I think trying to do only what I was good at kept me from growing. What's familiar is always safe and comfortable. Up through "Miss Trot 2," I had my own stubbornness. In my second attempt, "Miss Trot 4," I went in with the mindset that even if I made mistakes, I would try things I wasn't good at. I think that sincerity reached people.
Singer Heo Chan-mi, who drew attention by placing second ("seon") on TV CHOSUN's trot audition program "Miss Trot 4," emphasized the power of taking on challenges in an era of competition.
On the 27th, at the second ChosunBiz "Biz Morning Insight (BMI)" talk concert held at the Westin Josun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Heo Chan-mi said, "We need challenges that break inertia instead of staying with what's familiar."
Heo Chan-mi is considered the contestant with the most tumultuous narrative among those on Miss Trot 4. She attempted a total of four audition programs before transitioning from an idol group member to a trot singer. She kept trying despite repeated eliminations, and ultimately showed her true value on Miss Trot 4.
She said, "Up through 'Miss Trot 2,' I thought, 'I'm a former idol and a performance-focused singer, so I just need to show that well.' But it didn't satisfy viewers as much as I expected, and trying to do only what I was good at seems to have blocked my growth."
She went on, "On 'Miss Trot 4,' I tried many new things, including learning Gyeonggi folk songs," adding, "Audiences seemed to feel sincerity and genuineness not only in the finished performance but also in the process of taking on challenges."
Heo Chan-mi said that through the Miss Trot 4 stage, she also realized what she could use to move people's hearts. "Since my debut at 19, many fans told me this was their favorite version of me," she said. "I learned that rather than filling the stage with flashier, stronger performances, sincere challenges and empathy matter more."
She cited the power to move toward a goal as the driving force that helped her withstand the pressure of constant competition. "There are so many formidable contestants, and you're always under pressure as you have to push past them and keep moving up," she said. "All the more reason I kept thinking about the goal of simply doing what I prepared well on stage and stepping down." She added, "That way, I felt less nervous and had more fun, and I actually got good results."
She also stressed the importance of composure in not being discouraged by failure and steadily building one's own story. "Those who succeed aren't the ones who go fast but the ones who never give up to the end," she said. "It takes courage." She continued, "My past failures made me who I am now. The time of failure and hurt added depth, and now I have a story that no one else can imitate."