Mijoo Bursts Into Tears Talking About Her Solo Debut With “Movie Star”

Former Lovelyz member, Mijoo finally made her long-awaited solo debut.

Mijoo debuted with the girl group Lovelyz in 2014 under Woollim Entertainment. Seven years later, it was confirmed that all the members except Baby Soul decided not to renew their contracts and pursue individual activities. Therefore, Mijoo ended her Lovelyz activities and joined Antenna as a solo artist.

While starring in three seasons tvN‘s Sixth Sense, she began to gain popularity as a TV personality. In 2021, she joined fellow Sixth Sense cast member, comedian Yoo Jae Suk, in MBC‘s Hangout With Yoo and became a fixed cast member.

Her stunning visuals, sometimes chaotic yet hilarious energy, and natural wit appealed to the public, and she continued to appear on various TV programs.

Although she was very active in the TV variety program scene, she had not released music in a while. In April, Antenna announced that Mijoo would debut as a solo artist for the first time in nine years. On May 17, she had a showcase for her debut song titled “Movie Star,” where she shared her thoughts about her long-awaited debut.

With a house and disco feel and a catchy melody, “Movie Star” is a song about someone wondering if they can be a star. This story relates to her own story of not getting a lot of spotlight as a singer, which caused her to wonder, “Can I one day stand on the stage, too?”

At the showcase, Mijoo shared that it still hadn’t hit her that she was debuting as a solo.

I’m still thinking, ‘Am I debuting?’ I still can’t believe it. I almost cried right before the showcase started.

— Mijoo

She then burst into tears thinking about the long journey it took for her to get where she is now. Throughout the years, she watched other singers release music with cool concepts, which made her dream about her own music career.

I used to look at other artists and think, ‘Wow, they’re pretty. I want to try these concepts, too.’

— Mijoo

Now that she finally gets to release music with her own unique concept, she said she has a “million thoughts going through her mind.” After being part of a group, this is Mijoo’s first time standing on stage alone, but she said she was excited and hopes to show the audience a different side of her.

I wanted to make a difference between the Lee Mijoo on TV and the MIJOO on stage. If the Lee Mijoo on TV gives laughter and happiness, I want the MIJOO on stage to be someone who achieves her dreams and challenges herself—that’s why the names are different, too. If entertainer Lee Mijoo is someone who is friendly, communicates with people often, and cheerful, I wanted to show the MIJOO on stage as a professional artist with an unexpected charm.

— Mijoo

Her debut single album, Movie Star, also features a ballad called “I Miss You,” a song about expressing her longing for an ex.

Mijoo stated that she loved both of these songs upon first listening to them and had a lot of input into the album. She also shared her future goals as a musician.

I want to grow a bit more and have a performance that tells a story. I hope to have my own solo concert that I can fill with my songs and stories.

— Mijoo

Check out MIJOO’s music video for her solo debut song, “Movie Star.”