Say My Name (Korean: 세이마이네임; RR: Seimaineim) is a South Korean girl group formed and managed by Inkode. The group consist of seven members: Hitomi, Mei, Kanny, Soha, Dohee, Junhwi, and Seungjoo. They debuted on October 16, 2024, with the eponymous EP.
Name
The group name, Say My Name, contains the meaning of the "unique identity" that only the group have, as well as the "preciousness of 'me myself, us ourselves' that many people have forgotten in the sadness and pain they experience at least once in their lives." It also contains the "aspiration to become a team that delivers a hopeful message of growing and overcoming things together and not losing themselves."[1]
History
Pre-debut activities and formation
Some members of Say My Name have previously been involved in the entertainment industry prior to joining the group. Mei was a contestant on the global talent competition reality show The Debut: Dream Academy, and Seungjoo was a contestant on the MBC TV's audition program My Teenage Girl.[2]Hitomi was a member of the Japanese idol group AKB48 and the Japanese–Korean project group Iz*One.[3]
On August 30, 2024, iNKODE Entertainment announced Say My Name as the company's first girl group, and labelled as the girl group produced by Kim Jae-joong.[4] The seven members of the group were revealed beginning the same day in the following order: Dohee,[5] Kanny,[6] Mei,[7] Junhwi,[8] Soha,[9] Seungjoo,[10] and Hitomi.[11]
2024–present: Debut EP
On October 15, 2024, Say My Name held their offline debut showcase 'Cat Night' and their online debut showcase live streaming through SBS K-Pop Concert.[12][13] The group officially debuted on October 16, with their eponymous extended play, and "WaveWay" as its lead single.[14]
Endorsements
Upon their debut, Say My Name was selected as the global model of vitamin specialized skincare brand Tiam.[15]
^Jeong, Seung-min (October 16, 2024). "제작자 김재중→히토미 3회차 데뷔로 화제성 잡았다...세이마이네임 출격 준비 完(종합)" [Producer Kim Jae-joong→Hitomi 3rd Debut Hot Topics Grabbed...Say My Name Sortie Preparation Complete(Summary)]. MHN Sports (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.
^Jeong, Hye-won (October 8, 2024). "세이마이네임, '아이즈원' 출신 히토미·'정초하 언니' 소하까지 '화제'" [Say My Name, Former 'IZ*ONE' member Hitomi to 'Jung Choha's older sister' Soha 'Hot Topics']. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.
^Lee, Min-ji (September 13, 2024). "아이즈원 히토미, 김재중 제작 걸그룹으로 재데뷔 확정 [공식]" [IZ*ONE Hitomi, confirmed to re-debut under girl group produced by Kim Jae-joong [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.
^Jeong, Hee-yeon (August 30, 2024). "김재중 제작 걸그룹=SAY MY NAME...첫 멤버 도희 공개 [공식]" [Girl group produced by Kim Jae-joong=SAY MY NAME... reveals first member Dohee [Official]]. Sports DongA via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Ji-hye (August 30, 2024). "'김재중 걸그룹' 세이마이네임, 첫 멤버 '도희' 공개..사랑스러운 비주얼" ['Kim Jae-joong girl group' Say My Name, reveals first member Dohee... lovely visual]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Na-yul (September 2, 2024). "'김재중 걸그룹' 세이마이네임 카니, 트레일러 공개..10월 데뷔" ['Kim Jae-joong girl group' Say My Name Kanny, reveals trailer... debut in October (2024)]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Na-yul (September 4, 2024). "'김재중 제작 걸그룹' 세이마이네임 메이, 트레일러 공개..귀여운 눈웃음" ['Girl group produced by Kim Jae-joong' Say My Name Mei, reveals trailer... cute eye smile]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Ji-hye (September 6, 2024). "'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임, 네 번째 멤버 준휘 공개..냉미녀 비주얼" ['Kim Jae-joong production' Say My Name, reveals fourth member Junhwi... cold beauty's visual]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Na-yul (September 9, 2024). "'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임 소하, 트레일러 공개..청량 비주얼" ['Kim Jae-joong production' Say My Name Soha, reveals trailer.. refreshing visual]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Ji-hye (September 11, 2024). "'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임, 멤버 승주 베일 벗었다..청량+러블리" ['Kim Jae-joong production' Say My Name, member Seungjoo's veil taken off.. refreshing + lovely]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Na-yul (September 13, 2024). "아이즈원 출신 히토미, 김재중 제작 걸그룹 마지막 멤버..10월 재데뷔[공식]" [Hitomi from IZ*ONE, the final member of the girl group produced by Kim Jae-joong... to re-debut in October (2024) [Official]]. Herald POP via Naver (in Korean). Retrieved October 24, 2024.
^Kim, Min-ji (October 16, 2024). "'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임, 오늘 데뷔 앨범 발매" ['Produced by Kim Jae-joong' Say My Name, release the debut album today]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.
^"'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임, 데뷔와 동시에 광고계 샛별로 주목" ['Produced by Kim Jae-joong' Say My Name, attracted attention as rising stars in the advertising world upon debut]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean).|last=Son|first=Bong-seok|date=October 17, 2024|access-date=October 22, 2024}}
^Kim, Su-jin (October 16, 2024). "'김재중 제작' 세이마이네임, 드디어 오늘 데뷔" [Produced by Kim Jae-joong' Say My Name, finally debuted today]. Star News Korea (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.
^Choi, Ju-seong (October 15, 2024). "신인 걸그룹 세이마이네임 "세계를 집어삼키는 큰 파도 될래요"" [Rookie girl group Say My Name "We will become a big wave that swallows up the world"]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Retrieved October 22, 2024.