Kpop Soloist #3

I Spent a day with Serenity

[A- Anthony, S- Serenity] {All in English}
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A "I'm Anthony Padilla and today I will be spending the day with a global kpop idol who has taken the world by storm"
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A "Serenity welcome"

S "Thanks for having me"

A "Now you are a kpop idol who has taken over the world, I just want to know how did you become an idol, how did you get signed under your company?"

S "Ah it's an interesting and funny story."

A "Really?"

S "Yes, I had actually gotten spotted on youtube back in 2009...2010 can't remember"

A "Youtube?"

S "Yeah, I had created my channel back in late 2007 early 2008. I made random videos but found popularity in Asia after I started doing videos about learning Korean, Japanese and Mandarin as well as the traditions and culture"

A "So you would be an OG Youtuber if you didn't become an idol? Just how did your company find you"

S "I'm really bad remembering years but back in 2009 or 2010 I was on holiday in Korea with my friend and groupmate Artemis and her family. I was basically forced to audition for the three biggest companies at the time, nearly all didn't pass me thinking that I wouldn't be a successful idol"

A "Really?"

S "Yep all have eaten their words, anyways the talent scout of RM Entertainment was told by my boss Bolshi PD to find someone who was different, someone unique. So he the talent scout went home and talked with his wife, his daughter practically said 'You need to show your boss this, sign her' and showed him a video of me seeing SNSD's Into The New World. It clicked in his head and said to give him the name of the video. He practically rushed back to the company before Bolshi PD could leave, saying you need to see this person."

A "So you were found by the talent scout's daughter?"

S "Yeah she had been a fan of my videos since I started doing my videos on Asian languages."

A "How did your boss react?"

S "Well he watched the video before saying, get in contact with me and that I needed to be signed. The talent scout had gone to do that and Bolshi PD spent time just watching my videos. My seniors With Love had seen he was watching my videos and said I was majorly popular in Asia especially amongst idols"

A "You were popular before debuting"

S "Yeah a lot of idols saw me as a cute little sister and found my videos comforting especially when I posted family videos especially a Chuseok video"

A "Chuseok?"

S "It is basically a family thanksgiving, considering most idols can't see family they liked watching the videos"

A "So you gave comfort to these idols"

S "Yeah I didn't know about that, Bolshi PD basically had to beg my dad to let me sign under the company. He had to follow certain conditions 1. Being that finished school and graduate, 2. That I can only be working when on holidays or off from school"

A "And you signed after he agreed"

S "Yep the rest is history"

A "Did you ever have to miss school?"

S "Yeah in my last month in school in 2016 I had to miss most of May because of a comeback. The school basically got angry and told my dad that I needed to be in school and that unless I had a good reason for not attending I would be excuse. My dad tried to explain that I was in Korea working but they wouldn't hear it so at 9 in Ireland and about 5 or 6 in Korea I was forced onto a video call. I remember that I was getting ready for a performance. My manager wasn't happy but I took the video call and had to explain everything, they warned I had to be there for the end of May and for the beginning of June. Wasn't fun having to sort everything out"

A "They got angry that you were missing school, how did they react seeing you getting ready?"

S "Shocked considering I was heading towards the stage very quickly, they really thought my dad was lying"

A "Another question I have is how long did you train for?"

S "Two years but coming up to my debut the company released the info about my debut."

A "Seems long"

S "Not really I know idols who have trained for 10 years, some idols can train for months and debut. You then have the trainees who don't make the cut"

A "Wow, I have seen fans mentioning a comeback what is a comeback?"

S "It's when an idol or group comes back with new songs and albums. They usually happen every few months or within a year"

A "How many comebacks can an idol have?"

S "Depends on their company"

A "Now your fans are called Sirens why is that?"

S "Most groups and soloists have names for their fans mine are called Sirens, as Sirens are known for luring people in with a false sense of security and serenity. They can also be fiercely protective of their own kind. My Sirens are protective and loyal to me much like I am protective over me"

A "I've heard that idols usually are banned from dating yet you have gotten married"

S "Most companies have dating bans for their idols. Yes I haven't gotten married to the person I've been with for nearlt seven years but we still don't really call each other husband and wife. I actually had a dating ban where I couldn't date till I was eighteen"

A "Seven years? Is he an idol as well?"

S "Yeah he actually is my junior"

A "Your junior?"

S "In Korea there is a hierarchy, amongst idols it is there as well so if someone who debuted in 2012 and earlier was near me I'd have to greet and address them as sunbaenim or as senior but if someone debuted after me they would be my hoobae or junior"

A "Ah its to respect someone?"

S "Yeah if you are caught being disrepectful to your senior you will be called out on it"

A "Is the idol life as glamorous as videos make it out to be?"

S "No, there is both glamorous and gritty parts of being an idol. I think if anyone wants to be an idol they have to be prepared for facing the more difficult parts. Those who are popular sometimes only show the good parts"

A "Has there ever been idols who couldn't handle it?"

S "Yes, I'm not going to talk to much about them but they had to be stromg for to long that it just became to much"

A "Were you close to them?"

S "Two of them I was, the third not much but they showed just how hard this industry is"

A "I've listened to a few of your songs they seem almost personal"

S "I write my songs myself most become personal, my fans like that I'm personal in my songs it's how they connect with them."

A "What would you do once you are done being an idol?"

S "Possibly raising a family with my other half, being a CEO to other idols giving them a chance in the industry much like how Bolshi PD gave me."