In an online community, THIS 1st-gen female idol garnered attention as K-netz all agreed that she would've been a HUGE HIT if only she had been born for the 4th-gen K-pop era.
On January 9, a former idol-turned-actress sent K-pop fans into a frenzy after her previous photos and videos were shared online.
And guess what? It was none other than Sugar Park Soojin!
K-Netz Think Sugar Park Soojin Would've Been More Popular If She Was 4th-Gen Idol
In the online forum, theqoo, the OP wrote a post titled, "A female idol who would have been more popular in terms of visuals if she debuted now."
The article then contained photos and GIFs of Park Soojin, a former member of the first-gen girl group Sugar. Debuting under StarWorld, an affiliate company of SM Entertainment, they earned high attention as rookies when they debuted in 2001.
The group didn't immediately gain fame until they released their all-time hit, "Shine," thanks to their innocent and cute image.
ALSO READ: Where Is Sugar Now? Recent Status of First Generation K-pop Idols
While the group was well-known at the time, Soojin wasn't the one who became the most popular but Ayumi, their Japanese member.
Looking at her photos now, fans wonder why such an appearance didn't become a huge hit that new fans don't even know her at all now, compared to top visuals back then like S.E.S Eugene and Fin. K.L. Lee Hyori is still being mentioned as idols with iconic beauty in K-pop history.
In her picture, Soojin reminded fans of NewJeans, the current most popular 4th-gen girl group, who also boasts Y2k style.
In the past, Soojin was often seen with her long straight hair either half-tied or in pigtails. Her natural beauty stood out as she was almost wearing no makeup. She also caught the fans' eyes due to her remarkable birth month on her nose and bunny-like facial features.
In the comments section, web users wrote:
- "Wow, she looks so pretty."
- "She was born in the wrong era."
- "I looked her up and she was as pretty back then."
- "Her face is so cute, but at the time, Ayumi was the one who got the most attention from the team."
- "If she debuted in the 4th-generation era, she must have had a lot of Instagram followers."
"I also think she would have been more popular if she debuted right now. There are a lot of opinions saying she was so pretty back then, but she doesn't have that celebrity aura that was popular at the time.
So, she didn't become as popular as expected. It certainly seems like she would have been a better fit in today's era where doll-like faces are preferred."
Where Is Park Soojin Now?
Unfortunately, the group didn't last long and disbanded in 2006 without a new hit song aside from "Shine."
Since then, Park Soojin focused on her career as an actress under KeyEast Entertainment. She became a familiar face in the acting field by playing support roles in hit dramas like "Boys Over Flower," "Queen Seon Deok," & "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho"
In 2015, she got married to her company's chairman who was also actor Bae Yong Joon. After becoming a wife and mother to one son and daughter, she stopped working as an actress.
Her last appearance was in 2023, when she made a special appearance at the hit drama, "My Dearest Season 2."
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Written by Eunice Dawson.
