippity Hop was released in August 2012 to limited success. The group unexpectedly gained success after their 2014 single "Up & Down", which did not chart well upon initial release reached number one on the Gaon Singles Chart four months later, when a fan-recording of one of EXID's performances of the song became a viral video. EXID released their second EP Ah Yeah in April 2015, to commercial success. Their first studio album, entitled Street, was released in June 2016.
In May 2011, producer Shinsadong Tiger and AB Entertainment scouted several trainees from JYP Entertainment to form a new girl group. Trainee Yuji was the first to join when a JYP girl group failed to debut. Yuji contacted the trainees Hani, Haeryeong, and Junghwa to audition for AB, and all three were subsequently accepted into the agency. The group added a fifth member when Shinsadong Tiger discovered LE, an underground rapper and songwriter who performed under the name Elly. Dami, who was already an AB trainee, was the sixth and last member added to the group. Originally named "WT", an acronym for "Who's That", the group changed their name to EXID a few months before their debut. In December 2011, LE was featured in Huh Gak's single "Whenever You Play That Song", which appeared on Korean music charts. EXID was scheduled to debut in January 2012, but their debut was delayed to February when LE sustained a leg injury during rehearsals. On February 3, AB Entertainment announced that EXID would debut with the single "Whoz That Girl". Video teasers featuring the members doing solo performances were subsequently released online.