Girls' Generation's Kim Hyo-yeon Recalls Harsh Criticism at 19: 'Too Forceful' Dancing and Appearance Scrutiny

Kim Hyo-yeon (김효연), a member of the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation (소녀시대), recently formed a special unit called HyoRiSoo (효리수) with fellow members Kwon Yu-ri (권유리) and Choi Soo-young (최수영). The trio launched their activities with their first digital single, “Skibidi,” released on August 31, which includes the title track “Skibidi” and “Lowkey In Love.”

Kim recently appeared on a YouTube program, where she candidly discussed her little-known feelings from her early debut days. At just 19, she took to the stage with immense confidence, expecting applause and affirmation. However, reality proved far different from her expectations. Not only was her appearance scrutinized, but her proudest asset—her dancing—was criticized as “too forceful,” leaving the young idol to endure a prolonged period of negative feedback.

On September 7, the YouTube channel “Chim Chak Man” released an interview with Kim, where she shared updates in her characteristic frank and cheerful manner. She spoke openly about various untold stories, from the dynamics among Girls' Generation members to her personal life and values.

When asked about the Girls' Generation members' recent activities, Kim revealed, “Everyone is very busy, but even so, we still meet at least once a month.” The host jokingly asked, “If you meet too often, wouldn't you want to see each other less? There must be an appropriate frequency, right?” Kim agreed, saying, “Exactly, it really needs to be like that.”

She further explained, “If we don't meet for a long time, we start to miss each other more. Sometimes we'll meet then, or just not meet at all.” She added, “I think meeting once every two or three months is already quite frequent.”

Despite Girls' Generation members pursuing different fields for many years, they have maintained a deep bond. Kim believes that because each person has their own life and work, maintaining an appropriate distance and giving each other enough space is crucial for a lasting friendship.

In addition to sharing updates on her bandmates, Kim also spoke about her struggles during her early debut days. She confessed that she had dreamed of becoming a singer and performing on stage since childhood, but the reactions she received after her official debut were completely different from what she had imagined. “I originally thought everyone would like me. Because when you have a dream, you don't expect anyone to dislike or criticize you.”

Kim recalled that she was very confident before her debut. She stated, “At first, I was really confident because I had been a trainee for a long time, and I thought I danced very well.” Therefore, when she officially debuted, she stepped onto the stage with the mindset of “Now I'm going to show my world.”

However, reality delivered a heavy blow. Kim revealed, “When I first appeared, people said my dance moves were too exaggerated, too forceful. Whether it was my appearance or my dancing, I didn't hear the things I wanted to hear.” What made it even harder was that many people simply didn't like her at the time. “I was only 19 years old then.”

Facing public judgment on her appearance and abilities at such a young age was not easy for Kim. However, she found her own way to overcome that long period of low morale. She admitted, “That period lasted for a long time. But my personality is to only listen to what I want to hear; I filter out those other voices myself.”

Kim stated that because she knew how much effort she had put in, she always believed that she would eventually be recognized. “I know how much effort I put in, so I was very confident that I would be acknowledged someday. I wouldn't pay attention to those who didn't like me.”

Today, as Girls' Generation members remain active in various fields, Kim's reflection on her experiences at 19 allows fans to see that her journey to where she is today, beyond her stage confidence and charm, also involved enduring unimaginable pressure and doubts from the outside world.