Wanna One’s Yoon Ji Sung Shares Warm Advice For People Worried About Being Late Bloomers

[showminomoney.livejournal.com]

Wanna One’s Yoon Ji Sung recently opened up about his own experiences as a trainee to offer advice to people who are worried that they are getting a late start in life.

The opening show of global youth forum “MBN Y Forum 2018” was held on February 28. Guest appearances were made by soccer commentator Cha Bum Geun, actress Lee Yoo Ri, Wanna One’s Park Woo Jin, Yoon Ji Sung, Ha Sung Woon, and Hwang Min Hyun, as well as PyeongChang Winter Olympics gold medalists Choi Min Jung, Lee Seung Hoon, and Lim Hyo Jun.

During the event, Yoon Ji Sung shared his own life story as he said, “I think this is something that everyone in their early to mid-twenties can relate to. I debuted at a relatively late age. Although I was personally okay with the waiting that I had to do, what started to take a toll on me was when my family would gather for the holidays and everyone would be worrying about me and asking me, ‘So when are we going to see you on TV?'”

He went on to state, “Personally, I don’t think there’s such a thing as a ‘late age’ to start anything. I just focused on loving myself, putting in the effort, and showing what I’ve got,” and, “I want to reach out to the people who share the same dreams as me. I know people around me who are trying to get a job but things aren’t going the way they’d hoped. I want to be a message of hope for them. Measuring your happiness based on others will always leave you unhappy. I know it’s difficult to set yourself as on your own standard, but I hope people never stop supporting their own paths.”

Yoon Ji Sung made his debut as a member of Wanna One in 2017 after appearing on Mnet’s “Produce 101 Season 2.” He was one of the oldest contestants on the show, as he was 26 years old at the time.

Source: Naver via Soompi

i love Jisung so much.. he gives such great advice always, it's no wonder everyone on broduce loved him. <3

whoever you are, whatever you're going through, know that Jisung is rooting for you!
(x)

Comments

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

Yes. Honestly, it's so easy to feel like you're a failure if you haven't peaked in life at 23? And it's idiotic by all means, but the pressure is still there - both within yourself, from peers and your seniors. I'm 26, graduated last September, and while I'm confidently trying to work towards my dreams sometimes it feels like I'm doing the least and lag behind on everyone else in life and its just.... so demotivating.

[yoonjeonghan.livejournal.com]

i feel this. i'm 23 this year and have had very little in the way of work experience since i was studying full time, but i graduate early next year with a degree that won't guarantee me any kind of employment. i want to do a working holiday at the end of this year and then study more when i get back but then i'm like. i'll be about 28, 29 when i graduate again, what's the point??? i never felt the ticking away of my youth as much as i have the past few months (which is ridiculous bc i'm... 22 wtf)

all my friends are graduated and in stable jobs and doing well in life and i'm just 😬

anw sorry to dump that on u but yeah there's a pressure to be Going Somewhere by the time you're in your mid-20s and it's ridiculous

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

This got buried in my mailbox SORRY I wanted to reply to your story sooner.

I know exactly how you feel! For people of our age group, being in your twenties and graduating and starting a carriere is drenched in so much pressure and insecurities wtf. There is the expectation to have it all by 25, meanwhile the economy/job opportunities seem less stable than ever. Transitioning from being a student to working life is insecure and stressful enough as it is, and then we're constantly comparing ourselves to others??? These days I try to just shut it all out and confidently work towards my goals, but the idea that I've wasted my life already before it's even begun still creeps up on me frequently.

[dropthecrates.livejournal.com]

that's very sweet of him. i destroyed my life these past four weeks and have to start from scratch lmao so i'm storing this with the rest of the 'go at your own pace' advice i'm being given

[showminomoney.livejournal.com]

Sometimes we need a clean slate to be able to reorganize and put things into perspective. I hope everything goes well for you from now on!

[chicago-undead.livejournal.com]

i dropped out of college a semester away from graduating because i couldnt handle it anymore and i essentially became the black sheep of my family and seen as a failure because i didnt end up going to medical school. i just turned 28 and i have finally figured out what i want to do with my life and this thursday i have an appointment to start my journey and its nerve wracking but i am very excited.

and as corny as it sounds, jisung was a young inspiration to me. his journey really resonated with me and he was bias after like 15 seconds of knowing who he was. i am so happy and proud of him for never giving up

[bethmai.livejournal.com]

hope everything goes well on Thursday!! good luck

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

good luck with your new journey

[cosmicdaze.livejournal.com]

i rly needed to hear this rn tbh! like i'm only 22 but i'm graduating at least a year later than all of my high school peers (transferred schools twice and took a semester off) and i feel like i've done way less than them. i haven't studied abroad yet, i haven't been a TA, i haven't taught my own class, i haven't been an RA, i haven't done international volunteer work blah blah blah so i feel like i'm just getting left behind and like i'll never amount to anything cuz everyone else my age has done so much more :(

[haitsu-takaoga.livejournal.com]

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!
One of the reason why i rooted for him so much during broduce is his "It's never too late to start anything" attitude and look at him now! (Well, Wanna One).

