TWICE Jihyo Shares How She Endured Criticism of Her Vocals & Style: 'I suffered lots'
Jihyo has opened up on a talk show about her struggles during her rookie days and after her debut with TWICE.
Here's what the "Killin' Me Good' singer shared.
Jihyo Opens Up About Feeling Lost After Debuting With TWICE, Vocal Criticism, More
TWICE's charismatic leader Jihyo got real in the interview.
On August 22, Jihyo guested on the 77th episode of "Lee Mujin Service" with solo artist Lee Mujin to promote her debut solo album "Zone.'
There, she also opened up certain topics regarding her 18-year experience in the music industry, as well as her internal struggles after debuting with girl group TWICE.
Jihyo joined JYP Entertainment in 2005 when she was eight years old, which took much of her childhood time by training to become an idol. Ten years later, Jihyo would successfully debut with K-pop powerhouse girl group TWICE in 2015.
READ MORE: TWICE Jihyo Confirmed Making Solo Debut With 'Killin' Me Good'
On "Lee Mujin Service," Jihyo brought up on how Lee Mujin would think of his guests' singing, to which the host replied that it's nice to hear performances without evaluating too much.
Lee Mujin then remarked that some idols' vocal color are fit in genres like classical jazz or hard rock. However, these genres are rarely heard in the K-pop trends. He then complimented Jihyo for her vocal tone that suited the jazz genre.
Lee Mujin: "Sometimes, there are singers that make me think, 'Oh wow, I just want to listen without analyzing.' I felt that while listening to yours today."
Jihyo: "Ah, really?"
Lee Mujin: "Yes, but regardless of that, you sing really well."
Jihyo: "Oh really? Thank you so much."
Lee Mujin: "For lots of people, it's hard to imagine that idols would try hard rock or classical jazz, which are not that popular. But when I hear their voices, so many idols make me think that 'this voice is so fit for jazz.'"
Lee Mujin: "I felt it a lot from you, and I became more curious."
Afterwards, Jihyo then opened up that she suffered at the beginning of her career. TWICE is popular for their upbeat pop songs, but Jihyo conveyed that she preferred other styles that suited her voice color and style. This led her vocals to be called out during her rookie days.
Jihyo: "So, I suffered a lot when I first started my career in TWICE."
Lee Mujin: "For what reason (did you suffer)?"
Jihyo: "When I was a trainee for 10 years, all we practiced back then were mostly pop songs, and Korean songs were just around two or three. So for me, these (certain songs of my style) were much familiar, but the songs I had to sing were tracks like 'CHEER UP' or 'TT.'"
Jihyo: "Many people said to me that I can't sing that well. So when I heard those kinds of stories related to recording process, the vocal tones of an idol and a singer became things that I wanted to collide so much. So I questioned on 'what is right?' for a long time."
However, her statement ended on a good remark, with Jihyo giving herself a pat on the back for doing her best in that obstacle.
Jihyo: "But for me, when I didn't do well, I think that I did my best in that certain situation. So this unsure emotion just means that I want to do my best."
Watch the full interview here:
Do you love Jihyo's new style in terms of musicality and concept? Tell us in the comments below!
Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news.
