[instiz] I LIKE HOW SOOYOUNG REVEALED THE REASON WHY SHE LEFT SM

GQ: What’s it like to leave a big company and strike out on your own?

I wanted a change of scenery. I’m an incredibly passive person, you see. That tendency was even more pronounced at a big company, schedules just kept coming even if I did nothing. But once I left, I realized that if I didn’t actively seek out work, I wouldn’t have a single thing on my schedule starting next month.

GQ: So you found yourself alone in the wild.

Since SNSD has had been around for so long, even within SM, no one ever told us what to do. I realized, “Oh, no one’s going to scold me here,” and that was part of the reason I left. I wanted to see how much I could grow in a challenging environment. Even now, I have to make choices every single moment. Since I’m putting together and leading my own team, I’ve found my sense of responsibility has grown significantly.

GQ: Even though you’re striking out on your own, I hope you’ll always remain SNSD’s Sooyoung.

Words like “withdrawal” and “breakup”, they’re all just a blur to me now. I’m also tired of hearing things like, “Is she seriously pursuing an acting career now?” I’ve always introduced myself as “Sooyoung from Girls’ Generation,” so wouldn’t it feel awkward if I suddenly said, “Hello, I’m Choi Sooyoung”? I really hate that kind of thing.