Actress Hwang Jung-eum, formerly of the group Sugar, burst into tears during a vocal lesson—sparking buzz.
On the 8th, Hwang Jung-eum uploaded a new video to her YouTube channel, visiting a practice studio to receive vocal training.
"I have no lingering attachment to being a singer. I just want to sing well," she said. She added, "I'm a solo now. I want to go have fun with friends, but I never really have. I find people who know how to have fun fascinating—and I'm jealous."
The vocal trainer checked in, saying, "You look like you've lost a lot of weight." Hwang replied, "Things were a bit tough lately, but I'm much more settled now." She continued, "Handling a lot of tough stuff drained all my energy," candidly updating fans on how she's been.
She then chose Im Hyun-jung's 'Love Is Like Spring Rain, Farewell Is Like Winter Rain' and began practicing. As emotions swelled, she suddenly started crying. "What do I do? I'm tearing up," she said, stopping mid-song. Looking startled herself, she asked, "Why am I crying? This doesn't usually happen, right?" When the trainer agreed it was unusual, Hwang joked, "Should I go see a psychiatrist?" drawing laughter—before explaining through tears, "I just really understand these lyrics."
The trainer noted that Hwang's immersion mirrors her acting process, saying, "The way you dive into a song is similar to acting. Highly immersive actors often experience this." Hwang recalled, "I think there were times in the past when I felt sad singing with my teacher, too."
Hwang Jung-eum debuted with Sugar in 2002 and transitioned to acting in 2005. She married a former pro golfer–turned–businessman in 2016 and had two sons, but finalized a divorce in 2025.