Seo In-young reveals the harsh reality of girl groups: "Jewelry's performance fees were always 1 million won"

Singer Seo In-young revealed that while traveling all over the country for events during her time with the group Jewelry, their performance fees were essentially fixed at 1 million won. She also confessed that at the time, they weren't even able to verify if the appearance fees they received were at an appropriate level. This is the 'reality of girl groups' that the members, who debuted at a young age and focused solely on performing on stage, only came to realize after looking back years later.

On the 16th, in a video titled 'Jewelry, the Girl Group Finally Going to an Event, First Reveal (+Seo In-young's Performance Fee Revealed)' posted on her YouTube channel 'Seo In-young's Reformation,' Seo In-young shared anecdotes from their past activities while performing on stage with the members of Jewelry for the first time in a long while.

Recalling the past, the members agreed, saying, "We really went through a lot of hardships back then." Jewelry didn't just perform on broadcast stages; they traveled to festivals and various event venues across the country, recalling memories of performing anywhere, even at events held in temples.

The most attention-grabbing part was the performance fee at the time.

Seo In-young said, "No matter what event we did, it was always 1 million won." She continued by asking rhetorically, "Why was it 1 million won no matter what event we did?", while recalling that they didn't even think to question whether that amount was appropriate at the time.

She stated, "We were young, so we didn't know," adding, "No one ever asked, 'How much is the performance fee?' We were so innocent."

While this might seem puzzling from a modern perspective, it was not easy for idols active at a young age to directly verify the detailed structure of appearance fees, the booking process, or settlement issues with their agencies. This was because, during that period, the primary goal of their activities was 'the act of getting on stage to sing and dance anywhere' rather than how much the appearance fee for a single performance was.

The movement process revealed by the Jewelry members made the tight event schedules of idols from that era feel even more real.

The members recalled the dizzying experience of traveling to other regional event venues on quick-service motorcycles while wearing white stage costumes. They explained that after finishing a performance, they had to move to meet their next schedule, but because they lacked even the time to move by car, they used motorcycles.

Recalling those days, Jo Min A said, "Thinking about it, we really did it risking our lives," and added, "We just had to cling on and survive." While it is a mode of transportation difficult to imagine by today's standards, it was the method they chose to handle the densely packed regional event schedules at the time.

The members also expressed their belated gratitude to the quick-service drivers who gave them rides. Behind the image of idols shining on stage, there was a significant amount of mobile labor required to overcome time and distance to move between venues.

There were also not just one or two unexpected situations that occurred on stage.

The members recalled that if an unexpected accident occurred during a performance, such as a costume slipping or underwear falling down, a member who was not singing would step forward to cover the situation with their body. Unlike perfectly prepared broadcast stages, it was difficult to control the stage environment, costumes, and movement paths at outdoor events, so the members had to protect each other and continue the performance until the end.

These anecdotes show that there was a significant gap between the glamorous image Jewelry presented to the public and their actual working environment. While they were a girl group with lights, costumes, and choreography on stage, off-stage they were rookie singers who had to use any means of transportation to handle consecutive regional events.

After debuting in 2001, Jewelry promoted through various member changes and established themselves as one of the representative girl groups of the 2000s through hit songs such as 'Again', 'Super Star', and 'One More Time'. In particular, during the period when Seo In-young and Jo Min A joined, the individual characters of the members were strongly highlighted, building public recognition not only in music but also in various fields such as variety shows and fashion.

After making a name for herself through her activities with Jewelry, Seo In-young also established her own unique color by becoming an independent solo singer and releasing songs like 'Cinderella' and 'I Want You'. Considering the current Seo In-young, represented by her outspoken manner and strong fashion image, her younger self who couldn't even ask how much the performance fee was creates a significant sense of a time gap.

What is even more eye-catching is the attitude of the members ahead of this reunion stage. After standing on the same stage again after a long time, they expressed their enthusiasm, saying, "We have to show that we are still alive."

Seo In-young joked, "Are all the people who book events watching? We are ready," showing her continued strong will to perform. Unlike in the past when they traveled the country to fulfill fixed event schedules, there is a difference in that they are now stepping onto the stage of their own volition.

After the performance, the atmosphere changed. The members watched the audience's response, recalled the time that had passed, and eventually shed tears of emotion. For those who once traveled numerous event venues to continue their performances, facing the audience on the same stage again brought a rush of past hardships and current emotions.

The members expressed anticipation for future concerts, saying, "I think we can gather again." This suggests the possibility of connecting past memories to the present stage, rather than just a one-time reunion.

Seo In-young's confession of the '1 million won performance fee' is meaningful not just because of the number itself, but because of the era it represents. Unlike today, where the performance fees and working conditions of idols are relatively widely known to the public, there was an environment back then where young singers found it difficult to fully recognize their own labor value and the structure of contracts and settlements.

Ultimately, Jewelry's past cannot be explained by glamorous hit songs alone. There were times when they traveled the country to reach event venues, endured dangerous travel due to tight schedules, and had to cover for costume accidents on stage while still smiling in front of the audience.

This is why this reunion is special for Jewelry, who have returned to the stage after 20 years. These young singers, who at the time didn't even properly realize how much they suffered, are now in a position where they can look back on those times with a smile. The memory of performing countless '1 million won events' has become the most vivid history of the name Jewelry.