K-Pop star Jihyo: how is she doing now?

Jihyo: Ups and downs
From Park Ji-Soo to Jihyo
Face of a cosmetics brand
Her time at JYP Entertainment
The Sixteen TV Show
Jihyo performs in 'Sixteen'
First attempt of a group: 6MIX
The creation of TWICE
Jihyo and TWICE: 'The Story Begins'
Name change
Greetings from Jihyo
The 'mother' and leader of the group
The most outgoing
'Twiceland'
New love: Kang Daniel
Hateful messages
K-Pop and cyberbullying
Jihyo: Reports of depression and anxiety
Hard times for Jihyo's 'positive mind'
A
Jihyo was hospitalized for depression
Jihyo writes like a real group leader
2020: Eyes Wide Open
Despite of everything, she remains positive
Happy and working!
Jihyo: Ups and downs

Singer Jihyo of the girls' group TWICE is one of the best-known faces in the K-Pop universe. She seems to have it all, but behind the glitter and glory, there's also anxiety and insecurity. This is the story of a young K-Pop star.

From Park Ji-Soo to Jihyo

Jihyo was born on February 1, 1997. She is originally from Guri, Gyeonggi, South Korea.

Face of a cosmetics brand

Before debuting as a singer, Jihyo was the main face of the 'TN' teen line from cosmetic brand Innisfree. You could see her in several commercials.

Her time at JYP Entertainment

Jihyo joined the record label JYP Entertainment on July 15, 2005. She spent the following decade there in training. That's a long career compared to the other members of Twice (or of K-Pop stars in general).

Image: Still from 'Sixteen'

The Sixteen TV Show

Jihyo participated in more than a dozen TV Shows. The most important would be 'Sixteen' in 2015. Organized by JYP Entertainment, the show featured 16 apprentices trying to earn a place in the women's group TWICE.

Image: Still from 'Sixteen'

Jihyo performs in 'Sixteen'

The first audition she did in the Sixteen TV Show was with the song 'All about that Bass'. Other songs that Jihyo sang in the program were 'Low Battery', 'Uptown Funk,' and 'Do It Again.'

Image: Still from 'Sixteen'

First attempt of a group: 6MIX

While in the 'Sixteen' show, Jihyo tried to form a group called 6MIX with other girls of the agency. It didn't work out because the others left the agency.

Image: Still from 'Sixteen'

The creation of TWICE

On July 7, 2015, the final episode of 'Sixteen' took place and Jihyo officially became a member of the women's K-Pop band TWICE.

Image: Still from 'Sixteen'

Jihyo and TWICE: 'The Story Begins'

Jihyo's professional debut as a singer and dancer was with TWICE's first mini-album, 'The Story Begins'.

Name change

Before participating in 'Sixteen,' the singer changed her name. She went from Ji-soo to Jihyo, as she is now known.

Greetings from Jihyo

Whenever Jihyo is at a concert she greets the crowd saying "Hello! I'm TWICE's microphone, Jihyo."

The 'mother' and leader of the group

Jihyo is considered the leader of TWICE. Her friends consider her the most responsible of the group and the 'mother' of all the other girls.

The most outgoing

In several interviews, her TWICE teammates have stated that they admire Jihyo for her personality and kindness, as well as for being the group's most eloquent member toward the fans.

'Twiceland'

In January 2019, the film 'Twiceland' was released, with main roles for Jihyo and the other TWICE members.

New love: Kang Daniel

In August 2019 the relationship between Jihyo and Kang Daniel, a K-Pop idol from the group 'Wanna One,' came to light.

Hateful messages

While this new relationship was a positive personal event for Jihyo, some followers responded on social media with hateful comments.

K-Pop and cyberbullying

The star, then only 22 years old, became the subject of massive online bullying. It's the type of harassment that other K-Pop artists have also experienced. In the case of the singer Sulli, the bullying even led to depression and self-harm.

Jihyo: Reports of depression and anxiety

It was in 2019 that Jihyo began to suffer from mental illnesses, Malaymail reports. The singer revealed on a TWICE fan forum that she cried in front of her fans at the airport, avoided an important award show, and even broke down on stage while performing with TWICE.

Hard times for Jihyo's 'positive mind'

Although Jihyo's motto is 'Positive Mind!' it has been very hard for her to live by that rule. "I cried throughout three consecutive days of performances from my fear and I just wanted to hide," she said on the forum (translated by Koreaboo).

A "huge terror"

"It was because of the huge terror I felt towards the people who took photos of me, looked at me, and shouted at me. I felt so scared about how these people would think of me. ... It became difficult for me to stand in front of people, say even a word, or even perform."

Jihyo was hospitalized for depression

After that difficult time, Jihyo was hospitalized for depression and anxiety, Malaymail reports. It adds, however, that "consultations and medication failed to calm her nerves."

Jihyo writes like a real group leader

While opening up to the fans about her mental illness, Jihyo did resume the role of TWICE group leader at the end of her message.

"I don't want us to lose our happiness"

"I’m sure that since I’m a celebrity and an idol, there will be many issues and rumors to arise for various reasons, but I don’t want us to lose our happiness, our joy, and bright smiles to something else."

2020: Eyes Wide Open

The year 2020 was mixed for Jihyo and the group Twice. On the one hand, there was the coronavirus and its lockdowns, but on the other hand, they released a new album: 'Eyes Wide Open.' The group also celebrated its fifth-year anniversary.

Despite of everything, she remains positive

Her communication with the fans, and the fact that has reached out to medical specialists and other sorts of support, show that Jihyo is not giving up on her career so easily. She always tries to follow her motto: "Positive mind!"

Happy and working!

In 2023, Jihyo is still working and writing songs for her K-Pop band TWICE, but the lyricist and singer has also released her first song for a TV program. If you want to hear it, you can do so on Netflix because it is the title song of the show 'Twenty-Five, Twenty-one.'

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