"They Asked If I Was From BTS" - K-Pop Idol Reflects On His Fading Popularity

A K-Pop idol looked back on a past when he felt anxious about his fading popularity.

Recently, a video titled "Music Festival is Just an Excuse" was posted on YouTube .

In the video, Jung Yonghwa recalled a time when he was actively promoting with CNBLUE , saying, " Performing alongside celebrities I used to watch as a student made me feel like, 'Wow, I've made it.' "

Jung Yonghwa, who was also active overseas, shared his experience of enjoying a festival in California for about ten days. He said, " I drove for about 20 hours there. I didn't use social media at all. "

When Joo Woo Jae asked, " Then what did you do for those 20 hours? " Jung replied, " I listened to music and had small talk. Although my English isn't great, I just pushed myself to communicate. " He then added with a laugh, " When they asked me, 'What kind of person are you?' I said 'an artist,' and they asked if I was from BTS . "

For him, who once toured overseas nonstop, standing in front of audiences who didn't know him again became a new stimulus. Jung Yonghwa said, " I used to do nonstop overseas tours, but now a lot of people don't know me. " He confessed, " I participated in a festival with the heart of a rookie two years ago. Even at that time, the crowd wasn't big. "

He continued, " Before going on stage, I told myself, 'Even if there aren't many people, give your best and have fun.' I sang with all my effort as usual, and as I did, I noticed the audience growing. " He recalled, " Later, the crowd was so big they even had to stop more people from coming in, and seeing people enjoying it outside too, I thought, 'Sincerity really resonates.' "

That process also became an occasion to reflect on how he once couldn't accept his popularity fading.

Recalling the time after CNBLUE received immense love, Jung Yonghwa said, " After the popularity declined, I felt extremely frustrated as if it was a very long stretch. Despite working really hard. "

He confessed, " Because I'd experienced success once, I kept performing every week and working hard, but I wondered, 'Why isn't it like back then?' I wasn't satisfied and became restless. " He added, " It took me a very long time to accept that even if I work hard, things don't always work out. I held on to my ambitions for too long. "

Upon hearing this, Yoo Jae Suk empathized with Jung Yonghwa's concerns. He said, " Everyone goes through a phase like that. Even if you work hard, the enthusiasm you used to receive may no longer be the same, " adding, " You think about how to keep going and put in the effort, but things don't always match the effort. "

Jung Yonghwa revealed it took him about ten years to let go of these worries. He said, " I kept thinking about it for nearly 10 years, but recently I truly let it go. After letting go, I'm just so thankful lately. I feel almost apologetic that I'm only now feeling this gratitude, but I approach everything with a grateful heart. "

Jung Yonghwa and CNBLUE are set to perform at KSPO Dome, 17 years after their debut. Yoo Jae Suk joked, " Isn't that like coming back home? "

Yoo Jae Suk also offered advice, saying, " The moment you take gratitude for granted, what seemed natural can disappear. " Joo Woo Jae agreed, saying, " How lucky must you have been to be here like this? "