Former K-pop Idol Who Earned Nothing in Korea Becomes Beauty Queen in Japan

THIS former K-pop idol who also earned recognition for joining "MIXNINE," revealed why she decided to leave Korea and start anew in Japan as a beauty queen.

Ex-HUB Rui Reveals She Earned Nothing After 6-Year Career as K-pop Idol

On November 3, Watanabe Rui, a Japan-born K-pop idol-turned-beauty queen revealed the reason she left Korea to start a new career in Japan.

In an interview with Lady Kyunghyang, Rui who visited Korea to celebrate her friend's birthday took her time to reveal her recent status.

For those who don't know her, Rui who came from Japan, debuted in Korea as a member of the K-pop girl group, H.U.B. (Hope U Bounce) in 2017.

She was the leader and visual of New Planet Entertainment's girl group and Rui earned more recognition from K-pop stans after joining YG x JTBC's audition survival show, "MIXNINE." Despite her skills and potential, she failed to advance in the finale and finished Episode 13 at rank No. 25.

After a suspension of activities in 2019, they never returned and they eventually had virtual disbandment in 2021 after members' contracts with their company expired.

Rui then tried to be promoted as a soloist, but it didn't go as well as expected so she decided to return to Japan.

"(I received) zero settlement money. There was also a sense of futility that it felt like I had spent only a few years without having anything in my hands."

The former idol stated that only a few people actually make money by debuting as idols and clarified:

"I can be mistaken when I take a picture with a luxury bag. But when you actually open the box, there's nothing."

After spending about six years in Korea as an idol, Rui expressed her regrets, saying:

"Before I went to Korea and after I came back to Japan, I didn't change much, but my friends around me got married, had a job, and became a member of the society preparing for the future. By comparison, I've become a person who hasn't done anything, so what do I like? What should I do from now on? I didn't know anything."

It came to the point that she would hide the fact that she became an idol and explained:

"In Japan, if you say you used to be a K-pop idol, they would think you've succeeded in life. Like TWICE, IVE, and LE SSERAFIM, there's an image that they would have made a lot of money by succeeding. So I sometimes hide the fact that I was an idol because I didn't want to give high expectations to the other person."

Where is Rui Now? Idol Start New Career as Model, Beauty Queen in Japan

Currently, Rui lives in Kyoto and is working as a freelance model. She also became a beauty queen in Japan after winning the Grand Prize for Miss Oriental Contest" held last year.

After winning, Ru received management proposals from three Japanese agencies.

However, after learning the importance of contracts from her experience when she was still an idol, she became sensitive in checking contracts and she is still weighing the contract validity period over good terms.

Rui said:

"I'm active in Japan, but I still haven't given up my lingering feelings about Korean activities. Korea is where my dream started. In fact, until the end of COVID-19, I missed the stage so much that I couldn't give up on K-pop idols. As my age changed, I thought, "It's time to let go."

However, she continued: