The things that Lovelyz's Mijoo hasn't shown yet is too much
The things that Lovelyz's Mijoo hasn't shown yet is too much. She's unpacking them slowly, bit by bit.
Q. Since you entered the studio earlier, I felt that the stories of Mijoo on shows were not exaggerated nor false.
A. Eh? I entered the studio more modestly than usual, though. (Laughs)
Q. On ‘자꾸만LAB’, you said, “I usually pick up clothes and wear them as I see them,” but I didn't think that you'd come in really wearing only training pants and slippers.
A. Ah, that thing. (Laughs) I really like training clothes. I like comfortable clothes, so. When I buy clothes, I only consider 2 things: is it comfortable? Is it something I can wear often? I only have short-sleeved t-shirts or hoodies and legging pants in my closet. I have to date to buy pretty clothes.
Q. Oh, you brought up dating talks first. It's Christmas soon.
A. I said that I would have to date to doll myself up. Is Editor-nim dating?
Q. This feels like I'm getting interviewed. No comment. (Laughs) You took off your ‘track pants’ and showed a completely different image than your ‘beagle’ image.
A. Actually, I have a self in me that fits well with this kind of photoshoot. (Laughs) I haven't shown it yet, so everyone doesn't know about it. If I show a lot of things all at once, my charms will drop. I hope a lot of people will know that Mijoo has this side of her too.
Q. You were famous among Lovelyz fans as a ‘beagle’ and ‘high tension’, but I feel like those feelings exploded these days.
A. That's right. I've always liked people and talking with people. But again, I can't stand the silence even for a bit while I'm talking to someone. Even when I was communicating with fans before, I didn't stop talking. My fans know that personality of mine very well. I think a lot of my Lovelyz fans said something like ‘Mijoo has always been like that’ under clips of "The Sixth Sense". (Laughs)
Q. On the other hand, there are comments left by longtime fans that said, ‘Our Mijoo is actually a kid who quietly cross-stitches at home and watches "Crayon Shin-chan".’ (Laughs)
A. That's another charm that I have yet to show the world. (Laughs) My mouth really runs when I'm outside meeting people and I talk, but at home, I really like to watch movies or variety shows quietly. I also really like "Crayon Shin-chan". For cross-stitching, that was a hobby that I did for a bit so I showed it off to my fans, but I don't do it anymore. (Laughs) Ah, and I like reading books too. I come off as not having a lot of knowledge on shows, but it's just an image.
Q. But… I looked up ‘Lovelyz Mijoo’ on the way to the studio today and the articles about you getting the capital city of England wrong was at the top.
A. Ayy, it's London. I know that. (Laughs) Um... I didn't know that at that time. When I studied each country's capital city, I got confused because I studied from the difficult ones first. Next question. (Laughs)
Q. Okay, then let's just say that you know it. (Laughs) Anyway, you're saying that you're a complete homebody?
A. That's right. I really don't go out on my days-off. My friends don't even call to tell me to go out. “You won't come out, right?” They instead ask me that. (Laughs) Once I go out, I'm super high tension.
Q. There are many clips of Mijoo on "The Sixth Sense" or any other variety shows that you appear on posted on Instagram these days. The response is very good. Have you ever thought that, ‘So I'm a trend these days’ through SNS?
A. A trend? No. (Laughs) I don't even use Instagram, or any other SNS, so I don't really know the atmosphere these days. If people post a lot of my memes and give positive responses, then that's something I appreciate very much, but I think it's better to keep being in the dark about it, because it'd be different if I knew what people were thinking.
Q. Have you ever thought about making a personal Instagram like the other members?
A. That… I can't do it. Just in case, this is really just in case, what if I felt sentimental at dawn and I uploaded a crying selfie with the caption, ‘Today too… I did it…’ or something like that. (Laughs) I could do something impulsive like that. So for me, I don't think I should do Instagram.
Q. Yes. Being sentimental at dawn is dangerous.
A. Yes. I still don't believe in myself on when, how, and what content to post. For other people, it can be a great way to communicate, but I think it's difficult for me.
Q. One of the videos that created a topic on the Internet is Mijoo doing speed quiz with the horse sound on "The Sixth Sense". I don't think such a scene would've been easy to come out even if you had prepared for it in advance.
A. That was really fun to film too! Actually, I've never made plans or study before doing a show. I had a particularly good chemistry with the unnies and oppas on "The Sixth Sense" that I think it came out even more fun on the broadcast. We go back and forth really well.
Q. There's another video that is not a show clip that became a topic. The title is ‘The Moment I Became a Mijoo Fan’. Do you know that video?
