SM former singer Hwan-hee confessed his hardships after leaving SM…“No balance in bank account → Having to pay a 20 million won penalty” 

Hwan-hee, who used to be a singer in SM Entertainment, appeared on SBS FiL’s “Eat Out Busking” and shared about his difficult life of running out of money in his bank account and having to pay up to 20 million won in penalties.

When asked how Fly to the Sky was formed. Hwan-hee said, “I was a B-boy before joining SM. Then one day, the casting manager of SM gave me his business card and told me to audition”, adding “I really loved singing at that time”. Recalling his debut, Hwan-hee said, “Teacher Lee Soo-man suggested that I debuted as a solo artist but I was not confident to sing alone”, revealing that Brian passed SM audition in the U.S just then. Therefore, although Fly to the Sky was formed as an R&B group, they also danced.

When asked how he captured the emotions of the songs, Hwan-hee said, “Whenever there is a new song, it always has an overall theme. I try singing it while thinking about the experiences of myself and others”, adding “I watch dramas and movies quite often to feel different emotions.”

Kim Joon-hyun then asked Hwan-hee about the time when he first joined a big company like SM. Hwan-hee replied, “We signed a five-year contract. At that time, when many idol groups made their debut, we (Fly to the Sky) were the only R&B duo in SM”, adding “We just tried to find a place where we can do our best on music”, revealing the reason why he left SM.

Hwan-hee then shared, “Actually, we didn’t even manage to sign a good contract”, adding “There was a game company that was planning to start doing entertainment business, I signed to them since they gave me 20 million won in cast immediately. I was suffering a hard time, you know”. He confessed, “People around me kept telling me not to work with them, so I contacted a better company”, adding “The penalty of 20 million won was then arranged by a good company. The CEO promised to help us, saying that we were young so we could make mistakes”. 

Fly to the Sky released the title song of its sixth full album “Like A Man” after transferring to a new agency. “At that time, I think I cried for the first time when I walked off the stage after winning first place with ‘Like a Man’.

Source: Nate