In 2025, Dayoung, a South Korean singer who initially gained popularity as a member of the girl group WJSN (Cosmic Girls), experienced a breakthrough.
She made her solo debut in September with the single album “Gonna Love Me, Right?” — Her long-held desire to be “loved by everyone” is reflected in this title.
If the title’s question mark raised any doubts about the 26-year-old artist’s level of popularity, listeners’ reactions were very obvious.
The three-track album has gotten positive reviews; its lead single, “Body,” has received over 14 million Spotify plays, and its music video has received 6.7 million views thus far. “Number One Rockstar” is another song that has received more than 1.6 million Spotify streams.
“Body” has allegedly risen to the top of South Korea’s domestic charts and gave Dayoung her first-ever music show victory on “The Show,” a noteworthy accomplishment for any K-pop singer. Her solo debut, according to the Korea Herald, shows how so-called “mid-tier idols”—artists with substantial fan bases but haven’t yet achieved superstar status—can capitalize on their breakthrough moment.
When Dayoung won Best Solo Female Artist at the 2025 Korea Grand Music Awards in November, it was perhaps the biggest highlight of her year.
But Dayoung doesn’t really distinguish between her work as a solo artist and her involvement with WJSN. “They’re both Dayoung, but Dayoung gets to make more decisions, final decisions as a solo artist,” she remarked.
Because Dayoung was heavily involved in the album’s creation and decision-making, her solo effort also gave her the opportunity to display a “more authentic” side. For the idol, it is still unbelievable to witness such a personal creative work receive “so much love.”
However, it appears like Dayoung is just getting started and intends to showcase more of herself as a soloist in the future. She remarked, “I have a lot of songs that I couldn’t show you guys yet.”
“It could be more of a dance or pop track, so please support it and look forward to it,” she stated.
The rest of our interview with Dayoung is seen here. For brevity and clarity, the conversation has been modified.
