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| Singer-cum-actress Jun Hyo-seong is feeling more comfortable with her new look. Courtesy of JHS Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Sporting a white long-sleeved shirt, black jeans and brown boots, K-pop diva Jun Hyo-seong performs her 2014 hit "Good-night Kiss" on a YouTube video posted to her channel "Bling Darling Jun Hyo-seong."
The singer ditched the skin-tight short dress and spike heels that she used for her gigs a few years ago. Now, Jun has a more relaxed look on her face and seems more comfortable dancing.
Many of her followers feel the same, commenting that Jun appears to be more stable and professional on recent clips. "You get shorter in height without the heels, but look bigger in my eyes," one wrote.
Visit Jun Hyo-seong's YouTube channel: bit.ly/2xu39CF
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| Jun performs her 2014 release "Good-night Kiss" on a recent video posted to YouTube. Capture from Jun's YouTube channel |
When The Korea Times asked Jun whether she truly is feeling more comfortable now, the singer, who turned 30 this year, said she is.
"When I was in my 20s, I was always afraid of turning 30 years old," Jun said during a recent interview. "But now, I am far more stable than I was in my bygone days. I finally realized that my career is not everything in my life and that I do not have to struggle to satisfy others. Now, I do not try to glamorize myself, but just reveal the 'real me.'"
Jun, formerly of K-pop girl band Secret, is among the few stars who have survived on the cutthroat K-pop scene for more than a decade. Debuting in 2009, her group saw success with a string of hit numbers including "Madonna" (2010) and "Shy Boy" (2011). She began forging an acting career in 2013 and dropped her first solo album "Good-night Kiss" in 2014, sailing strongly as a multi-faceted entertainer.
Many would speculate that Jun must have been the happiest during those years, when her career was at its peak. But the singer-cum-actress said her best years are now.
"I have learned to live as myself and finally realized the ways to enjoy my work," she said.
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| Jun debuted as a leader of Secret in 2009. Courtesy of JHS Entertainment |
"I appreciated people for their responses, but their remarks were mentally taxing as well," Jun said. "I felt I was hemmed in by my own walls and that my visual aspects were over-highlighted because I failed to display my other sides."
She added: "I am still thankful for those who link me to sexiness, vitality and powerfulness, but now I have concluded that I need to take time to exhibit my untapped sides. Then, people might remember me as a hot and talented person in the future."
Another shadow was cast on her in 2017, as she embarked on a legal battle with TS Entertainment ― which represented Secret ― to nullify her contract with the label. Jun cited a problem in profit sharing as one of the reasons behind her action. Due to the dispute, Jun had a two-year career hiatus in 2017-19.
"Frankly speaking, I had a tough time at the beginning (of the dispute), but could withstand it thanks to my strong mentality," she said. "I told myself that there must be a reason for a hiatus and decided to spend the time wisely. So I started new hobbies such as tennis and Pilates, took better care of my health and earned an animal care qualification. In hindsight, my two-year hiatus was a period of growing pains, but was more like a must-have for me."
After the court ruled in her favor, Jun established her own agency JHS Entertainment last year. She soon signaled her comeback by releasing the new track "STARLIGHT" and uploading numerous videos featuring her daily life, performances and beauty tips to her YouTube channel, to interact with her 59,000 subscribers.
"At first, I opened my channel as I felt sorry for my fans who waited for me too long while I was on a hiatus," Jun said. "But now I know that YouTube is a crucial communication platform. For me, it is like a diary of my personal stories."
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| Jun frequently interacts with her fans on YouTube. Courtesy of JHS Entertainment |
Jun also has returned to the small screen. She is appearing in tvN's webtoon (digital comics)-based crime drama "Memorist" with actors Yoo Seung-ho and Lee Se-young. She plays Kang Ji-eun, a reporter who agonizes over journalism ethics.
"I was fascinated by the original webtoon and also found Kang ― a multi-faceted character ― very attractive," Jun said. "To pull off my role, I sought advice from an actual reporter, enthusiastically watched news programs and practiced reporting."
Jun hinted at her future singing career and mentioned Secret too.
"Singing is an inseparable part of my life and I will continue singing while I can," she said. "I think it is a blessing that people remember my song as a part of their lives. I want to be a singer in my next life too."
She added: "I am cautious to say this, but since all Secret members have a deep affection toward the band, maybe, in the future, we could seize an opportunity to be up on the stage together."
Jun, a cat lover, wrapped up the interview by unveiling another goal in her life.
"My cat is so valuable to me and it has changed my perspectives on the animals," she said. "In the coming days, I want to promote animal rights and set up a shelter for cats."
