Ji Ye-eun Confirms She’s a True Girls’ Generation Fan, Hyoyeon Indirectly Mentions Ex-member Jessica
Girls’ Generation‘s Hyoyeon has drawn attention for making what many believe is an indirect reference to former member Jessica’s departure from the group.
On April 1, Hyoyeon appeared as a guest on the YouTube channel “JI-MEOTDEARO TABLE“ hosted by actress Ji Ye-eun, in a video titled “Tell Me Your Wish✨Cooking for Girls’ Generation | EP.07.”
During the episode, Ji Ye-eun—who has long professed herself as a hardcore Girls’ Generation (SNSD) fan—enthusiastically recalled her middle school days spent watching SNSD variety shows and dancing to their songs during lunchtime. She even impressed Hyoyeon by performing choreography to SNSD’s “Beginning,” a song even Hyoyeon admitted she barely remembered from 18 years ago. “She’s a real fan,” Hyoyeon laughed in amazement.
But the moment that caught viewers’ attention was when the conversation turned toward Ji Ye-eun’s dream of being a SNSD member. After production staff shared that Ji once aspired to join the group, Hyoyeon asked playfully, “If you had joined, what would your role have been?” Ji replied, “Maybe the tall one? Or the youngest one?”
Hyoyeon’s response raised eyebrows. “There was a spot. We did have one spot open,” she said, seemingly alluding to Jessica, who officially left the group in 2014.
Though Hyoyeon didn’t mention Jessica by name, many fans interpreted the comment as a subtle reference to the long-debated departure that divided fans and prompted statements from both Jessica and SM Entertainment at the time. The phrasing—“there was a spot”—hinted at the lineup change without directly addressing the controversy.
The rest of the episode maintained a warm and nostalgic tone, with Ji Ye-eun sharing that her favorite SNSD stage was “Etude”, which she had saved to her DMB device as a teen. Hyoyeon was visibly moved, saying, “There have been a lot of people who said they were fans, but I’ve never seen anyone remember each moment in this much detail.” Ji responded shyly, “Back then, SNSD was everything to me.”
Jessica’s Departure Revisited
Jessica left SNSD in 2014, citing personal conflicts and a shift toward her fashion business, which sparked a highly publicized back-and-forth between her and SM Entertainment. Since then, Jessica has pursued a solo career and business ventures, while SNSD continued as an eight-member group.
While Hyoyeon’s comment was subtle, it reminded fans that the group’s history—both joyful and turbulent—still resonates with its members and supporters alike.