5. Star Beam: "Our Starry Moment" Documentary

Star Beam: "Our Starry Moment" Documentary

  • Youthquake Project and YouTube teamed up together to create a documentary focused on one of the biggest 3rd Generation K-pop girl groups, Star Beam!


    SYNOPSIS

    As Star Beam celebrates their 7th anniversary as a group, they reflect about their journey from their childhood until now.

    EPISODE SCHEDULE GUIDE

    Every Saturday of February 2024, 9PM KST

    • EP 1 & 2 - Feb 3, 2024
    • EP 3 - Feb 10, 2024
    • EP 4 - Feb 17, 2024
    • EP 5 - Feb 24, 2024

    The Full EPs will be premiered on Youtube Premium first but all episodes will be available for free streaming on Feb 25, 2024

    Related Sets

    EP 1: "A Star Is Born"

    Star Beam wore the glow-up version of their debut outfits during "Whatever" era (2017) as they recreated their debut showcase scene

    PROLOGUE

    The documentary begins with the staff did an ambush interview with the locals during Glastonbury and Coachella 2023. Most of them answered that they don't know Star Beam then cuts to a rewind from 2024 to 2017 (with quick shots of Star Beam in various eras) then cut to present Star Beam (wearing their glow up version of their debut outfits) introducing themseves in an audititorium

    1. Introduce yourself briefly (name, age, hometown, position, trainee period)

    Ryuna (RN): I’m Song Ryuna. I was born on September 17, 1995 (hence, I’m 28). I’m a Virgo and a pig [a Chinese Zodiac]. I was born and raised in Daegu. I’m Star Beam’s leader and lead vocalist. I was trained for 3 years (2014-2017)

    Chaehee (CH): Hi I’m Chaehee!

    I was born Choi Chaeyoung. I’m a 96 liner [hence, I’m 27] born in Busan, Korea. I’m Star Beam’s main dancer, lead vocalist, rapper and second oldest member. I was trained for 4 years (2013-2017)
    The reason why I chose the stage name Chaehee is thanks to my mom [-hee] plus to avoid confusion with Twice Chaeyoung sunbaenim.

    Aside from Star Beam, I’m one of the pioneer members of the K-pop supergroup STYLISH.

    Chloe (CHL): My name is Chloe Morisette Han. Chloe for short. I’m 27 years old [a 96 liner].I’m a biracial Korean-American from San Francisco, California. My grandfather gave me the Korean name, Sooyoung.

    In Star Beam, I’m the Lead Dancer, Visual, Vocalist and Rapper. I trained for 4 years (2013-2017)

    Hyoshin (HS): I’m Jung Hyoshin. I know I look younger but I’m actually 27 years old. I was born and raised in Changwon, Korea. I’m Star Beam’s main vocalist and lead dancer. Among the members, I trained the longest for 5 years (2012-2017)

    Jeonah (JA): My name is Jeon Baekah, also known as Jeonah. I’m currently 27 years old [a 96 liner]. I was born in Busan, South Korea.. In my team, I’m the main rapper, visual and vocalist. I trained for 4 years (2013-2017)

    Saeyoon (SY): I’m Kim Saeyoon, I’m 26 years old and I’m from Seoul. In my team, I’m the lead rapper, lead dancer, vocalist and the second maknae. I have the shortest training period of 2 years (2015-2017)

    Yujia (YJ): Hi! My name Is Yu Jia!

    I’m 25 years old and was born in Beijing, China. I’m the team maknae, main dancer, sub-vocalist, sub-rapper, visual, center and face of the group. I trained for 3 years (2014-2017)

    2. When did you have your first encounter with music?

    RN: My mom said that they played a lot of jazz music when they were pregnant with me [also my older brother]. Also, my mom keeps on singing lullaby to the point that I can hum a melody earlier than say a word

    CH: As a kid, I would always look forward to seeing my dad performing on stage in various events in Busan.

    My dad [drummer] and Jeonah’s dad [bassist] used to play in a band together when they were our age. They were very talented but they never got the same chance as many bands who succeed in signing into labels in Seoul due to their financial problems.

    CHL: My mom and dad are fans of rock music to the point that we [me and my brothers] were named after some music icons. I was named after Alanis Morisette.
    So most of the time, I was exposed to a lot of old songs from the decades past

    HS: My mom claimed that everytime I cried when I was a baby, I sounded like I’m singing. Then my parents keep on sing lullabies to me

    JA: My late dad used to bring us [me and my brothers] to his band rehearsals when he was still alive just to watch him play. My mom told me that I have lots of videos [taken by my uncle] of me dancing with the band, playing bass strings or holding a microphone then blurt out random sounds [which at that time, I couldn’t say a proper word] .

    SY: Since my parents were kinda young when they had us [me and my unnie]. My dad and mom keep on collecting tapes of their fave pop artists and playing MTV at home. And they saw me trying to imitate those popstars on TV. My dad said that I danced first before I could even walk properly… or at least move my head and arms on beat.

    YJ: Let me be honest here but I’m the only one in the family who pursues music professionally but actually my mom is a great singer. She is a much better singer than me. When she was my age, she used to sing at her company functions [just for fun].
    Since I was born, my mom has made it a habit to sing lullabies to us [me and my siblings]. Until now, she still sends us voice notes before night time. I just know, my gege is whining everytime my mom sings a lullaby to my baby brother.

    3. What made you decide to be an idol?

    RN: I started to do plays as a child since preschool. One of the most memorable school plays that I have is when I played the role of the Little Match Girl. Then when I became a middle school student, my friends & I decided to learn the choreography of Girls’ Generation sunbaenim’s “Gee” for our Teacher’s Day back in 2009 because it was very popular that time. Despite the fact that I have two left feet, I just have fun with it. At that moment, I decided to devote my time to learn how to perform on stage.

