Former IZ*ONE Choi Yena recalled how her brother, ex-SPEED Sungmin, inspired her to become an idol. The male idol turned actor also reminisced how the military troops turned upside down when his sister visited him during his military service.
On Jan. 30, Choi siblings Yena and Sungmin appeared as special guests on the YouTube channel, "DanceKang," where they talked about various topics while doing "mukbang."
Choi Yena Reveals Her Brother Influenced Her To Become an Idol, Sungmin Confesses He Initially Opposed
Yena, now 22, and Sungmin, 26, flaunted their close relationship in the broadcast, showcasing their visuals and mindset in sync.
As she grew up watching her brother, Yena shared he became one of her inspirations to debut as an idol.
"From an early age, I watched only my brother's (stages) when I watched TV broadcasts. I learned a lot from my brother's gesture, so I'm a little powerful and have a boy group vibe," the former IZ*ONE member said.
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Choi Sungmin is a K-pop idol who debuted in 2012 under MBK Entertainment and was active until 2015. While on the topic, Dancekang brought back the old clip where Sungmin kissed Yena on her forehead while busking. At that time, the female idol was yet to be a celebrity.
"It was the last busking before the team disbanded. My mom and Yena came," Sungmin stated. He then confessed that due to his experiences, he initially opposed Yena to follow in his footsteps, afraid of her sister ending up with the same fate.
"When my younger sister said she was going to be an idol, I originally opposed it because I knew it would be a hard way. Then I accepted it."
Yena, who is flustered by the old clip then recalled, "My brother suddenly walked in and I thought, 'What's wrong with him?' The fans are going crazy, too. (thinking that the girl is his girlfriend). It was fortunate that one fan recognized me."
Choi Sungmin Boasts Sister's Popularity in The Military
As the show went on, Choi Sungmin, who was recently discharged from the military, narrated the situation when Yena visited him in the camp twice.
Yena said, "I was active in IZ*ONE at that time. My brother only said in a letter, 'You should come once.' I was heartbroken because he looked so desperate. I went, and my brother's expression bloomed a lot."
Choi Sungmin added, "The unit was turned upside down. Really, Soldiers can't show off their emotions even if they like it," reflecting on Choi Yena's popularity.
Choi Yena was loved as a member of IZ*ONE, a project group launched through Mnet's "Produce 48," which disbanded in 2021.
On Jan. 17, she established her name as a solo artist following the release of her first mini-album "SMiLEY."
READ MORE: Choi Yena Mentions IZ*ONE and Talks about the Creation of 'SMILEY' during Her Online Media Showcase
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Written by Eunice Dawson
