Kang Hye-yeon, a trot singer and former member of girl group BESTIE, shared her feelings about the reverse-charting success of 'Love Game,' which is drawing attention again after 13 years, and the group's first full-member stage in 11 years.

Kang expressed surprise and gratitude at the public's renewed attention after such a long time. In particular, she drew attention by opening up about the emotions she felt while taking the stage again with her former bandmates.

Meanwhile, Kang Hye-yeon and BESTIE are both nominated for the November Netizens' Awards, drawing further interest. As of the afternoon of the 6th, in the second-half finals currently underway for the November Netizens' Awards, Kang Hye-yeon ranks 7th in the Female Singer category, while BESTIE ranks 17th in the Best Group category. With her past girl group activities and current trot career being in the spotlight simultaneously, attention is also on how the rankings in both categories may change going forward.

■ "Emotions overwhelmed during rehearsal"... The first full-group stage in 11 years

Kang Hye-yeon appeared on MBC's 'Son Tae-jin's Trot Radio,' which aired on the 3rd, and talked about the renewed popularity of BESTIE's 'Love Game' and her recent activities.

On the broadcast, it was introduced that BESTIE had presented a stage with all four members together for the first time in about 11 years.

Kang said she felt special emotions during rehearsals before the performance. At the time, after watching other rookie groups greet with their team chants, the BESTIE members also greeted under their team name for the first time in a long while. For Kang, it was a moment both familiar and unfamiliar. Memories of her idol days came flooding back, and she became overwhelmed with emotion. Above all, the fact that she could stand on the same stage with her members again after so many years carried special meaning.

■ Reverse-charting fever continues through SNS challenges

BESTIE's 'Love Game' has recently been gaining renewed attention, centered on social networking services (SNS). As various idol groups participate in challenges and cover content using the song, the track released in the past is gaining interest from a new generation. The song is also increasingly being used as background music for SNS videos, further fueling the reverse-charting boom.

Kang said she felt a sense of wonder watching the idols she once liked create challenge videos with BESTIE's song. It has become an especially meaningful experience, as the song is becoming known again in ways she never anticipated during her original activities.

Her feelings about this reverse-charting success carried not only joy but also memories of her past activities. She reflected that not everything had gone smoothly during her career as a singer. There were times when hard work did not easily lead to the desired results, which is why the sudden attention feels even harder to believe. Notably, she said she is embracing this reverse-charting success like an unexpected gift. The experience and effort she built up over her long career as a singer connecting to new attention at an unforeseen moment holds special meaning for her.

■ Reunion with longtime fans

It was also reported that fans who once supported BESTIE are returning. Fans who took photos and cheered during her idol days have reappeared, and longtime fans have even delivered letters. With continued contact through SNS, Kang is confirming the existence of fans who still remember her even after all this time.

This is why the reverse-charting success is not merely a revival of an old song. Singers and fans who once shared memories through the song are reconnecting after a long time.

Amid these reunions with longtime fans, Kang Hye-yeon and BESTIE are each nominated in different categories at the Netizens' Awards. Kang Hye-yeon is competing in the top ranks at 7th place in the Female Singer category, while BESTIE is participating in the second-half finals at 17th place in the Best Group category. Although the two rankings were formed in different categories, they are meaningful in that they bring to mind both Kang's present and past activities. It is especially notable that fans rediscovering BESTIE's music and fans who have supported Kang's trot stage are each continuing their own memories and affection. How this attention plays out over the remaining finals period will also be a point of interest.

■ "It's not easy to go back to idol vocal techniques"

The broadcast also touched on the difference between idol music and trot vocal techniques. Kang explained that the singing style she has become accustomed to as a trot singer may naturally emerge when singing BESTIE's past songs. In particular, in parts requiring vocal power, trot's characteristic style of expression shows through, making it harder than expected to recreate the vocal style from her idol days. This also demonstrates the time Kang has spent expanding her career from a girl group singer to a trot singer.

Kang Hye-yeon recently released her new song 'A Man I Can't Trust,' continuing her activities as an authentic trot singer. On December 8, she is preparing a mini concert titled 'Hye-yeon's Invitation' to celebrate her birthday. As her past idol activities regain the spotlight through BESTIE's reverse-charting success while her current trot career continues, Kang's moves are drawing even more attention.

■ Reverse charting prompts renewed reflection on the meaning of time

This reverse-charting success of 'Love Game' prompts reflection on the meaning of time in popular music. Chart performance or reception at the time of release does not entirely determine a song's lifespan. Years later, past songs can be embraced anew as present-day music when they meet new platforms and listeners. In particular, the phenomenon of fans who cherish the memories of BESTIE's active days and a new generation of listeners consuming the song together shows another dimension of what reverse charting means.

For Kang Hye-yeon, this reverse-charting success has become a new occasion to look back on her past activities while continuing her musical career. The emotions she felt at the first full-group stage in 11 years, the renewed popularity of the song after 13 years, and the reunions with longtime fans are all connecting into a single story.

The fact that Kang Hye-yeon and BESTIE are competing as nominees simultaneously at the Netizens' Awards also aligns with this trend. A single singer's two different musical eras are meeting fans under their respective names. As the second-half finals are underway, it remains to be seen whether the current rankings will lead to the final results. How Kang's top-tier competition in the Female Singer category and BESTIE's ranking movement in the Best Group category unfold will also be worth watching.

Kang Hye-yeon's story, shared on Son Tae-jin's radio program, showed how deeply a single song can remain meaningful to a singer who has kept her place on stage for so long. Attention is focused on how far the reverse-charting fever created by BESTIE's 'Love Game' will go, and what activities Kang will pursue based on her dual musical background as an idol and a trot singer. Her current positions — 7th in the Female Singer category and BESTIE's 17th in the Best Group category — are also points to watch in the remaining November Netizens' Awards. How the bonds with fans, rekindled after so many years, will manifest in the second-half finals remains to be seen.

[Some AI assistance was used in writing this article.]