[SBS Star] VIDEO: Jessica Says She Struggled a Lot Right After Her Departure from Girls' Generation

Jessica, formerly of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, revealed how difficult things were for her right after her departure from the group in 2014.

On December 20, Jessica featured in the Singaporean podcast 'The Daily Ketchup'; there, she shared her K-pop idol experience. 

When asked about the price of being a K-pop idol, Jessica said, "There are ups and downs to being a K-pop idol. Sometimes, I feel very blessed. Other times, I would rather have my friend's life. You know, just a normal life.

She continued, "But I love my life. Nobody can have everything anyway. So, I try to balance my life as much as I can by giving myself plenty of time to rest." 
Afterward, the main host carefully commented, "About seven years after your debut though, you left your band. Lots of people wonder what really happened. I don't think it's my place to ask you what exactly happened, but I would like to know what the whole departure was like for you." 

Jessica paused for a bit, then replied, "I usually try to put the past behind me. I'm the type of person who always tries to look on the bright side. But yeah, looking back, that was the darkest time of my life. There's no doubt about that."

She bitterly smiled, then resumed, "But I had my family and friends, giving me full support. My fans were by my side as well. I didn't feel alone. I felt like it was a good transitioning period. It was also a good time for me to grow up." 
Then, the hosts thanked her for sharing, and one of them curiously asked, "Having said that, what do you think is the biggest difference from being in a group to being a solo artist?" 

Jessica answered, "Well, now, I get to choose everything. If five people in your group wanted black tea, for instance, you had to have black tea whether you liked it or not. This applied to everything, from the littlest things to the big decisions." 

She went on, "You need to learn to cope with that and be okay with being in that kind of system if you're in a group, and I was. I was fine," she laughed and added, "I enjoy being a soloist more now though." 
 
Jessica debuted as a member of Girls' Generation in 2007; after leaving the group in 2014, she has been focusing on building her career in areas such as music, acting and fashion.

(Credit= 'The Daily Ketchup Podcast' YouTube, SM Entertainment) 

(SBS Star)