The latest on singer Lee Ji-yeon, once called the "clear-file goddess" of the 1980s, has been revealed. Lee is said to be successfully running a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States.
Singer Kim Wan-sun posted a photo on Oct. 18 on her Instagram with Lee Ji-yeon, broadcaster Lim Baek-cheon, and actor Chae Si-ra. The photo appears to have been taken at Kim Wan-sun's exhibition.
Regarding why she visited Korea after a long time, Lee Ji-yeon is said to have noted, "I really wanted to see Wan-sun unni's new challenge."
Debuting in 1987 as a high schooler with "That reason was pain to me," Lee Ji-yeon gained huge popularity in the 1990s alongside Kang Su-ji and Ha Su-bin. She won a rookie award with "I don't know love yet," and released numerous hit songs including "Wind, please stop." At the time, she also formed a rivalry with Kim Wan-sun, who scored hits such as "That dance in the rhythm."
She became a star big enough to sing on stage during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but in 1990 she moved to the United States and settled there. At 36, she enrolled in the culinary school Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta and began a second life, worked at several restaurants and hotels, and opened her own restaurant, "Heirloom Market BBQ." Last year, The New York Times (NYT) named it one of the 25 best restaurants in Atlanta, and in 2023 it was selected for the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.
Heirloom Market BBQ is a fusion Korean restaurant that Lee Ji-yeon operates with her business partner Cody Taylor. Cody Taylor and Lee Ji-yeon got engaged and later called it off, but they have continued their relationship as friends and business partners.
Lee Ji-yeon once said, "The restaurant we started with 30 million won is receiving so much love," expressing gratitude to the team and partner who worked hard.