Yoonju Personally, I've been thinking a lot about the business, hoping to build my company, Wowsan Records, on steadier ground. As Okdal, we don't have anything concrete planned yet, but we're considering a quieter release in the second half of the year.

Sejin Since Yoonju is the head of our 'Wowsan Record,' she has a lot on her mind.

Yoonju Not just me: Yozoh, Kang Asol, Deulre Jang, Luca minor, Sun the Lily, and Sejin too, everyone at the company must feel the same way. Because we all need to have more fun.

Sejin Coming back to the question, I'd say my answer is something like "taking a pause with a comma.." We didn't leave much of a mark in the first half of the year, but it was a time to pause with a comma as we prepared for what's ahead.

Yoonju Running the company has changed my perspective a lot. When I was only a musician, I mostly thought about finding joy in life and inspiration for music. Now my concerns have expanded, in a good way. I listen to people's stories, look into them deeply, learn from them, and scold them a little when needed. (laughs) Music still matters, but now I also think about how to make it reach people better. I feel like I'm learning quite a lot about life in general.

Sejin We stayed at the same company for 14 years after debuting, then moved over when Yoonju founded 'Wowsan Record.' Honestly, at first I thought it would just be the two of us. But as fellow artists joined, and we talked, worked, and put on concerts together, I realized all over again how many good people there are in the world. It felt like we were an old couple left on our own, but now the family has grown, and it's lively; I'm not lonely at all, and it feels really good. I'm grateful to our colleagues.

Sejin Yoonju is pretty and funny, and on top of that, she's the best friend anyone could ask for. She's the funniest person I know. Making others laugh is a beautiful thing.

Yoonju I discovered Sejin's beauty during today's shoot. She's always worn her hair short, but today's styling really suits her. I was a little smitten. Sejin's nose is so pretty that the profile shots came out beautifully, too.

Sejin I always thought it was needlessly big, so thanks for seeing it that way. If I can compliment Yoonju one more time, that vivid, cool-toned skin of hers is really pretty. She can even pull off lavender blush, and that's not a color just anyone can wear.

Yoonju Thank you. (laughs) Let me add one more thing too. Once Sejin decides someone is her person, she's like The Giving Tree, holding nothing back. Lately, she's had more room in her heart to give to more people, and I think that's really beautiful.

Yoonju Knowing that Okdal came to mind for the keyword 'my own beauty' makes me feel proud and happy.

Yoonju These days, it's from myself. I tell my own stories. In my twenties, I wrote about myself; then, in my thirties, as I came to understand the world, I wrote more about it. Then I turned forty, and the times were changing too fast to write about the world. So I came back to myself again. Writing about myself tends to feel a bit dark, but Sejin gave me the courage just to let it be as it is, which is why, as I mentioned earlier, we're planning to release somewhat quieter music in the second half of the year. Sejin's lyrics, on the other hand, still tend to be warm.

Sejin I think I try to see the world in a good light. If something in a drama, film, music, book, or conversation with friends catches my attention, I tend to jot it down and develop it further. I used to experience the world with the intention of deliberately collecting good things, but now I try to naturally hold on to whatever resonates with me.

Yoonju When my heart is truly struggling, I can't even listen to music. At times like that, instrumental music puts my mind at ease. Lately, I've been enjoying the jazz of the Paolo Fresu Trio. You should really give it a listen. I love wind instruments, and Paolo Fresu is wonderful at everything, whether it's simple or difficult music; his playing is truly lovely.

Sejin Mine is instrumental, too — "Momoko," by composer Yoko Kanno, one of the tracks from the soundtrack of the Netflix drama The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House. It's the music that brings peace to my mind these days. It's almost like being cleansed. You feel peaceful the moment you hear it, so give it a try.

Yoonju Among songs with lyrics, I love 'Run' by Yoon Sang. It says, "There's certainly an end." Hard times really do pass. Speaking of 'Run' reminds me of another artist's song, Lucid Fall's 'Let us walk.' If you don't feel like running, it's fine to walk instead. (laughs) There's a line that goes, "Take me with you," and even if you're walking, it's fine as long as you properly take yourself along. There's also an Okdal version of 'Run' — I'm sure everyone already knows that one, right?

Sejin Among our own songs, I'd also recommend 'Nobody Sleeps Tonight.' It might feel like a somber track, but your mind quiets down after listening to it. And for anyone struggling with how hard it is to begin something, I'd recommend 'To Begin .' Listen to plenty of music, and take heart.

Yoonju I think it's really only recently that I started thinking about my own beauty. Honestly, I love being around groups of people, but I never quite felt my own worth in it. For instance, I'd throw an after-party for a show, and once everyone looked happy, I'd quietly go home. And for no real reason, I'd end up feeling lonely because of that.

Sejin Strangely, she always does that. No one ever tells her to leave, but she suddenly disappears.

Yoonju Then I came to understand that I'm someone who only feels useful when someone needs me. Facing that, I confronted many different sides of myself, and only then did I start thinking about my own beauty, about being uniquely myself. I've only just realized it, but if I had to name the beauty that is uniquely mine, I'd say "Being bright"? "Wit"? (laughs) So my beauty shows itself when I'm together with people.

Sejin I'm similar to Yoonju. I think cheerfulness is my beautiful side. To add a little more, I think being uniquely myself comes down to things such as the ability to cheerfully refresh a mood, cheerfulness itself, and that sense of refreshment.

Yoonju That's right. Refreshment. Even a dull mood suddenly brightens with one of Sejin's quirky remarks.

Yoonju I suppose two similar people found each other. We had a shoot in Jeju a few days ago. Everyone else was serious, but the two of us couldn't stop laughing. We laugh at the same things, like an old couple whose comic timing has been in sync for years.

Sejin Our MBTI types are different, and our personalities are fairly different too, but as we've respected and looked out for each other, I think we've grown more attuned to each other over time.

Yoonju Our overlap keeps growing, I guess.

Yoonju Beauty that is uniquely mine really matters. I hope people aren't swayed by trends or by others' opinions. Each person may feel less confident about certain parts of themselves compared to others, but once you have confidence in yourself, that alone looks wonderful. And confidence isn't something you can build up alone; the people around you need to join forces with you, too. If we recognize each other and tell one another how great we are, even confidence that wasn't there before will start to grow.

Sejin I really love the phrase itself: New Beauty, my own beauty. Honestly, there really are so many people who don't know themselves well. Being conscious of everyone around them, they lose track of what they truly like or dislike. I think it's a slogan that helps people like that find their way. Hearing it made me think about being uniquely myself all over again, too.

Yoonju Is that five stars?

Sejin Ten out of ten. I hope every reader asks themselves what their own beauty. Or you could try asking a close friend as well.

Sejin I'd like to have the kind of beauty that comes from diligence. I've spent far too much of my life lying around. (laughs)

Yoonju I'd like to become a beautiful person who keeps her word. Just a little while ago, I broke a promise to my personal trainer. I think I'd be a bit more beautiful if I became an adult who keeps the promises I make.

Sejin Please keep exploring your own beauty; don't give up, and try to enjoy the process itself. Okdal will be cheering you on as you find your own beauty.

Yoonju I hope you won't compare yourself to others. I sometimes lose sight of my own strengths by comparing myself with other people for no good reason. Let's not lose our own strengths while searching for other people's — let's focus on ourselves instead.