    In the early 2010s, I already do bit roles in some KDramas [most notably, tvN’s “Shut Up Flower Boy Band” as one of the students] and indie films as my side quests. After “Shut Up Flower Boy Band”, one of the talent scouts from JYP Entertainment asked me to join their actor trainees pool. Fast forward, I accepted the offer and trained for a year. But there are financial constraints on my family’s side so I have no choice but to leave JYP and go back as a normal student.

    It won’t be long since I also auditioned in my current agency [MBF Entertainment] and since then, I trained for 3 years. Looking back, it’s because I grew up performing on stage despite the fact that it took a long time for me to debut but still I get to have a somewhat normal life.

    CH: After I quit volleyball in middle school due to an injury, I turned to dancing as a way to recover. At first, I just did aerobics and zumba just to ease the pain. Since then, I enjoyed it so much that I considered dancing seriously. So after a few dance classes, Hyojin [Choi] ssaem referred me to Woollim Entertainment.

    I was excited to audition there because Infinite was trending that time and Sunggyu sunbaenim was my bias.
    Long story short, I was rejected but a month later, I was accepted in my current agency. Then I trained for 4 years.
    At first, my mom was against my idol aspirations but then, she eventually accepted it and even showed up during our shows.

    CHL: K-pop came to my life a bit later. With the spread of the Hallyu wave, I got to know my Korean roots.
    Aside from rock, I’m also a Disney Channel kid in the 2000s. So when I watched Jonas Brothers on tour, I was more awestruck with Wonder Girls sunbaenim [and fortunately, Chaesol unnie will be my labelmate years later].

    Then a few years later, I saw Girls’ Generation sunbaenim live again. This time, I decided to study in Korea and maybe try to take dance classes there.
    Honestly, hunting for a dance academy was a bit hard because most of them disregarded me thanks to my Wasian background. Then I did a bit of CFs on some brands as an extra until a talent scout from MBF DMed and then personally asked me to audition. Then the rest is history

    HS: As a kid, I used to participate in various clubs and attend dance classes [in waacking and tap dance] every summer. After my parents’ divorce plus my dad never supported me and my older sister’s education, I decided to take various summer jobs just to make ends meet, especially since my older sister is about to enter university. One of those is being a promodizer of a home karaoke brand at a local mall.

    The moment I was discovered by our CEO is when I sang “Nobody” by Wonder Girls sunbaenim while I worked. Then after I sang, she complimented me for my singing and I just thanked her then just went on with my work. After that she returned to give me the business card. Of course, I was sceptical then my mom called the agency just to make sure if it’s legit and not a scam. Then our CEO would explain to my mom about the audition process then asked me if I should audition. I was like, “let’s try”. So I did and the rest is history

    JA: When my dad was diagnosed with tuberculosis, we became financially struggling to the point that we, the siblings, have to sell foods in school so we can make ends meet. Then I keep on joining music contests [in singing, songwriting and battle of the bands] around Busan so every time I get the prize money, I keep it so it somehow helps with my dad’s hospital bills.

    Someone from YG Entertainment scouted me while I’m at the convenience store but since they are famous for being picky with trainees and having a cutthroat competition, I just declined because there is a chance that I won’t debut there even if I trained for a long time. But I still love and respect the artists though.

    After that, Chaehee asked me to accompany her to the auditions in MBF Entertainment. So I did. While auditioning, one of the casting directors asked me if I am the auditionee and I was like, “no, I’m just accompanying my friend” then he encouraged me to audition because it’s better to fail than not to try. So I also auditioned and passed thanks to the casting director, on the spot hahahahahaha.
    The rest is history.

    SY: Actually, in 2015, this friend of mine… not Jaehyun or any active idol… pranked me into submitting my songwriting entries to different entertainment agencies instead of in the school contest. So instead of the student council, I received a call from MBF Entertainment to record a guide demo for their new girl group because they are interested in my work. So I went to the studio the next day, the moment I knew, I met my future members. I would like to thank that friend for that blessing in disguise WAHAHAHAHAHA

    YJ: Since childhood, I have taken swimming and dance classes. I compete in various competitions in China. Originally, my goal is to be an Olympian swimmer but watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics with my family made me change my mind

    At that time, Hangeng sunbaenim became one of the torchbearers and sung the theme song, “Beijing Welcomes You”. Then I found out that he was a member of Super Junior. Like it was cool to see an idol partaking in a prestigious world event even at that time, K-pop was just on the cusp to become a global phenomenon that we know and love. I got to see Super Junior-M perform live a few times and I just found them really cool.

    So I decided to enrol in a dance academy during summer until I moved to Korea at 16 where I enrolled in SOPA as a dance major alongside Chloe unnie [my roommate] and Saeyoon unnie.

    So here’s the fun part, not to be boastful, but during my first few months in SOPA, I was scouted by 5 companies: SM, Pledis, Yuehua, Starship and MBF. I know, it was crazy but I declined SM’s Offer because at that time, it was tumultuous and there were a lot of horror stories involving Chinese members. So I auditioned in 4 companies but eventually, only MBF selected me to be one of their trainees.

    4. How did you earn a slot in the group?

    RN: The moment I realized that I will debut as an idol is when the 7 of us are invited to do a photoshoot together for our profile pictures then we eat lunch together afterward. Then our CEO asks about our aspirations and worries. Then the next day, all of us are looking for our outfits and finding a bowling place to shoot “Whatever” MV.

    CH: During my years as a trainee, I developed a great bond with my members. Aside from learning various disciplines of performing, we got to train on how to handle ourselves in every public function.
    When we did our profile photoshoot, the seven of us were gathered there. Then when we did a group photo and the group hug was unscripted, the photographer and our bosses loved the shot. They nodded in agreement and they were like, “THAT’S IT, THEY WILL DEBUT TOGETHER!”

