On March 12, Hyolyn uploaded several photos to her social media account with the caption “The reason why.” The pictures show the singer enjoying a relaxed daily life abroad after leaving Korea. Wearing a gray crop top, Hyolyn confidently reveals a large cross tattoo that extends from above her belly button to her upper abdomen. Her toned abs and slim waist highlight her signature healthy, athletic appeal.
In 2024, Hyolyn appeared on the YouTube channel “Weracle”, run by creator Park We, where he explained the reason for the cross tattoo on his belly.
When Park We asked about the tattoo, Hyolyn shared that she was born weighing 4.2 kilograms and had a buildup of fluid in her abdomen at birth. She was immediately placed in an incubator and diagnosed with a condition that could not be fully cured. At that time, he had to undergo open abdominal surgery due to biliary atresia.
She added that she basically lived in the hospital as a child and later developed intussusception, which required another surgery. “Since I was just born, they had to operate on me to fix it,” he said. “I had surgery once horizontally and once vertically. Since the operations were performed when I was so young, the scars were quite large.”
Hyolyn recalled that when she went to public restrooms with her mother as a child, people often stared at her scars. The marks on her stomach looked like a protruding belly, which became a major source of stress and insecurity for her.
“As an idol, there are so many different clothes you want to wear, but I always felt like I had to choose clothes that covered my belly,” he said. Eventually, he discovered the idea of a cover-up tattoo. After thinking about it for a long time, he decided to get a cross tattoo.
“If you look closely, you can still see the scars,” Hyolyn explained. “But now I’m really proud to show them off. This tattoo has become a gift that has given me confidence.”
Hyolyn debuted in 2010 as a member of SISTAR, releasing numerous hit songs such as Loving U, So Cool, Touch My Body, Shake It, Give It To Me and Alone, gaining widespread popularity. Since 2013 he has also continued an active career as a solo artist.
Sources: Daum
