WJSN's Dayoung has opened up about her family history for the first time, revealing that her parents divorced when she was very young and that her biological father left behind billions of KRW in debt. The WJSN member shared her story on the August 18 episode of MBC's 'The Song That Helped Me Endure Today: Playlist 109,' where she talked about her childhood in Jeju and the journey that eventually led her to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. Dayoung said she naturally developed her dream of becoming a singer while singing and dancing for customers at the sea eel restaurant her mother operated. From elementary school, she also helped her mother by taking care of basic preparations at the restaurant. "I thought every day about how I could help my mom without becoming a burden to her when I was young," Dayoung said, explaining that her family was experiencing serious financial difficulties at the time.
Dayoung revealed, "My mother remarried and formed a new family, and my current father is my stepfather," explaining that her biological parents divorced when she was very young. "My biological father left behind so much debt. There were tens of billions of KRW in debt under my mother's name," she said. "It's still a huge amount of money now, but experiencing it at such a young age made it feel overwhelming and hopeless. I felt like I suddenly became an adult at around seven years old."
At the time, Dayoung's mother left home early in the morning to make a living, working another job during the day before running the restaurant in the evening. Watching her mother work so hard, Dayoung set a goal of becoming successful at a young age and turning the family's situation around. She said she even promised her mother that she would succeed by a certain age, while her mother supported and believed in her daughter's determination.
Dayoung said she inherited her strong survival skills and positive personality from her mother. When the number of Chinese tourists visiting Jeju increased significantly, her mother recognized a potential opportunity and began studying Chinese on her own. Without attending an academy, she studied independently and eventually earned an HSK certification. Dayoung said her mother can now hold conversations naturally in Chinese.
Inspired by her mother, Dayoung has also continued studying English. She recalled her mother always telling her, "Opportunities come to everyone, but if you try to prepare only after an opportunity arrives, it will already be too late. You have to prepare in advance so you can seize it when it comes." Dayoung said she still keeps those words in mind. She also revealed that she moved alone to Seoul while still in elementary school, living in a gosiwon, a small rooming residence, while pursuing auditions. Her determination to ease her mother's burden and help her family become financially stable gave her the strength to endure those difficult years.
The same attitude continued throughout her career as a singer. Dayoung said she had dreamed of becoming a solo singer since she was six years old, but her agency discouraged her from pursuing the idea during contract renewal discussions. Instead of giving up, she went back to the basics, starting again with fundamental lessons she had received during her trainee years.
She later requested three months off so she could focus on music production. Once she received permission, she boarded a flight to Los Angeles the very next day. With no established connections in LA, Dayoung contacted singer Eric Nam on her way to the airport and asked him for help. She then personally met with people she wanted to work with locally and invested the money she had saved into the project. In effect, she funded her solo song project 'BODY' with her own money, without financial support from her agency. Rather than waiting for someone to give her an opportunity, she took matters into her own hands and worked to turn her dream of becoming a solo singer into reality.
The song that helped Dayoung endure that period was "number one rockstar." The original demo she received was titled "number one flopstar" and told the gloomy story of a failed star. Dayoung said she became emotional after hearing the song and suggested completely changing its direction. She rewrote the lyrics around her own story and declaration of confidence, ultimately transforming it into "number one rockstar." She revealed that while preparing for her solo career, she listened to the song whenever things became difficult and waited for the day she could finally step out into the world. During the broadcast, Dayoung performed "number one rockstar" live. The three MCs were impressed by her strong vocals. Lee Seok Hoon expressed his surprise, saying, "She sings well live" and "She's so good," adding that the song felt even more meaningful because it contained Dayoung's own story.
Dayoung also talked about her relationship with rapper and entertainer DinDin, with whom she worked as a regular guest on his radio show. She revealed that DinDin would always make sure to give her a birthday gift, showing a more caring side of him that viewers may not have known about.
During the broadcast, Dayoung also delivered a message to people going through difficult times, encouraging them to believe that they are the best according to their own standards, because no one knows them better than they know themselves. It was ultimately a message to believe in the one person in the world who is uniquely themselves.
The family history Dayoung revealed is closely connected to the financial struggles she experienced from around the age of seven.
Her biological father's tens of billions of won in debt, the fact that she grew up in a remarried family, her mother's multiple jobs from early morning until night, and her own childhood spent helping at the restaurant all paint a picture of the environment in which she grew up. Her decision to move alone to Seoul while still in elementary school and live in a gosiwon while auditioning, as well as her decision to spend her own money to travel to LA despite her agency's opposition, can all be traced back to the determination she developed as a child. Her story has drawn renewed attention following the broadcast.
Dayoung was born on May 14, 1999, in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. She is a member of Starship Entertainment's girl group WJSN and its subunit WJSN CHOCOME. Despite experiencing financial hardship stemming from her family circumstances as a child, Dayoung never gave up on her dream of becoming a singer. She moved alone to Seoul in her early teens, lived in a gosiwon and prepared for auditions. She first gained public attention at a young age after appearing on SBS's 'K-Pop Star Season 1.' After going through an intense training period, she officially debuted as a member of WJSN in 2016. Since her debut, Dayoung has served as one of the group's lead vocalists and lead dancers. She has been praised for her solid vocal technique and clear, distinctive tone, while her stable live performances even during demanding choreography have made her an important presence within the group. Her proactive approach has extended to songwriting and music production. While preparing for her solo career, she personally communicated with overseas producers to source music and create opportunities for herself. Her solo track "BODY," which came out of that process, later earned a No. 1 win on a music program, further establishing her presence as a solo artist. Dayoung has also become known as a scene-stealer in variety shows. She competed as a member of FC Top Girl on SBS's 'Kick a Goal' and has appeared on numerous programs, including MBC's 'The King of Mask Singer,' where her bright reactions and witty personality have won over viewers. She has also earned the nickname "Challenge Queen" after planning and participating in hundreds of challenges across agencies and genres. Through short-form content, she
