South Korean girl group LIGHTSUM (라잇썸), launched by CUBE Entertainment in 2021, debuted as an eight-member act. However, their journey has not been smooth; members Huiyeon (휘연) and Jian (지안) announced their departure on October 25, 2022, and the group has since continued as a six-member unit. Now in their sixth year since debut, LIGHTSUM previously endured a two-year hiatus. In recent years, they have shifted to a cuter concept and actively expanded into the Japanese market, where they have unexpectedly received a positive reception.
Behind LIGHTSUM's recent activities in Japan is the support of a senior artist: Kwon So-hyun (권소현), a former member of 4Minute (포미닛). Kwon recently revealed she has transitioned roles, joining her former agency, CUBE Entertainment, as a company employee to participate in junior groups' album production. She admitted that as an artist, she often felt her visuals and skills were mediocre, leading to long periods of insecurity. Now, she hopes to share her accumulated experience with junior artists through a different professional role.
On the 23rd, Kwon released a new video on her personal YouTube channel titled "Leaving Work | A Day in the Life of an Entertainment Company Employee, 6 Months In," sharing her daily routine at CUBE Entertainment. She revealed that while the company gave her the title of PD (Producer), she prefers colleagues to call her "So-hyun," approaching the job with the mindset of a regular employee, learning from scratch.
Currently, Kwon is primarily responsible for LIGHTSUM's Japanese album planning and A&R (Artist & Repertoire) related work. Transitioning from a stage performer to a behind-the-scenes producer, her feelings about the job are vastly different from her past. She even stated directly, "Being an artist is truly difficult; everyone should experience office life."
She explained that after starting behind-the-scenes work, she often recalls her past as an artist, which helps her objectively evaluate herself. She clarified that artists usually see the final, polished results, but now as part of the production team, even when offering opinions, she considers, "These contents must have gone through many processes before reaching me."
Kwon also expressed her realization that only after starting office work did she discover the many joys of being an artist. She recalled that during 4Minute's activities, she found performing on stage very tough, but now understands that every stage is the result of immense effort from the staff. She used this opportunity to express her gratitude to the behind-the-scenes team, admitting she now better comprehends their hard work.
As for why she decided to change careers and become a company employee, Kwon revealed that a significant reason was her desire to help her junior group, LIGHTSUM. She stated that watching the group members, she always hoped she could contribute and provide practical help and support.
She pointed out that after debuting, idols often unconsciously compare themselves to artists who debuted at the same time. Whether it's popularity or public recognition, these can become standards for self-evaluation. Even within the same group, it's easy to fall into comparing oneself with other members.
Kwon admitted that she also went through such a phase in the past, but looking back, she feels those days spent in insecurity were a great pity. She hopes LIGHTSUM members will not repeat the same mistakes, avoid excessive pressure from constant comparison, and enjoy their activities more freely.
Beyond wanting to help her juniors, the uncertainty of entertainment work was also one of the reasons Kwon decided to change paths. She confessed, "This is a job where you constantly have to be chosen; I always lived a life full of anxiety." She further stated that she always felt her visuals and skills were neither here nor there, never finding a clear answer, which at one point left her unsure how to move forward.
After much thought, Kwon began to seriously confront what she truly wanted and discovered she loved moments where she genuinely felt "alive." Coincidentally, during that period, she met the LIGHTSUM members, which sparked the idea of learning behind-the-scenes production work. She hoped to be able to assist her juniors, even if only in a small way.
She also believes that learning album production and planning at her former company is a rare opportunity, and thus decided to bravely take on this new challenge.
Finally, Kwon emphasized that becoming a company employee does not mean giving up her acting career. She stated that she is simply approaching it with a mindset of relearning, treating herself as a regular employee, and accumulating experience from the ground up, with no intention of ending her entertainment activities. From idol and actress to behind-the-scenes staff, Kwon So-hyun is exploring another possibility in life through different roles.
