"I really like to dance. When I dance, I forget that I’m sick. At least during that moment, I forget about my illness."

Ha-eun Kim (16, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia)

Ha-eun tears in happiness when she dances. She practices dancing for 2-3 hours a day and watches YouTube videos when her condition is not so good. 16-year-old Ha-eun’s wish is to ‘meet Producer J.Y.Park and take a private dance and vocal lesson.’

“I am Ha-eun Kim and I am 16 years old. I enjoy dancing and singing.”

"When I was in 5th grade of elementary school, I went on a stage for the first time, and I soon fell in love with dancing."

While she was shy and felt awkward during the interview, she answered with confidence on one question that was about her favourite dance. Though she seems bright and innocent just like any 16-year-old girls, Ha-eun had experienced difficulties over the past three years.

One day in 2016, Ha-eun felt downer than usual and found that she had strange red spots on her feet. After she saw her doctor, she was told to visit the hospital. The family immediately rushed to Seoul from Changwon and discovered the fact that she is diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Over the three years, including one year of intensive care and two years of maintenance care, Ha-eun battled with a critical illness.

Fighting against the disease was tough, however, ‘dance’ and ‘songs’ helped her to forget hardships and she had grown her dreams as ‘dancer’ and ‘idol star’. 

"I want to make Ha Eun's wish come true who has gone through tough chemotherapy treatment."

Quoted from Ha-eun’s mother’s wish application

In January of 2019, Make-A-Wish Korea received a wish application that was submitted by a mother whose daughter finished the chemotherapy and wanted to realize her daughter’s dream. After several processes of Make-A-Wish Korea, the volunteers met Ha-eun for the first time in May. 

“Ha-eun welcomed us with a bright smile from the first moment we met.” 

Quoted from the volunteer team of Dong-A University students. 

“Ha-eun and her family have always welcomed us with a warm heart. My team already knew that her big interest is ‘dance’, but once we met her, we could feel how she loves dancing and how dancing has a big meaning for her. Also, her mother told us that Ha-eun will have an audition for a dancing competition. :D”

"I wish to meet J.Y. Park, the best producer in Korea. I want to have a private dance and vocal lessons." 

Ha-eun who wants to be a ‘dancer’ or ‘idol star’, wishes to meet producer J.Y.Park of JYP entertainment and taking private dance and vocal lessons. Her wish was delivered to J.Y.Park  directly, and on 28th of June, Ha-Eun had her wish day.

"Oh, I'm nervous and anxious. I even couldn't sleep well last night."

On arriving at the JYP entertainment office, Ha-eun seemed very nervous. The first session of the day was a vocal lesson. The song Ha-eun chose was Justin Bieber's <Love Yourself>.

Ha-eun: “Hello.”

Vocal trainer: “Nice to meet you. Are you ready to sing?

With a shy greeting, the vocal lesson that she dreamt of started. 

Vocal trainer: “Is there anything that you feel good or bad when you sing?”

Ha-eun: "I feel comfortable when there's a part that fits my voice well. When it is not, I am not happy because I feel like I am making sounds through my nose which causes whiny sounds.

Before starting to sing, the vocal trainer shared Ha-eun’s thoughts regarding the song. The lesson started with a comment on how important it is to make sounds and deliver feelings.

"Breath deep," "shoulders down," "air and sound must come together."

After listening about the importance of letting out the air along with the voice, she was able to understand the famous quotation of J.Y.Park: “half air and half sound.” The vocal trainer gave her a piece of advice: "Good singers practice singing a lot," and added: "Practice more and let me take another chance to hear your voice in the future". After the vocal lesson, Ha-eun moved to the dance training room.

"1, 2, 3, 4. Take a step and go forward. Slide and lift your bottom."

Ha-eun seemed more comfortable with confidence in the dance room since she feels more confidence in dancing than in singing. Before dancing, they stretched for about 10 minutes. Ha-eun, who has a flexible body, followed the dance trainer very well. She was shy, yet her eyes looked passionate when she performed the moves along with the song. Can you see Ha-eun’s serious looks and the confident movements she makes in the picture?

"Turn your head at one and two and face the front at three and four"

At first, Ha-eun, who showed small differences compared to the trainer, but after keep practicing and being coached, she performed good moves.

“Nice to meet you Ha-eun. Welcome to JYP” says Producer J.Y.Park.

After completing dance and vocal lessons, it is finally time to meet the producer J.Y.Park! The door opened with the knocking sound that Ha-eun made, in the room people were cheering Ha-eun’s wish day and J.Y.Park was waiting for Ha-eun with a warm smile.

"Ha-eun, I prepared a present and CD signed by the ITZY members for you”

Ha-eun, who loves ITZY (even the dance she practiced during her dance lesson was 'Daladala' by ITZY), expresses her joy by rolling her feet as if she cannot believe this is happening.

