Female K-Pop Star Admits To Performing While Drunk

K-Pop singer Chae Yeon, who recently went viral after her hit song appeared in The Glory, has opened up about the career incident that changed her relationship with alcohol for good.

In a new video on comedian Lee Eun Ji’s YouTube channel, Chae Yeon looked back on how she managed her body and schedule at the peak of her career — including just how often she used to drink. Shortly after her debut, she was going out to drink four to five nights every week.

I had just become a celebrity. A lot of people contacted me. They’d say, ‘Come out for drinks,’ or ‘Come out here.’ I had just debuted, so of course I was excited.

— Chae Yeon

Her intense drinking habits eventually led to one night she still remembers clearly. After drinking all night and through to the morning, Chae Yeon admits that she headed to a scheduled performance without even sleeping.

By Chae Yeon’s own account, even the drunken car ride to the venue was rough. Once she made it on stage to sing, her condition felt so different from usual that she realized, “I can’t keep doing this.” That was the moment that marked a turning point so major, it got her completely sober.

From that point on, I really didn’t drink at all for 7 or 8 years.

— Chae Yeon

Chae Yeon explained that she eventually eased back into drinking, but kept it to just a drink or two at a time.