I'm still 22 and I know I'm probably still considered young but things are going very slow for me, that when I see Jisung, I see myself on him (like, I feel that I'll probably be as old as him when did produce, when i finally able to do things). So im so happy when he did well and passed as the top 11 winner, because it's like a proof to me that yeah, it will never be too late for anything. (him, Kahi, and nu'est recent success is what work as proof for me).

I hope everyone got to do things they like, eventually, and believing on their own pace. Because it's really never too late for anything. Have a nice day.

[yoonjeonghan.livejournal.com]

i love him :( he's so caring and has such a good head on his shoulders

all of my 2014 cohort who i entered uni with have just about graduated now... and i'm still not predicted to graduate til next year... it's been getting me down a lot and i feel like i'm scrambling to have something accomplished before the end of the year but 🤷‍♀️ i've been unable to find a job too because i haven't worked in 6 years in order to focus on studying but in the end the diploma i'm getting won't be worth much so i'm like, what was it all for lol.

i'm trying to be chill about it all like i have this loose plan of going back to studying after taking a year or two break to ~find myself~ or whatever bullshit but i'll be nearing 30 by the time i get anywhere so i'm just shfaskdj freakin out like 99.99999999% of the time these days (on the inside ofc bc i'm nothing if not excellent at internalising everything)

anw it's always... inspiring seeing ppl achieving things at a later age, even if it's not an age Actually considered "old" (like late 20s) because it means i can probably do it too....

anyway i love him i'm glad he exists

[madielou.livejournal.com]

this is painfully relatable. i feel so far behind everyone else. i also entered uni in 2014 and will graduated next year so you're not alone. ppl who get their shit together in 4 years don't feel real.
i rlly have no experience from anything like jobs or internships and w just a degree to my name i'm p useless lol. it's so embarrassing talking about resumes bc mine is like post-it note size.

ia i like seeing the achievements of those older bc i hate the idea of having to get ur life together by 25 and i hate that i conform to this ideal hnghfj

[carmine-pink.livejournal.com]

I totally get where he's coming from. It took me years to figure out what I really want to do and how to get there, and I didn't get my dream job until I was past 30. It's never too late to start doing things that make you happier no matter what your age. It's your life and your own journey and nobody else's. Fighting everyone!!

[sunlight-kisses.livejournal.com]

Awwww as someone who is also feeling lost in life / trying to find that "dream job" this post is so heartwarming, from Jisung's comments to all my fellow users cheering each other on and empathizing - we can do this y'all!!!!

[by-venoms-sting.livejournal.com]

Aw this is sweet and he’s cute ❤️

Part of me wants to commiserate with you guys about not being on the fast track to success/being unaccomplished for my age by giving y’all by whole life story but the other part telling me to shut the fuck up and go to sleep is stronger right now. I complain too much as it is.

Edit: my efforts were futile cause reading what I wrote it still sounds whiny 😫

[bethmai.livejournal.com]

I feel this. I'm turning 26 this year and I don't feel like I have a purpose at all. I have amazing friends and family, and have wonderful life experiences - I get to travel a lot, I enjoy my spare time as much as I can - but there's no goal for me. I don't have a great job, but it pays the bills and enables me to enjoy myself in other parts of my life - but it's not what I want to be doing forever.

Whereas my sister had 2 kids by my age and is settled down with her boyfriend in their own home. She seems to have her shit sorted out - she knew what she wanted (a family) and did it.

[marisurisa.livejournal.com]

I have always studied and worked hard but the living costs were always getting on top of me as I've never had any support from parents or anyone.
I've studied education but to get a job I had to volunteer for free to get "experinece" but I could never afford that so I ended up working in hospitality.
My family was always going on about:
"Why did you even go to the university if you want to be a waitress?"
"What a shame you want to carry plates for a job..."
"You could get a teaching job if you tried a bit harder!"
I wish it was that easy..

But a few weeks ago, right after I turned 30, a miracle happened. I got offered a job as a long distance hospitality tutor for adults in a big famous company. The job is desk based, got offered £10,000 more than what I'm on now, Monday to Friday, 9-5, weekends off and 33 days of paid holiday.

If I haven't suffered and slaved in bars, restaurants and hotels for the past 8 years, I wouldn't get this amazing job.

Never ever give up on your hopes and dreams guys!!

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

i'm really happy for you. ty for your story. it's really reassuring and uplifting!

[otraera.livejournal.com]

Wow just in time as I'm having second thoughts about the major I'm studying and thinking about pursuing a career in the arts ( which is what I wanted to do in the first palce) wow !!!

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

this is really sweet of him to say and he really seems like a good person. I look forward to what he does post-wanna one because he was hilarious on the variety shows I've seen him on.

