Girl’s Day’s Minah Becomes First K-pop Girl Group Member with Excavator License
The story resurfaced on Channel A’s talk show Rumor Has It, which highlighted how Minah earned the license during the filming of the 2014 eco-living reality show Ecovillage: Merry House. At the time, the program aimed to promote sustainable living through hands-on house construction in a rural village.
“As a woman, there’s a physical limit to what I can do,” Minah explained. “I wanted to contribute by using machine power.”
Encouraged by the show’s producer to try something new, Minah took the challenge seriously. Without even holding a standard driver’s license, she dove into the process, studying hard and passing the exam for a small-scale excavator license — a credential known for its low pass rate of under 50%. She even operated the machinery herself to break up rocky terrain, proving her determination on site.
Fellow cast member Kim Byung-man praised her performance, saying, “Beginners often mess up and spin the machine too hard, but she was precise enough that you could work right next to her.” Though Minah humbly noted that her license was for a smaller model, the feat remains significant.
The achievement added a new layer to Minah’s image, already beloved for her musical talents and acting chops. Known for Girl’s Day hits like “Something,” and “Darling,” she has since pursued a solo career in entertainment and film following the end of the group’s agency contracts in 2019.
Fans recently celebrated a reunion moment when Hyeri shared a photo with Sojin, Minah, and Yura, revealing that the full Girl’s Day lineup will appear on her YouTube channel Hyell’s Club — a long-awaited treat for loyal fans of the second-gen girl group.
