Exclusive: Dayoung Wants To Break This Myth About Female Idols: “I’d Love To Erase The Idea That…”
In an exclusive interview, Dayoung opened up about female empowerment, the myths surrounding female idols, being herself around male peers, and so much more.
DAYOUNG, a member of the K-pop group WJSN, has carved an identity of her own and continues to make waves as a solo artist. But music isn’t the only thing she is making noise with. From breaking stereotypes to embracing her individuality, she is unapologetically herself. We recently caught up with her for an exclusive interview, where she opened up about female empowerment, the myths surrounding female idols, being herself around male peers, and so much more. Read on!
1. Women in the industry often get labelled “rebellious” or “controversial” just for expressing themselves freely. For you, what does real empowerment mean right now, and what’s one big myth about female idols you’d love to completely erase?
A: “To me, real empowerment means knowing what I want, being able to make my own choices, and having the strength to take responsibility for those choices. I don’t think empowerment necessarily means always appearing strong. Sometimes, moving forward with confidence is a form of strength, but I also think being able to admit when you’re struggling or willing to learn something you don’t know can require just as much strength.”
Ultimately, DAYOUNG believes real confidence comes from knowing who she is rather than becoming who others expect her to be. She wants to make her own choices about her music, the sides of herself she shows, and the stories she tells, while taking responsibility for those choices.
“If there’s one stereotype I would love to see disappear, it’s the idea that there is one “right” image that a female artist is supposed to have. Female artists are artists, but they’re also people. Someone can be bright and playful, strong and confident, sexy, or sometimes sensitive and honest. All of those sides can exist within the same person.”
The K-pop idol believes she should not be defined by one image or label. She wants to freely explore both powerful and emotional sides of herself through her music, knowing that all of them are part of who she is.
“I believe female artists should be able to freely express many different sides of themselves and tell many different kinds of stories. Rather than creating a box for myself that says, “DAYOUNG has to be this kind of person,” I want to keep discovering new sides of myself and express them freely through my music and performances.”
2. You’ve broken so many stereotypes and inspired fans by embracing your natural beauty and skin tone. How does it feel when fans tell you that seeing you be so unapologetically yourself helped them love themselves more?
A: “Whenever I hear something like that, I feel incredibly grateful and, at the same time, a little amazed. I wasn’t someone who loved every part of myself completely from the beginning either. I compared myself to other people too, and there were definitely times when I wondered what would make me look prettier.”
DAYOUNG says her perspective gradually changed over time. Instead of constantly wondering how she could look prettier, she began focusing on how she could look more like herself.
“Everyone is born with different features, different vibes, and different kinds of charm. Rather than trying to fit all of that into one standard, I’ve come to believe that it’s more important to understand what you naturally have and find the best way to embrace and express it. I feel the same way about my skin tone. Rather than trying to make something that is naturally part of me fit someone else’s standard, I want to show myself as I am, in a way that feels healthy and confident.
And knowing that naturally accepting and appreciating who I am can have a positive influence on someone else means so much to me. When fans tell me, “Seeing DAYOUNG made me like myself a little more,” those words actually give me strength too.”
DAYOUNG says she is still learning to understand and love herself. While she does not feel confident every day, she tries to accept those moments as part of herself and hopes that being true to who she is can help others feel comfortable doing the same.
3. The internet loves how authentic, confident, and relaxed you are around male co-hosts and peers without overthinking about dating rumours or double standards. Has staying this true to yourself come naturally to you, and why do you think it’s so important to break down those awkward barriers between male and female colleagues?
A: “When I meet someone, I tend to focus less on their gender and more on who they are as a person and what kind of conversations we can have together.
When you’re working with someone, I think it’s natural to be able to share your thoughts comfortably, laugh together when something is funny, and exchange positive energy. I also believe that open communication and trust between the people working together are really important when it comes to creating great content or putting on a great performance.
Of course, mutual respect and healthy boundaries are important in any relationship. To me, that’s the foundation. As long as there is mutual respect, I believe people can become great colleagues or good friends regardless of whether they are men or women.”
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DAYOUNG says she does not consciously decide how she should behave around others. Overthinking can make her lose some of her natural personality, so she does not want to hide her bright, playful side or stop herself from talking and laughing with people because of others’ opinions.
More than anything, the K-pop idol hopes people can see each other simply as people instead of placing relationships into certain frameworks. She wants to continue respecting her colleagues while communicating honestly and comfortably with them.
First Published: September 24, 2026 3:55 PM
