Born in Australia to South Korean parents,Jang Han-byul hopes to connect better with fans in Malaysia. Photo: Handout
When former K-pop sensation Jang Han-byul came to Malaysia in 2019 to compete in the second season of popular singing competition, Big Stage, he had unknowingly embarked on an adventure that would change his career forever.
Entertaining audiences with a rap number, Eminem’s Lose Yourself, and Bahasa Malaysia ballad, Luka Dan Bahagia, Jang was crowned champion with a total score of 70.33%.
Born in Australia to Korean parents, the 33-year-old first learned of the Big Stage competition following an unfortunate incident that happened after he went solo from the now-disbanded K-pop boy group, Led Apple.
“I had a scheduled fan meet in Malaysia then, but the organiser defrauded us. Many fans didn’t get refunds for their tickets, so I’ve always had this sincere, apologetic heart towards Malaysia and the fans here,” he told StarLifestyle.
His chance to make up to his Malaysian fans for the unlucky situation materialised when a production staff member at Astro sent Jang an email, inviting him to join Big Stage.
“This staff member turned out to be a longtime Led Apple fan. She followed me on Instagram, so she knew I was sort of on hiatus.
“After doing my research and finding out that this competition is legitimate, I decided to join the show,” he said.
Although the former K-pop star initially came to Malaysia to make amends with fans, he eventually fell in love with the country and people here that he chose chose to develop his career in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Jang, one of the main reasons behind this huge decision was because of his loyal fanbase here – affectionately known as the Twinklers – who reignited his passion for music.
Jang describes Malaysia as his second home. Photo: Yap Chee Hong/The Star“When I was a solo artiste in South Korea, there was lots of competition, and I was stressed out a lot.
“There were times where I thought I should just forget my singing career because even though I was doing well as a solo artiste, it wasn’t the same as my Led Apple days.
“When I came to Malaysia, the fans were so supportive every step of the way. I credit them for restarting my career and reminding me why I love music,” he said.
Describing Malaysia as his “second home”, Jang shared that the country’s diverse culture and harmonious community had easily captured his heart, and his desire to settle down here grew stronger.
“I didn’t expect Malaysia to be so harmonious. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The food here is delicious too. My favourite is laksa,” he once told Eh! magazine.
Chasing his passion
Jang picked up piano, violin and saxophone lessons during his childhood before developing an interest in singing.
Aside from being musically gifted, the handsome singer was an academic prodigy too.
Jang graduated from Brisbane Grammar School with an OP1, the highest academic rank achievable in Queensland, Australia.
He later studied Dental Science at the University of Queensland after being given an ultimatum by his parents that they would only allow him to become a singer if he had a financially secure alternative aligned for his future.
In 2011, Jang finally fulfilled his dream of becoming a K-pop idol after debuting as the main vocalist of Led Apple.
During his time in the group, the artiste enjoyed considerable success with songs like Time Is Up, Sadness and Run To You among others.
In 2012, Jang was feted as one of the best vocalists in K-pop and one of the most beautiful faces in the Korean music scene.
Despite gaining much praise for his looks, Jang told StarLifestyle that he was subjected to racism because of his looks during his childhood years in Australia.
“Growing up a minority (in Western Australia), I was a target of racism and was called names when I was a young kid because of how different I looked.
“Things definitely got better as I grew older. I guess since children nowadays can easily access information on the Internet, they are less naive and more educated about other cultures,” he said.
Jang appeared on several episodes of the singing show, Immortal Songs: Singing The Legend, from 2012 to 2013 and received standing ovations for his unique renditions of multiple songs.
Apart from having a successful singing career, Jang also served as a host for the popular Korean variety show, After School Club, where he interviewed many stars including Miss A, Exo and BTS.
Jang (first row, middle) poses with former 'After School Club' host Eric Nam and BTS. Photo: @ohboyitsbts/Twitter“BTS is my junior in the industry, and it’s amazing to see how far the group has come.
“Although BTS was only rookie back then, the members were very humble and had this vibe that really made them stand out.
“I got RM’s contact back then, but we haven’t kept in touch in a while due to the group’s busy schedule.
“Their manager is a good friend of mine though. I hope the members still remember me,” he said with a laugh.
