SpoTV News reporter Ha Na-won reports that former 4Minute member Jeon Ji-yoon revealed on March 13 that she’s working as a web novel writer, drawing renewed attention to fellow ex-members Heo Ga-yoon and Nam Ji-hyun.
Ten years after the group's split, the former 4Minute members have been sharing life updates through media appearances and YouTube. Their candid stories have surprised fans and underscored how much time has passed.
On March 13, Jeon appeared on the YouTube channel 'Jjindeul's Page' in an episode titled "A Group for People Who Prefer Web Novels to Shorts (feat. Lee Jae-min, Nabi Valley, Jeon Ji-yoon) | Sdeukbang EP.10," where she revealed for the first time that she writes web novels.
Jeon said she had kept her work as a web novel writer private, so few people knew. After being contacted to appear on the show, she accepted. "This is my first time appearing as a web novel author. I'm a fan myself, so it's really exciting to be on the other side as a writer," she said.
Asked whether people often told her she wrote well as a child, Jeon revealed she used to write fanfiction and only circulated it among classmates.
She described how she moved from reader to writer.
"I was just a reader who loved web novels," she said. "Then I thought, 'What if I tried writing one?' A government-run program was offering a free support academy, so I applied. I passed the interview, became a top student there, signed a writer's contract and made my debut."
On whether she'll reveal her pen name, Jeon said she's still undecided. "I worry it might not be good for me, so I haven't made it public," she explained.
Meanwhile, Heo Ga-yoon drew attention after admitting on a February episode of tvN's You Quiz on the Block that she struggled with binge-eating disorder.
Heo said her health declined after 4Minute disbanded and that the problems began with insomnia.
"At first I thought, 'Since I'm awake so long, does my appetite keep growing?'" she said. "Eventually I realized it was a disorder—binge eating."
When host Yoo Jae-suk noted he'd heard she lived like that for seven years, Heo replied, "I didn't realize it at first. When I came to my senses, there were piles of wrappers around me. I looked in the mirror and my face was swollen. I started crying—that's when I realized how serious it was."
After medical tests, doctors told her she displayed strong perfectionist and obsessive tendencies—traits they said are common among idols and athletes. "I felt like I had to control myself and grow up quickly," she admitted.
Heo also discussed how living in Bali helped. "I thought, 'If I die tomorrow, I want to live happily. Let's live differently,'" she said. Change didn't come easily, but moving to Bali made it possible.
"My symptoms eased in Bali," she said. "When I returned to Korea they started again, so I went back to Bali for two months and realized, 'I'm meant to live here.' From travel to settling down, everything happened within about three months."
Former 4Minute leader Nam Ji-hyun's account of abusive on-set behavior also surprised viewers.
Nam, who has worked as a "bare" (ballet + pilates) instructor since 2023, appeared on the YouTube channel 'Hwang Bora Variety' on March 3 and recounted being addressed with profanity on a drama set.
She recalled that during 4Minute's activities, on her first drama set the camera director told her to "stand in front of the ugly [expletive]." She said she tried to respond with positivity, answering, "The ugly [expletive] is coming."
The director later apologized after the shoot, saying he didn't know she was from 4Minute and thought she was a rookie actor he needed to toughen up.
4Minute debuted on June 18, 2009, under Cube Entertainment as a five-member girl group: Heo Ga-yoon, Jeon Ji-yoon, Kim Hyun-a, Nam Ji-hyun and Kwon So-hyun. After their seventh mini album, contract renewal talks collapsed on June 16, 2016, with HyunA departing, and the group disbanded. Last June, on the group's 16th anniversary, Nam Ji-hyun gave each member flowers to mark the occasion; the members left appreciative messages on their personal accounts, creating a warm moment for fans.
