On March 12, Hyolyn uploaded several photos to her social media account with the caption “The reason why.” The images show the singer enjoying a relaxed daily life overseas after leaving Korea. Wearing a gray crop top, Hyolyn confidently reveals a large cross tattoo stretching from above her navel to the upper abdomen. Her toned abs and slim waistline highlight her signature healthy and athletic charm.

Back in 2024, Hyolyn appeared on the YouTube channel “Weracle,” run by creator Park We, where she explained the reason behind the cross tattoo on her stomach.

When Park We asked about the tattoo, Hyolyn shared that she was born weighing 4.2 kilograms and had fluid buildup in her abdomen at birth. She was immediately placed in an incubator and was diagnosed with a condition that could not be fully cured. At the time, she had to undergo open abdominal surgery due to Biliary Atresia.

She added that she practically lived in the hospital as a baby and later developed Intussusception, which required another surgery. “Because I was such a newborn, they had to operate to fix it,” she said. “I had surgery once horizontally and once vertically. Since the operations were done when I was so young, the scars were quite large.”

Hyolyn recalled that when she went to public bathhouses with her mother as a child, people would often stare at her scars. The marks on her stomach looked like a protruding belly, which became a major source of stress and insecurity for her.

“As an idol, there are so many different outfits you want to wear, but I always felt like I had to choose clothes that covered my stomach,” she said. Eventually, she discovered the idea of a cover-up tattoo. After thinking about it for a long time, she decided to get the cross tattoo.

“If you look closely, you can still see the scars,” Hyolyn explained. “But now I actually feel proud to show them. This tattoo has become a gift that gave me confidence.”

Hyolyn debuted in 2010 as a member of SISTAR, releasing numerous hit songs such as Loving U, So Cool, Touch My Body, Shake It, Give It To Me, and Alone, earning widespread popularity. Since 2013, she has also continued an active career as a solo artist.

Sources: Daum