Kim Hyo-yeon

Hyoyeon's formal dance training started in elementary school. At her neighborhood's small hip-hop school, she learned Hip-Hop, Jazz and Latin dance. In 1999, she enrolled in Winners Dance School, a famous dance school in South Korea specializing in popping, locking, animation and various other hip-hop styles. At the school she met Miss A's Min, with whom she formed the dance team Little Winners. The duo performed at various showcases and was spotlighted by HipHoper.com in 2004.

Hyoyeon was born in Incheon, South Korea on September 22, 1989. She grew up with her parents and her younger brother, Kim Min-gu. She auditioned for SM Entertainment at the age of 11 through SM 2000 Casting System. Hyoyeon said that her reason was her mother bringing her to the offices of S. M. Entertainment in the hopes of meeting H.O.T. She then danced in her audition show. In 2004, along with Super Junior's Siwon, she was sent to study Chinese in Beijing. Hyoyeon was also picked as Korea's #1 Idol dancer on Star News.