    CHL: We were grouped for “Into The New World” [by Girls’ Generation] as our final evaluation piece, everyone is so good as performers. So it motivated me to work hard without regrets.
    Then in our group photoshoot, everyone thought that all of us look and sound good together. Plus we got to dine with our CEO and he even told us that all of us have a potential to debut together

    HS: After 5 years of training and getting close with the members, the moment I realized that I’ll debut with these people is that we feel more connected and united during our photoshoot because there are a lot of poses that were unscripted. Like it felt so right. Prior to debut, I’m not into taking many photos whether selcas or professional so since then, I started to feel pretty because everytime I look at them, I am amazed with their beauty!

    JA: After becoming an accidental trainee for tagging along with Chaehee, I learned the foundations of K-pop. While singing and rap are less burdensome, I STARTED AS A TWO LEFT FEET DANCER! So after hours of constant practice, the evaluators were impressed by my “improvement”. So I felt relieved and motivated thanks to the members who are very kind to me.

    After the group photoshoot and the lunch, it started to sink in with me that I will debut.

    SY: After that fateful day, my members immediately welcomed me into the group. Which shocked me because I'm new here and they were close for quite some time. On my first day of training they asked me to join their lunch and ask me questions about my life and why I want to become an idol.
    That moment, I started to accept my fate that I will welcome these girls into my life.

    YJ: Thanks to Chloe unnie’s referral, I became a trainee and debuted. Since then I became close to my 5 other unnies. I know I’m the most unexpected member but I’m glad that I became a member of this amazing group

    [Throughout this episode, various childhood and adolescent photos of SeuBim were being flashed. They decided not to show their families' faces for privacy]

    K-pop inspired by sets
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  • K-pop inspired by sets

    EP 2: "Welcome To Star Beam's World"


    (Left) Star Beam's final meeting before filming "Lovedumb" MV. Yujia designed the storyboard of the MV while Chaehee did the art direction and Chloe created the moodboard (hence the hair colors).

    (Right) Star Beam practicing for Coachella (aside from dancing and with the band, the girls also did a lot of workouts and even a montage of them singing in threadmills to the entire setlist). They have batons because "Hit That Drum" is part of the setlist

    5. How do you come up with your comeback concepts?

    RN: Honestly, it depends on circumstances because I believe inspiration comes in the most unexpected way plus we go through the internet to keep up with the trends and we discuss our take with those. Then we keep on discussing how we would execute.

    For example, “My World” is inspired by the James Bond movie franchise. Then we keep on scrolling Bond Girls’ outfits [which are mostly bikinis and gowns. Few of them wore practical gear] and we never find anything that can be translated to a stage outfit so we just go for suits plus we go over 1960s and 1970s fashion both in pop culture and in real life. The Bond Girl concept is not common among girl groups [except for Girls’ Generation sunbaenim’s “Hoot” era]

    Making a concept is like doing a thesis and it’s a team work.

    CH: Depends on how inspiration will come in our minds. Then we keep on discussing on how we execute

    CHL: Not gonna lie, all of us would answer “movies” as part of our process in creating comeback concepts. If a movie was adapted through a book, we will take time to read and incorporate some obscure details. Then we go to Pinterest for visual inspos and make a PowerPoint to be presented to our bosses.

    Sonic wise… it depends because we keep on listening to various music genres

    HS: Well, it depends on what circumstances while working on our new album. Sometimes watching movies or reading. Plus we get to make a visual mood board on Pinterest plus searching for music on Spotify to get the vibes

    JA: Well, it depends on what is trending or what needs to be bridged in K-pop. Also watching lots of movies and scrolling on social media for inspiration. Sonic wise, I keep on listening to lots of music in my free time.

    SY: When inspiration strikes, I kinda make a visual moodboard immediately so my members won’t panic during meetings. It depends… maybe movies, novels or series or sometimes other peoples’ stories.

    YJ: It depends on what inspired us. It may be a movie or painting or a book or any medium that resonated with us that we think that the audience loves. We just keep on researching until we get what exactly we want.

    I don’t know if someone answered this but we always make sure that our concept is not problematic for public consumption because it’s so scary to be cancelled on the internet for blatantly disrespecting other people. We try to read ByulBis’ comments and educate ourselves so they can enjoy our releases without offending them.

    6. What is your favorite part of preparing for a comeback?

    RN: I guess, it’s the freedom to run your imagination wild. I don’t know if it’s a perk of debuting as a young adult but I love how our company really considers our ideas and even gives advice on how to elevate those. Also we keep on discussing what we should present instead of just digesting it.

    Plus, it’s never a dull moment behind the scenes since we know really well what we really want to present to our ByulBis. I’m so happy that our staff is also on board with our vision

    CH: I love that my girls are very collaborative and their ideas never ends

    CHL: The active collaboration between the members because all of them are so talented and have something to contribute in our vision for our comeback

    HS: I think it is during the recording where all of us witnessed first hand how our lyrics came to life thanks to the members, composers, producers, arranger and musicians. Like we keep on repeating the process until we are satisfied with the result that matches our vision.

    JA: All the magic happens in the recording studio where all of us share ideas on how we execute the album. Like all of us are very collaborative and never run out of ideas. When it comes to English songs, Chloe is there to correct our pronunciation and the way we construct sentences.

    SY: I think when we start filming the music video because it slowly comes together. It was really fun to throw ideas in how to execute the MV.

    YJ: I think the fact that all of us have a free rein in sharing ideas on how we will execute our comebacks from the album sounds like plus how we style ourselves onstage because I believe in using fashion and music together as an effective mode of communication.

    It’s so hard to be pretty without any skill in music so I have to learn songwriting, producing, and composing.

    7. What is like working on your latest album, “Dear.Stupid Love”?

    RN: To be honest, it was one of the most challenging yet fun albums we ever did. Since we focused on one genre which is pop-rock plus we wrote most of the lyrics, it’s like setting ourselves free from bottling up emotions especially for Hyoshin.

    CH: It was very hard since it’s our first time to tackle rock in our discography but it was worth it knowing that a lot of people loved our album.

    CHL: Honestly, it’s very liberating since most of the album content is a lot of the words we wanted to say but we chose not to publicize it because I know our words may be twisted out of proportion on the internet if we speak up earlier. So we just write it instead and let’s hope that will pass.

