Why The Sister Of Stray Kids’ Bang Chan Did Not Pursue A Career In K-Pop


It was the childhood dream of Hannah Bahng.

Hannah Bahng is famous in the K-Pop industry for being the little sister of Stray Kids‘ leader Bang Chan.

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Hannah Bahng and Stray Kids’ Bang Chan | @hannahhbahng/Instagram

She also has a substantial fanbase that follows her YouTube and singing career.

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| @hannahhbahng/Instagram

In an interview with the Zach Sang Show, she mentioned that her childhood dream was to be a K-Pop idol. She originally thought that it was the only way she could pursue a career in music. Watching her beloved older brother become a trainee and eventually a renowned idol, she decided this was the path she had to take.

Cause, as you guys know, my older brother, [Bang Chan], he is in Stray Kids. Even way before he debuted, when he was a trainee, I looked up to him a lot. I respect him a lot. That’s the only part I saw that could be possible for me to just do music and do what I love.

Hannah Bahng

Hannah Bahng _ The Abysmal EP, Pomegranate, Frank Ocean, Bang Chan 9-13 screenshot

Eventually, however, things did not work out. When Zach asked how many K-Pop companies she auditioned for, she reiterated that it just wasn’t meant to be.

I’m such a passionate person, very determined, strong-willed. Once I set my mind to something, I will do anything I can to get to that. I did everything. I auditioned and I did all that and I just thought, you know, ‘I’m working so hard and I’m doing all this but it’s not working out. So there has to be another reason.’

Hannah Bahng

When Zach confirmed if the reason she was not meant to be a K-Pop idol was that she had to “do it on [her] own,” she agreed, saying, “Period.”

Though there was a chance she could have debuted in KATSEYE, the girl group formed by HYBE and  Geffen Records, Hannah realized that going solo was the path that was meant for her. She pursued the independent route and opened her own label, Bahng Entertainment, debuting in July 2023 with the song “perfect blues.”

She also recently dropped her EP The Abysmal.

Check out the full interview below.





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