On May 22, MIYA's interview with Japanese news outlet the Asahi Shimbun was released online.
During her interview, MIYA exposed the reality of being in the Korean entertainment business, "Just the other day, I spoke to another member of GWSN on the phone. What we said to each other then was, 'It really was living as if we were in prison before, wasn't it?'"
Recalling her life as a K-pop trainee, she commented, "We started practicing right after we got back from school, and by the time we were finished, it was completely dark outside. Actually, this isn't such a big deal. I find it more disturbing that some people would talk about teens being in this prison-like condition as if it's a joke."
She pointed out that her hardships continued after her debut as a member of GWSN, "Every time we went to our company building, we had to weigh ourselves in front of our manager. After that, I had to report on what I ate or would eat that day like, 'I will only eat bananas and boiled eggs today.' I could only eat twice a day as well. I felt like I was going insane."
"Ironically, our practice was the easiest part out of all the stuff we did throughout the day. Our diet and weight-watching were the most difficult parts of our every day lives. ", she added.
MIYA shared that her management agency was particularly strict, "They were so strict. We weren't given any free time or money. Our phones were confiscated. I could only speak to my family on our manager's phone, and I couldn't even speak to them that often."
"We only spoke about food when we were together. That was one-and-only thing on our minds back then. We used to secretly stop by a convenience store, grabbed ice cream cones and eat them on our way to practice. We weren't given any money, but we had some money that our parents sent to us, so we used that little by little."
"During music video shootings, we would steal some tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and fried chicken that were prepared for the production team. These experiences created a very special friendship between us.", then resumed with a bitter smile, "It was kind of a bond that was developed through imprisonment and abuse."
Following their move, however, The Wave Music encountered financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because of that, GWSN could not carry on their activities after the release of 'THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON' in June 2021.
Then in February 2022, all members were asked to leave their dorm―their agency had failed to pay rent, and most of the employees, including their manager, left the company that year.
It turned out the company had also neglected solving visa issues for MIYA and Taiwanese member SOSO that they ended up paying their fines and having a criminal record for their illegal stay.
Around that time, the members of GWSN filed a lawsuit against their agency, demanding termination of their contract; they recently won their case.
Regarding this time, MIYA stated, "It was a really hard time for me. We tried our best to actively do something in the industry, but there was nothing we could get done ourselves. Eventually, everyone went back home. I'm upset that this happened to us, but I don't know what exactly went on within the company, so I don't want to criticize them too much."
"Fans who support GWSN may feel sad that I'm making a fresh start, but someone had to take the next step. It simply happened to be me. I would like to try modeling and acting in the future. I kind of want to audition again too, because I feel like the K-pop industry need a character like me."
(Credit= 'GWSNofficial' Facebook)
(SBS Star)