    Is Hendery aware of the album content? Yes. He is one of the reasons why we created “Dear.Stupid Love” since it also discusses the bittersweet aftermath of betrayal from the people we are close with. He is so aware of all bottled up feelings for the past 2 years and I keep on venting in the studio since both of us were processing all of what’s happening that time. Let’s say both of us are also bonded with trauma.

    Sound wise, it’s our first time to focus on pop rock sound with influences of Avril Lavigne, Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo. We hope that we captured it well.

    HS: It’s serendipitous.

    Actually, before “Dear.Stupid Love”, we didn't have a clear concept for our comeback so we kept on scrolling through TikTok till we saw the rockstar girlfriend trend. Then the next thing is Amazon Prime Korea called our company because they want me to sing “Regret Me” [from “Daisy Jones and the Six”] for the release in Korea. Originally, the rockstar girlfriend trend should be just for the Seasons’ Greeting but then ByulBis really love it so we decided to expand the concept for the MV and promotions.

    The pop-rock sound and visuals of the “Dear.Stupid Love” era was heavily inspired by Avril Lavigne, Paramore, Debbie Harry, Alanis Morisette, and Olivia Rodrigo. Do you know who’s excited? It’s us, the 96 liners since Chae and Jeo [were used to be in a school band] then Chloe [grew up with rock music and the 00s Disney Channel. You know the “Dis-knees” jokes on Tiktok?]. As for me, I just want a new sound for SeuBim. Also I want to cite the Shakira x BZRP sessions and Miley Cyrus’ 'Flowers' ' were the factors on why this album happened.

    Then I just re-read my old diary entries back in 2021 while writing some of the tracks in the album because that time I had a really hard time dealing with people questioning my integrity all the time, especially on the internet. I remember after WayV ended their anniversary livestream, Xiaojun came to the studio to comfort me because both of us have a hard time thanks to this certain someone. I’m so sorry if I don’t tell my story completely because I’m still processing everything.

    JA: It was really fun and I’m happy to see Hyoshin slowly bouncing back while recording the album. Like we enjoyed experimenting with pop-rock sounds for the album which is new to us. We witnessed Hyoshin crying in relief when we wrapped up the recording because all of the pain she experienced in 2021 were slowly eased.I know it’s not easy for us to express our honest feelings because I know we will be labelled as overreacting or worse unprofessional.

    SY: I’m so happy that Hyoshin unnie slowly healed through the making of the album. I know it’s very hard for her to protect herself, her family and WayV from fake news peddlers and some Lucas apologists. She is very kind yet she wants to punch him [on the behalf of WayV] for making her suffer but she can’t thanks to her reputation so all of the anger she felt went into this album.

    I can still remember all of us are crying while recording “Lovedumb” because it was painful to see Hyoshin unnie being a subject of unsolicited online scrutiny. I’m relieved that she is doing well now and the album is successful.

    YJ: It… was… tough and nervewracking

    Tough because Hyoshin unnie has a hard time dealing with online trolls and fake news regarding her personal life and the sad part is, she cannot even publicly diss Lucas [for dragging her down] that time so through the album, all her pent-up rage in her tiny body was released. I cannot even count how many times all of us cried while recording because it was too painful seeing many people being betrayed all at once.

    Nerve Wracking because all of us have to outdo our previous albums. Which is our goal every come back and we are not easily get satisfied in our work.

    Is NCT even aware of the album content? They are really aware and even supported us during recording by sending us food and drinks to calm down.

    [Also features a montage of Star Beam shooting "Lonely Romantic" & "Lovedumb" MVs]

    8. How does it feel to be the only K-pop group to perform in Coachella for two consecutive years and also the first K-pop group in Glastonbury? Do you feel any pressure right now?

    RN: Of course! We are very nervous since Coachella and Glastonbury are two of the most prestigious events in the music world. Like we did not bring ourselves on that stage but we also brought the K-pop genre and South Korea as well. So the preparations are meticulous and it took months since it will be remembered not only by our own fans but also for the non-fans as well.

    If we could be the headliner, sure, we will be very grateful for this opportunity.

    CH: As I always said, it’s a HUGE honor to represent not only our team but also the K-pop genre and South Korea in Coachella and Glastonbury. Of course, we were so pressured like what if the audience were hurt or we messed up onstage while we did our set especially KNetz are ruthless. So we prepare a lot as if it’s the Olympics or Miss Universe.

    If we were given the chance to be the headliners of Coachella or Glastonbury, we would love to do it

    CHL: Of course, yes. The pressure will always be there. It was so nerve wracking preparing for Coachella and Glastonbury but I’m happy that my parents love our performance. I’m also honored to be a part of the group who represents K-pop on the global stage.

    Imagine Mom and Dad bragging about me performing at Coachella. Since then, I want to make my parents proud of my work as a K-pop idol.

    HS: I’m thankful that we were slowly noticed by the public to the point that we will perform at Coachella and Glastonbury. We are very humbled and honored to have our music be heard worldwide on a global scale.

    Of course. We were very pressured knowing how big and prestigious these festivals are. I’m also aware that some of the other fandoms would question why we were selected to perform there. If ever we will headline Coachella and Glastonbury, okay, let’s go.

    JA: Of course. Looking back, we just wanted a 1st music show win but here we are. We are nervous but humbled and honored to be part of Coachella and Glastonbury. If we could be the headliners, we will be more than game for that.

    SY: Yes. To be in Coachella and Glastonbury is a dream come true for many artists regardless of their background or genre. We are just very grateful to represent K-pop on that stage. Also I’m very happy and proud to see more and more K-pop idols [sunbae or hoobae] performing in various music festivals. We go to BLACKPINK members for advice when it comes to performing in huge festivals.

    If ever we became headliners, we would be very honored and grateful.

    YJ: Of course, it’s a huge honor to be part of Coachella & Glastonbury’s history as one of the K-pop artists. There will always be comparisons and criticisms so we are trying our best outdo themselves. So we practice harder than what we usually do for the music show promotion run.