I really hate how society pushes these "wunderkind" people who get huge success at a young age because they never truly reveal the entire story - a lot have help ($$) and privilege that pushed them to see success so soon in their careers.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

It's like that crazy influx of "we bought a house on a basic salary and we're 24, it's not that hard!!" type articles where the headline makes you feel like shit and the body text actually reveals an inheritance or bonus or whatever. And at the same time it is also demeaning to the actual incredible success stories because there is no way in hell anyone that doesn't have connections, money or just amazing luck will be successful at a young without putting in an amount of dedication most of us could never even dream of having (think of people like ballet dancers for example, or idols!) in a field where 99% will not make it no matter how much work they put in, and they never showcase all the effort and sacrifice this person will have made outside of a little Hallmark blurb. There's also a significant lack of follow up which gives the idea that peaking young has you set for life - just imagine if we came back in 20 years to get follow ups on present day Youtube stars and social media influencers.

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

yes exactly!! it can be so discouraging to read and everything is so taken out of context it makes it worse. Like a lot of people never touch on the fact that most social influencers are successful because they have sexual clout or they don't reveal that most of the shit they feature or promote is given to them for free so it just continues the cycle of not feeling good enough :S

then there's also the under talked about "i realized my dream/had a taste of my dream and it sucked wtf do i do now?" because that really fucks people up - regardless of what age they are.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

It is so upsetting! I personally would also want to hear about the people that just didn't make it because they still worked damn hard and it's not like their efforts stop being a part of their life and personality all of a sudden. The general drive and ambition to work hard at something are a million times more inspiring than amassing lots of money and/or fame, and not to mention: most of us are like that! Most people aren't top 1% achievers even though lots of us are obviously working ourselves to death and it shouldn't have to be like that. And yes, the influencer thing is shady as hell - I'm putting that under the "luck" category because let's be real how many successful young people we see pushed everywhere also happened to have won the genetic lottery? Especially if they're female.

Can you imagine how many great talents we're missing out on because people are branded as failures for not being a success at an early age? People that could have been amazing and inspiring in their 40s, 50s, 60s, etc that never get there because you're told achievement is only valuable combined with youth? You can start learning something entirely new, almost any skill you're physically capable of (yeah okay stuff like sports is hard but you get what I mean) and become great at it if you stick with it and that alone is worth feeling good about. Seeing improve at something is a fantastic mental health boost, and getting joy from something or just being the type of person that wants to keep working at getting better or smarter at something is already a great achievement on its own. Even if you end up not liking what you did, you still did it and that should count for something.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

It's really sad and almost impossible not to be affected by it. It's weird how much it is drilled into us when we're sad as teens that "you don't want to be the kind of person that peaks in high school anyway" but when it comes to peaking in your twenties the exact opposite seems to be forced on us from all angles when really it's almost the exact same thing!

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

i love him sfm. will probably bookmark this post. i also loved reading everybody's experiences.

i was supposed to graduate this year, but i hated my college and the professors. i even hate the buildings, so i'll transfer from a target university to a semi-target university this summer. basically.. i was a miserable and anxious mess.

i'll probably have to retake a lot of classes, but at least i can move on and my gpa won't be terrible anymore. i stopped talking to a lot of people, b/c it feels depressing to see them graduate while i'm starting over.

[mikachi613.livejournal.com]

I just finished Bubzbeauty's (Lindy Tsang) book, and this bit resonated with me a lot:

"Alan Rickman, after an acting career spent mostly on stage, didn't land his first major movie role until he was 42. Morgan Freeman, who followed a similar path, didn't land his first major movie role until 52.
Legendary fashion designer Vera Wang designed her first dress at forty.
Henry Ford created the legendary Model T car when he was 45.
Stan Lee created the legendary Marvel Universe in his forties.
Your destiny is not meant to be the same as everyone else. Everyone is meant to walk their own path, so cherish and enjoy your journey."
She also talked a lot about the founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma. (If you haven't read about his life, I advise you do so, it's so inspiring)
https://www.shoutmeloud.com/jack-ma-alibaba-founder.html

Keep dreaming and keep working hard, everyone! I believe in you!

[swegkitten.livejournal.com]

jisung is the absolute best, always has been always will be. I wish him all the good things in life, it's what he deserves <3

what a wholesome sweetheart

[sailorsaturn1.livejournal.com]

What he said about measuring your success based on others is very true. I've been trying to be happy for other people's success instead of being envious and it's really lifting a weight off my shoulders (even though it doesn't always come naturally).

[mikachi613.livejournal.com]

This has been such a crucial step in my feminist awakening, learning to support my friends (especially other women) when they do well. It's learning about distinguishing the jealousy from everything. When others do well it doesn't detract from my own accomplishments, and I need to remember that when I feel the green eyed monster come along.

[violoncelliste.livejournal.com]

wow those are actually such nice words :o and made me feel a bit better

i don't know the dude but good for him!

[welljustguess.livejournal.com]

Wow idk he's that old when wannaone debuted. Imagine the worry feels he had to endure as he's getting older compare to other trainee, add that he is a trainee on a small company.