Yujeong's first Waterbomb stage after leaving BBGIRLS draws mixed reviews

Singer Yujeong, formerly of BBGIRLS, recently took the stage alone at a major summer music festival for the first time since leaving the group. However, despite her grueling preparation, she received mixed reviews from viewers and netizens following the performance. Although she prepared by enduring choreography practices lasting up to 9 hours a day, some reactions suggested that her reinterpretations of existing hits and the overall quality of her solo stage fell short of expectations.

Recently, a video capturing Yujeong's preparation process and behind-the-scenes moments for 'Waterbomb Sokcho 2026' was released on the YouTube channel 'Yurala'. In the video, Yujeong invested significant time into choreography and physical conditioning ahead of her first Waterbomb stage.

Yujeong revealed the intensity of her training, stating, "Last week, I danced for nine and a half hours. Basically, I dance for five hours at a time." Her weight management also focused on utilizing dance and aerobic exercise rather than simply reducing food intake. She explained that while she used to try to lose weight by starving herself in the past, K-pop dance is effective for dieting.

However, the long hours of practice led to significant physical exhaustion. Yujeong confessed that she would repeatedly fall asleep in her car and that she couldn't even remember how she washed up or went to sleep after finishing practice. She even complained of feeling dizzy even when her eyes were closed during practice.

Despite this, Yujeong did not stop practicing. After taking a short break, she would stand up again, saying, "Let's do a little more," to continue her practice to perfect the stage. The video revealed the high-intensity preparation process of an idol-turned-singer, simultaneously showing her pressure and her determination regarding the stage.

Yujeong showcased her solo stage at 'Waterbomb Sokcho 2026' held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, on the 22nd of last month. Interest had been concentrated on the performance even before it began, as it was her first time meeting an audience alone at a large-scale music festival since leaving BBGIRLS in 2024.

The stage was composed of reinterpretations of existing popular songs rather than her own solo tracks. She rearranged Jewelry's "I Really Like You," Park Myeong-su's "Prince of the Sea," and Uhm Jeong-hwa's "Invitation" into her own style, and during "Invitation," she performed alongside BTOB's Minhyuk, who participated in the featuring.

However, after the performance video was released online, evaluations were divided. Some netizens reacted with comments such as, "Don't you have your own songs?", "I thought you had a specific type of music you wanted to do as a soloist," "You shone brighter when you were in the group," and "If this is how it's going to be, why did you leave BBGIRLS?" In particular, since the long practice process was made public, expectations for the actual performance and stage composition were high, and the resulting disappointment seems to have been significant.

On the other hand, there were opinions evaluating the performance itself positively. Along with reactions that the atmosphere on-site was good, some argued that since it was her first time standing alone on a large festival stage after finishing group activities, it is too early to judge her potential as a solo artist based on a single performance.

The reason this stage was particularly burdensome for Yujeong was that she had no solo songs released under her own name during her time with the group. Ahead of the performance, she had candidly expressed that she felt both pressure and anticipation about standing on stage alone. Being responsible for one part within a group is a completely different task from being a solo singer responsible for the entire narrative and energy of a performance in terms of stage composition and performance.

Yujeong debuted as a member of BBGIRLS in 2016 and hit a turning point in her life through the chart-climbing success of "Rollin" in 2021. "Rollin," a song released several years prior, climbed the music release charts through word-of-mouth centered online, instantly propelling BBGIRLS to the center of the popular music scene. This so-called "chart-climbing legend" left a strong socio-cultural impact, being mentioned as an important success model in the domestic music industry even afterward.

BBGIRLS continued their activities by releasing songs like "Chimatbaram," "Me, Alone in Summer," and "Thank You," but changes occurred in the team's composition due to issues such as contracts with the members' agencies. After leaving the team in 2024, Yujeong has been seeking a new career path by balancing acting and individual activities.

In that sense, this Waterbomb stage holds more meaning than just appearing at a summer festival. It was her first full-scale test where she had to capture the audience's attention using only her own name, moving away from the powerful brand of her former group and its representative hits.

For a solo singer, choosing and reinterpreting music in their own language is as vital as vocal or dance ability. While this stage used existing hits as a strategy to increase accessibility through familiar melodies, her future challenge will be to build her own unique musical color and original repertoire.

Nine and a half hours of practice does not necessarily guarantee a successful stage. Performance quality is determined by a complex mix of song selection, arrangement, choreography, narrative, stage presence, and audience interaction. The mixed reviews surrounding this performance serve as a clear reminder that Yujeong must now establish herself as an independent solo artist, moving beyond her familiar image as a former group member.