    I’m proud of every Asian artist who partakes in these festivals since they are great and I sincerely hope that they will make it on their own terms.

    [The episode ends with a montage of Star Beam performing in Coachella and Glastonbury]

  • K-pop inspired by sets

    EP 3: "You and I Under the Same Sky"




    RYUNA

    9. Briefly describe your family

    My family is just an ordinary family from Daegu.

    For those who didn’t know, I’m a part Japanese thanks to my Japanese great grandfather [from Kyoto] who settled with my Korean great grandmother from my dad’s side. But I was born and raised here in Korea.

    My mom and dad run a shop where they sell agriculture and veterinary related products [feeds, equipment and they even have a veterinary pharmacy]. My older brother is a veterinary pharmacist… and he is married, sorry girls. Plus my sister-in-law is a veterinarian. Thanks to my oppa and sister-in-law, I became an aunt of two nieces.

    10. What event in your childhood made a huge impact in your life? (It may be both positive and negative)

    I was a very shy child so my mom had to send me to theater workshops so I could develop my social skills and to create new friends. And she knew that I keep on watching MVs of various singers on MTV. Then my dad & I keep on singing together especially during road trips. It created a lasting impact on me.

    As for a bad memory, it would be during the 2008 recession. Like I witnessed my mom and dad having a hard time to save the shop [and eventually close down for a few years] first hand while my brother and I are still students. So to cut the expenses, we have to transfer from a private school to a public school. Like, it was so sudden that I have to say goodbye to my close friends and to start a new school year away from them. At that time, it was very hard for me since I was about to thrive in the drama club only for me to transfer schools.

    11. What is the hardest part of being an idol trainee?

    Honestly, it was the uncertainty that comes with my age and body image.

    Since I debuted a bit later than most of the same aged idols, it really sucks to think that some people will mock you and call you “a hag” on the internet when you work hard just like everyone else.

    As for the body image, I was a chubby kid and a lot of my former classmates called me a lot of names and laughed at me when they found out that I already trained to be an idol. Since then I try to reduce my servings healthily and increase my time to exercise. Until now, there are a lot of body shamers not only on the internet but also my own aunties who keep on comparing my weight with my members and I was like: “I love my members but please stop pitting me against them since all of us are beautiful in our own way”. I know I’m thicker than the rest but it doesn’t mean I deserve disrespect from others.

    I’m very aware that not a lot of people knew what I went through but I hope they should stay kind.

    Of course, there will always be uncertainties especially that I have limited knowledge in dancing. So I worked harder in dance lessons because I want to debut. Like I even practice in our dorm because I don’t want to disappoint every person who rooted for us to debut.

    12. Who gave you motivation to keep going as a trainee?

    The reason why I keep going is because every little girl dreams of being onstage or on television but society dictates that they can’t be that thanks to their appearance. But please finish studies and wait to be legal aged before debut

    13. Describe your rookie years

    Thanks to the fact that our company is on the lower side of the K-pop company hierarchy during our debut, it’s inevitably hard. We have a really hard time booking jobs thanks to our status. Like we are just grateful to be in that stage. Despite winning some music show trophies as rookies, we are still not content because there will always be the possibility that we will be just another one hit wonders.

    14. With many hits under your belt, what song represented Star Beam the best?

    Ahhh… there’s a lot… It’s like picking a favorite child huhuhu. I’ll choose all Star Beam songs

    15. What does Star Beam and ByulBis mean to you?

    I cannot describe a word to describe how the girls and ByulBis impacted my life in a positive way. Like… the girls became my closest friends not just in the industry but also in life as well. They are so much nicer than those girls at my middle school and high school LOL. I’m so grateful that they were born into this world and in this lifetime.

    As for ByulBis, they are our energy booster because everytime that we get exhausted, we just think of how much time and effort they make just to see our shows online and offline. Like Star Beam will only make this far with ByulBis by their side. I just hope it stays the same for a long time

    16. How did you overcome an obstacle in your career?

    You mean the postponement of “Dear.M”? I just prayed that everything would come at the right time. Honestly, I feel so bad when all my efforts were ruined thanks to the bullying witch hunt and the media play for covering up more important issues. What upsets me is that people only believe in anything that fits their narrative and not listen to the other side. So early 2021 was hell

    17. What is your favorite memory with the members?

    We spend time together everyday so I cannot mention one but everything we do together is a core memory

    18. How did you deal with mean comments and crazy rumors about you?

    I just screenshot it and report them to the police immediately to protect our inner peace

    19. How has the pandemic impacted you?

    The pandemic taught me how to be mindful in what I’m saying or doing. Update, we are still growing our little vegetable garden

    20. Briefly describe your boyfriend outside work?

    Kun is very nice and very loving. Like he never gets mad at me. I know everyone sees him as the reliable gege but when he’s with me, he becomes a big baby. Like he even talks to me in pout. He is so calm and given my short-tempered personality, I immediately calmed down.

    21. Did your boyfriend control you (eg: the way you act or you dress)?

    NEVER. Actually, he is the one who encourages me to be myself. The truth is he is more excited than me when it comes to buying bikinis, lingeries, minis and crop tops because he knows that I’m always mothering everywhere

    22. How was your relationship with NCTzens?

    Good thing they’re generally chill about our relationship to the point that some of them complimented my work in front of him. Like he only wants to see and hear that I was appreciated. But some NCTzens think that I’m too good for him thanks to how our respective agencies handled our careers. Actually, Kun is a very secure guy and cheers me up a lot everytime I have a new project.

    CHAEHEE

    9. Briefly describe your family

    I came from a middle class family in Busan.

    My dad is a construction worker while my mom is a teacher. I’m the youngest among 3 siblings. My older sister [the eldest] is now working as an accountant while my older brother [the middle child] is a businessman. I have 2 nephews thanks to my unnie. My brother in law [unnie’s husband] is an engineer while my soon-to-be sister in law [oppa’s fiancee] is also a teacher.

