AllDay Project’s Annie / Xportsnews
Annie of rookie K-pop group AllDay Project is heading back to the classroom — but without putting her celebrity life on pause.
The Black Label said Wednesday that Annie will return this month to Columbia University in New York to attend the school’s spring semester. She will use the group’s current break to focus on her studies through May, while still remaining available for select overseas activities, such as fan signing events.
The agency said Annie’s return to school does not mean a suspension of group activities. During this period, the other members of AllDay Project will also pursue individual activities, keeping the team active even while Annie balances academics and entertainment.
Annie has drawn intense public interest since before her debut, not just as an idol but as a member of one of Korea’s most powerful business families. She is the granddaughter of Lee Myung-hee, the chairwoman of retail giant Shinsegae Group, and the eldest daughter of Chung Yoo-kyung, the company’s president — making her one of the rare “chaebol,” or conglomerate, heirs to enter the K-pop industry.
At Columbia University, Annie majors in art history and visual arts, a choice that has added to her image as both a creative artist and an elite-educated global figure.
The combination of her family background, idol career and Ivy League education has made Annie one of the most talked-about figures among Korea’s millennials and Gen Z, with many fans seeing her as a symbol of a new type of global K-pop star.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.