She Was #1 In Her School In The United States — Then She Moved To Korea To Become One Of K-Pop’s Most Legendary Idols

More often than not, being a K-Pop idol means dedicating your teenage years thoroughly to train and hone your singing, dancing, and several other skills that take you from being a trainee to debuting successfully. Unfortunately, it can also often mean that idol hopefuls have to choose between their studies and their dreams as a priority.

For an iconic second-generation female idol, however, having the best of both worlds was not too impossible a feat. The idol in question is none other than Nicole Jung, a member of KARA.

Born in California, Nicole did most of her schooling in the US, attending Keppel Elementary School and Toll Middle School in Glendale. She was reportedly an all-rounder student who participated in extracurriculars like choir, drill team, and violin for four years. Nicole also took dance classes during this time. Not many people, however, know that she was also a top student.

During her appearance on the variety show KAIST, Nicole had revealed that she ranked first in her middle school.

Despite such an extraordinary academic record, Nicole decided to pursue her passion. She auditioned for DSP Media by sending a video of her singing songs by iconic K-Pop artists like Ivy. She ended up passing the audition and made the hard decision to move to South Korea with her mother. Despite the difficulties of adjusting to a new culture and being away from friends, she persevered.

Nicole debuted as the youngest member of KARA in 2007 and was active as a member until 2014 when she parted ways with DSP. Apart from singing, she also expanded her career into acting, having appeared in dramas such as Secret Love and Here He Comes. She, however, is best known for her variety of show appearances, including on King Of Masked Singer, Video Star, and Immortal Songs.

Fifteen years after their debut, KARA reunited in 2022 for an anniversary-special album, Move Again. Nicole has since appeared with her group members on shows like I Can See Your Voice and It’s Just Me, KARA. They have also reunited for a series of appearances at festivals and concerts, such as the 60th anniversary concert of Korea-Japan relations.