NMIXX's Lily Opens Up About 'K-pop Star 4' Past on 'Radio Star'

Lily of the JYP Entertainment girl group NMIXX is opening up about her journey to becoming a singer, looking back on her early days on the audition show "K-pop Star 4." She will share stories ranging from a mix-up with a senior girl group's greeting early in her career to the bus her father rebuilt to support her dream of singing.

Lily appears on MBC's long-running talk show "Radio Star," airing on Nov. 4 at 10:30 p.m. KST. The episode is a special themed "People Who Can" (Ganeunghan Saram). Singer and actor Ahn Jae-wook, actress Jung Young-joo and Yoo Byung-kwon also join as guests.

On the show, Lily looks back on competing on "K-pop Star 4" when she was in sixth grade. She says her father played a big part in helping her become a singer.

An architect by profession, her father went to extraordinary lengths to support her passion for music. He rebuilt a bus and fitted it with microphones, mixing equipment and speakers. It was a tour bus made just for her. Later, when Lily formed a band with her friends, he stepped in as their manager.

He also edited videos of her performances himself and even organized photo shoots of her as a kid. After NMIXX debuted, he became one of the group's biggest fans, even covering the group's songs while wearing a wig. According to Lily, he has become so well known that fans line up to take photos with him at concerts.

Lily also talks about NMIXX's work overseas. She recalls collaborating with Brazilian singer Pabllo Vittar on a track that reached No. 1 on a local music chart. She also remembers performing at the São Paulo Carnival in Brazil, where a crowd of about 2 million people gathered. In Chile, the group won two awards at the Viña del Mar festival, often called "the Coachella of South America."

When she heard she had been booked on "Radio Star," the first person she called was her mother. Her mom had hoped to see her on the show ever since her debut. Still, Lily admits the taping made her nervous.

It was her first solo talk show appearance on network TV, and she was sitting next to industry veterans. She says one senior guest in particular made her extra tense, and she explains why.

She also shares an early mistake. At her first music show, Lily misheard how a senior girl group introduced themselves. She then went around greeting people with "It's Lily-ssi." The word "ssi" is a polite title Koreans use for other people, not for themselves.

Lily walks the hosts through her morning routine, too. She says she picks her alarm music carefully so she can start the day in a good mood. She then sets her usual alarm on the spot and acts out how she wakes up to it.

She also explains how she got the nickname "click star," given for her knack for getting a laugh with a single line. Along with her signature high notes, she shows off her rap skills.

For Lily, the episode traces a path from a sixth grader on an audition show to a singer on stages in front of millions. Along the way, a father with a rebuilt bus never stopped showing up.