Sue Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. She started singing with her sisters in a group called The Kim Sisters at the age of 10 and played 13 different instruments. In 1950, the Korean War broke out and Sue Kim's father, Hai-Song Kim, who was a famous Korean symphony orchestra conductor was captured by the North Korean army and later assassinated. Her mother, Nan-young Lee, was left with no home, no food and no money for her and her seven children. Lee was a famous Korean singer who rose to stardom with the song "Mokpo Tears." In 1953, Lee asked the children to perform with her in South Korea's military clubs to support their family. The GIs donated rock and roll records for the sisters to memorize and sing, and in turn the sisters received chocolate bars and alcohol, which they exchanged for food. The GIs that returned to the States spread the word about the talented trio and in 1958, Tom Ball heard about the sisters from one of the returning GIs and went to Korea to recruit them for an Asian act that he was producing. In 1959, Ed Sullivan was broadcasting his show live from the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas.