5 challenges Twice’s Nayeon faced before her solo debut, chart-topping ‘Im Nayeon’: a K-pop bullying scandal, an Instagram ‘ban’ … but did JYP really force her to sing all the high notes?

Jul 5 , 2022

After surviving the ‘seven-year curse and JYP reportedly banning solo music from the group, Nayeon made history with her debut EP ‘Im Nayeon’, whose single Pop! passed 57 million YouTube views

Her EP also became the first K-pop solo release to enter the Billboard 200’s top 10 – but this success only comes after bullying, streaming and voice-cracking scandals

Nayeon is officially the first member of beloved nine-piece K-pop group Twice to drop a solo release, unveiling the eponymous “Im Nayeon” EP on June 24. The music video for catchy lead single Pop! amassed 16.6 million views in 24 hours, and had passed 57 million views on YouTube at the time of writing. But she didn’t do it alone – many K-pop celebrities are taking part in the #PopPopPop challenge on Instagram to promote her song.

The drop has made history, with “Im Nayeon” named on July 3 as the first K-pop solo release to enter the top 10 on the US Billboard 200 album chart after clocking record sales in its first days of release.

NAYEON

Among K-pop fans, Nayeon is referred to as a “hexagonal idol”, a term for a group member who exceeds in six aspects including their appearance and personal characteristics, as well as the core performance scores of singing, dancing, rapping and acting. But while her remarkable abilities have been well noted, her role in Twice may have held her back from opportunities that could have boosted her fame.

Here are five challenges the 26-year-old idol had to go through before she finally made it to her solo debut.

1. Did JYP ban Twice members from going solo?

Twice proved too successful for its nine members’ own good. Photo: JYP Entertainment

“We do individual photo shoots, but other than that, there’s no other individual projects,” Twice member Sana once said during a showcase interview promoting the group’s eighth EP “Feel Special”.

“[Our fans] love being together with the nine of us, and we do too. We get along better as we become more supportive of each other,” bandmate Momo added.

When asked about the lack of solo debuts, the girls avoided the question by responding that they love the “bonds” and “synergy” generated as a group.

JYP Entertainment’s Miss A. Photo: @kpop_roza_10/Instagram

Nonetheless, there’s another rumoured reason that no one in Twice branched out into solo work until now. And that has to do with former JYP Entertainment girl group, Miss A – an earlier K-pop band that disbanded in 2017. Among the band’s members was Bae Suzy, an idol’s whose popularity skyrocketed from individual projects like the K-drama series Dream High, creating apparent resentment among the group’s three other members.

Suzy (far right) looking awkward in a Miss A group photo. Photo: Mnet M Countdown/Facebook

Miss A’s members refused to follow Suzy on social media, and none of them showed up to support her during the test screening of a movie in which she played a major role. Despite the group’s publicity, Suzy’s individual popularity led to an internal conflict that ultimately contributed in its disbandment.

To prevent this from happening again, JYP Entertainment reportedly refused to permit solo projects by Twice members for a crucial seven years – the length of time a typical K-pop trainee’s first contract lasts after publicly debuting.