Concerns about the future have led to exciting new challenges. Girl group members who once received thunderous applause on stage are now standing before scissors, consultation materials, and exercise mats.
Red Velvet’s Joy will share her journey of challenging herself to get a dog grooming license on the May 15th episode of MBC’s ‘I Live Alone.’ In the released preview, Joy was seen repeatedly cutting and brushing a fluff-like model (wig) into a dog shape while preparing for her practical exam.
Joy’s challenge started from thinking about her future. She revealed her reason for learning dog grooming, saying, “What if I can’t do this job anymore? I thought it would be good to have a skill.” Now in her second month of academy, Joy expressed that it’s not easy while studying hard for the written exam scheduled for July.
There are ‘seniors’ who have already succeeded in their certification challenges and entered the professional field. Lee Ji-hyun, formerly of Jewelry, has made a fresh start as a hair designer. After passing the national cosmetology license exam on her eighth attempt, she completed a training course at a large hair salon franchise academy and recently shared news about opening her own salon.
Lee Ji-hyun consistently shares her daily life as a hair designer through her social media account. She promotes her salon using trending memes and clips, and provides information on various treatments and discount events. She is establishing herself as a hair designer, even showing clips of her styling customers’ hair.
Jo Min-ah, also from Jewelry, has expanded her certifications across various fields. Holding 13 licenses including yoga, certified realtor, baking, and psychological counseling, she previously ran a bakery and is currently active as an insurance agent.
After revealing in September 2024 that she was working for an insurance company, Jo Min-ah shared that she has reached the top rank as an ‘insurance king’ nationwide several times. While handling customer consultations and insurance coverage analysis, she also runs baking classes and works as a tarot master. She is literally working three jobs!
Nam Ji-hyun, formerly of 4Minute, started her certification journey due to concerns during her hiatus. She is currently active as a Barre instructor, an exercise that combines ballet and pilates. She holds a total of eight certifications, including Barre, children’s ballet, flying yoga, and yin yoga.
In March, on the YouTube channel ‘Hwang Bora Variety,’ Nam Ji-hyun confessed, “I had so much free time. I felt a bit depressed, so I wanted to use that time efficiently and vibrantly.” She is now continuing her new daily life outside the stage by conducting her own classes.
Once, idol stars’ certifications were seen as ‘unexpected specs.’ However, they are no longer just hobbies or talking points for variety shows. They are meeting customers at salons, providing consultations, and leading classes. This is why the news of them creating their own paths outside the stage is garnering even more attention.
