Seong-ri: 'Mothers at the Gym Recognized Me, So I'm Thinking About Canceling My Membership'

Seong-ri: 'Mothers at the Gym Recognized Me, So I'm Thinking About Canceling My Membership'

Singer Seong-ri appeared on KBS 1TV's Achim Madang on the 2nd in the program's Somunnan Nim-gwa Hamkke segment and spoke about his family history. The guests that day were all connected to MBN's Unknown Legend: Seong-ri, who won the program; Haru, who finished as runner-up; and Jang Han-byeol, who placed third in the final rankings.

While introducing his life story, Seong-ri said, 'When I was in my third year of high school, my father passed away from liver cancer. At the time, my mother and father were living separately, but after my mother heard that my father was fighting illness, she went back and nursed him.' His recollection connected his personal history with the period when he was preparing to pursue his dream.

Seong-ri also looked back on his father's change of heart during that difficult time. He said, 'My father was patriarchal, so he had opposed my dream. In the hospital room where he was being treated, he was in a very serious condition. I was preparing to debut as an idol at that time, so the older members came to the hospital with me. It was even hard for him to keep his eyes open. Even so, he said for the first time that he wanted to see his son do what he wanted to do, and I was truly grateful.' Seong-ri remembered that moment as the first time his father voiced support for the path he had chosen.

Asked whether there had been a moment when he felt his popularity after winning Unknown Legend, Seong-ri connected the question to his return after military service. 'I was discharged exactly around this time last year,' he said. 'After all the live competition broadcasts were over, I went to a public broadcast two days later. So many fans came that I could not even estimate the number. I never had a special chance to say how thankful I was.' Through the broadcast, he expressed gratitude to the fans who came out after the competition ended.

The MCs then asked Jang Han-byeol about reports that his fan base had also grown, saying, 'Han-byeol, we hear that your fans have increased a lot too.' Jang Han-byeol replied, 'I am grateful that 13,500 people have already joined my fan cafe. I personally have not really felt it yet, but my mother felt it when she went to the market.' He added that, even with the growing fan community, the change still had not fully sunk in for him.

Jang Han-byeol said there had been one direct moment when the new attention reached him. 'There was exactly one time before,' he said. 'It had not been long since I registered at the gym again. I had changed gyms, and some mothers came up and asked whether I was Han-byeol. After that, I had to go back in and exercise, but there was still one hour left, and I felt so pressured. So I am thinking about canceling my registration.' The story showed how recognition after the show had begun to follow him into ordinary places, including the gym.