The original is Hyori. The 17-year veteran Summer Queen, who needs no qualifiers, returns. [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Singer Hyori has returned in her most cool and confident authentic self after a long time. Shedding the inner pressure she experienced while continuing to stand on her own as a solo Gi Hoek-sa (CEO), she is now ready to praise herself and fully enjoy the stage.

We heard a sincere story from Hyorin, an artist with 17 years of experience, who expressed her desire to remain simply as the "original" rather than just another flashy title, from the affectionate gaze she casts toward her talented junior idol peers to the behind-the-scenes details of the long-awaited SISTAR reunion that fans have been eagerly waiting for.

Recently, Hyolyn held a roundtable interview at a cafe in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of her fourth mini-album 'OriginaLyn'.

"Originaline" is a title combining "Original" and the name "Lyn" from Hyolyn, representing an album that captures Hyolyn's unique music and identity that no one else can replace. It depicts what Hyolyn desired, the image she wished to embody, her free and honest energy, and the colors and scents that only Hyolyn could express. This album marks the beginning of Hyolyn's return to her most essential self.

The title track "ChecK" captures the moment of confidently acknowledging one's own gaze and emotions. Rather than waiting for the other person's feelings, it portrays a scene where one boldly reveals their own charm while holding the initiative in the relationship, expressed through Hyolyn's unique cool and sophisticated sensibility. Additionally, Hyolyn personally participated in writing the lyrics and composing the music to enhance the track's quality.

Hyolyn returns with a physical album for the first time in four years. Although she has consistently released singles to connect with the public during this period, this marks her comeback with a tangible album after a long hiatus. Instead of the worries or anxieties that typically follow such an extended break, Hyolyn's face is now filled with excitement.

Hyorin revealed that it took four years to release her new album because "running a one-person agency left me with insufficient time in the studio to spend months crafting songs." She continued, "I did not want to rush and release something just because time was short. If I were going to release an album at all, I wanted to prepare thoroughly without being rushed by circumstances, and it seems this moment happened to be that time," expressing her unique sense of responsibility toward the album's quality.

The reason for feeling more excitement than worry ahead of this comeback lies in her inner transformation. Hyolyn explained, "As I prepared for this album, I realized and changed things about myself. The message of this song itself became a great comfort to me. It is not just a song that says 'good job,' but one that tells me, 'You are doing well enough; you can be more confident and bold.'"

As he worked on songs, danced, filmed music videos, and repeatedly listened to tracks, he felt his confidence filling up. Hyolyn smiled, saying, "I felt as if I was being filled to the brim, which made me grateful for the song. As positive energy filled me and negative thoughts were filtered out, the excitement became even more palpable."

The public remembers Hyolyn as an artist who is confident, radiates health, and seems ready to say whatever she wants. However, she herself confessed that she is actually "a shyer style than expected." Hyolyn said, "Confidence only comes out when I'm on stage; at other times, it's not even fully charged. I wanted to regain my confidence and praise myself a lot, but it was only while preparing for this album that I finally started praising myself."

She further emphasized regarding the image the public holds of her: "I believe that is also an undeniable part of me. I did pay attention to wanting to appear different as a singer with 17 years of experience amidst rapidly shifting music trends. However, I now wish to no longer deny but rather accept Hyolyn herself. With that in mind, I aimed to naturally present myself just as I am, showing my most authentic self."

Looking back, it was a continuous stream of anxiety. He tormented himself by worrying about things that might never happen. "I am someone who loves being on stage, yet in front of events where I should be happy, my worries and pressure only grew, consuming my emotions," he recalled. "Worries like 'What if I get sick on the first day of filming a music video?' were tying me down."

However, this album was different. The change began with letting go of the pressure she had placed on herself. Hyolyn stated, "I wondered why I couldn't enjoy the work I loved and instead tormented myself. With the mindset that 'I must change,' I started by avoiding the thoughts that had been tormenting me."

