From waiters to condom models, the five members of South Korean boy band SS501– aka Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min and Kim Hyung-jun – enjoyed a variety of different jobs before debuting as a group in 2005. The K-poppers released their first EP, Warning, in June 2005 with a second EP, the wintery Snow Prince, following just six months later. Their fate was sealed: in 2006, the EP's title track, "Snow Prince," picked up two M Countdown awards and the group unleashed their first full-length studio album, S.T. 01 Now, in November 2006 on DSP Media. Delving into hip-hop, pop and other chart-friendly styles, they went to Number 45 in Korea, and another two followed in its wake: SS501, their first full length Japanese studio album, released in October 2007, and All My Love, their second full length Japanese studio album, which was released in May 2009 by Pony Canyon. SS501, also known as Double-S 501, picked up an impressive stash of awards in 2009, including the Hallyu and Bonsang gongs at the 18th Seoul Music Awards, as well as being crowned the Top Buzz International Group at the 2009 Asian Yahoo Buzz Awards. Alongside their two Japanese studio albums, they went on to release another five EPs in Korean, including 2010 chart-topper Destination, which marked their last mini-album before the expiration of their contract with DSP Media. Since then, the individual members of SS501 have been working on their solo careers, with a best-of album, Best Collection Volume 2, rearing its head in 2014. In 2017, Heo Young-saeng announced a group reunion (minus Kim Hyung-jun, who was serving in the military) and said they were discussing their next move. Heo Young-saeng and Kim Kyu-jong reunited to perform on October 2, 2020 under the SS501 name to celebrate Chuseok (South Korean harvest festival) with various other South Korean artists.
