[1][2][3][4] Super Junior launched into international recognition following the release of their best-selling single "Sorry, Sorry" in 2009, the title song of their most critically successful album, Sorry, Sorry.

[11] In 2000, SM Entertainment held their first overseas casting auditions in Beijing 101, China and recruited Han Geng, who was selected among three thousand applicants.

In early 2005, Lee Soo-man announced that he had been preparing for an all-boy project group of twelve members to debut at the end of the year.

"[20][a] However, before the group settled with their current name, the company simply referred to them as juniors, a representation of the members' young ages when they first became SM trainees.

The group officially debuted on SBS' music program Popular Song on November 6, 2005, performing their first single "Twins (Knock Out)".

[33] Although Don't Don received mixed reviews from critics, the album went to sell more than 160,000 copies by the end of the year, becoming the second best-selling record of 2007.

[34][35][c] Super Junior received seven nominations at the 2007 Mnet/KM Music Festival, winning three of them which included Artist of the Year, termed by many as the highest recognition of the ceremony.

[38][39] Although the creation of the subgroup initially created a strife between the group's fans and their management,[d] Super Junior-M went on to become Super Junior's most successful subgroup,[40] selling out two concerts in Hong Kong,[41] topping weekly ratings with their appearance on Chinese variety programs,[42] and was the idol group with the most endorsement contracts in China.

[39][47][48][49][50][e] The group held a successful two-day fan meeting in Japan at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, selling out 12,000 tickets in several days.

Though Kibum was shown in the ads and promotional videos for Super Show 2, he did not officially participate in the concert tour, and he announced his temporary leave from the group to pursue his acting career.

Peru's Top 30 ranking of The Sexiest Men in the World included all of the members on the list[74] They gave exclusive interviews to Slovenian and Iranian magazines,[75] and they were selected by Brazilian Hallyu fans to be the number-one Korean artist they want to visit Brazil.

[76][77] Both Mexico's TV Azteca and the United Kingdom's BBC acknowledged Super Junior to be the leading icon of the Hallyu effect.

[83] The group, with Super Junior-M members Zhou Mi and Henry, also recorded the song "Santa U Are The One" for the 2011 Winter SMTown – The Warmest Gift album, released on December 13, 2011.

[112] On January 24, 2021, Kibum revealed his real reasons for departure in a YouTube segment with Heechul, citing embarrassment and desire of self-harm over his participation in the group.

SM stated, "We established Label SJ to give Super Junior our wholehearted support and an ideal system for managing the group."

Though the new label will be affiliated with SM, it will be independently and wholly responsible for Super Junior's management, producing their albums, and all group, unit, and individual activities.

SJ Returns – Super Junior Real Comeback Story, a reality show featuring the idol group's development of their album, began airing on October 9.

[126] On October 8, Super Junior released a special EP, One More Time, with its lead single of the same name featuring Mexican band Reik and also Ryeowook in his first group recording following his military discharge on July 10.

[133] The nine-member lineup of Super Junior released their ninth studio album, Time Slip, on October 14, 2019, with Sungmin to have personal activities outside the group in the meantime.

On October 12, the group embarked on their eighth tour ahead of their album release, Super Show 8: Infinite Time, starting in Seoul, South Korea.

[156] On July 15, the group embarked on their ninth tour ahead of their album release, Super Show 9: Road, starting in Seoul, South Korea.

[165] He subsequently won the lawsuit in December 2010,[166] though his departure from Super Junior was not made official until September 27, 2011, when SM Entertainment finally released a statement to that effect.

[179] Label SJ confirmed in a statement in March 2020 that although Heechul may not be able to perform on stage, he is still participating in Super Junior albums and other content by recording, as well as taking part in activities such as jacket photoshoots and MV filming.

[180][181] Currently, Super Junior has nine active members: Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun.

The subgroups were part of SM Entertainment's strategy to not limit Super Junior's activities while certain members focused on their individual careers.

This strategy was later challenged by critics, as it has influenced an overwhelming number of music groups to create official and unofficial subgroups alike.

Yoo is also known for creating the renowned SMP style, a genre that includes a balanced infusion of rock, R&B, and rap, empowered by the sounds of electric guitar, bass, and other different percussion instruments.

Zhou Mi and SM Entertainment's new Taiwanese-Canadian trainee Henry Lau, who was also featured in the music video of "Don't Don", were also members of the subgroup.

[200] After more rumors regarding adding another member to the subgroup, the fans decided to gain a legal representation as part of SM Entertainment's stockholders.

[201] The fans released a statement that they will take every opportunity to prevent SM Entertainment from adding new members and to keep Super Junior as only thirteen.