With a change in mindset, the process also changed. Having shed past burdens, Hyorin expressed genuine confidence, saying, "All schedules related to this album have been fun."

Hyorin evoked the pop sensibilities of the 1980s and 1990s with "Check." Having cast aside her self-doubt and filled herself with confidence, Hyorin found answers in the music from the period when she was most passionate.

When asked why she chose 80s and 90s pop as the genre for the title track, Hyolyn said, "It started with the music I've been listening to recently. Normally, I listen to music while analyzing it, so I ended up not listening much, but at some point, I found myself listening to old music from when I was most passionate and studied hardest." She continued, explaining that she discovered herself smiling while unable to stop listening to old music. "I wanted to share this nostalgia with the public, not just keep it to myself. I thought it would be nice if listeners could feel a similar nostalgia as I did, so I decided on the genre and added the story," she explained. However, the entire album is not retro-styled. Hyolyn added, "As an album, I wanted to offer a variety of experiences. Each track has a different genre, vocal tone, mood, and story."

The title track "ChecK" conveys the message that "I am a very cool, confident, and wonderful person." Regarding the unique decision to capitalize the final letter 'K', the artist shared behind-the-scenes details: "In daily life, I found myself using the word 'check' more often than expected. I wanted to add a visual highlight, but rather than ending it with the short-sounding 'Chech,' I chose to use a capital K to preserve the original essence of the word 'Check.'"

When asked if this was a comeback aimed at the summer, he honestly nodded his head. "It would be a lie to say I didn't aim for it. Since the beat provides a refreshing feeling, I thought it would feel good to show a cool stage during the hot weather."

The title of 'Summer Queen' that is invoked every summer was attributed to the girl group SISTAR. Hyolyn said, "I am grateful that the title of 'Summer Queen,' which I did not earn alone, followed me as a descriptor attached to SISTAR. Without SISTAR, that title would not have existed, so I am truly thankful."

As a solo artist, Hyolyn also discovered something new. She said, "In the past, I had an obsession that summer dance songs must include sounds that openly evoke summer, like waves or seagulls. However, while working on this song, I realized that even without such overt expressions, it is possible to convey a sufficiently refreshing feeling."

True to his reputation as a master of performance, he left no detail on stage unattended. Hyolyn completed the stage for this new song by wearing open-toe heels that fully revealed the tops of her feet. He described wearing the heels as "a stamp of self-approval and a challenge."

"Wearing sneakers allows you to dance comfortably, but dancing in heels is much harder. That makes me want to tackle even more challenging tasks. Especially with open-heeled shoes that expose the top of the foot, they tend to slip off easily while walking, so most people wrap them with transparent straps. I decided to try my best without even those."

On the risk of injury, he laughed and said, "My ankles are very strong, so I don't sprain them. Bora-unni tends to sprain hers a lot." He then added with a smile, "Of course, my mom worries and tells me not to wear heels," eliciting laughter from everyone.

Even on a precarious open heel, Hyolyn's stage never offers a moment of boredom. Hyolyn said, "Usually, once a concept for a song is set, the mood continues consistently, but this track shifts from powerful to sultry and then to seductive, featuring diverse changes in facial expressions and choreography. The process of constantly switching rather than maintaining a single expression felt very fun even to me," thereby building high anticipation for her performance.

Offstage, Hyori is also a proper CEO leading her own one-person agency. When asked about the operation of her company, she smiled and said, "I need to keep working, and I think it would be great if we eventually turn a profit." She added, "The money invested in me and spent on my behalf so far has been an opportunity and experience that cannot be bought with money, not at all regrettable. In the future, if such things are lacking or needed, I think I should continue even by spending more of my own money."

Of course, there are also significant hardships as an individual artist. Hyolyn said, "Sometimes it gets so hard that I think about quitting, but whenever that happens, a thought immediately crosses my mind: 'How long have you been doing this? You can't just give up so soon. I hate the idea of being seen as someone who gives up easily.' With the mindset of seeing things through to the end since I've already started, I'm enduring it well."

