Park Ki Ryang is a well-known cheerleader in Korea, who has cheered for various sports teams and appeared on many TV shows. But did you know that she also tried to become a K-Pop idol in 2016? Here is the story of her journey from cheerleader to K-Pop star and back.
How Park Ki Ryang Became a Cheerleader
Park Ki Ryang was born in 1992 and grew up in Busan. She started dancing when she was in elementary school and joined a dance club in high school. She was passionate about dancing and wanted to pursue it as a career. She auditioned for several entertainment agencies, but was rejected because of her height. She is 168 cm tall, which is considered too tall for a female idol in Korea.
She did not give up on her dream and decided to become a cheerleader instead. She moved to Seoul and joined the cheerleading team of the professional baseball club Doosan Bears in 2012. She quickly gained popularity for her energetic and charismatic performances, as well as her idol-like visuals. She was acknowledged as one of Korea’s most popular cheerleaders and was nicknamed “the goddess of cheerleading”.
Park Ki Ryang also cheered for other sports teams, such as the professional basketball club Seoul SK Knights and the professional volleyball team Incheon Korean Air Jumbos. She became a model for various brands and magazines, and appeared on several variety shows, such as Running Man, Happy Together, and Radio Star. She even had a cameo role in the drama The Producers in 2015.
How Park Ki Ryang Tried to Become a K-Pop Idol
Park Ki Ryang felt that the peak of her popularity was in 2014, and two years later, she tried her hand at becoming a K-Pop idol. She released her solo debut EP, Lucky Charm, in 2016, which consisted of four songs, including the title track “Shake It”. She also made a music video for the song, which featured her dancing and singing skills.
However, her solo debut was not successful. She admitted during an episode of Fantastic Duo 2 in 2017 that her solo debut was a “failure”. She had spent ₩200 million KRW (about $150,000 USD) on producing and promoting the album, but it did not receive much attention or support from the public. She said that she regretted her decision and felt that she was not ready to be a singer.
She also revealed that she faced a lot of difficulties and challenges during her idol trainee period. She said that she had to lose weight, practice singing and dancing for hours, and endure harsh criticism from her agency. She said that she felt lonely and stressed, and that she missed her cheerleading days.
How Park Ki Ryang Returned to Cheerleading
After her unsuccessful attempt at becoming a K-Pop idol, Park Ki Ryang returned to cheerleading. She resumed her activities as a cheerleader for the Seoul SK Knights and the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos. She also continued to model and appear on TV shows. She even showcased her singing talents once again while appearing on the popular reality program King of Masked Singer in 2022.
She is currently a cheerleader for the professional basketball club Seoul SK Knights and the professional volleyball team Incheon Korean Air Jumbos. She is also a model for the online shopping mall MEFLEX, which sells luxury goods. She has over 240,000 followers on her Instagram account, where she posts photos and videos of her daily life and work.
She said that she is happy and satisfied with her current career, and that she does not regret her past choices. She said that she learned a lot from her experience as an idol trainee and singer, and that she gained more confidence and maturity. She said that she still loves dancing and singing, and that she hopes to show more of her talents in the future.
She also said that she is grateful for the love and support that she receives from her fans and the public. She said that she wants to be a positive and inspiring role model for others, and that she will always work hard and do her best. She said that she is proud of being a cheerleader, and that she will never stop cheering for her teams and herself.
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