IVE member Liz surprised viewers after revealing that she appeared in a music video for Girls' Generation's Taeyeon before becoming a K-pop idol herself.
During the October 23 episode of KBS2's music talk show The Seasons: Sung Si Kyung's Music Companion, Liz opened up about her early experiences in the entertainment industry and how she still feels starstruck around Taeyeon.
Liz shared that she appeared in one of Taeyeon's music videos when she was in middle school, an experience that helped inspire her dream of becoming a singer.
Years later, Liz successfully debuted as a member of IVE and eventually had the opportunity to meet the senior artist she had admired since childhood.
However, Liz admitted that meeting Taeyeon in person still makes her nervous.
She explained, "She's such a respected senior artist and a huge star that I still find it difficult to look her in the eyes."
Her confession showed that even after becoming a successful idol, Liz continues to admire Taeyeon.
The singer also reflected on how much her life has changed since she first dreamed of entering the music industry.
Liz shared, "Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream. Then I think about how I worked hard and managed to succeed."
Despite IVE's growing popularity, Liz admitted that she still has trouble seeing herself as a celebrity.
When host Sung Si Kyung mentioned IVE's achievements, including 83 music show wins and a world tour covering 12 countries, Liz responded modestly.
She said, "I still feel like an island girl. I don't really feel like I've become a star."
Liz, who grew up on Jeju Island, explained that moving to Seoul for her trainee years introduced her to many unfamiliar experiences.
She even recalled being surprised by how quickly delivery services operated in the capital, bringing laughter to the studio.
During the conversation, Liz also discussed her growing involvement in IVE's music.
She revealed that she recently participated in writing lyrics for one of the group's new songs and had previously contributed lyrics to around three tracks on an earlier album.
Joking about her creative work, Liz said, "Whenever I write lyrics, I feel my artistic side coming out."
Although Liz has achieved major success with IVE, her comments about Taeyeon highlighted how much she continues to respect the artists who inspired her.
From appearing in Taeyeon's music video as a young student to meeting her as a fellow singer, Liz's journey has come full circle.
Yet even now, she admits that standing in front of Taeyeon still makes her feel like the young fan who once dreamed of becoming an idol.