A. No. What is it?
Q. It's a video of a fan who was going to see another idol who filmed Mijoo from the back and she mumbled, “I get why people like Mijoo,” and Mijoo turned her head and said, “You just knew now? That's really not right~”.
A. Ah, I know that one. (Laughs). I saw that video too. I even remember the face of the person who said that.
Q. Seems like you were born with that fast wit and sense?
A. Rather than born with it, I just have fun in every moment. I like people, and I like talking too. I tend to be honest.
Q. When I see you filming variety shows, there are a lot of shows that put the caption ‘She has given up her idol image’ for you because of your blunt image.
A. Personally, I think idols can be included in variety shows too. I'm working hard to show that idols are variety show stars too. I don't hide the side of me who has fun on variety shows and I want to show all I got, so I love captions like that. I work very hard and I think they know that I enjoy it. But I shouldn't overdo my easy-going personality. (Laughs)
Q. But because of that easy-going side, there are a lot of responses saying that they want to be friends with Mijoo. When you were in school, it seems like you were somewhat of an insider.
A. No? I was a very quiet kid.
Q. Really?
A. My dream since elementary school was to be an idol, so I really went to school quietly and didn't get into trouble. (Laughs) I went with the same friends from elementary school to high school, so I had a lot of friends. But I've never caused any problem noisily.
Q. You had the mind to plan in advance for your dream to be an idol since elementary school. What made you dream of becoming an idol?
A. When I went on retreats and stuff, there were talent shows, right? I worked hard in anything. At that time, I danced to TVXQ-sunbaenim's ‘Hug’ and Bada-sunbaenim's ‘V.I.P’ and I thought, ‘Whoa, this is me. This is me here (on stage).’ (Laughs) From then on, I thought that this is where I was supposed to be. Since then, I quietly practiced without my parents knowing and I went to audition when I was in high school.
Q. It's a dream that you had at the age where it's easy to change your mind, but you were certain about it.
A. My passion was big. I'm a person who starts small and I go up the steps of dream one at a time. I think it's right for me to not dream big and walk slowly and calmly. I auditioned when I was 17 and I just thought, ‘I definitely have to get into a company.’ After I got into the company, I was determined, ‘I definitely have to debut.’ If I had dreamed ‘I have to become an idol’ from the start, I think I wouldn't have found a way to go up the steps one by one and I think I would've gotten tired.
Q. Shall we talk about Lovelyz? Like Mijoo's dreams that come true slowly, it seems like Lovelyz are also slowly widening their fanbase.
A. Right. While promoting ‘Obliviate’, shall I say that it was girl crush? We showed a cooler and more charismatic side of us. I think fangirls in particular like that kind of side of us.
Q. Compared to your debut days, do you realize that the number of fangirls have increased?
A. If Covid-19 didn't happen, I would've felt it directly, but I feel it too now. We did a video call fansign a few days ago. When we did fansigns, usually there would be a lot of fanboys, but on video call fansigns, there were so many fangirls. I think there are more people who know about our hard work now and for that, I was very happy.
Q. I heard that the members are very slow when it comes to variety activities.
A. That's right. When I go on variety shows with the members, they're like, “Unnie, you do this,” and they tend to push me. We each have our own domain that we're good at. When you mention about that area on shows, you help push that member. Just like when we send the person who's good at singing when there's a singing segment, I go out when they need something funny. (Laughs) But actually, all of our members are funny. They're calm when they're on shows, but we shouldn't be called Lovelyz. We're supposed to be called ‘Crazyvelyz’. (Laughs)
Q. Haha. Isn't the nickname too much of a contrast from your group name?
A. Our fans know this so we're fine with it. (Laughs) Each of us are funny in different ways. They're not hyper like me, it's unfit for broadcast so it's difficult to explain. Leader Babysoul-unnie is balanced, but, um... Now that I think about it, leader-unnie is the only balanced person in Lovelyz. (Laughs) I hope we'll be able to show how many our members are one by one in various places in the future.
Q. Your company told you to maintain a ‘chic image’ at first, but at one point you said you let yourself go.
A. Right. I think I did that at one point. I thought, "Can I keep being on shows where I don't show the real me, the real Lee Mijoo? I want to say things like this, I want to take the lead, I want to go out and dance..." So I did take the lead. At first, my agency was like, ‘Why are you like this?’ (Laughs). The fans like it, so please support me now. ‘Mijoo-ya, do more. Reveal more of your talents!’ Like this. (Laughs)
Q. Did you ever think about becoming a ‘Variety-dol’ like this when you were preparing to debut or when you debuted?
A. I didn't expect it and I never imagined it. When I was dreaming of becoming an idol, I didn't even know about a ‘variety-dol’ personality. I'm just really happy that I'm now acknowledged as a ‘variety-dol’ now.