Hitting rock bottom
Holding successful concerts together with Led Apple in Japan and multiple countries in Europe, everything seemed to be going well for Jang... or at least that was what fans thought.
During our 30-minute chat, the singer revealed that his group had been mistreated by its agency behind closed doors.
“The band went from being based in South Korea to being based in Japan for about a year and a half.
“During that time, we stayed in a secluded place, surviving on only RM30 for food and eating instant ramen every day.
“It was one of the most gruelling periods we had to go through because of the label,” he said.
The former Led Apple vocalist also claimed that the members weren’t getting paid despite working so hard, and the situation quickly led to everyone having doubts about their career.
Having had enough of the mistreatment, Jang finally called it quits and left the agency at the end of 2014.
In 2016, he signed with a new agency, The Groove Entertainment, to prepare for his solo album.
However, the Like A Star hitmaker left the company in 2017 after being ordered to do so.
“That was when I took a two-year break. It was one of the lowest points in my life because I wasn’t making music or doing anything.
“I had no sense of direction and I felt as if I had made a big mistake pursuing a full-time career in music,” he added.
Fortunately, Jang had many supportive friends who consoled and motivated him to carry on during this difficult time.
“They would always tell me not to regret my decision as I had the talent. It’s just that my time hasn’t come yet. The fans have also kept me going with their kind and supportive words,” he said.
Foreign concept
Jang’s tenacity and resilience eventually paid off.
Following his win at Malaysia’s Big Stage in 2019, the former K-pop idol saw himself receiving multiple job offers here.
In 2020, Jang starred in his first Malay telemovie, Aku Benci Kpop. The following year, he worked on another two shows – Kak Kek Ngajar Oppa Kecek and Mat Bond Malaya.
Presently, Jang is starring opposite Sweet Qismina and Naim Daniel in the 12-episode Malay series, Lecturerku Oppa.
For this drama, Jang has a lot more dialogue in Malay than his previous roles.
Recounting his experience speaking in Malay for Lecturerku Oppa, the multi- faceted star said: “At the time when this was filmed, I hadn’t taken any Malay language lessons yet.
“I would stay up all night memorising the script and sleeping for only an hour or two each day. It was a challenging experience as I had to act while making sure my pronunciation was accurate.”
The Bukan Milikmu hitmaker added that he felt grateful the cast members and production team remained patient whenever he made mistakes – an experience he admitted was “foreign” to him in South Korea.
“Back in Korea, there’s always lots of scolding going on when you don’t do things right, and directors will put a lot of pressure on you.
“On the contrary, the people in Malaysia are so friendly, and they always try their best to make you feel comfortable which is why I love working here.
“No one has said that my acting or Malay is bad. Everyone is just so supportive and positive about everything,” Jang said, adding that he is game to work on another Malay series if the opportunity arises.
When asked if he could converse in Malay, the Korean superstar responded yes.
“Conversing in Malay is OK now, but I struggle sometimes when someone speaks too quickly or in slang.
“I’ve been taking lessons twice a week for six months... not right now, but before. After filming Lecturerku Oppa, I realised that I have a lot to learn.
“I also felt that I should try harder and really embrace the language here if I want to connect with the fans better,” he added.
Devoted animal lover
When he’s not working, Jang spends time with his beloved dogs at home. In fact, he had even started an Instagram account for his pooch, Moongee, in January 2021.
Last November, Jang adopted a dog named Lucy after discovering it on a Malaysian Dog Community page.
“She was up for adoption after being exploited for breeding. She was only two years old then and I thought, who else to give her a happy life than Moongee and myself? All animals deserve a happy life just like us,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
Since he was a child, the former K-pop idol had always owned a dog, and he considers himself to be a devoted animal lover.
During our interview, Jang shared that he was a strong advocate of animal rights and protection.
He also revealed that he used to do volunteer work for stray and rescue dogs when he was living in South Korea.
“I always watch these videos of what animals are going through in multiple countries, and I have also read news about dogs and cats being abused in Malaysia.
“I hope that I can raise awareness about this issue and do more to help these animals,” the singer said, adding that he would like to open a rescue facility for animals after he retires.
