Amber of f(x): a self-reliant, outspoken tomboy whose musical skills and tally of famous friends continue to grow

She’s a great collaborator, television star and host, and has performed alongside the likes of Girls’ Generation’s Yuri and Super Junior’s Henry Lau
Despite having been the subject of criticism online, the singer is unafraid of speaking out and defending herself – and has done so on Twitter and Instagram

K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Jeff Benjamin

Published: 10:15pm, 19 Sep 2020

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Most K-pop stars are known for looking put together, but Amber Liu stands out for her edgy, glamorous tomboy style. It’s not just Liu’s looks that have allowed her to stand out in the industry – it’s also her refreshingly honest attitude and do-it-yourself spirit. Read on to find out about Amber’s life so far.

Her early life

Amber Josephine Liu was born in Los Angeles in September 1992 the youngest daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. She grew up loving both sports and – thanks to her mother – Disney movies and music.

After taking part in a global audition held in Los Angeles by K-pop superlabel SM Entertainment (home to acts such as BoA and Girls’ Generation), she trained for 18 months before making her debut as a member of girl group f(x) in 2009.

Her role in f(x)

F(x) was as the “Asia pop dance group”. Amber was the Taiwanese-American member, Victoria the one born in China, Luna and Sulli the ones from Korea, and Krystal the one from the US. Amber acted as the group’s main rapper and sub-vocalist.

Amber Josephine Liu was born in Los Angeles in 1992, and made her debut as a member of girl group f(x) in 2009.

F(x) stood out for their multinational make-up, and their image and sound tended to be more experimental than that of other K-pop groups. Amber, with her tomboyish looks, helped define a new beauty standard in South Korea.

She hasn’t pleased everyone, however. In an Instagram post in 2015, she wrote: “I’ve been a tomboy pretty much all my life and honestly, it really sucks sometimes. I personally believe girls and boys are not limited to one specific look … don’t judge someone just because they’re different. Hopefully we can all grow to respect each other’s differences.”

Amber has contributed lyrics to f(x) albums, and she directed and edited their 2016 music video for All Mine.

She’s also helped connect f(x) to their international fans, thanks to her ability to speak English and Chinese and through her personal social media accounts.

Her solo career

Amber is a great collaborator, television star and host. She has performed alongside the likes of Girls’ Generation’s Yuri, Super Junior’s Henry Lau and Taiwanese singer Dansong Tang, appeared in variety programmes like Invincible Youth and Real Men, and hosted Show Champion and We Got Married.

Amber made her debut as a solo artist in 2015.

In 2015, Amber made her debut as a solo artist with her EP “Beautiful”. The title track showcased Amber’s singing abilities, while lead single Shake That Brass brought out her animated rapping.

She has continued to put out solo tracks that show her artistic progression – from taking part in the production and arrangement of Borders and White Noise to directing the music videos for Countdown and Lower.

By 2018, Amber had started to take a more independent route, releasing a self-produced mixtape “Rogue Rouge”. That same year, she signed with Steel Wool Entertainment in the United States. The entertainment company helped support her first solo tour in 2018 as well her album “X” and its accompanying tour in 2020.

Her image

Amber is known as being a friendly K-pop idol. She counts many artists among her close friends, referring to junior singers as family – like her “little brother” Johnny of NCT.

She also boasts celebrity friends outside the K-pop world, including Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi of a cappella group Pentatonix, who collaborated with Amber on a song in 2017. The star also supports the LGBTQ community by including same-sex couples in her music videos.

Amber boasts celebrity friends outside the K-pop world including Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi of a cappella group Pentatonix.

In her own words

Amber has shared plenty with her fans over the years, but they saw both her strong and human side when she had to defend herself earlier this year for her support of Black Lives Matter. Last year, she criticised a man for being “super disrespectful” towards a police officer.

“I’ve been saying for years that I am not perfect and I make mistakes,” she wrote on Twitter when commenters questioned her change in stance, before asking her critics to see the bigger picture.

Amber Liu stands out among the K-pop idols for her edgy, glamorous tomboy style.

“I’m not going to waste my time trying to explain anything to you haters targeting me and twisting things to fit your narrative … there are bigger issues going on in the world. Focus your energy on something more productive. Come back when you actually want to have a constructive conversation because I’m doing the research and would love to talk.”

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