Q. Is there any variety show that you want to go on?
A. When I was little, I watched "Family Outing" a lot. I want to go on a show like that where I go on a 2 days and 1 night trip somewhere, do morning mission and cook my own meal. Or a running show like "Running Man"? I actually have a lot of shows I want to be on.
Q. You have to be in sync with a lot of seniors on shows, right? You're the youngest in "The Sixth Sense" so did you have any pressure?
A. It'd be a lie if I said that there was no pressure at first. But the more I did it, the more fun it got. All the unnies seem like they're all ‘Strong Unnies’, but they're really warm and fun people, so I think I was able to show what I got comfortably. I was naturally in harmony with the unnies and I learned a lot too. I even looked forward to the filming days. That's the kind of show it was.
Q. Your ‘Variety-dol’ image is really big, but you're actually Lovelyz's main dancer, right? Don't you have any worry that ‘Would I look funny on stage too?’?
A. I've never thought of that at all. I may have no self-control on variety shows, but I'm going to show a dance that matches the concept and image seriously. There are sometimes comments that say ‘Right, Mijoo's an idol’, and I think they see me that way because I put a difference between my stage-self and my variety-self. I still have so many things I have yet to show, so I wonder if I can show my serious side on stage slowly to more people.
Q. Like your new side that you'll show at today's photoshoot?
A. With that kind of vibe. (Laughs)
Q. Variety is variety, but as the main dancer and an idol member, I'm sure there were a lot of your efforts that were hidden.
A. I said this before, but I think I'm walking passionately step by step. When I went to the academy before I debuted, my friends there said something like that. “She'll definitely debut.” It was obvious that I was eager to debut. Of course, that passion has continued until now! (Laughs)
Q. I actually first came to know about an idol named Mijoo because of the video of you finishing your ‘Destiny’ stage even with a ruptured ligament 4 years ago. When I watched that, I thought, ‘She's really incredible.’ Do you remember how you felt at that time?
A. I don't actually remember. I don't know what I thought while dancing. I didn't know that my ligament ruptured. But my right ankle kept twisting, so I just put strength on my left leg and danced. I think I only thought that I should finish the stage. As soon as I did, I was immediately taken to the hospital.
Q. You were only thinking of the stage at that moment too. It's like you also have a workaholic side.
A. I think I did have something like that before, but now I receive every day thankfully and happily, so I think I ended up working harder. I'm doing an interview and a photoshoot like this, I'm happy about all of that. Being busy is good, and the fact that a lot of people are looking for me and thinking of me is something to be thankful for. If I can go home on time after the photoshoot today, that's another trivial happiness. (Laughs)
Q. As expected, everybody is happy about leaving work on time. What made you feel that way?
A. While expanding my dream bit by bit, I comforted myself by saying, ‘It's not too late to go for bigger goals’. If you try to hurry and achieve many things, you'll become more unhappy. You get shaken up even by small things that other people say. I've caved in because of that experience. After that, I ended up thinking that I should be someone who appreciates and has fun in this moment. When this moment passes, it all becomes the past, so rather than insecure and unhappy memories, it's nice to have many happy memories, right? With that thought, I think I grow, my mentality gets stronger, and I become mature. It's me, but I'm so proud of myself~ (Laughs)
Q. If you could pick only one way to do that, what would it be?
A. I decided not to read comments. The people around me tell me about the comments that they see, but the moment I looked them up myself and I paid attention to them, I ended up not being able to say anything on broadcasts. I could see my own way without reading the comments. I feel like I'm losing my own thoughts the moment I lean toward what anybody says. Thanks to that, my mentality has gotten much stronger now and I think my confidence has grown.
Q. You've found a way to be happy by yourself without being swayed by what others say.
A. That's right. I've realized that I have to listen to what other people say, but that I shouldn't be swayed by it. I could then love myself more and respect the sound of my own heart more.
Q. This is the year-end, right? What's something that you definitely want to do next year that you couldn't do this year?
A. Solo! It's my wish to release a solo song and solo album, so every year I just say that it's my next year goal. I can't help it if I can't do it. (Laughs) If not that, then, like I said earlier, I want to do a variety show where I go for 2 days and 1 night, and I want to shoot a lot of pictorials where I can show a reverse charm, like today's.
Q. You're showing a different hidden charm that fits the photoshoot.
A. Yes. There are still so many things I have yet to show. Today's photoshoot will be the start of the different charms that I will show from now on. (Laughs)
