Jeon Soyeon, "I'm Scared to Even Start Because of Perfectionism"... The Retirement of Passion Contained in 'I'm Quitting'

An obsession with perfection has instead become a new driving force for creation. (I-dle)'s Jeon Soyeon candidly confessed her attitude toward music and the psychological pressure she experienced due to perfectionism.

The conversation shared by the YouTube channel 'MiraniGorani' contains the process of producing Jeon Soyeon's recently released song 'I'm Quitting' and her unique perfectionist tendencies. While Jeon Soyeon is having busy days recently after recording a No. 1 hit, she confessed to a habit of pushing herself by saying "this is the last time" whenever she makes music. She explained the meaning of the song 'I'm Quitting' by stating, "It is not a resignation as an office worker, but dreaming of a retirement of passion."

"Let's make a song that wouldn't typically come out of an agency"... The sincerity contained in the title track

Jeon Soyeon revealed clear criteria for why she chose 'I'm Quitting' as the title track for this album. She explained that although there were many songs with a cooler or more stylish mood within the album, she put forward the most sincere song as the title. She stated, "Nowadays, even AI is good and it's a world with perfect aesthetics, so I felt that such perfection actually lacked charm," adding, "My goal was to create a sincere work that could never come out of an agency."

This choice was a kind of gamble. Jeon Soyeon said, "I took courage because I thought if this song doesn't do well, I might go to a place of no return," and shared that she poured all her energy into promoting the song, such as directly knocking on the doors of various programs and meeting strangers.

"To create an environment without mistakes"... Perfectionism that even practiced falling choreography

Jeon Soyeon's perfectionism was also evident in the stage production. She said, "I hate the word 'mistake' itself, and I don't want to make a mistake even if I die," and mentioned that she is the type to adjust and practice all situations in advance to prevent mistakes. When there is an important schedule, she maintains thorough self-management, such as not drinking alcohol from a month in advance or running several humidifiers to maintain optimal condition.

An interesting point is that she paradoxically utilized this perfectionism to compose the stage choreography. The 'falling choreography' shown in the 'I'm Quitting' stage is actually a thoroughly calculated result. Jeon Soyeon revealed that "due to my perfectionist tendencies, I had anxiety that I might not be able to sing this song charmingly," and after discussing with the choreography team, she decided to instead produce a natural appearance as if making a mistake on stage.

She shared that "to show even the act of falling perfectly, I practiced to the point of scraping my knees and getting burns," stating that she prepared so meticulously that she had to practice everything, including the situation after the falling motion.

The tendency to strive for perfection can also make the start of creation difficult. Jeon Soyeon confessed, "When preparing the next album, knowing that if I start, I have to grind myself down too much, I end up delaying it as much as possible because that process is scary." To end this wandering, she works while following a rule she set for herself, such as 'I will wander until a certain day, and after that, I will definitely start.'

Additionally, she mentioned the anxiety regarding her peak years as a celebrity. Entering her 7th to 9th year, she said, "I thought a lot about whether my peak had ended," and candidly shared the pressure she feels due to the professional nature of the job, which is immediately reflected in numbers (views, bookings, etc.). She added that she sometimes suffers from stress to the point of being unable to sleep until the worries are resolved, but her mind finally felt okay only after completing this album and finishing the mastering.

Source: original video (YouTube)