[INTERVIEW] 'My Name': Lee Su-jeong embarks on new journey to explore herself

K-pop singer Lee Su-jeong poses during a recent interview at the headquarters of Woollim Entertainment in Mapo District, Seoul. Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

Lovelyz leader to show a different side in solo EP

By Dong Sun-hwa

For the past eight years, Lee Su-jeong has lived a glamorous life as Baby Soul, the leader of popular K-pop act Lovelyz. Nonetheless, at the same time, the 29-year-old could not live as Lee Su-jeong, having no time to muse on who she is and what she likes.

However, Lee has recently taken her first baby steps to delve deeper into her inner world. After the seven members of Lovelyz, who had dropped a series of hits like "Ah-Choo" (2015) since their debut in 2014, terminated their contracts last year with their management company, Woollim Entertainment, Lee ― the only member who renewed her contract ― spent most of her time exploring herself and searching for the missing pieces of her puzzle.

"I was not aware of this in the past, but in hindsight, I tried so hard to live as Baby Soul instead of Lee Su-jeong," she said in a recent media interview at the headquarters of Woollim Entertainment in Mapo District, western Seoul. "I almost did not know anything about myself. So after I decided to go solo, I began using my real name to mark the beginning of the new journey to discover who I am. But I still chose to renew my contract with Woollim out of the belief that this company suits me the best in many ways."

Lee added that she now knows "something" about herself.

"In the past, when my fans asked me about my favorite flower, I told them I do not have any preference," she said. "But now I know that I like cherry blossoms the most. Learning about myself has made me more confident, as I can better control myself and feel more comfortable about my life in general."

This has had a remarkable impact on her music, too.

"My first solo EP, 'My Name,' offers the songs that sound quite different from those of Lovelyz, because they reflect my personal taste," she explained. "Most of the tracks are far from being saccharine love songs. They are powerful, energetic and dynamic."

"My Name," which will drop on Tuesday afternoon, is full of Lee's personal anecdotes, as she took part in penning the lyrics of five tunes, other than the intro, "My Name."

"I expressed all my sincere feelings in the lyrics," Lee said. "I think I have achieved musical maturity as well because now I can relate more to my songs and disclose what is inside me."

Among all the pieces, the lead single, "Walk the Moon," speaks best for her, Lee says. Characterized by a powerful synth sound and melody, the moombahton-tinged track imparts a message of hope by using the moon as inspiration.

"Whenever the night passes, the morning comes and shines a light on us," Lee said. "Just like this, 'Walk the Moon' tells people that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, which will help them find out who they are."

The teaser for Lee Su-jeong's upcoming EP, "My Name" / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

Many people may wonder whether she intentionally used the moon as a theme in her new song so as to make a sequel to her first self-written track, "A Piece of the Moon" (2019). One of the most popular songs by Lovelyz is titled "Moonlight," as well.

But Lee disclosed that was not her intention.

"The moon naturally became the main theme as it fitted the mood of the tune," she said. "At first, the CEO of our company Lee Jung-yeop did not want it to be the lead single, but he changed his mind suddenly, maybe because he realized later that it could be appealing to the public."

The 40-minute interview offered a sneak peek into Lee's private life as well. Lee seemed to be a person living an orderly lifestyle, who neither binge-watches YouTube channels nor hangs out with her friends frequently at night.

"Since I am this type of person, I had trouble adjusting to the bustling K-pop life in the beginning, but as time went by, I learned ways to get used to it," she said. "But still, working out and honing my performing skills are the only things that I do when I am free."

For Lee, grabbing the top spots on music streaming charts or music shows is not her top priority. What she values the most is her inner comfort.

"When I was part of Lovelyz, I also aimed for a high rank, but now I feel that this is meaningless," she said. "The pursuit of success made me feel uneasy every day and I made more mistakes as I attempted to bite off more than I could chew. So I changed my mindset and now, I just try my best to do what I can and stay carefree."

After putting out her first solo mini-album, Lee is poised to stage her first solo concerts from May 6 to 29 at West Bridge Live Hall in Mapo District.

"In my upcoming concerts, I want to tell my fans that I really appreciate them for waiting for me and my solo release," she said. "I am planning to play 16 concerts in total, so I am thinking about different ways to make every show look distinctive and entertaining. I will most likely perform my new songs and some of Lovelyz's hits."