The expertise he has accumulated by personally directing his own albums is now being channeled into a dream of nurturing future generations. From the early days of establishing his one-person agency, he consistently expressed his intention to produce rookie idols, stating, "If circumstances allow, I would love to do it even more," demonstrating his unwavering resolve.

"As I take care of my own things, I sometimes think that if someone entrusts me with producing an idol group in the future, I could do a really good job. Because I get involved in everything related to my work, there are times when I cannot see myself objectively; however, judging others' matters coldly and quickly is clearly different. If a good opportunity arises later, I would definitely like to try it. Since I am a woman, I think girl groups might suit me well, but boy groups would also be fun."

Among the juniors she is currently keeping a close eye on, Hyolyn named the boy group Cortis. "Cortis performed so well," Hyolyn said, adding, "I was surprised when I learned their ages. I don't think I could have flown around the stage like that at their age. I truly thought they were amazing. Their singing is excellent, and it's also great that the members are directly involved." She did not hold back her praise.

Hyorin has now reached her 16th anniversary since debut. Her journey from making a dazzling debut as the main vocalist of the girl group SISTAR to establishing herself as an unparalleled solo artist was by no means short. Reflecting on the past years, Hyorin shared an unexpected behind-the-scenes story from her trainee days and smiled.

"I first encountered music and acting as a trainee, at which point I thought, 'I will not become an idol.' I decided then that I wanted to be an R&B singer who performs the music I love. Even after joining Starship Entertainment, I insisted, 'I won't do idols,' but the company replied, 'How can anyone listen to your songs if they don't even know who you are? Wouldn't you be loved more for the songs you want to sing once you become famous?'”

Hyorin recalled, "I am someone who is quick to show affection, so I started by asking, 'Oh? Is that so? If I do this first, can I perform this song?' That was how SISTAR began." She continued, "That beginning led to SISTAR, and because of SISTAR, I am who I am today. Those times provided me with a foundation far too large for me to have created on my own." She expressed deep affection and gratitude, saying, "Thanks to that, I am able to pursue solo activities as well. If even a single moment had been missing from the time I have spent as a singer up until now, I would not be who I am today."

Regarding the reunion of SISTAR, which many fans still eagerly hope for, Hyolyn offered a response that was both regretful and cheerful. She said, "There is no talk of a reunion yet. Although we haven't seen each other for a while recently, in fact, we meet quite often."

He added, "We do meet often, but we don't necessarily gather just to take photos and post them. Even when we meet, no one suggests taking pictures first, and we're so busy chatting that we always forget to snap a photo. That's why the public doesn't know us as well as we see each other frequently," he said with a smile. He also stated, "I recently saw Dasom, and I'm still in close contact with the members," showcasing his enduring friendship.

Hyorin was rushed to the hospital in May due to health issues, causing concern among fans. Regarding her current health status, she explained, "I am recovering diligently. Since I am not yet in perfect condition, doctors have warned that overexertion or returning to my previous lifestyle could cause a relapse, so caution is required. I was also advised not to dance too vigorously."

The cause was irregular eating habits and accumulated fatigue. Hyolyn said, "My meal times were not consistent, and I had a habit of not eating anything before singing. It seems my body sent signals that it was tired and struggling due to the repetition of these unhealthy lifestyle patterns." She added, "I had to fast for about ten days when I was sick, so I lost weight significantly, but now I have regained it. I used to leave home without eating anything in the morning, but these days I make sure to eat a banana. For me, this is a real big change."

When asked if there is a new "original" title she would like to add to her existing one as the "original Summer Queen," Hyolyn answered with her signature confident and cool smile.

"I don't know what the keyword is, but just having the words 'Hyorin' and 'original' is enough for me. For example, rather than saying 'Hyorin is the original of OO,' it would be wonderful if it could remain as 'The original was Hyorin.'"

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*This content was translated by AI.