On August 20, former AOA main vocalist ChoA appeared in a new episode of Pajama Party Ep.13, uploaded to the YouTube channel This Is Really the Final. The video, titled “Because of BLACKPINK and TWICE?” sparked interest as ChoA candidly reflected on the moment she realized her idol journey had reached its emotional limit.
“I debuted because I dreamed of becoming an idol, but at some point, I realized that hard work alone wouldn’t get me where I wanted to be,” she confessed.
She went on to explain that watching the debut of fresh and powerful rookie groups like TWICE and BLACKPINK was a reality check that forced her to confront her own boundaries.
“At that time, when I was struggling, TWICE and BLACKPINK debuted. Seeing those kinds of rookies emerge, I thought to myself, ‘This is my limit.’ That’s when I decided to leave.”
Her confession shed light on the immense psychological pressures idols face, as she revealed that staying in the industry might have cost her mental well-being.
“If I kept going, I felt like I would lose my mind,” she continued. “Mentally, it would have been too difficult, so I told myself to at least find my own happiness. Even if I could go back, I would still make the decision to leave.”
She shared that burnout was the primary reason she decided to leave AOA, explaining, “At that time, Soyul got married and had a child, but I wasn’t doing anything. I was lying down, wondering how to open the second chapter of my life.”
ChoA also recalled her grueling trainee period, admitting she only trained for a year and a half before debuting with AOA: “I only trained for about a year and a half before debuting. I didn’t have much room to relax. Even after practice, I’d go back to the waiting room and practice in front of the mirror instead of resting. That’s the memory I have. It was fun, but I worked really hard for eight years.”
She added that she found courage in a book: “At that time, the best-selling book was The Courage To Be Disliked. I left with exactly that kind of courage. Even now, if I went back, I’d still make the same decision.”
She also addressed long-standing speculation about her career status following her 2017 departure from AOA:
“After I left, I never actually thought about retiring, but many people misunderstood it that way. For three years I didn’t do anything, but after starting YouTube, I resumed my activities, and now I even want to prepare for an album.”
ChoA, who gained popularity as the powerhouse vocalist of AOA, officially left the group in 2017, citing mental health reasons. Since then, she’s taken a lengthy break from the entertainment industry before gradually returning to the spotlight via YouTube and occasional television appearances.
Once celebrated as the powerhouse vocalist of AOA, ChoA officially left the group in 2017 citing mental health reasons. After years of silence and speculation, she is now steadily rebuilding her career — this time on her own terms.
Sources: nate
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