In a talent competition, the individual responsible for creating the virtual K-pop star IITERNITI Zaein revealed their identity and spoke about the challenges of not being able to perform as their true self.
‘Girls on Fire’ Contestant Lee Songhwa Revealed to be Singer Behind IITERNITI Zaein
“Girls on Fire,”a new audition program by JTBC, premiered on April 16 with MC Jang Doyeon. The show features a panel of producers including artist Yoon Jong Shin, Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko, Sunwoo JungA, Apink’s Eunji, Day6’s Young K, and choreographer Kinky.
“Girls on Fire”has the goal of forming a five-member vocal girl group composed of skilled musicians through the program.
A 1vs1 head-to-head match was held on this day. The winner will automatically advance to the next round, as chosen by the producers. In the event of a tie, both competitors will be nominated for elimination.
During the battle, two former April Kim Chaewon and South Korean singer Lee Songhwa, also known as Snikki Song, were introduced as participants.
Before the start of the match, both individuals introduced themselves. Chaewon, as the main vocalist of the now disbanded girl group April, was the first to greet the viewers.
During the interview, she openly discussed her reasons for participating in the audition show and also expressed her true emotions regarding the disbandment of the girl group.
“I applied for ‘Girls on Fire’ on a whim because I wanted to start again. I debuted as an April member on August 24, 2015, and participated in various music broadcasts. The group April itself was my dream and everything.”
Regrettably, April, whose activity spanned 7 years, officially dissolved in January of the previous year. Chaewon remarked:
“Once that disappeared, I felt empty and lost, so I thought to myself, ‘Will I be able to stand on stage again?’, ‘Will I be able to sing again?’ No matter how much I think about it, I want to sing on stage. I thought it would be nice to have such an opportunity, so I applied.”
In addition, Lee Songhwa, her opponent, also revealed her story, surprising the audience by admitting that she is the true vocalist behind the virtual idol IITERNITI Zaein.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about quitting music a lot since I’ve been singing behind someone’s back for a long time.
Because I can’t sing as myself when I was singing as Zaein from ‘IITERNITI’, I want to pour out all the energy I have as Lee Songhwa (through this show) until I get exhausted.”
In 2021, under Pulse9, the virtual idol group formerly known as ETERNITY, now called IITERNITI, made their debut. The team currently has 11 members and in 2022, Zaein joined as the eighth member and lead vocalist.
Lee Songhwa Impresses with Red Velvet Cover
During the live airing, Lee Songhwa impressed viewers with her outstanding rendition of “Monster”by Red Velvet’s Seulgi and Irene, offering a unique interpretation of the song.
FIRST ROUND 1-on-1 Battles🎤 Lee Songhwa – Monster by Irene & Seulgi #GirlsOnFire #GirlsOnFire #GOF #GirlsOnPa # GirlsOnFire_EP1 #LightTheStageOnFire 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e8Mv7pOdXm
— girls on fire updates (@firegirlz_upd8) April 16, 2024
The producers’ enthusiastic responses also contributed to her winning by unanimous decision and advancing straight to the next round, while Kim Chaewon was eliminated.
In reply, Lee Song Hwa conveyed her emotions, stating:
“Today, I feel like I have been recognized as Lee Songhwa, not as a faceless singer, and I think they have given me tremendous confidence.”
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