{"id":269623,"date":"2026-06-17T15:06:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T15:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/269623\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T15:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T15:06:32","slug":"im-just-choi-jong-hyun-changjo-opens-up-about-fame-fans-and-finding-himself-at-skyview-summer-high-school-in-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/269623\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m Just Choi Jong-hyun\u2019: CHANGJO opens up about fame, fans and finding himself at Skyview Summer High School in Queens"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gripping a New York City scaffolding pole, CHANGJO<\/a> pulled himself upward, mimicking the impromptu street workouts he had seen New Yorkers perform on television and social media. The moment felt especially fitting after witnessing revelers climb lampposts across the city following the New York Knicks\u2019 historic playoff run.<\/p>\n

At first glance, CHANGJO looked like any other New Yorker embracing the city\u2019s energy. But the South Korean idol had arrived in the Big Apple during a season of celebration surrounding both the NBA Finals and the FIFA Club World Cup, returning to a city he last performed in 16 years ago with TEEN TOP.<\/p>\n

Born Choi Jong-hyun but known globally as CHANGJO, the veteran performer returned to reconnect with fans after years away from international them. On Sunday, he joined The Shops at Skyview\u2019s award-winning Skyview High summer program as the special guest for its Opening Assembly.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom this event, I hope I can see the big picture. For a long time, I couldn\u2019t meet my fans, but now it\u2019s kind of a starting point,\u201d CHANGJO told amNewYork. \u201cI can plan better, plan with the members [of TEEN TOP] as well, and I want to show how much we\u2019ve grown during our time away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CHANGJO\"<\/a>CHANGJOPhoto by Amanda Moses<\/p>\n

Ahead of his fan meeting, amNewYork spoke with CHANGJO about his legacy, his journey through the K-pop industry, and his hopes for building deeper connections with international fans.<\/p>\n

A singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor, CHANGJO debuted with TEEN TOP in 2010 at just 14 years old, serving as the group\u2019s maknae, which is the Korean term for the youngest member of a group. Because he entered the entertainment industry so young, many traditional childhood experiences, including a typical school life, passed him by.<\/p>\n

That made his participation in Skyview High especially meaningful because the event combines fan engagement with cultural awareness initiatives while raising funds for The River Fund and collecting school supplies for local students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never shared this before, it\u2019s my first time telling this, but my household environment growing up was not very good,\u201d CHANGJO admitted. \u201cAt a young age, I felt responsible for making money, even while I was in elementary school. I thought about how I could earn money while doing something I loved. I\u2019ve always been drawn to dancing and singing, so naturally I went into entertainment. Along the journey, many people helped support me, and that\u2019s why I was able to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building a career in K-pop during the industry\u2019s rapid global expansion was no easy task. Sustaining success for more than a decade is even harder, and over the years, CHANGJO\u2019s definition of success has evolved.<\/p>\n

\"CHANGJO<\/a>CHANGJO made Vietnamese spring rolls and fed it to fans.Photo by Amanda Moses<\/p>\n

While he acknowledges that the K-pop training system often emphasizes appearance and public image, he now values something far more important: meaningful connections with fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome entertainers say you have to restrict food and dieting, and [they warn you] not to walk around because you\u2019re famous,\u201d he said. \u201cThat kind of thing doesn\u2019t bother me. The hardest part is wanting to spend time with fans and meet them, but not being able to because of schedules and policies. There are so many rules. I just want to share time with my fans, but sometimes I have to wait. That\u2019s the most challenging thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he believes conditions have improved since his early days in the industry, CHANGJO says there is still room for growth.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s much better than before, but I think more needs to change and develop in a positive way,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

For those unfamiliar with him, CHANGJO hopes they understand that authenticity lies at the heart of everything he does.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to empathize with people. I\u2019m just a normal person,\u201d CHANGJO said. \u201cI\u2019m not thinking of myself as a celebrity, I\u2019m just Choi Jong-hyun. I always want to show my real personality and my real self. Sometimes I get inspired by fans, and I learn a lot from them. I feel like we\u2019re all the same. We\u2019re all human beings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CHANGJO\"<\/a>CHANGJOPhoto by Amanda Moses<\/p>\n

His time in Queens meant so much more to him than a promotional appearance; it served as a reconnection to parts of his childhood he never fully experienced, while also rekindling relationships with his New York-based fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompared to before, now I\u2019m more relaxed,\u201d he said. \u201cMy schedule isn\u2019t so crazy anymore. I can take my time and really see what\u2019s around me. Before, I was too busy to notice anything. Now I can see the place, the people, and truly meet each fan instead of rushing through everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

When CHANGJO descended the escalator in a classic black-and-white suit, the crowd erupted. Fans screamed and waved as he smiled brightly and greeted them, making the opening assembly into an intimate reunion between the artist and his supporters.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Summer High theme, \u201cOur School Memories,\u201d transports visitors back to 2010, the year TEEN TOP debuted. Running through July 23, the program features live performances, fan interactions, school-themed activities, and nostalgic experiences. The event, which earned a Global Marketing Gold Award from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), transforms the Flushing shopping destination into a campus-inspired celebration of Asian culture through music, fashion, food, wellness, art, and community programming.<\/p>\n

\"CHANGJO<\/a>CHANGJO with a fan.Photo by Amanda Moses<\/p>\n

For more than three hours, CHANGJO immersed himself in the festivities. He sang, danced, participated in student-themed role-playing activities, shared skincare tips, discussed homemade vegan Asian dishes, contributed to art projects, and judged attendees\u2019 school-inspired fashion looks. He also took selfies and greeted fans individually whenever possible.<\/p>\n

Yet even amid the excitement, he couldn\u2019t help but imagine returning with his TEEN TOP bandmates.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cBack then, I came here with the members, and now I\u2019m here solo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a little different because there\u2019s no chatting and no noise from the members. Before coming here, I met with them and told them I would do my best to make a good plan so we can visit again together. I hope next time we can come back as a group and perform a concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just after its first day, Skyview High\u2019s impact extends beyond fan experiences. Ticket sales and donations amounted to $2,000, which will benefit The River Fund\u2019s educational programs. Throughout the program\u2019s run, organizers will also collect school supplies for students across Queens, ensuring the celebration leaves a lasting impact on the community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gripping a New York City scaffolding pole, CHANGJO pulled himself upward, mimicking the impromptu street workouts he had…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269624,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[98914,9,24,63,122,124,123,22307,104011],"class_list":["post-269623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-changjo","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news","tag-skyview-mall","tag-skyview-summer-high-school"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}