YouTube channel on May 10th Oh, yoga released a new video titled “Not Hyori, but Ananda: What Yoga Teachers Really Think.” The episode featured Lee Hyori alongside yoga instructor Mani as the two shared honest conversations about yoga, life, and self-discipline.
During the discussion, Lee Hyori revealed the surprisingly simple reasons why she first became interested in yoga.
He explained, “The first reason was because I wanted my shoulders to stop hurting. The second reason was because the difficult poses looked good.”
However, she admitted that as she studied yoga more deeply through books and training, she realized that true mastery was much harder than it seemed.
The singer then made viewers laugh with a self-deprecating comment: “My asanas (yoga poses) are still too weak to show off. There are so many true masters out there.”
Despite running her own yoga studio, Lee Hyori’s modest outlook has impressed many viewers online, especially considering her years of dedication to practicing yoga.
She also emotionally reflected on how yoga has completely transformed her lifestyle and emotional well-being.
According to Lee Hyori, she has always possessed an extremely energetic personality, but yoga gave her a healthy outlet and helped stabilize her mind.
He shared: “Without practicing yoga, I honestly don’t know where all that energy would have gone.”
The star explained that through yoga, staying at home and spending quiet time with her dogs, she has gradually become more comfortable with calm daily routines instead of constantly chasing stimulation.
He added: “In the end, what I was left with was peace of mind.”
Lee Hyori also compared the temporary excitement of external stimulation to the more sustainable fulfillment she found through yoga.
“The dopamine you get from the outside world is intense,” she explained, “but yoga replaced me. I don’t think anything else could have filled that space.”
She also confessed that diving deep into healthy habits helped her naturally avoid distractions and temptations.
Lee Hyori has been practicing yoga for many years and previously ran yoga spaces while living on Jeju Island as of 2016.
Last year, via Antenna, he officially announced the opening of his yoga studio “Ananda” in Seoul, attracting great attention from fans and media.
Shortly after the launch, the studio’s official account also released a statement explaining that all sponsorships and promotional offers would be kindly declined to preserve a calm and focused environment for practice.
The decision further strengthened Lee Hyori’s image as a celebrity who has increasingly prioritized simplicity, awareness and authenticity over commercial activity in recent years.
Many Korean netizens praised the singer’s honesty and calm mentality, and some commented that her openness about imperfection makes her even more relatable despite her legendary celebrity status.
Sources: Daum | Television reportage
