Former f(x) member Luna candidly reflected on her past struggles during her appearance on the July 15 episode of KBS1’s 'AM Plaza – Tuesday Guest'.
Luna shared, “My mother majored in classical singing, but during the IMF crisis, she gave up her dream and helped my grandmother run a sundae soup restaurant. Over the years, she inhaled gas while cooking and developed chronic bronchitis. Handling sundae every day also left her fingernails stained. As a child, I wondered why my mom’s hands weren’t as pretty as others’, and I didn’t like it. But by the time I turned 14, I felt so sorry for her. I wanted my parents to live out their dreams in comfort. That became a huge driving force. From the age of 14, I practiced every day without a single break.”
Driven by her love for family, Luna debuted as a K-pop idol and rose to fame with f(x). However, in 2019, when she was 25, her life took a turn. That year also marked the heartbreaking passing of her groupmate Sulli.
“I struggled from age 25 to 35,” Luna revealed. “I barely met people. Every day I just worked, and if I was home, I tried to rest. I couldn’t be alone, so my mom and older sister accompanied me to all my schedules to care for me. I almost gave up on being a singer, but my mom told me, ‘You always have a place to come back to. Even if you fail or fall short, try everything you want.’ Thanks to her, I was able to endure those five years.”
Now recovered and empowered, Luna is making a comeback in the musical ‘Mamma Mia!’. Actress Choi Jung Won, who previously worked with Luna, shared how impressed she was after seeing Luna portray Ophelia in the play Hamlet, saying, “I wanted to perform with her again as Donna and Sophie.”
“During rehearsals, Luna acts as if she’s truly lived Sophie’s life,” Choi praised. “She’s the most perfect Sophie I’ve ever seen. Honestly, we work even better than I do with my own daughter.” Her heartfelt words moved Luna to tears.
Luna will meet fans once again through 'Mamma Mia!', running from July 26 to October 25 at LG Arts Center Seoul.
Born in 1993, Luna is now 31. She debuted as the main vocalist of f(x) in 2009 with hits like "La Cha Ta", "Hot Summer", and "Electric Shock". Although the group effectively disbanded after 2016, Luna continued her solo career and parted ways with SM Entertainment in 2019.
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