    10. What event in your childhood made a huge impact in your life? (It may be both positive and negative)

    I think we keep on moving due to my dad’s job. Like I cannot make proper friendships since I kept on transferring schools when I was a literal child. I can still remember that I cried when my dad told me that he has a new work assignment because I went through a cycle of befriending my classmates and moving away. Like I just want to have a permanent friend and enjoy my student life.

    That time, it was so hard to keep in touch with my old friends since I moved out. I knew some of you would just say, “USE A CELLPHONE!” but I only got my first phone when I was in sixth grade as a graduation gift plus I only use SNS after debut. So sorry!

    Until we settled into our permanent home, I met Jeonah in second grade. Since then, we became best friends.

    11. What is the hardest part of being an idol trainee?

    My parents were financially struggling when I started training and at the same time my siblings are in uni. So I had to do part time jobs as a mechanic and service crew of a local fast food just to sustain my student and trainee life.

    Good thing, my siblings are already scholars in the uni and they graduated with Latin honors then proceeded to have great careers.

    12. Who gave you motivation to keep going as a trainee?

    My family. Everytime I feel like I’m about to give up, I just stare at the photo of them in my locker and remember that I have a supportive family.

    13. Describe your rookie years

    Honestly, it was hard. We are originally a nugu girl group who happened to… pause date certain NCT members. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Kidding aside, it was really hard to book jobs since we are not from the Big 3 and of course the prejudice was there. Also the fact that we were not in any survival show predebut.

    14. With many hits under your belt, what song represented Star Beam the best?

    Ah… it was hard… I love every SeuBim songs but if I have to choose, “Mi Sol Amor'' since we gained a lot of international fans.

    15. What does Star Beam and ByulBis mean to you?

    I have so many fond memories with the girls and our fans. So Star Beam are like my sisters I never have while ByulBis are our inspiration for us to keep going

    16. How did you overcome an obstacle in your career?

    I just think of my biggest “why” on why I became an idol in the first place

    17. What is your favorite memory with the members?

    After Coachella 2023, my members were so excited to see my parents backstage since it’s their first time to travel abroad. Like it’s great to see my parents healed their inner child.

    18. How did you deal with mean comments and crazy rumors about you?

    I just report and block since I have no energy to reply to mean comments. It’s a waste of time.

    But when there is a crazy rumor that is persistent, I have to speak up immediately

    19. How has the pandemic impacted you?

    I became more appreciative of my loved ones. Back in 2020-2021, I kept on visiting my parents after filming because I missed them.

    20. Briefly describe your boyfriend outside work?

    Doyoung is actually nice and he is really a husband material. If it weren't for our jobs as idols, we would get married early hahaha. He is very close to my parents also

    21. Did your boyfriend control you (eg: the way you act or you dress)?

    No. Actually I used to be a conservative dresser even before debut plus dating Doyoung but now, I get to experiment with my outfits a bit more. Now I’m more confident to wear sexy outfits all thanks to his encouragement.

    I’m not sorry for making every “traditional” men mad

    22. How was your relationship with NCTzens?

    Actually, many of them confessed to me that they have a girl crush on me in a lot of fansigns. LIKE WHY ME?!

    CHLOE

    9. Briefly describe your family

    I’m the youngest and the only daughter in the family. I have a dad, mom and two older brothers.

    My white mom is a tailor [from Sacramento] while my Korean dad is an engineer [from Jeju]. My elder brother [the eldest] works as an accountant in the States while my second older brother works in the IT industry in Korea. To my fans who are constantly asking about my brothers, sorry, they are both taken. Should I mention that my second older brother is dating Saeyoonie’s older sister. But that’s for another day.

    So my mom and dad met at the Coachella [before Coachella became the Coachella we know] when my dad took a break from the military service together with his friends. Then he met my mom through a mutual friend [actually a co-worker of my dad in the US before enlistment]. Few months later, they meet again in Korea when my mom has a business trip there but this time, he is serious in pursuing her. Long story short, they get married and blessed with 3 kids.

    As for my brothers, they are very supportive of my path though sometimes they keep on making fun of me onstage. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    10. What event in your childhood made a huge impact in your life? (It may be both positive and negative)

    Event in childhood that is also happening in my adulthood? When I became the receiving end of discrimination and bullying due to my mixed ethnicity [as a half-white and half-Asian girl]

    Seeing my dad being hated by my Karen relatives from my mom’s side. Good thing, we never visited them anymore. Just because he is Asian, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve my mom. And it hurts me so much when both my mom and I were being accused of fetishizing Asians by strangers both offline and online just because my mom is white and my dad is Korean plus I’m dating a Macanese man.

    Aside from the challenges my parents faced as an interracial couple, I was bullied in school both in Korea and in America because I’m either not Korean enough or not American enough [at that time, I’m the only Asian student in class].Most of the time, I played alone because most of my classmates called me lots of racist slurs but at the back of my mind, I prayed that one day I will have a friend who will be there for me. When the truth is, my mom, siblings and I are constantly learning the Korean language and culture earnestly as our way of showing respect to my dad.

    With that dilemma of childhood me being friendless, I joined various clubs throughout my student life: sports, dance, music, arts, scouting. Yeah, that Asian in me jumped out

    11. What is the hardest part of being an idol trainee?

    The homesickness and trying to adjust with an unfamiliar culture. I can still remember, my parents would send me snacks from our local grocery store in San Francisco and send it to Seoul. Plus they sent me a snow globe of the Golden Gate bridge so every time I feel down, I just look at it.

    Did I even contemplate giving up, just go home to America and return to my old life? Of course. Since some people are straight up mean who will do everything for you to be completely crumbled. But then I can still remember my mom telling me to take a rest but not give up. So I became more motivated to complete my trainee program and I’m now here.

