Singer Ailee, a second-generation Korean American, spoke candidly about moving to Korea and finding her footing as an artist.
On actress Han Go-eun's YouTube channel recently, Ailee and her husband, Choi Si-hoon, joined Han and her husband for a Thanksgiving-style meal and a heart-to-heart. With both Ailee and Han sharing Korean American roots, they compared cultural gaps between Korea and the United States and opened up about identity whiplash they felt in the entertainment industry.
"Eighteen years ago, after I uploaded a singing video on YouTube, I got flooded with messages inviting me to audition in Korea," Ailee recalled. "Some people even came all the way to New Jersey to find me." In 2007, she drew buzz with covers of Whitney Houston's songs and, even before debut, made an unexpected splash by appearing on NBC's 'Maury Show' in the United States.
After moving to Korea in 2011, Ailee officially debuted the following year and kicked off her career in earnest. "I was in my 20s, so everything felt new and fun. I loved Korean culture, so just being active in Korea made me happy," she said. "But in the U.S., I had always lived as a Korean, and once I got to Korea, I suddenly felt like a foreigner. It was the best place for me, but at times I felt like an outsider, a minority."
She added that she didn't have a proper chance to study Korean history growing up in the States, so living in Korea sparked that interest. These days, she says she watches 'Naked Korean History' regularly.
Ailee also remembered Han Go-eun's standout turn in a black jumpsuit at the 2009 MAMA Awards. "Seeing a fellow gyopo sunbae own the stage like that was so cool. She became an icon who made me think, 'I can be a singer in Korea too,'" Ailee said. Han replied, "I've loved you since your YouTube singing days. I'll definitely come to your Christmas show this year," cheering her on.
Meanwhile, Ailee is married to actor-turned-entrepreneur Choi Si-hoon, and the couple are enjoying newlywed bliss. Still going strong with albums and performances, Ailee will meet fans with her solo concert 'Last Christmas' at KBS Arena in Seoul on Christmas Eve.