SISTAR’s Bora opens up about 3-year hiatus: 'My mental health was bad, so I didn’t join an agency'

SISTAR's Bora opened up about the reason behind her three-year hiatus.

On May 14, Bora appeared as a guest on the YouTube channel 'Jo Hyun Ah’s Common Thursday Night.'

Bora revealed that she even underwent voice training because she had concerns about her voice. She shared, “I think I usually have good focus and mental strength.” When Jo Hyun Ah commented, “Then you must have good mental health too,” Bora responded, “There was a time when my mental health wasn’t good, but I’m trying to become healthier.”

Bora continued, “At first, I didn’t realize I was struggling that badly. Ironically, I felt worse when I wasn’t busy,” adding, “It was really difficult, but I thought I had to overcome it somehow. So when my mental health declined, I simply accepted that I wasn’t okay and told myself I needed to get through it.”

She also revealed, “I didn’t have an agency for three years. It’s not that I stopped working completely, but compared to before, there was a long period where I wasn’t active. I intentionally chose not to join a company during that time. I felt a lot of guilt about resting. What I kept telling myself was, ‘When have you ever really rested before? It’s okay for you to rest now.’”

In response, Jo Hyun Ah said, “Honestly, you’re much more mature, strong, and warm than I expected. You seem like a very open-minded person. Why didn’t you show this side of yourself on TV before?”

Bora replied, “There wasn’t really anyone who helped bring this side of me out. My weakness is that I can move forward when someone opens the way for me, but it’s hard for me to step forward on my own.”

Bora then reflected, “I used to think I was just naturally a bright person. Even during my promotions with SISTAR, I was very energetic. That side of me was real, too. It wasn’t fake at all. But I later realized I was actually a darker person than anyone else. I think I was covering that up by presenting myself as cheerful. Going forward, I just want to show myself as I truly am.”