Aahana Swrup
Apple TV+’s docuseries, ‘K-Pop Idols,’ follows BLACKSWAN over multiple months in the narrative’s exploration of their experiences as DR Music’s multinational girl group. During this journey, the band charts a tumultuous path and finds itself arriving at an unpredictable end. In the course of a year and some months, the band’s lineup goes from Youngheun, Judy, Fatou, and Leia to an entirely new makeup with Fatou, Sriya, Gabi, and Nvee. While Leia’s departure from the group arrives within the context of her mental health issues, Judy and Youngheun—the group’s sole Korean members—seem to take their exit without any controversy. Therefore, the duo’s separation from the K-pop group naturally ignites fans’ curiosity.
Judy and Youngheun Graduated From BLACKSWAN
Youngheun had been a member of DR Music’s girl group even before its re-debut in 2020 as BLACKSWAN. On the other hand, Judy was the last member to be announced during the re-debut. As such, both have remained intrinsic faces of BLACKSWAN alongside their bandmates from day one. Therefore, naturally, both women were deeply affected when a controversy overtook their fandom in late 2021 following a feud between Fatou and Leia. The controversy involved allegations of bullying and racism against the other two members. Even though Judy and Youngheun weren’t personally involved in the scandal, the band as a whole suffered for it.
Consequently, as DR Music brought in two additional members, Sriya and Gabi—while Farou and Leia moved past their feud—Judy and Youngheun started to feel a disconnect between themselves and the band. For the same reason, both women decided to part ways with DR Music. Youngheun’s departure left a vacuum in the girl group since her position as team leader opened up. Since then, Fatou has inherited the role and responsibility to lead her bandmates to success.
DR Music had always worked on a graduation system, celebrating the inclusion of newer generations. The system usually employs “graduation” as a blanket term for retirement, discontinuation, or other instances. Therefore, after several discussions and conversations with Judy and Youngheun, the record label respected the former BLACKSWAN members’ decision to move forward with their lives outside of their identities as K-Pop idols. Thus, on July 31, 2022, Judy and Youngheun graduated from the girl group.
Youngheun is Flourishing as a Content Creator Today
Despite leaving BLACKSWAN and the life of a K-Pop idol behind, Youngheun, whose real name is Koh Young Heun, has not left the public eye. Instead, she continues to remain active on several social media platforms, updating her fans and followers on her life. Shortly after her departure from the girl group, Young Heun also joined Afreeca TV, a video hosting and streaming service. Likewise, she excels at the role of a content creator on Instagram, where she shares aesthetic tidbits of her regular life.
In the past year, Young Heun—known for her fun hair colors—has changed her look with dark hair. Young Heun also occasionally shares adorable posts about her dog, who is a frequent feature on her account. As such, she seems to be thriving as an online personality in her post-K-pop era. Although she hasn’t spoken about BLACKSWAN lately, she recently reunited with her ex-bandmate Judy. The two women who exited the girl group together seem to be close friends still, enjoying the new chapter of their lives together.
Youngheun is Seemingly Enjoying Marital Bliss With the Love of Her Life
Fans of Young Heun would be delighted to learn that the former K-pop idol got married sometime in June 2024. Leading up to her big day, the former Blackswan member shared snippets on her social media platform to evoke curiosity among her admirers. To everyone’s surprise, she dropped a picture of what appeared to be couple rings on her Instagram story in April 2024, confirming her engagement. Reportedly, Fatou, her former bandmate from BLACKSWAN, attended the wedding ceremony alongside the happy couple’s friends and families.
Since Young Heun was allegedly not allowed to date people in the public eye under her contract as a K-pop Idol, Young Heun is now enjoying full autonomy to reveal every aspect of her life that she desires. Her partner is also involved in the music industry as a producer and released three songs with various other artists in 2023. Some of his work includes ‘Geeks,’ in which he collaborates with Yung Blesh and Xwally. In the past year, the producer has become a more and more frequent feature on Young Heun’s social media, as she shares bits and pieces of their lives together. Through fun-filled memories of their time together, she continues unabashedly expressing her love for her partner.
Judy Prefers to Lead a Private Life
Unlike Young Heun, Judy, whose real name is Kim Da, seems to have taken a significant exit from the public eye since her departure from BLACKSWAN. In early 2023, she was working for an online shopping brand, Petrichor Closet, with Young Heun even showcasing public support for the brand. However, the company has since closed its social media accounts. Likewise, even though Kim Da has a presence on Instagram, her page remains private.
In the documentary ‘K-Pop Idols,’ both Kim Da and Young Heun expressed their frustration with the various rules they had to follow under their DR Music contract. Therefore, it remains evident that after a substantial career as a K-pop Idol, Kim Da has opted for a more private aftermath. Ultimately, both former members of BLACKSWAN continue to thrive in their own preferred ways as they remain a part of each other’s orbit.
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