The Kim Sisters were a Korean-born American singing trio who made their career in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. They are known for being the first South Korean music group to achieve success in the U.S. market, and for performing more than 20 times on The Ed Sullivan Show. The group consisted of Sue, Aija and Mia. [1][2]

Early lives [ edit ]

Sue and Aija's parents were Kim Hae-song, a popular conductor, and Lee Nan-young, one of Korea's most famous singers before the Korean War, best known for her song, "Tears of Mokpo." Mia's father was Lee Bong-ryong, a musician and Lee Nan-young's elder brother.[3]

In 1950, North Korea captured and later executed Sue and Aija's father, Kim Hae-song.[4]

Career [ edit ]

Beginnings [ edit ]

Following her husband's kidnapping, Lee Nan-young adopted Mia and had her daughters form a singing group in order to support the family. [4] Lee bought American records on the black market so that the girls could learn songs like Hoagy Carmichael's "Ole Buttermilk Sky," which they performed in bars and nightclubs for American soldiers stationed in South Korea during the Korean War.[5]

Harbor Lights/Ching Chang, the first Kim Sisters record from 1959.

The Kim Sisters were popular among the American troops, who spread the word about the group to American entertainment producer Tom Ball. He flew to South Korean in 1958 to hear the group perform, and The Kim Sisters signed a contract with Ball soon after. However, it took them nearly a year to acquire visas to go to the United States.[5]

Fame in the United States [ edit ]

In 1959, The Kim Sisters arrived in Las Vegas to perform in Ball's "China Doll Revue" at the Thunderbird Hotel.[4] After they fulfilled their contract at the Thunderbird, The Kim Sisters began performing at the Stardust Hotel. It was during this time that they were first invited to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. They ultimately performed on the show an additional 21 times.[6] On American television shows, The Kim Sisters frequently performed wearing Chinese cheongsam and singing popular American songs.[4]

In 1962, their cover of The Coasters song "Charlie Brown" reached #7 on the Billboard singles chart, making The Kim Sisters the first commercially successful Asian artists in the United States.[7]

Aija died of lung cancer in 1987.[2][5] Mia still actively performs.[8]

Discography [ edit ]

Studio albums [ edit ]

Title Album details[9] Their First Album Released: 1959

Region: United States

Label: Monument Records

Format: LP record 푸레젠트 Released: 1969

Region: South Korea

Label: L.K.L. Records

Format: LP record 어머니를 추모한 김시스터즈 가요집 Released: 1970

Region: South Korea

Label: Shin Jin

Format: LP record This Is My Life Released: 1975

Region: South Korea

Label: Oasis Records

Format: LP record

U.S. single albums [ edit ]