HENRY LAU

A Canadian singer, songwriter, actor, and producer, Henry Lau, who operates under the mononym Henry, became a K-pop star in 2008 after joining Super Junior M, a Chinese sub-unit of the immensely popular South Korean boy band Super Junior. He embarked on a solo career in 2013 and has gone on to become an in-demand songwriter/composer and actor, releasing a slew of hit singles like 2017's "Girlfriend" and making his Hollywood debut in the 2019 film A Dog's Journey. Born in Toronto, Lau spent his formative years studying music, acting, and dance. A gifted violinist, guitarist, and pianist -- and fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean -- he intended on becoming a professional violin player, but in 2006 he auditioned for and was selected by South Korean entertainment juggernaut SM Entertainment. In 2007, after relocating to Korea and appearing in a video for South Korean pop group Super Junior, Lau was recruited to join the Super Junior sub-group Super Junior M, alongside Han Geng, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, Kyuhyun, and Zhou Mi. The first international musical act in the Chinese music industry to feature members of both Chinese and Korean descent, Lau would go on to record and perform with the group for several years before officially leaving the fold in 2018. During his time with Super Junior M, Lau featured on numerous singles and appeared in movies and on television shows, even competing on a celebrity version MasterChef Korea. In 2013 he released his debut solo EP, Trap, which peaked at number two on the Gaon Weekly album chart. His 2014 follow-up EP, Fantastic, helped further establish Lau as a pop star, and his public profile increased exponentially after a slew of high-profile television roles and soundtrack appearances. His soulful, R&B-tinged 2017 single, "Girlfriend," peaked at number one on myriad South Korean daily digital charts and soared to number three on the Gaon Download Chart. In 2018, after completing his contract with SM Entertainment, Lau set up his own studio -- during this time he also became a restaurateur -- and joined Monster Entertainment Group. The following year saw the releases of "Untitled Love Song," his first solo outing for Monster, and the single "Don't Forget (feat. Rocoberry)," as well as the release of the American comedy-drama A Dog's Journey. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi