Jiyoo

7 October:

CHI CHI‘s Ji-U admitted that she almost debuted as a member of KARA, but she has no regrets.

Ji-U recently was a guest on MBC‘s ‘Weekly Idol‘ and revealed the incident of how she almost became a member KARA.

On this day, MC Jung Hyung Don asked Ji-U, “When you look at KARA right now, don’t you have any regrets?“. Ji-U then wittily answered, “I think it’s just my luck. it has a mind of its own” garnering laughter from the audience.

During her middle school years, Ji-U attended the same dance academy as 2NE1‘s CL and KARA’sHan Seungyeon. Amongst these three, Han Seungyeon debuted first through KARA and as KARA was going through member changes with Kim Sung Hee leaving the group in 2008, Han Seungyeon had offered Ji-U the opportunity to join. However, Ji-U had declined the offer as she was more focused on her schoolwork and studies at the time.

As of now, Ji-U is enrolled at Ewha Womans University and is majoring in Traditional Korean music. She also garnered much attention by showcasing her talent in playing one of the instruments on air.

Source & Photo: Mydaily - allkpop

2 July:

After concluding their debut promotions for “Don’t Play Around” earlier this year, the ladies of CHI CHIrevealed that they’d be be making their comeback around May. 

Although plans have been delayed, it seems their comeback is well underway, as member Ji-U recently shared two photos from the set of their album jacket photoshoot.

Ji-u tweeted, “Finished up our album jacket photoshoot~~!  Everyone worked so hard ^_^!! Coming sooooon ^^.”

You can’t tell much about their concept from the pictures alone but it seems they’ll be ditching their bold, frilly skirts and hairstyles for a more earthy, Bohemian look.

Source: Ji-u’s Twitter via allkpop
18 April:

During an interview with Sports Korea, CHI CHI’s Ji-U revealed that she was a potential KARA member.

Back in 2008, KARA’s Sunghee had departed from the group, leaving room for new members. Ji-U stated,“At the time, I attended the same dance academy as Han Seungyeon. When KARA was going through member changes, she suggested that I join KARA.”

Unfortunately, her parents were opposed to the idea because Ji-U was in high school at the time. ”I wanted to join her group, but my parents wouldn’t allow it so I couldn’t.”

Ji-U eventually went on to major in Korean music at the Ewha Women’s University and finally made her debut with CHI CHI after two years of preparations. She revealed, “I’ve always had a lot of interest in pop music, but playing the ‘haegum’ and studying kukak opened my eyes to a wider variety of genres.”

Source: Sports Korea via Nate via allkpop

11 April:

After her elite background was discovered the other day, netizens have uncovered proof of CHI CHImember Ji-U’s dedication to music.

Pictures from her high school days were revealed through her minihompy, documenting her practice with the haegeum, a Korean traditional instrument.

She attached the captions, ‘During my 12th grade entrance exam‘, and “This was when I already had callouses so it didn’t hurt much… Calluses where are you now….”

Although they were a testament to her love of music, fans were shocked nonetheless by the deep callouses on each of her fingers.

A representative from her agency stated, “Jiyoo is a practice worm. Despite her young age, her passion has been maintained due to the hard effort she put in since she was a child. She does not mind having to practice hard to fulfill her dreams.”

The hardworking idol is currently a student of traditional Korean music at Ewha Women’s University.

Source: Newsen via Joins via allkpop


10 April:

CHI CHI member Jiyoo became a hot topic after it was discovered that she had a unique personal background.

Jiyoo, who is currently a student of traditional Korean music at Ewha Women’s University, graduated fromGukak National Middle and High School as a ‘Korean traditional music goddess’, thanks to her talent. Though the classes are notoriously demanding and challenging, Jiyoo led her class as either a 1st or 2nd place student.

As for her family background, her father is an executive board member on one of Korea’s leading automobile companies and her mother is an elementary school teacher.

The combination of Jiyoo’s looks, school records, and family background placed her on the list of celebrity ‘umchinddals‘, or ‘mom’s friend’s daughter’, a term to describe perfect girls that others can only envy.

A representative stated,

“Jiyoo, who studied traditional Korean music since she was little, has an extraordinary talent for music. Besides playing the haegeum, gayageum and geomungo for her major, she can also play the piano and guitar well. After her debut, she has been busy completing many schedules, but hasn’t become lazy with her specialty instrument, the haegeum. Soon you will be able to hear Jiyoo’s lovely haegeum performances through broadcasts.“

Source: Union Press via allkpop