I-dle's Minnie on self-love and growth as she approaches 30

Minnie, a member of the girl group I-dle, reflected on her growth as an artist in her ninth year since debut and her evolving perspective on herself.

Minnie showcased a deeper charm as the cover model for the fashion magazine Elle's special project, 'Elle D Edition.' This pictorial, created in collaboration with the brand Miu Miu, captured Minnie's unique dreamy and sensual atmosphere using fairy-tale objects such as horses, deer, puzzles, and ice cream.

In the pictorial, Minnie displayed a diverse range of images, oscillating between girlish innocence and a mature aura. Her signature mysterious gaze and delicate expressive power created an atmosphere akin to a storybook, transcending a mere fashion shoot.

In an interview conducted after the shoot, she also shared candid stories about I-dle's new album, 'We Made.'

Regarding this album, Minnie explained, "We captured a more mature and intense summer unique to I-dle," adding, "It is not just a refreshing summer album, but one that tells a story of intense love."

Regarding the recording process for the title track 'Gimme Dat Love,' she revealed her constant efforts toward perfection. "I re-recorded many times until I could express the voice and emotions Soyeon wanted," she said. "I feel the greatest satisfaction when the voice I imagined in my head comes out exactly as intended."

She also shared the special meaning of her recent experience expanding her career into acting. Minnie, who took on the lead role of 'Lucy' in a remake of the Thai film 'First Kiss is the 50th Time,' stated, "The time spent living as someone other than Minnie was truly special."

She continued, "While acting as Lucy, I was able to become a much freer and more flexible person than my original self. Even after filming ended, I felt like I was inside Lucy's worldview for a while. I learned and gained a lot through that time."

In particular, Minnie, who is approaching age 30 this year, spoke honestly about her changed mindset.

Describing her current self as "someone striving to become healthier and more mature," she said, "In the past, I couldn't easily accept difficult things, but now I have learned how to acknowledge them first and think about what comes next."

She added, "Recently, I have also been learning how to praise myself. Telling myself, 'You did well today,' provides more strength than I expected."

Minnie's confession that she is learning how to take care of herself rather than just racing toward perfection shows the changed inner self of an artist who has grown on stage for a long time. She added, "In the past, I felt anxious even on my days off, but now I believe that resting well is also a part of work. I realized that I can perform better if I rest sufficiently."

She also expressed her affection for I-dle, which has entered its ninth year since debut. Minnie emphasized, "We are a team that thinks about the stories we want to tell before considering the gaze of others. We always contemplate new concepts, but ultimately, the most important thing is the message we want to convey."

She raised expectations for future activities by stating, "I want to continue showing new sides of ourselves in an I-dle-esque way."