Author’s Note: This was written in remembrance of Sulli, an artist who passed away in October of 2019. March 29th would have been her 27th birthday.
Dear Sulli,
Happy 27th birthday! Time flies, huh? I remember when you first turned twenty; it was a few months before “Pink Tape” was released. What an exciting moment that was! I had only been a fan of f(x) for a few months then, but I still remember feeling a bit emotional seeing you leave your teenage years. Pretty silly, honestly, considering the fact I was only eleven at the time.
Since it is your birthday, I wanted to write a short letter thanking you for the impact you’ve had on me. It’s been nine years, but even so, I still consider you to be one of my greatest role models. You might not realize it, but you have inspired so many young women not just in South Korea, but all around the world. I am happy to call myself one of these women.
Your free-spirit, confidence and upbeat attitude were such a breath of fresh air in the K-Pop industry. Seeing you speak your mind, go against traditional ways of thinking, and live your life to the fullest was amazing. It made me reevaluate the way I present and carry myself. I wanted to be outspoken like you and not care what people had to say about me, but as someone with undiagnosed anxiety at the time, it was pretty difficult.
Over the years, though, I have done my best to live freely. Thanks to you, I have started to slowly be true to myself and not be ashamed in who I am. I encounter a few bumps here and there, but I think it will be worth it in the end. If it were not for you, I do not think I would be at this point in time right now. You have had such a profound impact on me, and I wish I could tell you in person.
I miss you a lot, you know? There is not one day where I do not think about you. I miss your beautiful gummy smile, I miss seeing your Instagram posts … I just miss knowing you were here, honestly. I do not think there will be another artist like you. You are one of a kind, Sulli, and your legacy will never be forgotten; MeU and Peaches will make sure of that.
Wherever you are, I hope you are happy and well. You deserve it.
Until we meet again,
Jordyn