ChoA Archives • K-POP LIFE

ChoA has a lot to say to younger idols these days. During the production presentation for the upcoming entertainment program “Sisters At Play (tentative title),” former AOA member ChoA shared valuable advice with her junior idols in the K-pop industry.

Former AOA Member ChoA Has Interesting Advice for New Idols

The event, jointly organized by E Channel and Channel S, featured ChoA alongside other prominent female artists, including Chae Ri Na, Lee Ji Hye, Narsha, and Ivy.

When asked to provide advice to her junior colleagues in the K-pop industry, ChoA, who debuted in 2012 as part of AOA, expressed her insights and wisdom gained from her own journey. Having left AOA in 2017 due to health reasons and making a solo comeback in 2020, ChoA’s experiences offer a unique perspective for the younger generation of idols.

Former AOA member ChoA offers heartfelt advice to her juniors in the entertainment industry https://t.co/OFwA1WJtq9

— allkpop (@allkpop) November 28, 2023

“Many currently active artists are persevering with the support of medication. Personally, I experienced burnout and took an extended break,” she said. “During my period of reflection on how to ensure long-term sustainability, I encountered these senior sisters. Chae Ri Na-unnie conveyed, ‘It’s not about making a big impact immediately; what matters more is enduring and maintaining your current position.”

Choa added, ” I realized these senior sisters are living proof, having sustained their careers for a significant duration. I aspire to become living proof as well and offer support to the younger generation.”

“Sisters at Play” is a variety show designed to bring together female artists who once dominated the South Korean music scene, offering a platform for them to speak openly about their careers. The show aims to delve into their experiences, struggles, and untold stories, providing viewers with insights into the lives of these accomplished artists.

The program is expected to offer a candid and reflective look at the lives of these accomplished female artists, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced throughout their careers. ChoA’s advice, rooted in her personal journey, adds depth to the collective narrative that “Sisters At Play” aims to present to its audience.

Six years after leaving the K-pop girl group AOA, ChoA once again spoke about the marriage rumors that started circulating after departure.

In the Tuesday, August 28 episode of Taek Hae Joon’s YouTube show No Back Tak Jae Hoon, the idol opened up about her former group.

“We originally started with seven. The members left one by one, though. And I was the first one to leave,” ChoA said. “But I still root for all of them since they are my sisters.”

Then, the host directly asked her if she was married. To which, ChoA vehemently denied.

It can be recalled that when the singer left AOA in June 2017, she revealed that she was suffering from so much stress and depression during group activities. Additionally, she disclosed that she was taking medication and reduced her schedule for the previous years as a way to cope.

However, it still didn’t help and she ultimately decided to cease all of her idol activities instead.

AOA Choa announces departure from the group, citing depression and insomnia, took medications but didn't help https://t.co/BKFVZTnLvj pic.twitter.com/VjJeyxQe6z

— The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) June 22, 2017

After her departure from the group, she was embroiled in dating rumors with a game company CEO. For her part, ChoA quickly refuted the allegations. “I’m not pregnant, nor did I have an abortion or am leaving the group to get married,” she said then.

During the Tuesday episode, the artist once again insisted that she never got married.

“People were saying, ‘Why is she leaving when things are going so well?’ Then, dating rumors came up. And then it turned into ‘she got married,” she explained.

Furthermore, she clarified that she didn’t even date the one she was being linked to.

ChoA’s real reason of leaving AOA

This isn’t the first time that the idol opened up about why she left AOA and took a long hiatus from the entertainment industry.

During a February 2021 episode of On and Off, she recalled her mental state when she was doing idol activities.

“I thought I was a very positive and optimistic person, but one day it was like the fuse had blown. Then I suddenly felt tired. And I couldn’t sleep well and my exhaustion kept building up,” she said.

Next, in a September 2021 episode of Oh Eun Young’s Golden Nugget Counseling Center, she once again talked about suffering from depression.

“I wanted to run away because it was difficult for me to see myself,” she said about taking a hiatus.

She added: “When a person can’t sleep well and feels depressed, they start thinking in negative ways. From a certain point, I had a really hard time watching myself on the monitor. I wanted to do a little better, but I didn’t feel as if I was. I really didn’t like that.”

ChoA after leaving AOA

ChoA made her debut in 2012 as the vocalist of the girl group AOA under FNC Entertainment.

She withdrew from the group in 2017 but only left the agency in May 2019 following her contract expiration. In the same year, she transferred to Great M Entertainment.

Since then, ChoA has released original soundtracks. In April 2022, she released her first single since her hiatus called “Yesterday.”

Additionally, she’s been uploading videos on her personal YouTube channel and appearing on several variety shows.

Featured image: ChoA shares her profile photos for her YouTube channel. Credit: Instagram/ChoA