Min: ‘You Never have to Earn the Right to Live life on Your Terms’

Min recently dropped her new EP, Prime Time—her exploration of empowerment and awakening since moving to New York—and it’s the centerpiece of this interview, alongside anecdotes that helped me get to know the former member of Miss A, an influential K-pop act of its time. Since releasing the EP, she says, “I’ve been ecstatic about its reception,” actively engaging with fans, speaking about the music, and spreading the word. 

Prime Time is an initiation and a reflection of the whole process, where she is, in a sense that’s not only a sign of something big coming her way in this chapter of her life but also her belief that while “you never have to earn the right to live life on your terms, I certainly have earned that right throughout my career and life.” It conveys her passion for pulling out all the stops to create the music she always had in mind—the music that truly resonates with her. “When I moved to New York, I had no plans of moving here for good. I came to do a show on Broadway called KPOP, and after the show closed, I decided to stay here. I guess you can say that the spirit of New York—the right to completely be yourself and be uninhibited—was one of the inspirations for this EP.” Prime Time is Min saying just that: “What you have come to know me by, judge me by, and dictate my life by, none of that matters because where I am right now in my life is going to be defined by me and no one else.”

As is the complex dynamics of creative production in the context of music-making, Prime Time kicked off with Monstar Entertainment approaching Min, who she reveals genuinely seemed excited and saw her as “the woman” and “the artist” that she is, and of course, her very drive to express and delve into the depths of experiences. “From there, it was writing sessions accompanied by food, endless meetings to discuss creative concepts, dance rehearsals, performance video shoots, photoshoots—all of the stuff that people glamorize, but really, it’s a lot of work. Everything felt super-organic, and it makes me feel proud of not just the final product but the entire process of getting to that destination.”

The four-track album drives home the innately personal and expressive aspects of Min’s life through intellectual and emotional lenses, serving as a musical portrayal of her findings from this introspection. She tells me, for example, that “Happy Plant” is a recorded phone conversation she had with her grandmother, the pillar of her life and her biggest driving force. “Even though it’s in a language that a lot of people may not be able to understand, I hope that the takeaway is that there is always someone in your corner who is rooting for you and believing in you even when you can’t do that for yourself at times.”

So, what definitive, necessary point about Prime Time would you like to make? Min replies pronto, “That, baby, it’s your prime time, and go shine. In all seriousness, I genuinely hope that people feel empowered to live their best lives, to shun all of the voices and critics that impose their opinions on their lives, and to be the most authentic and genuine versions of themselves because that shines. It’s a message I needed to remind myself of, and it’s a message all of us need to hear.”

A strong sense of freedom has become what it is—Min’s creative voice—evolving past limitations and taking a freewheeling attitude. It all began in 2007. Min made a few solo songs that year and in 2008, joined Miss A in 2010, left the group in 2017, and carried on with her solo projects. “Well, those solo songs were never released and were meant to be for my solo debut, which was the plan originally before I joined Miss A, but when people heard them, there was a huge buzz and excitement surrounding not only those songs but my debut as a solo artist in the States.” That said, she admits, “Everything happens for a reason, one way or another.” Her Miss A debut was unplanned but surely a decisive moment in Min’s life. The band, in her words, “has some experiences that only the four of us are privy to,” performed on some of the biggest stages, and won some of the most prestigious awards and honors. All of that [both the good and bad], she adds, “provided a sturdy foundation for what my career is defined by now, which is a strong sense of freedom, independence, and truly going for what I want.” 

Looking back, Miss A’s music was “sensational,” especially for that K-pop era, Min recalls. It was unlike anything heard before, and she felt that’s why they were so well received. “The production was top-notch because you don’t get anything that’s not from JYP, a brilliant producer and musical mind.” However, as a solo artist, she’s got a distinct voice when singing and making her kind of music. “That’s very different from being in a group, and my musical expression now is completely free and deeply personal to me.” I can imagine it calls for a high level of will and persistence to release music as an independent artist. As she says, “There’s the creative aspect; that doesn’t feel like work, but there’s song registrations, administrative work, scheduling, etc. It’s a lot, but I’m up to the challenge.”

“I don’t strive to differentiate myself.” As the pop star’s career keeps expanding, her music as an advocate of artistic freedom and independence is cemented, hinting at the eloquence of creative expression in popular music. Min, as I’ve been gathering through this exchange, simply wants to be herself and make beautiful music. “I think that act in and of itself is empowering, and I hope that everyone can live that way. I understand that, in many cases, it’s not that simple. It took me a long time to get here too.” As a solo artist, she’s eager to see her work reach not only her long-time fans but also new ones. “I just want to affect people positively, even if that’s something as simple as making them feel like dancing.”

In a space dominated by the urge for commercial success and steady growth, artists like Min stand out for their commitment to making authentic, passionate music. Her emphasis doesn’t lie on the complexities of musical evolution but rather on the positive influence that what she creates may have on people. Min is currently just soaking up and savoring the moment, saying, “I’m living my life, and I’m paying attention to the sights and sounds that are around me, and it’s quite a view.”

At this point, in the closing part, I ask Min how she feels about the dramatic rise of K-pop and K-content and the way it’s become such a global phenomenon. “It makes me proud of my culture and heritage,” she asserts, while also expressing, “I do hope, however, that people truly appreciate the emotional and mental cost that it takes to produce all of those things that they ingest. It’s a tough business, and our culture is hard-wrought, and it makes me very proud.”

Min has spent years putting her heart into every performance, and she believes her efforts have paid off. Her words serve as an appropriate message that real success is about the real connections that artists can build with listeners and fans—relationships that get stronger with time—it’s not just about big hits and packed tours. In gratitude and being optimistic, Min concludes, “I hope you listen to this album and love it. I hope that it affects you in some way and shapes your day to be a little lighter. I hope that you know that regardless of what’s going on, you have the power to make this chapter your PRIME TIME. Thank you for listening. Thank you for reading. And thank you for being you. Keep on.”