    12. Who gave you motivation to keep going as a trainee?

    Watching foreign idols trying to make it into the industry inspired me to keep going despite the odds coming into their way. Also, I get pissed when someone comments that I only joined Star Beam solely thanks to my looks, they are clearly wrong when I trained for a few years in the same system as their faves.

    13. Describe your rookie years

    It wasn’t easy at all! After all, we’re from a small unknown company and we never appear on survival shows so it took a longer time for us to book jobs. Also we lived in a small dormitory [for reference, it’s a bit bigger than Infinite sunbaenim’s old dorm which was shown in “You Are My Oppa” and “Infinite Sesame Player”] which is a few minutes away from our company building.

    Also can we mention that our main concept is not girl crush, that's why a lot of K-pop stans initially slept on us during the earlier part of our career.

    14. With many hits under your belt, what song represented Star Beam the best?

    “Flaming Heart'' because it’s like showing who we are through the music and lyrics. We may not fully have the girl crush sound that they wanted but we are sincere and intentional when it comes to music. Also the lyrics resonate to everyone who fought for their love even in the middle of uncertainty.

    15. What does Star Beam and ByulBis mean to you?

    Star Beam is like my answered prayers because when I was a kid, I used to pray that I want to have a playmate who will accept me as I am. The girls are so sweet and loving. I’m thankful that I got the best bandmates in the world. We also got into arguments but good thing none of us are snitches and we keep those to ourselves.

    ByulBis? They are the best because they keep on supporting us even in our lowest. One thing that shocked me is that none of them make mean comments on the internet or send protest trucks at the MBF building just because I’m dating Hendery. And they even go to WayV’s fansigns just to thank and compliment him.

    16. How did you overcome an obstacle in your career?

    I just prayed that it will pass and just face the problem head on

    17. What is your favorite memory with the members?

    When we film “My World” MV and just to see my girls being satisfied while we enjoy filming especially in the finale scene. Like usually, we easily don’t get satisfied while monitoring the MV production so it took time for us to get the approval. But this time, we really enjoyed filming.

    Also Hendery cried on set because they [Xiaojun, Hendery & Kun] finally have a schedule and the best part, these three have major roles. For context, many compared “My World” to “Jalapeno” thanks to the secret agent concept. So yeah… “My World” MV happened because of him.

    18. How did you deal with mean comments and crazy rumors about you?

    A lot of those mean comments were related to my looks and skills. So I keep on practicing singing, dancing, rap, music production and acting.Plus I screenshot every hate comment and report it to the police. I’m just setting boundaries here.

    The worst rumor that I heard is that Daniel Padilla fans accused us as bullies during AAA in the Philippines when he keeps on clinging to his ex, Kathryn Bernardo [who is a gem in the Filipino entertainment industry]. When the truth is, I never raised my voice nor called him derogatory names while telling him to find another vacant table and even offering him a monobloc chair. Only for Daniel to insult Hendery by calling him stupid [for dating me] when I never mentioned Hendery once to a stranger. After that, I just sat beside Kathryn and other members. After AAA, Kathryn approached us and thanked us for keeping her entertained then we became moots on Instagram.

    I tried my best to control myself from punching him because Jeonah was hosting onstage. Daniel has the audacity to cheat and disrespect boundaries. He is truly an ex boyfriend from hell. He can’t even defend himself from all the cheating accusations against him then proceeds to insult random people he did not know because he doesn’t know how to rebut properly. Bro, are you seriously okay?!

    So Mr. Daniel Padilla, how does it feel to lose a GEM while looking for SACKS OF COALS?!

    19. How has the pandemic impacted you?

    I feel like I'm slowly starting to live my life because prior to that, I’m just an eat, sleep, study, work, repeat kind of girl who barely goes out of the dorm. Now, I always go on spontaneous trips whether alone or with my loved ones.

    A little update, I’m learning new languages [Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese]

    20. Briefly describe your boyfriend outside work?

    Hendery is a very sweet man. Like he never fails to make me smile and laugh out loud. But he can be sincere and serious at the same time. He never missed a day texting me good morning and good night despite both of us being busy with our own careers… or even sending random memes and tea. Usually, I don’t like to do PDAs with him… or it’s just that Hendery rarely appears on Korean TV but anyways, when we go to LA for K-Con, like this man is so clingy with me and during breaktime, we became a normal couple for once.

    Looking back, we looked like the couple that everyone predicted that we will break up early due to some differences but I’m so happy and grateful that we stick together despite everything. 2021 was honestly hell for both of us because he had to suffer thanks to a scandal of his former friend that he did not ask for. Since then, I was motivated to work hard so people won’t say that “Hendery, your girlfriend is just a pretty face” and similar stuff.

    The most touching thing he did was that he said that he prayed every night that I would go on tour safely and healthily. I always received expensive gifts but someone who will pray for me every night? I never felt so loved huhuhu

    At the end of the day, he loves me more than SM hates him. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    21. Did your boyfriend control you (eg: the way you act or you dress)?

    NEVER! Actually, he is more excited to see me in sexy outfits than I am, hahahahahaha.

    22. How was your relationship with NCTzens?

    I acknowledged that some of them don’t like me because of how vastly different we were treated by our respective companies or they think I’m too old for him. But yeah, some of them liked me a bit more

    HYOSHIN

    9. Briefly describe your family

    I was raised in a broken family and had a strained relationship with my dad.

    With both of my parents, I have one older sister [who was conceived out of wedlock and the reason why they got married] and I’m the youngest. My mom used to own a cafeteria but thanks to the divorce and late 2000s financial crisis, she had to work in an office for a few years until she got her beloved cafeteria back. While my older sister works in the food industry. My unnie is now married and has a kid.

    My dad? HORRIBLE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. I tried to forgive him many times but he doesn’t change. Plus he hates Xiaojun so much [unlike my mom and my older sister]

    Aside from me, RIIZE Sungchan and FLARES Keonju are my cousins who are in the K-pop industry as well.

