[Idols after the Idol life… This is what happened to my Oppa almost 10 years after his group’s disbandment. What about your Oppa? What will happen to him or them after their idol lives, and how will you react?]

I’ve been meaning to share this for a while but wanted to do some extensive research, so I’ve finally gotten to share.

On the September 1st episode of Mamamia, (Which many probably know as the episode in which EXO’s Chanyeol made a panel guest appearance) one of my first generation idol Oppas, 1^st generation idol group N.R.G member Noh Yoomin, appeared with his mother.

My NRG Bias Noh Yoomin Oppa (B. 10.12.1980) is now 33 years old in Korean age. He completed his army service in 2010, and married a woman he dated for many years just after his army service completion also in 2010. Her name is Lee Myungcheon, she used to be a chorus singer in the entertainment industry, and is 6 years older than Yoomin Oppa.

It’s not hard to keep up with Yoomin’s oppa’s story behind his marriage and married life now, as he makes appearances on news shows and just interview shows from time to time to let the public know how he’s doing.

The photo above is Yoomin Oppa and his wife appearing on an interview show along with their second daughter, Noelle. The last two images are stills of their first daughter, Noah, who was born prematurely after 6 months of pregnancy, hospitalized in the NICU, went through numerous surgeries, and is now getting much better and healthier.

As you can see, Yoomin Oppa has gained much weight since his days with NRG, when they competed against the other large 1^st generation idol groups – H.O.T, Sechs Kies, Shinhwa, 1TYM, etc.

This is what Yoomin Oppa looked like back during NRG’s prime days.

In this last picture, NRG is it’s beginning 5-members, Chun Myunghoon on the far right, Yoomin oppa at the very front, Moon Sunghoon and Lee Sungjin in the back, and Kim Hwansung on the far left. Member Kim Hwansung died of viral pneumonia at the age of 20 after NRG’s 2^nd album.

And this is a photo Yoomin Oppa recently shared on Twitter, commenting about his sickness and warning people to stay away from sickness! Hehe. Even if it’s not nearly as many fans as he used to garner, Yoomin Oppa still knows there are good people that would like to know how he’s doing.

It has been quite some time since NRG’s lengthy, tragic history, and the individual activities of the remaining three members in the entertainment industry. I got into NRG during their popular 3^rd album, in which their title song, “Rain”, became a hit for its meaningful dedication to deceased member Kim Hwansung. I was in elementary school at the time, but I still enjoy listening to “Rain” on my iPod now.

So that’s a bit of a long summary about what I noticed as I watched the mentioned episode Mamamia (Yes my reason for tuning in was for Chanyeol too. And yes Kyuhyun is my SuJu bias but I don’t watch every episode of Mamamia and Radio Star that’s just unreasonable.), and just seeing how far Yoomin Oppa has come since his prime days. The same prime days, which many of our beloved idol groups are experiencing today.

But just talking about Yoomin Oppa isn’t the full way to approach the life of idols after their idol lives. Don’t get me wrong, I mean Yoomin Oppa still looks the same as he did back then, adorable smile and all. But another of my absolute favorite 1^st generation idol groups, Shinhwa, is a whole other end of the story! (Sorry about the female in the picture I didn't feel like cropping her out >.<)

Shinhwa (Debuted in 1998) is still a very active idol group after having gone through extensive and just as riveting stories as NRG. And everyone agrees that having remained the entertainment industry’s most tight-knit group, all six original members have only changed to become more handsome, attractive, and mature after 15 years.

Being a Shinhwa Changjo, the light of growth and change from the original, prime days, similar to the story of Yoomin Oppa and NRG, really dawns on me. My Shinhwa Oppas are still the same, I still adore them, and they know the entertainment industry better than anyone else.

The Shinhwa members have revealed everything imaginable for an idol group. From member Junjin being on We Got Married with Actress Lee Shiyoung, the two of them dating after the show, breaking up, and Lee Shiyoung becoming a Korean National Team female boxer, to numerous solo albums (Too many per member to count, actually), to member Kim Dongwan’s oppa’s confession that he attended an Alcoholism Clinic with his manager… Being Shinhwa Changjo, you get it all.

So yeah! Shinhwa is still an active idol group. Their fanbase undoubtedly matches those of popular idol groups now. And yes, many of their fans are married with kids. They’re not afraid to show their old and new fans what they’ve become in the last 15 years, just like Yoomin Oppa. Their stories are just a little different, but all in all, they’re all life stories all the same.

And a popular quote that Shinhwa’s Dongwan Oppa (B. 11.21.1979, 34 years old in Korean age) said on Radio Star once upon a time that really speaks out directly to what I’m talking about here…

It was while he was sharing stories about how he used to spray water from the group’s apartment veranda to fans waiting outside, telling them to go home. What he said to fans now and what he wants them to know even now is:

“Shinhwa is not and will not take responsibilities of your lives!”

