[Herald Interview] Min says her ‘prime time’ is not over

K-pop solo artist Min used to be swayed by how the public evaluated her.

She used to react to criticism by dwelling on past glories. But not anymore.

"At some point, I thought to myself, 'Why let these strangers influence the way I live my own life?'" she said during an interview with The Korea Herald on Wednesday.

This was when Min came up with her latest song “Prime Time,” the title track of her first EP that was released on June 21.

“People defined my glory days as when I was active as a member of Miss A, which led me to think that my prime time is over," she said. "But after putting myself together, I wanted to tell the world that only I get to decide my prime time. I hope to give confidence to people who need it through my music."

Min debuted as a K-pop artist in 2010 as a member of the now-defunct girl group Miss A.

Miss A garnered remarkable popularity with hit singles such as “Bad Girl Good Girl,” “Hush” and “Goodbye Baby.”

Yet, Min says her best days are in the present.

"My prime time is now. Now I know more about myself, and I’ve earned wisdom after being in the entertainment industry for the past 14 years. I know how to look after myself and now I have a clear vision of what I want to do,” Min said.

Min, renowned for her outstanding dance performance since her debut, added a powerful performance to the latest titular track.

“I wanted to create a powerful performance, not a sexy one. Now that I am on my own, all eyes are on me when I perform, which pushes me to do better. I even took part in coming up with the choreography for the song,” said Min.

The soloist also took part in composing and writing the lyrics to three of the four tracks in her new EP.

Min shares her journey to self-discovery and empowerment on the new release, showcasing her determination to create the music she envisions.

Min produced and released her new EP in New York, as she moved there in 2022.

“This is my first time promoting my album in New York, so everything is new to me. It’s overwhelming but exciting at the same time,” she said.

It was a casting offer from a Broadway musical, “KPOP,” that had led Min to the US.

“I got the offer through a direct message on Instagram, so at first, I thought it was a scam. Debuting on Broadway was what I needed at that time when I was longing for something new in my life. Being on stage every day was not easy at first but I loved it. It helped me enhance my stage manner and vocals,” said Min.

She hopes that this new EP could bring her the opportunity to continue her career in Seoul as well.

In the meantime, Min says she is working on a music video for “Shimmy,” the second track on her first EP.

“Our team really loves this song, so we are working on how to make a visually appealing clip with it. We are also planning a tour, so stay tuned,” hinted Min.