Lee Elijah Meets HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk

Actress Lee Eliya revealed her past experience of personally meeting with Big Hit's CEO Bang Si-hyuk. Lee Eliya explained her reason for challenging the trot competition program 'Miss Trot 4' by stating that she had learned vocal music from the third grade of elementary school and pursued music until high school, but had to give it up due to vocal cord nodules. She also added that her mother was a devoted viewer of 'Miss Trot', and she decided to participate because she liked the songs from her mother's generation.

Lee Eliya confessed that during her high school years, she received many offers for street casting and was given business cards by both SM and Big Hit. She mentioned that she even had a personal meeting with Big Hit's CEO Bang Si-hyuk at the time, but chose to go to college first at her parents' recommendation, and found it difficult to return to the entertainment industry afterward. Additionally, regarding her past performance of popping dance on a broadcast, she revealed that she had learned ballet and dance when she was young and continues to learn them separately.

Young Ji, Lee Eliya's vocal trainer and a singer from Bubble Sisters, stated that Lee Eliya has been working independently without an agency for seven months. Young Ji shared that she felt concerned seeing Lee Eliya so busy during the competition, driving herself, going to salons, and even filming for projects, which prompted her to ask for Lee Eliya's contact information. She added that she is temporarily looking after her as a 'chief of staff' until Lee Eliya finds a good agency.

Lee Eliya explained her reasons for working without an agency, stating that she pondered whether it was right to become accustomed to being taken care of by someone, and that she felt a sense of accomplishment from proactively handling tasks on her own. She is currently working without a manager or stylist, wearing her own clothes, and personally handling broadcast invitations and fee negotiations.

Lee Eliya was a top student admitted to the Acting Department at Seoul Institute of the Arts and is currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Convergent Psychology at Korea University, having also passed the Level 1 Certified Psychological Counselor exam. She explained that she studied psychology because she considers it a study of people and is considering working as a counselor in the future.