"Performing at a temple"… Seo In-young recalls her Jewelry days as Risenne's reverse chart success sparks nostalgia [Seo In-young's Trendy Oldie]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

On "Seo In-young's Trendy Oldie," H.O.T.'s Moon Hee-jun and former Jewelry member Seo In-young reflected on the changing culture of idols.

In the third episode of the T-Cast E Channel variety show "Seo In-young's Trendy Oldie," broadcast on the 15th, Moon Hee-jun, the leader of H.O.T., appeared as a guest to mark the group's 30th anniversary of debut. Seo In-young expressed her special affection for him, stating she is a "fan of Moon Hee-jun." Moon Hee-jun engaged in lively conversation with Seo In-young and Mimi Minu, discussing how activity methods differ by generation and how K-pop trends have changed, using "idols" as the central theme.

On this day, Moon Hee-jun shared his recent status regarding discussions about a full-member concert to celebrate H.O.T.'s 30th anniversary of debut. He drew attention by revealing that he has been "in talks for 11 months" for the commemorative concert. With little time left in the year, curiosity focused on whether the concert would materialize.

First, a "recent idol level test" was conducted between first-generation idol Moon Hee-jun and 1.5-generation idol Seo In-young. Moon Hee-jun demonstrated surprising sensibility by correctly matching the names and agencies of junior groups such as SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, and All Day Project one after another. However, he revealed his clumsy side by giving a bizarre answer for SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan's name and mistaking RIIZE's Anton for Won Bin. Eventually, as the quiz continued, he voiced his complaint, asking, "Is this Family Game Show?" which elicited laughter.

Seo In-young responded with "I hate .5" to the explanation that Jewelry is classified as a 1.5-generation idol characterized by being a "mass-appeal popular group," bringing laughter. She also recalled her role in handling harmonies during her Jewelry days, confessing, "They told me to shake my hips, and as a result, my part increased." Moon Hee-jun revealed that he was in charge of variety content in H.O.T., explaining, "As the leader at the time, I handled everything from interview lines to lyric writing, composition, and arrangement."

The conversation continued about the algorithm and reverse chart success trends that recently shook the idol market. When a case was introduced where girl group Risenne gained attention with the catchphrase "Geoje Yaho" and achieved reverse chart success on music charts, Seo In-young and Moon Hee-jun recalled their active periods. Seo In-young revealed that Jewelry also performed at sports days, octopus festivals, and even temples. In particular, she recalled, "We sang 'One More Time' at a temple, and because we kept doing the wave, the monks were turning their prayer beads," which brought laughter. Moon Hee-jun also shared his experience of performing rock music at a temple.

Moon Hee-jun emphasized that Risenne's success cannot be viewed merely as algorithmic luck. He evaluated that because the members already possessed music, dance, and charisma, they were able to be introduced to the public through the algorithm. Upon hearing that 100 advertising proposals had come in for Risenne, Moon Hee-jun revealed that H.O.T. had also received a proposal for a bread advertisement in the past, but they declined because the concept of filming while wearing donuts did not fit the group's mysterious image at the time. He joked that if such a proposal came to him now, he could "knead the dough himself and even get into the oven."

The story of singer Wooz, who achieved reverse chart success after his stage performance video for "Drowning" went viral during his military service, was also introduced. Moon Hee-jun watched the stage Wooz presented after going through difficulties and expressed surprise, saying it gave him "chills." Seo In-young also shared her thought that opportunities seem to come to those who have consistently prepared their stages.

Excessive imitation cases born from the global K-pop boom also became a topic of discussion. When cases were introduced of a man who underwent more than 30 plastic surgeries to resemble BTS's Jimin and a Chinese influencer imitating BLACKPINK's Rosé, Seo In-young stated her opinion that "one cannot even imitate an innate unique atmosphere."

The changed promotional methods of idols also became a topic. Unlike recent idols who gather attention off-stage through various challenges, Moon Hee-jun recalled the era when he sang Jewelry's "You're So Nice" during H.O.T.'s active period, stating, "Changing songs for the New Year special was all we did." Seo In-young shared how they had to handle various variety programs in order to appear on music shows in the past, making the generational gap palpable.

When the world-famous music festival Coachella became a topic, Seo In-young expressed her willingness to participate by saying, "After Waterbomb, it's you." Additionally, Moon Hee-jun recalled the stage at Jamsil Main Stadium during a national tour he participated in before his official debut, remembering the moment when his heart warmed up to the cheers of fans cheering for them. Seo In-young shared her experience of going to Dream Concert to see H.O.T. during her school days and later standing on the same stage as a singer.

Toward the end of the broadcast, Moon Hee-jun advised junior idols that they should manage their money themselves. He explained that even if one earns a large income at a young age, lacking economic awareness can lead to difficulties due to excessive consumption and debt. In particular, he stated, "Since parents are also experiencing becoming the parents of a star for the first time, they can be swept up in momentary desires," adding that it is better to manage one's own money and give an allowance to one's parents. Seo In-young emphasized, "If you are a singer, you must consistently practice singing and definitely handle live stages."

"Seo In-young's Trendy Oldie" airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. on E Channel and can also be viewed on OTT platforms such as Wavve, Watcha, and U+tv Mobile.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original