On MBC's Omniscient Interfering View, actress Lee Elijah revealed why she ultimately gave up plans to debut as an idol.
The April 4 episode of the network's variety program followed Lee through her daily routine and career updates.
Lee recently finished eighth on TV Chosun's Miss Trot 4. She told the show she had trained in classical singing since third grade but was forced to stop after developing vocal cord nodules.
A former member of the KBS choir, Lee studied music at Korea Arts High School. She said she joined Miss Trot 4 mainly for the fun of it, and because her mother — an avid viewer — knew many of the songs from her generation.
Lee said she received numerous idol offers and even street-casting approaches. She recalled getting business cards from SM and BigHit and said she once met with producer Bang Si-hyuk.
She ultimately declined the idol route after her parents urged her to go to college first. \"Once I stepped away, it was hard to go back,\" she said.
Lee also shared that singer Yeongji has been acting as a temporary guardian rather than a manager. \"I've been working without an agency for seven months,\" she said, noting she handled a recent drama shoot on her own. Getting company support occasionally made her wonder whether she should become accustomed to someone else taking care of her career.
Working independently has forced her to take charge, and she says it has brought a strong sense of accomplishment. Lee noted she has no manager or stylist and was wearing her own clothes on the day of filming; she added, with a laugh, that she still gets help with makeup.
She said she handles casting inquiries herself and negotiates schedules and fees. Smiling, she added she was satisfied with and grateful for the appearance fee for this Omniscient Interfering View episode.
Originally the top entrant in the acting department at Seoul Institute of the Arts, Lee is currently enrolled in Korea University's Graduate School of Integrated Psychological Science and has passed the Level 1 psychological counselor exam. \"I study psychology because it's the study of people,\" she said, adding that she may pursue work as a counselor in the future.
By Eun-jeong Kim, TenAsia reporter