"Did you practice a lot? Did you improve your singing and dancing?”

Producer J.Y.Park talked first so that Ha-eun does not feel nervous.

"Now shall we take a careful look at how much you’ve practiced?"

People cheered loudly after J.Y.Park asked Ha-eun to dance. Ha-eun froze for a moment, but she started to position herself to perform 'Daladala' of ITZY.

“Ding ♬”

Ha-eun did standby by bowing down then started dancing with the unique elevator door opening intro sound of the song 'Daladala'. The combination of Ha-eun’s confidence and her refined movements through the dance training has heightened the scene.

Producer J.Y.Park, with his arms folded, smiles happily and plays the rhythm to Ha-eun's dance moves.

“You dance better than I thought. Really. There’s a feeling to every move and Ha-eun, you are very good at distinguishing between the moves. "

After the two-minute stage, producer J.Y.Park gave big applause and continuous compliments to Ha-eun. Ha-eun, who was appraised by the person she had always yearned for, replies “thank you” and covers her cheeks with both hands.

"If you just focus on one movement, then it will be much better."

Producer J.Y.Park, known for his keen observation and excellent coaching in many audition programs offer advice on Ha-eun's dance.

"Ha-eun, you don’t have either long arms or are tall compared to others, right? So, it would be better to dance by making your movements look big."

"It’s good if you can make your joints flexible to make the moves bigger and make bigger lines. To do so, you have to stretch every day."

Ha-eun listened to Producer J.Y.Park‘s words with glistering eyes as he explained the moves by showing it with his body to make them easier to understand. Everyone on the scene laughed loudly when he said, "If you have long arms and legs like me, you have the advantage when you dance."

Time to sing after dancing.

“I get nervous a lot when it comes to vocals.” says Ha Eun. 

She looks at the music score and carefully lets out the first sound. At first, she looked stiff, but as the song increased in tempo, she started to sing along with the rhythm and focus on her singing even without looking at the music score. Soon the song was over, and everyone's eyes are focused on Producer J.Y.Park. Unlike the confident dance, what kind of evaluation do you think she received after the nervousness of the vocals?

"Have your parents played music by any chance?"

When asked such an unexpected question, her mother shook her head so Producer J.Y.Park praised her 'musical sense.'

"It's important to follow the beat than to sing well, guess because of Ha-eun’s dancing skills, your sense of rhythm is good."

Producer J.Y.Park shared his knowledge on stretches before dancing, the breathing method for vocals, body posture, etc. The aspect that he highlighted most to Ha-eun during the coaching was “diligence”.

"You have to dance and sing diligently every day. It's not easy. But an hour of exercise, an hour of singing, a week, a month, a year, a decade, you can do a great job."

Through Producer J.Y.Park’s advice, we could understand that his title of "Successful Artist" and "Producer of Ability" was not built in a day, it rather comes down to the fruit of daily efforts to cut the bones.  

"I really really want to say thank you with all my heart."

Ha-eun’s words to producer J.Y.Park.

"I've been so excited since yesterday. I feel so happy because I made my wish come true today and it still feels like I am dreaming.” 

Ha-eun's wish day like a ‘dream’ was close to an end. In the special day, Ha-eun expressed ‘appreciation’ among the other feelings.

"What J.Y.Park said today was helpful to me to get back up when I practice or feel tired. I hope to see him again in the future and I really really want to say thank you with all my heart."

Ha-eun, who repeatedly expressed her thanks by insisting on the word "really" made a promise to herself that she would work hard on anything from now on, including dancing, singing practice and studying. 

"Ha-eun really enjoyed it, and when I see her, I felt like my heart is filled with light. I was really happy." 

words from J.Y.Park,

Producer J.Y.Park, who showed his heartful smile during the whole meeting as if he is spending time with his daughter, he talked about his "happiness."

"It makes me really happy as well when I see that Ha-eun is happy. Since she sincerely enjoyed the time that spends together, I felt like my heart is filled with light. I was so happy."

Producer J.Y.Park talked a lot about health during the surprise 'JYPBOB' meal that followed the coaching session. It was for the hope that Ha-eun will continue to enjoy her dances and songs that she likes to do.

"The song and dance that you learned today, and that you want to continue are done by your body. So, you really need to be healthy and take good care of your body. Now that you’ve found your health back, I hope you can maintain it and joyfully dance and sing for a long time."

Producer J.Y.Park delivered his message to Ha-eun to continuously enjoy dancing and music with all his heart, said that he hopes she enjoys it "much longer than me.” 

We could feel her sincere passion for dancing and singing when Ha-eun practiced at the train or the restaurant, whenever she could because she took an exam at her school recently. Like Producer J.Y.Park's wish and Ha-eun's determination, we wish Ha-eun enjoys her favorite things for a long time.