L.ovelyz were never hugely popular – at least not in the way newer artists like IVE and NewJeans dominate the airwaves today – but they’ve found a solid foothold in the K-pop industry. I’m sure it was. Over the course of seven years, the eight-member group released a slew of records, spawning hits like “Ah-Choo” and “Destiny,” featuring a mix of vocal prowess, hilarious girl-next-door concepts, And generally built a dedicated fan base through sheer reputation.
In 2021, it all came to an end when seven of the members chose to leave their longtime label, Woollim Entertainment. Although Lovelyz has disbanded, all members have focused on their solo careers, and while they probably haven’t disbanded, at least not in the ‘official’ sense, apparently former lead vocalist Ryu Soo-jung has gone back to his old girlfriend. I still have a lot of love for him. life.
“This was about 10 years ago, and mental health conversations weren’t as common back then as they are now.”
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back on it now, it was such a beautiful experience,” says the 25-year-old. NME When I talked about my former bandmate from South Korea over Zoom, his expression softened. “I am so happy to have had that experience with them as performers together.”
Sujeong has certainly come a long way since her debut in 2014 when she was about to turn 17. Last year she founded her own independent label, House of Dreams, and just recently released her first full-length. Her album ‘Archive of Emotions’ – an intimate lo-fi glimpse into her new era. Ahead of her first solo concert this weekend, she opened up about her journey to get here.
Influenced by groups such as Girls’ Generation and Wonder Girls, Sujeong aspired to stardom since middle school. After auditioning at various agencies for two years, she finally joined Woollim Entertainment in 2012. “When we first started, we had about 17 of her members,” she recalls. “Every month we had something like a survival contest, but after two years, only eight people actually made their debut.”
“Looking back, the practice was tough, but thanks to that, we were able to concentrate on our activities,” said Soojung, who had a grueling practice schedule of 12 hours a day on average. talk. Life after his debut was similarly tough, Sujeong adds, vividly gesticulating a typical cycle. “
Despite their hectic schedules and intense pressure to succeed, the members of Lovelyz received little mental health support. “This was nearly a decade ago, but back then mental health conversations weren’t as prevalent as they are now,” Soo-jung said, owing her perseverance at the time to her ambition and the support of her family. explain.
“Being a celebrity is very public and people have easy access to me, so sometimes I have to tell myself, ‘This is just a job.'”
“My parents are music lovers and my mother is a great singer,” she says with a smile. “We lived far away, so we could only see each other during long holidays.” rice field. “I was throwing all my belongings on the tray, just like you would at the airport,” recalls Sujeong, who even laughs when she thinks about it. But despite her surveillance, she sometimes sneaked out and used her payphone to talk to her parents. “as if Mission Impossible“
Although she is now somewhat removed from the rigors of her idol life, some of it remains in Soojung for better or worse. She was given a “desired” target weight for herself and her other Lovelyz members (her target weight is 47kg) and had her weighed regularly to make sure it was within range. I remembered. All convenience store visits were monitored and all purchases were checked. “It affects everyone differently,” she began, with obvious hesitation. “Some people were fine, but after I quit being an idol, I ate too much.”
“I think things have gotten better over the last decade in terms of artists being given personal space,” she said, adding that the industry wants K-pop idols to have more personal freedom and mental health support. I looked back at how I was slowly starting to move in the direction of giving. “I’m happy that the juniors can be more free,” she said.
While in the industry, she also found it difficult to separate her public life from her private life. While Lovelyz fans mostly respected their members’ private lives (which, sadly, is a rarity for many K-pop fans), I realized that this did not fully define me. Sujeong says there were times when she had to convince her. “Celebrity is so public and people have so much access to me, so sometimes I have to tell myself, ‘This is just a job,'” she said.
Recently, Sujeong seems to be rediscovering the joy of being a musician. “We live in a world that is not fantasy / We just live in reality.” She sings her current favorite track “Non-Fantasy” from “Archive of Emotions”, marking her first solo release as an independent artist. “I wrote and composed all the songs on the album, so my favorite songs change all the time,” she laughs.
In a way, “Archive of Emotions” is a celebration of her years in the industry. The album’s intimate, mellow concept stands in stark contrast to the Girl Next Door tracks that Lovelyz were so good at in their prime. “At the time, that innocent image suited the members very well,” she says. “It’s not that I didn’t have an idea [about the music we were releasing]But I was very focused on the group. “
“Having individual creative ideas in a group is not very good. If you let one person do it and the other person can’t, you feel limited or insecure. Because there is potential.” She believes this group-based engagement has contributed to strengthening mutual relationships over the years, adding that one day she will be able to truly express herself on her own terms. .
“[This] This project was very personal to me. I wanted to talk about something that would resonate with people my age,” added Soojung. “I don’t think I’ve changed much from Lovelyz’s Sujeong now. But on this album, I know I’m completely myself.”
Ryu Soo Jung’s new album ‘Archive of Emotions’ to be released
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