    10. What event in your childhood made a huge impact in your life? (It may be both positive and negative)

    My mom and dad keep on fighting everyday thanks to my dad’s gambling addiction because he keeps on spending money irresponsibly. To avoid being dragged into his mess, I joined various school clubs and studied hard so I could help her.

    My gambler, cheating, grooming, gaslighting dad hid 2 of my younger sisters [one is the same age as Jia and the other is the same age as Jeno] & his side chick from us for a few years. A week before my birthday, my neighbors caught them in the open.

    When I overheard my parents would divorce, I started to destroy the doll house that my dad gifted me because he cannot even keep his promise to us and just keep on crying for hours.

    Once my mom caught them, she decided that it’s already enough and proceeded to file a divorce against him. She got me and unnie plus the conjugal properties but he never supported us financially.

    The co-parenting setup was such a huge failure that my mom had no choice but to give up her cafeteria business and we moved out of our “home”.

    Having a dysfunctional household gave me trust issues as a tween. Looking back, I applaud my mother’s strength to break up with him for the sake of her peace of mind.

    No kid deserves problematic parents.

    11. What is the hardest part of being an idol trainee?

    Having a dad who never supported you [emotionally and financially]. Ironically he is the one who discovered my potential in singing first but he chose to mock me and my decision to be an idol. He thinks that I’m too ugly and delusional to make it in the K-pop industry. He thinks that even the best plastic surgeon won’t make me the prettiest or the best vocal coach won’t make me the best singer. Those words hurt me a lot. Like he did not even think how this would affect my mental health and emotional wellbeing.

    Now, I already cut ties with him.

    12. Who gave you motivation to keep going as a trainee?

    My mom because she did so much to keep the family together until the end.
    She dreamt of being a music teacher but it wasn’t realized because she put us first. I want her to know that she is doing great and I’m thankful that she is my mom.

    13. Describe your rookie years

    Aside from having a rough childhood and learning how the K-pop industry works, honestly our rookie year is hard because some idols are hard to trust even if I try my best to be polite to them. Like instead of emphatize with us, some of them are straight up mean and invalidate us. But we are grateful to our industry friends who truly cared for us through the years.

    14. With many hits under your belt, what song represented Star Beam the best?

    I think “My World” because not only it had a Bond Girl concept but with confidence boosting lyrics. Like everyone deserves a place in our world as long as they are comfortable being themselves.

    15. What does Star Beam and ByulBis mean to you?

    Star Beam is like a family to me. They were the ones who helped me to go through everything since Day 1. They know me so well.

    As for ByulBis, they are the best fans that we could ask for. Like they are so passionate and supportive. For those who are wondering, I always take time to read their fan letters and keep their gifts.

    16. How did you overcome an obstacle in your career?

    I’m just talking to my members and to our team when it comes to professional matters. So we know how to solve a problem together. Also seek professional help, it may be hard at first but it’s worth it.

    17. What is your favorite memory with the members?

    When we went to Coachella 2023, our parents were there. It was the first time I brought my mom to work but in abroad. Usually, she travels with my sister abroad [the recent one is La Union in the Philippines]

    18. How did you deal with mean comments and crazy rumors about you?

    Most of the mean comments are about my love life or more specifically, me being dragged into Lucas’ gaslighting scandal just because I chose Xiaojun.

    I keep on clarifying that Xiaojun is my first and only serious relationship. Lucas and I were only friends and hung out for a few times until I found out that he is still talking to his Korean ex so I walked away as early as I could. Ever since Xiaojun and I became official, I stopped talking to Lucas.

    But when Lucas’ scandal came out, the agency called a meeting with me, Ryuna unnie, Chloe, Hendery, Kun, Xiaojun, Lucas, and my mom about the mean comments against me and my alleged involvement and personal knowledge about his personal life. I said, “I don’t know much about his love life”. Then Lucas called me ‘stupid’ in front of everyone for believing what the allegations said when I did not even read the entire post but if the allegations are true, the victims don’t deserve the disrespect. Then I saw a chat where he and his friends laughed at me for choosing Xiaojun instead of him. After the meeting, we returned to the dorm and I kept on crying because I suffered a consequence that I did not ask for.

    Since then, I seeked professional help. She [the therapist] told me to write down in my diary everyday all what I felt during those times.

    When it was announced that Lucas just left NCT [while we have a music show recording], not gonna lie and I might sound mean here but it was TEARS OF JOY and immediately called WayV because it’s already over and let’s hope a brighter future together [without having to wait for the issue to pass so they can comeback]. I already forgave Lucas but I don’t want to work with him or even be in the same room with him anymore.

    Looking back… I’m so happy and relieved that I dodged the huge nuclear bomb. I don’t wanna be labelled as a “pretty girl with a very poor taste in men” because I would rather grow old and die a spinster than to marry a trash.

    Lastly, I hope that the victims will eventually get their justice.

    19. How has the pandemic impacted you?

    I started to learn how to improve my cooking and do some physical activities. Currently, I’m into gym, boxing and pilates

    20. Briefly describe your boyfriend outside work?

    I went on a few blind dates but all of them failed until Xiaojun came into my life.

    Aside from the fact that everything about him is beautiful, Xiaojun is the first man who pursued me. Given the fact that I have deep trust issues with men, I suddenly fell in love with him during the Resonance era. Actually it was supposed to be a crush because he is so pretty but then… here we are. He is very nice and romantic. Ah, I love my babygirl so much.

    Sorry to say this but Xiaojun’s parents treated me so much better than my dad did.

    It’s nice to have a softie boyfriend right?

    21. Did your boyfriend control you (eg: the way you act or you dress)?

    Neverrrrr… I cannot even outdo his sexy outfits huhuhu. Kidding aside, he just let me be myself and I’m grateful for that.

    22. How was your relationship with NCTzens?

    While some of them are pretty okay with me [both as an individual and as Xiaojun’s girlfriend], some of them [are still stuck in the past] HATE me so much for allegedly making Lucas leave NCT. I keep on telling everyone that I never begged SM to kick him out because of “Lovedumb”. That’s his karma.

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