"I always had faith in myself from the very beginning of my music career. This may sound arrogant in a way, but I knew all along that I would one day seize a huge opportunity in my life that would bring success and fame," Lim Han-byul said. Lim Han-byul, a junior majoring in Information Sociology on the ERICA Campus, recently joined the popular ballad group Monday Kiz.
   Two years after the group publically announced a breakup due to the unfortunate death of a former member Kim Min-su, Monday Kiz returned to the music industry with the single album New Sentimental. Some songs ranked number one on the Internet music charts including the Cyworld music chart.
   "Everything still seems so surreal to me since our group hastily produced the single album. It is astonishing to listen to our songs being played on the streets, not to mention people actually humming the melodies. None of our group members expected this much attention from the public, but I have a good feeling that the affection will bring a positive effect to our upcoming formal album in May," Lim said.
   Since the group made a comeback with two new members, some fans were afraid that the loss of the former member Kim Min-su might be forgotten, but Lim copes calmly with such reactions. "I wish to live up to the high expectations that the group received in the past with their vocal excellence. However, I have pride in my musical abilities, and I think that if I strive to improve as a musician, I would not have to be over-sensitive about the critical public," Lim said.
   Some might mistakenly think of him as a newcomer to the music industry, but in fact Lim was a former member of the boy group AST1, which broke apart because of failing to gain popularity. However, he is not ashamed of his past. "I do not think of it as a failure at all. It was a great opportunity for me to improve as a musician, and even then, I strongly believed that various chances awaited me in the future. Consequently, I discovered a great chance and I am sure that if I continuously enjoy what I do, which is singing, more chances will open up a bright future for me," he said.
   He also advised the Hanyangians who dream of becoming singers saying that, "The reality is that you must look in the mirror and objectively assess your musical ability. It is difficult to survive in this jungle and if you think your efforts will not raise you to a level high enough, it may be better not to bother trying." When asked what his hopes for the future are, Lim answered, "I hope our group ranks number one on the music charts when the formal album makes its release. What would be more amazing is if the tickets for our upcoming concert in July get sold out so that we can set off on a national tour."