Hyoyeon began her artistic journey at a young age, making history at just 11 years old when she successfully auditioned for SM Entertainment through the SM 2000 Casting System. Her passion for dance started in elementary school, where she enrolled in a local hip-hop academy and trained in Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Latin styles—laying the foundation for her future as a versatile performer. She officially debuted in August 2007 as a member of Girls' Generation, a group that would become one of South Korea’s best-selling artists and one of the most iconic K-pop acts worldwide, cementing her status as a global star.