On April 26, Korean outlet MK reported on the difficult life of Baby J, former member of the legendary girl group Jewelry. The singer recently appeared as a guest on a YouTube channel run by footballer Hwang Soon Min’s wife, where she openly spoke about her current difficulties.
During the appearance, Baby J revealed that she is currently unemployed again. He shared his daily self-motivation routine, saying he repeats affirmations every morning in hopes of changing his life. While maintaining a positive mindset, he admitted uncertainty about when he might achieve financial stability.
His difficulties are not new. While competing as a contestant on Show me the moneyBaby J broke down in tears as she spoke about her life after leaving Jewelry. He revealed that he took part-time jobs at a pizzeria and a clothing store just to make ends meet. Watching her peers succeed while she struggled profoundly affected her confidence and emotional well-being.
She also expressed feelings of isolation, noting that while other former Jewelry members continued to appear on television, she was rarely offered opportunities in the entertainment industry.
In a previous YouTube talk show appearance, Baby J revealed that she hasn’t been able to secure any jobs in the entertainment industry for a long time. As a result, he took a job at a bar, working 8 to 9 hours a day for minimum wage: about 1 million won a month. At one point he left, but later had to reapply for the same position after failing to find other opportunities.
Despite these setbacks, Baby J hasn’t given up his passion for performing. He shared that he has been actively reaching out to agencies, asking for any kind of work, but has yet to receive any response. “In this industry, if you don’t have work, you are forced to leave” he said, expressing both frustration and determination.
Looking back on her peak years, Baby J couldn’t hide her bittersweet emotions. He recalled how, during Jewelry’s heyday, the group attended up to six or seven events a day, sometimes even traveling by helicopter to keep up with their busy schedules. Their days were a whirlwind of shows in cities like Daegu, Jeonju and Busan, which were repeated continuously for an entire year.
Baby J rose to fame when Jewelry released the smash hit “One More Time” in 2008, a song that became a national hit in South Korea and earned a Daesang at 23rd Gold Record Award. At the time, the track was being played everywhere, cementing the group’s place in K-pop history.
Born in 1986, Baby J joined Jewelry at the age of 22 and has distinguished herself as one of the few female rappers with a bright, high-pitched voice. Known for her versatility, she combined a sexy image with a trendy image “swag” style that matched his hip-hop performances. She is also the daughter of actor Ha Jae Young.
After leaving Jewelry in 2014, Baby J attempted to revive his career through shows like Show me the money 5 AND The ugly rap star 3but neither appearance led to significant success. Since then his career has been in constant decline.
Sources: K14
