2000-debuted K-pop artist BoA shared that she had no idea she would stay in the industry for this long.
On July 6 of tvN's television show 'The Dancing Wanderers', each member was given a special mission to complete: to successfully master and perform a hit song of another member.
Since BoA had to sing and dance to singer Uhm Junghwa's 1998 track 'Invitation', she visited Uhm Junghwa's home for some advice.
During the conversation, BoA went honest with Uhm Junghwa, "I'm actually not very confident about covering your song, because I've never really performed other singers' songs on stage before. That's why I've been non-stop sighing after getting this mission. For me, it's a difficult task."
Uhm Junghwa replied, "I believe in you. Simply turn 'Invitation' into your own version. It'll be more interesting to watch that way anyway."
Then, the singer told BoA that she recently managed to dig up an old performance video of her performing in Japan in early debut days that impressed her.
While they watched BoA's performance video that Uhm Junghwa found, BoA commented, "You know what? I was so young at that time, but I thought I was all grown-up. I also didn't know I would stay in the music business for this long back then."
BoA's remark about leaving the music scene so soon made Uhm Junghwa's eyes widened in shock, and go, "Really? Why?"
BoA answered, "Well, you know, all K-pop idols had a short life span in the industry years ago. It was mostly no longer than five years. So, I figured I would retire in about five years as well."
When asked what she was planning to do if she retired then, BoA stated, "I thought I would go to school and get married."
As Uhm Junghwa giggled hard and made fun of the thought of marriage by a little one, BoA went, "Unnie, I honestly believed that I would get married. I used to say that it's my dream to become a good wife and wise mother."
But Uhm Junghwa agreed that idols' lives were not long in those years, and said she also had to fight the negative question, "Will it be the end of my career soon?", because of how things were in the past.
BoA told Um Junghwa that she felt weird when she reached 29, explaining, "Most young singers of that time, especially female singers, stopped coming out around that age. The point where female singers entered their 30s was when we had lots going on in our heads."
She laughingly added, "It's hard-to-believe, but I'm heading toward 40 now."
(Credit= tvN The Dancinig Wanderers, SM Entertainment)