A female K-Pop idol has candidly spoken about what it is like to have other jobs while being active in the enterrainment industry.
On September 19th, a video titled “Boss with a Monthly Sales of 140 Million Won! We Brought EXID’s Hyelin. She’s Worked a Lot of Part-time Jobs Too” was uploaded on YouTube.
In the video, Cao Lu meets and talks with EXID member Hyelin. Busy juggling multiple jobs including running the taco restaurant, music, and musicals, Hyelin explained why she started the taco business, saying, “I had an interest in the food industry and met the owner of a taco restaurant. There happened to be a great location available in Anguk, and they suggested we do it together, so I decided to start.”
She added, “Employees can quit, but if the owner quits, the business fails. It’s impossible to manage alone. Since I have multiple jobs, there is someone helping oversee the business, and the employees and I work together and share ideas. First, the location has to be good, and you have to calculate how much profit you can make. A lot of money goes in, so that’s the hardest part. I ask for support.”
Hyelin also shared, “I did many part-time jobs. Even while promoting with EXID, I worked part-time at places like ice cream franchise shops. After my 12-year contract ended, I just drank and felt depressed. I thought I needed to create something for myself, so I went back to school, but it turned into an online program. Then, I interviewed at an Italian restaurant near my home. At first, I was worried people would ask ‘You’re just doing this because you don’t have anything else to do,’ but customers asked if I was on a break. I realized people don’t care that much about others or think about them deeply, which was surprising.”
Hyelin debuted with EXID in 2012. Although the group didn’t receive much attention initially, in 2014, a fancam of member Hani performing “Up & Down” went viral on social media, sparking the first-ever reversal hit phenomenon in K-pop history.
Since then, EXID was recognized as a talented girl group and gained popularity with hits like “Ah Yeah,” “Night Rather Than Day,” and “Hot Pink.” In March, Hyelin opened the taco restaurant, and in August, revealed through the YouTube channel Human Story that the average monthly sales are ₩140 million KRW (about $101,000 USD), with a net profit of ₩40.0 million KRW (about $28,900 USD) after expenses.
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