[Sportschosun Lee Ji-hyun] As SeeYa has been promoting as a full group for the first time in 15 years, the members opened up about the grueling schedules they endured during their peak and the royalties they received.
On the 16th, Studio Handmade's YouTube channel "Ganjeolhanip" released a video titled "Nam Gyu-ri Is in Her 40s? SeeYa Reunites After 15 Years, Brings the House Down at a College Festival, Then Eats Gamjatang and Fried Rice. Ganjeolhanip EP. 9."
In the video, Nam Gyu-ri, Kim Yeon-ji, and Lee Bo-ram joined MC Kim Ji-yu and shared behind-the-scenes stories from their past activities after finishing a college festival stage and heading to a gamjatang restaurant.
That day, SeeYa reflected on performing at a college festival for the first time in 17 years and said, "We were worried that the audience might not still sing along to our songs, but they did, and it was truly moving."
One of the biggest talking points was the group's earnings structure during its peak. When Kim Ji-yu asked, "If SeeYa dominated mini homepage background music, wouldn't the royalties be substantial? Which song earns the most royalties?" the members gave an unexpected answer.
Nam Gyu-ri said, "We don't receive royalties. We have never received any," adding, "Even now, even if many people listen to our songs, nothing comes back to us." She explained that "the digital music contract system was different back then," which surprised viewers.
They also revealed the punishing schedules they faced at the time. The members recalled, "If we had Busan today, Busan tomorrow, and Busan the day after, we could have just stayed nearby and worked from there, but we couldn't do that." They added, "We always had to go back to Seoul and then head down to the provinces again." Nam Gyu-ri said, "By the time we arrived in Seoul, it was already morning. We would wash up and leave immediately for another event in the provinces." She added, "It was a nonstop life of traveling between Seoul and the provinces."
They said the reason was that, at the time, there was a perception that female entertainers should not stay overnight in the provinces. "SG Wannabe, the male group from the same agency, could sleep there and leave the next day, but we always had to return to Seoul," they said.
Nam Gyu-ri also recalled a frightening accident that followed. She said, "Our manager was so exhausted that he even dozed off while driving," adding, "There was a time when the car rolled three times and nearly crashed into a guardrail."
Meanwhile, SeeYa said it had separately established SeeYa Entertainment to carry out full-group activities for its 20th debut anniversary. The members said, "We now do ourselves what the company used to handle for us," adding, "From editing the MR to selecting songs and organizing broadcast materials, we do everything." They also said, "These days, we sleep about five hours at most," but added, "It is hard, but we are so happy," expressing their affection for the full-group promotions.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
