In 2010, Ferlyn Wong, who now goes by the name of “Ferlyn G”, was chosen from 5000 hopefuls in an audition organised by Alpha Entertainment to form a Singapore-Korean unit named SKarf.
A self-professed K-pop fan, Ferlyn was determined to become the first Singaporean to make a name for herself in kimchi land. After two years of intensive training and two years following her debut, the 22-year-old called it quits in September last year.
Last Friday, the multi-coloured hair singer officially launched her debut mini album FIRST, marking her fresh start as a solo artiste. At the press conference held at Bugis+, veteran local musician Lee Wei Song turned up to show support for Ferlyn whom he has high hopes for.
Ferlyn’s Hallyu career may not have been smooth-sailing, but she is glad to have made a good friend in Korean girl group Tiny G member Mint, who specially flew to Singapore last week. The two, who collaborated on the song “Luv Talk”, also performed the duet during the event.
In her interview with xinmsn, Ferlyn excitedly shared about her close relationship with Mint. “We are really tight. We used to sneak out of our dormitories to meet up and play at night!” she laughed.
Ferlyn and Tiny G's Mint © Provided by xinmsn Ferlyn and Tiny G's Mint
Trading the girl-next-door look for a more mature style (such as smoky eye make-up) which she thinks aligns better with her real-life personality, Ferlyn also opened up about the decision to strike it out on her own.
“Other members have many individual activities. Tasha (fellow Singaporean member and SKarf leader) had a hosting gig, while Jenny and JooA participated in variety shows. During that time, I could only stay in the dormitory or practise in the office,” she admitted. “I’ve always wanted to make my own music, so I decided to leave the group after discussing with the company.”
Parting on good terms, Ferlyn has remained in contact with her ex-members. Occasionally, she would also reminisce about the good and challenging times that she went through with the girls.
K-pop land was hit by a series of “break-ups” last year. Speaking from experience, Ferlyn claimed that she can well understand why Kris and Luhan chose to depart from EXO.
“We are not from Korea. Even though we speak Korean, there is still cultural differences. It is not easy to catch the jokes on variety programmes and so, it’s hard to gain attention. That is why companies would give more opportunities to Korean members,” the singer explained.
SKarf members from left to right: Jenny, JooA, Tasha, Ferlyn and Hana © Provided by xinmsn SKarf members from left to right: Jenny, JooA, Tasha, Ferlyn and Hana
No more restrictions on her diet
Korean agencies are notorious for being extremely demanding on their artistes. And that was the other reason behind Ferlyn’s decision to leave SKarf.
To maintain a slim figure, the aspiring K-pop star was only allowed to consume eggs, vegetables, fruits, chicken breast and tofu every day. Carbohydrate-laden food such as bread, rice and other meats were strictly forbidden.
Now that her wings are no longer clipped, Ferlyn is over the moon to be able to indulge in her favourite food like chocolate and fried chicken. Instead of gaining weight, the singer has surprisingly lost 8kg despite her uncontrolled diet.
“I really didn’t really try to lose weight on purpose. Perhaps when you feel good and when you are not as stressed, it’s easier to shed the pounds,” she said.
Apart from the restrictions on her eating habits, Ferlyn was also banned from dating during her trainee days. Although she is “waiting for someone to love her”, the busy girl is in no hurry to get into a relationship. When asked on her ideal type of boyfriend, the 22-year-old claimed that talent is more important to her, as compared to looks.
Lack of opportunities drove Ferlyn G out of SKarf © Provided by xinmsn Lack of opportunities drove Ferlyn G out of SKarf
FIRST, which consists of Korean track “Luv Talk” and two Mandarin songs, has been released in various Asian countries including Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. In the coming days, Ferlyn will embark on a promotional tour to these cities.
If there’s one thing that worries her after her departure from SKarf, that is losing the fans whom she garnered over the past few years. “I’m afraid there won’t be so many people supporting me now,” Ferlyn confessed.
However, the singer, who penned the lyrics to the track ‘Xin Fang Kai’, believes that fans would accept her as long as she makes good music. “More people will get to know the real side of me via FIRST,” she concluded.