[Interview] Hong Jin-young "I Considered Retirement... But I Missed Music"

Return After 1 Year and 5 Months of Self-Restraint
Jo Youngsoo Collaborates to Release 'Viva La Vida'
"Sorry to the Public Who Supported Me"
"Naturally Organized Connections While Resting"
"Looking Forward to Collaborating with Juniors Lim Youngwoong and Jung Dongwon"

Hong Jin-young / Photo by IMH Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "I've been active for over 10 years, but this is the first time I've experienced something this serious. I suffered from insomnia, couldn't sleep well, and lost my appetite. Each day was tough. I hesitated whether to quit being a singer or if returning was the right choice. I hated myself and felt deeply sorry to the public who believed in me."

On the morning of the 4th, Hong Jinyoung met with Asia Economy at the IMH Entertainment building in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and said, "I agonized a lot before deciding to make a difficult comeback with a new song."

Greeting with a gaunt face dressed in a white shirt, she moistened her dry mouth with refreshing coffee and shared her story. During the interview, her eyes became moist, but she forced a bright smile again.

In November 2020, Hong Jinyoung was embroiled in plagiarism allegations regarding her master's thesis in Trade at Chosun University. She apologized and halted her activities. After 17 months of seclusion, she returned on the 6th by releasing a new album titled 'Viva La Vida'.

It was not an easy time. For 17 months, through four changing seasons, she refrained from doing anything and reflected quietly. Hong Jinyoung became so weak that even looking at entertainment news on portal sites was difficult. Looking back, she said, "I only watched social and economic news; I couldn't bear to watch entertainment news. I spent that time thoroughly alone."

"I thought I was the most positive person in the world, but facing reality made me only feel hatred toward myself. My biggest fear was that my mistakes might have made the image I showed on stage and TV seem false, and that fear was immense."

She said she endured the difficult time by looking at her agency family. Hong Jinyoung is the CEO and the only artist of her one-person agency. Although the business loss approached 600 million won due to inactivity, she bore it alone.

"I can't just close the company because I'm struggling. Because of me, others could lose their jobs in an instant. I received offers from other companies, but when I asked if I could bring all my staff, they said to bring only one or two. I refused. It's not about living alone. I deliberately smiled more and hid my struggles in front of the staff. Maybe everyone knew."

Hong Jin-young / Photo by IMH Entertainment

Hong Jinyoung is known for her 'loyalty.' Famous for taking good care of those around her, she revealed that she was hurt by people during her break. She also shared an amusing story about naturally sorting out her relationships.

She said, "During my break, I was hurt a lot by people I thought were close. I prided myself on having a very good network, but half of it wasn't true. When I was feeling down, I tried calling to ask something, but they didn't answer. I wasn't trying to ask for a favor, but I think it was burdensome. That hurt didn't heal. Some people only contacted me after seeing the news about my comeback. Naturally, my network was sorted out."

Hong Jinyoung returns with the Latin dance track 'Viva La Vida,' composed by Jo Youngsoo and Lee Yujin, who have worked with her on many hit songs since her debut. She co-wrote the lyrics, conveying hope and comfort to those tired and struggling in daily life. "I chose the title, which means 'Long Live Life' in Latin. Everyone is having a hard time due to COVID-19, and I hope this song gives strength."

She revealed that composer Jo Youngsoo played a big role in her decision to return. "If the song wasn't good, I might have hesitated to come back or not thought about a comeback at all. Thankfully, composer Jo Youngsoo gave me a great song and encouraged me during my break. He was one of the people who supported me."

"When I listened to the guide track, I cried. I guess I was that thirsty for music. It was a special feeling. Honestly, I didn't have courage. I'm still scared, but if I'm going to live my life as a singer, I think this is a process I have to go through at least once. Since I mustered up the courage with difficulty, I will gather my mind and move forward."

Hong Jinyoung vowed to return to her original mindset. "My feelings are the same as when I first greeted the public with 'Sarangui Battery' in 2009. Rather than expecting great love from the public, I want to work with the mindset of building up one by one. When I was a rookie, I had to stand out to get even one more shot, so I shouted louder and greeted more, which caused many anti-fans. But over time, as people saw me working hard, their hearts gradually opened, and they viewed me positively. I think of this as starting over from the beginning. I want to show a good side step by step, slowly."

She still identifies herself as a 'trot' singer. She said, "I don't dislike the title 'trot singer' that made me who I am today. Recently, trot singers have been receiving great love from the public, which makes me proud. In the past, trot was considered a genre exclusive to older people, but now the market has changed. It will change further as it receives more love."

Photo by IMH Entertainment

Photo by IMH Entertainment

She named Lim Youngwoong and Jung Dongwon as juniors she wants to perform with. Hong Jinyoung said, "It's rare for trot singers to rank high on music charts, but I saw it for the first time. Usually, the top 100 is dominated by idol singers' songs or ballads. But Lim Youngwoong's songs occupy a significant portion of the chart. I hope second and third Lim Youngwoongs will emerge."

She added, "I saw Jung Dongwon in the recording studio before 'Mr. Trot,' and I felt proud seeing how well he has grown over time. I always want to stand on collaboration stages with trot juniors, and I want to nurture them."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.