Dayoung recently appeared on the May 23 broadcast of Point of Omniscient Interfere on MBC, where she candidly reflected on her difficult family circumstances and early struggles in life.
The conversation began when her manager, Kim Seong Eun, shared how deeply she sympathized with everything Dayoung had experienced from a young age.
Originally from Jeju Island, Dayoung revealed that she had to live alone in a tiny goshiwon room at just 13 years old while participating in the audition program K-pop Star.
She had previously disclosed on another variety show that her parents divorced when she was eight years old. According to Dayoung, her father left behind debts totaling approximately 1.2 billion KRW, placing enormous financial pressure on both her and her mother.
Around the same period, her family was also hit by severe flood damage caused by a powerful typhoon.
Dayoung emotionally recalled using a plastic bowl to scoop floodwater out of their home when she was only 10 years old, a story that reportedly left the show’s hosts visibly emotional.
During the broadcast, she explained that the disaster was likely caused by Typhoon Nari, the devastating 2007 storm that caused major destruction across South Korea.
She remembered floodwater rising all the way to her mother’s waist inside their shop, to the point where they practically had to swim through it.
At the time, Dayoung innocently joked that the flooded store looked like a water park. However, she was shocked after turning around and seeing her mother crying beside her for the very first time.
The idol described her mother as an incredibly strong person who constantly worked multiple jobs just to support the family.
Dayoung shared, “She ran a hagfish restaurant, and whenever she had free time, she sold insurance or took on other jobs too.” She continued, “I used to wonder if it wasn’t too exhausting for her because she carried so much responsibility, but she never once said she was tired.”
According to Dayoung, her mother often reminded her that women from Jeju Island are naturally strong and encouraged her to become mentally tougher as well.
The singer admitted that it was during those difficult moments that she fully understood the seriousness of their situation, saying she felt like she suddenly matured overnight.
After the episode aired, many netizens expressed sympathy and admiration for Dayoung’s resilience while criticizing the hardships she and her mother were forced to endure.
Sources: Naver
You must be logged in to post a comment.