We still love him and he still loves us. But it’s a reality that has more meaning than just being funny. You all, as fans of your favorite idols like Super Junior, Big Bang, SHINee, 2pm, Beast, Infinite, EXO, etc, play huge roles in these idols’ lives right now, as big as the roles they play in yours.

But what about in the next 10 years? Not every idol group will reign like Shinwa. In fact, Shinhwa is only one group who has reigned as the kings they have. It’s a very difficult feat.

What happens to our Idol Oppas after their idol lives, we can learn from people like Yoomin Oppa, who have gone through the experience.

Back in an interview in March of this year, 1^st generation idol group H.O.T member Kangta (B. 10.10.1979, 35 in Korean age), now the only member left still in SM Entertainment from the original group, spoke about his company hoobaes, the two members of TVXQ, and gave them some pointers.

He said, “TVXQ is going through the same thing I went through with my group. It makes me think that they must be having similar thoughts and worries as me and makes me more attached to them. What I can tell the TVXQ members now is that you can’t control what happens as time changes. As an entertainer, you have to accept how your status and popularity changes and prepare ahead what you can do to secure stability. That way, when your popularity isn’t like what it used to be you can still get through it by yourself. They’re doing so well even now that I don’t have much more to tell them. I would just like for them to be ready when they’ll get lonely to fight off the loneliness with what they’ve prepared for themselves.”

Source: http://tvdaily.mk.co.kr/read.php3?aid=1363331577481946002

The difficulties, heartaches, loneliness, and suffering Kangta must have gone through when his group disbanded, his fans left, and he found himself alone, can be seen through his advice to the TVXQ members.

Another 1^st generation idol also very recently spoke up about the hardship of falling down from the popularity tower that is, male idol supremacy.

No one really remembers who 1^st generation idol Click B is. Except T-ara member Sohyun, who was their probably number one fan, all by herself, back in her school days, lol.

But now Sohyun is seeing the fruit of her dedicated fanship! She and Click B member Oh Jonghyuk (Former main vocal of Click B) revealed their dating relationship of 3 years very recently, to the pleasant surprise of fans and netizens. I still cannot get over how cute it is that Sohyun, the ONLY Click B fan ever, got to know and develop a relationship with her Oppa she used to dream about! Cutest thing ever. And he is seriously like, fineeee! 14 years after debut! (In the old Click B photo he’s the one feeding the soda to the guy at the bottom.)

If you haven’t recognized him yet, he is the cute, buff guy from the most recent season of Laws of the Jungle, the guy recently discharged from the Korean Navy, who became quick friends with Sungyeol of Infinite. Born on February 16th, 1983, now 31 years old in Korean age.

On the very last episode of The Laws of the Jungle in Maya, an episode with compilations of hidden stories, clips, and interviews not aired on the show until now, Oh Jonghyuk of Click B confessed some of the hardships he faced after his idol days.

Source: http://www.etoday.co.kr/news/section/newsview.php?idxno=797193 and http://tvdaily.mk.co.kr/read.php3?aid=1380293923579075019

Since he was young, Oh Jonghyuk experienced a type of Social Phobia, not able to connect easily with others around him. He commented that “Suddenly, I lived very closed off. I was afraid and nervous to meet people. I feared getting close to people after having experienced how close one can get to a group of people over a short period of time only to get back that much more pain in the end.”

Have you, as a fan, imagined what it’s like, to be so popular and loved, that you can’t do anything without having your picture taken or your actions recorded by someone who loves you?

And what happens when in so suddenly, all of that comes crashing down? The fans who used to follow your every move, are nowhere to be found. People are interested in someone else now, someone younger, and you’re not important any more.

How does this experience affect our idol Oppas?

And us?

Just things to think about, if you’re as involved a kpop fan as I am.

I’m happy to still see Yoomin oppa’s life every now and then.

And my Shinhwa oppas, I just really wish that… they’re at least considering getting married sometime soon. Because my Oppas… as attractive and handsome and wonderful as they are, they’re getting old.

[Photo from bottom left to right: Junjin (Born 8.19.1980, 34 years old in Korean age), Minwoo (Born 7.28.1979, 35 years old in Korean age), Dongwan (Born 11.21.1979, 35 years old in Korean age), Hyesung (Born 11.27.1979, 35), Eric (Born 2.16.1979, 35 {Oh hey Eric has the same birthday as Oh Jonghyuk!}), Andy (Born 1.21.1981, 24 years old in Korean age)]

Also, I do thank Kangta for the very sound advice he gave to the TVXQ members, whom I fully support. And I still just love Sohyun and Oh Jonghyuk’s relationship, and wish them well~

But lastly, just letting you guys know, that this isn’t just stories about these 1^st generation guys I’ve mentioned. Not even just about TVXQ either. It’s about everyone – Super Junior, Big Bang, SHINee, 2pm, Beast, Infinite, EXO, etc – they’re all going to go through things very similar to these 1^st generation idols.

So think about it, have in on your mind, and know that in the next 10 years, your bias might be married with two beautiful daughters. Or attending an alcoholism clinic. Or dating one of his fans.

What will you be doing then~?