SEOUL – When Allday Project debuted in June, they immediately captured the attention of K-pop fans not only because they were the first co-ed group introduced in nine years, but also because of the distinct and unconventional profiles of their five members.

One who especially drew attention was rapper Annie, whose transition from chaebol heiress to rookie idol quickly became one of the most-discussed narratives in 2025’s K-pop rookie scene.

Born into the Shinsegae family, which controls one of South Korea’s largest retail empires, Annie is the granddaughter of Shinsegae Group chair Lee Myung-hee and the eldest daughter of company president Chung Yoo-kyung. Ms Lee, the youngest daughter of the late Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul, is also the aunt of current Samsung chair Lee Jae-yong.

Annie, the first known chaebol heiress to enter the K-pop industry, drew widespread attention long before her official debut. News that she was training under South Korean record label The Black Label went viral in February 2024, putting her in the public eye months ahead of schedule.

The 23-year-old has been active as a performer for a little over a year, and appears to have made a strong entry, particularly in South Korea, where chaebol families have long been viewed with scepticism over their wealth, influence and tight control of corporate management.

Annie has eased that scrutiny by presenting herself as a hard-working performer – a trait many ordinary South Koreans say they can relate to.

Unlike most K-pop rookies – who begin training in their childhood or early teens, come from modest backgrounds and spend years in rigorous training – Annie’s upbringing was different. Like many chaebol children, she received an elite education, but her passion for K-pop was the same as ordinary would-be idols.

Born and raised in Seoul, she later moved to Manhattan, New York, at the age of eight. She went on to attend the elite Chapin School before later enrolling at Columbia University as an art history and visual arts major.

In Allday Project’s short documentary Day 1, released three days before her debut, Annie said singing was her childhood dream.

“Ever since I saw the performance of Lollipop by (K-pop groups) BigBang and 2NE1, I’ve always wanted to become a singer,” she said during the interview. “It was so shocking to me, like a whole new world had opened. I thought to myself at the time that I absolutely had to do what they were doing.”

However, as her family opposed the idea, she spent nearly 10 years trying to persuade them.

“When I first said I wanted to be a singer, they didn’t take me seriously,” said Annie. “Later, when I sat my parents down and seriously said that I wanted to be a singer, my mum said: ‘Absolutely not.’ I think that was the first-ever heartbreak I experienced in my life.”

As she neared her final two years in high school, her mother offered her a deal – that she would help Annie persuade other family members to support her dream of becoming a singer, only if she got into an Ivy League university.

“I basically gave up sleeping and worked really hard to get admitted to a university and, eventually, I was accepted,” Annie said.

The tough idol training regimen made no exception for the heiress. She passed an audition for The Black Label when she was 16 and spent seven years as a trainee (four of which were done online, as she was attending school in the US).

“I’d have to film myself singing and dancing and would send it back for feedback,” said Annie. “When I came to South Korea on vacation, I’d go to the label to practise.”

Although Annie initially worried that debuting at age 23 would be viewed negatively – as most idols debut in their teens – she has continued to receive strong support from fans for her genuine personality and approachable charm.

In her live broadcasts, Annie often shares with fans her favourite make-up products, many of them from affordable, budget-friendly brands. On the South Korean TV entertainment programme Omniscient Interfering View, Annie was also spotted using make-up brushes and a glasses case from the discount chain Daiso.

Annie debuted with Allday Project on June 23, with the main tracks Famous and Wicked. Famous placed as high as No. 43 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, in a first for a K-pop co-ed group.

They will release their first self-titled EP, including the pre-release track One More Time, on Dec 8. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK