When it comes to sexy performances, an OG girl group member-turned-soloist might have given MBC its steamiest one to date.
Chai So Yeon, a model and KBS reporter-turned-idol who later began promoting as a soloist, debuted in 1996 as part of a female duo B.B. During the mid-1990s, when girl groups were rare, Chai gained a tremendous amount of fame among male fans.
But in 1997, after their second album, B.B faced issues with their management company and went on a long hiatus—and while unofficial, it was considered the group had disbanded.
In 2003, Chai returned as a soloist. And she gave MBC’s Music Camp (which has since turned into Show! Music Core) the steamiest performance it would never, ever forget.
During a live broadcast of her solo track “Reversal,” Chai performed a different version of the rehearsed choreography—a much racier one with her backup dancers caressing her up and down.
The performance was deemed excessively sexual, which was then reported to the Korea Communications Commission. As a result, she was suspended from appearing on Music Camp for a month.
After her first solo album, Chai did not continue promoting in the K-Pop scene and has since retired from the entertainment industry. In 2009, it was reported that Chai got married to a businessman one year older than her.
Then, in 2015, Chai made a surprise appearance as a guest on SBS‘s radio show where she shared that she started working as a consultant at a women’s clinic in Seoul. To the DJ asking if she ever thought about returning to K-Entertainment, Chai said that it was out of the question as her husband preferred a non-celeb life.
I have a lot of good memories from my time in the entertainment industry, which I’m grateful for. So, I had considered returning for a while. However, right after I got married, my husband told me he preferred that I not continue with broadcasting activities.
— Chai So Yeon
Watch the full performance here.