By Kim Na-young, MKSports
The era of 15 million pet population. Pets play a big role in the lives of many, to the point that we now view them as family. For an owner, a pet is always a source of pride and a bundle of love, one that you keep wanting to see no matter how much you see them. We’ve taken time to meet the pets of stars, who are like family and friends to them. <Editor’s Note>
[MK★PETerview - Yeojin, formerly of LOONA] Yeojin, who debuted in August 2018 as a member of Loona, has a lovely family member named Dubu.
Yeojin, who says that she was able to endure difficult times thanks to Dubu, has wrapped up a conflict over her exclusive contract with former agency Blockberry Creative, and is set to embark on a second act with new agency CTD ENM.
Yeojin has dear feelings for Dubu, whom she had a fated encounter with, and holds stronger principles regarding pet dogs than anyone. She emphasized, “I wish people who abandon or abuse pets wouldn’t bring them home to begin with. If you can’t take responsibility, I hope you will wait until you can.”
What’s the name of your pet? And what does it mean?
My dog’s name is Dubu. I heard somewhere that pets live long if you name them after a food, so I was debating what to name her, and since I like tofu I named her Dubu [tofu].
How old is your pet now? When is the birthday?
Dubu is a little over a year old now. Her birthday is February 8th.
Curious about how you first met this pet, who’s become family.
Mm… The first meeting felt a little special to me.
I used to go around visiting abandoned dog shelters. Pretty and cute puppies are loved by everyone, but I figured abandoned dogs would long for someone’s love, so I wanted to bring home an abandoned dog, but I found that the procedure was not easy. But at that time, a friend of my father’s contacted me. Saying that they had just had a litter of puppies. So I ran over right away. And the puppy that caught my eye the most was Dubu. That was our first encounter (laughs).
Please boast about any talents your pet has.
Our Dubu is a genius puppy.
She can do “shake”, “nose”, “V”, “spin”, “high five”, “lie down”, “bang!”, “yes”! She can do it all, and not only that, but her existence itself is a talent. She’s such a lovely friend.
Are there any special treats that you prepare for your pet? Or if there are any treats that your pet likes, please let us know.
Dubu is allergic to many foods so I avoid those, but she likes salmon treats, eel treats, and sweet potatoes. Though honestly she’ll eat anything you give her….. Hahahaha.
When you’re busy with your schedule, there must be times when you’re not able to be with your pet, and I’m curious about how you resolve that.
When I’m not able to be with her I leave Dubu with my parents, where our older dog also is. Fortunately our first dog really likes Dubu and yields to her a lot, so they get along well.
When have you been the most grateful or encouraged by your pet?
I’m always grateful. I may be a lacking mother, but because I had Dubu who only looks towards me and waits for me and loves me quietly, I got a lot of strength looking at Dubu even during hard periods, and I wonder if I could have endured those times without Dubu. Dubu is my family, beyond being a pet, so she’s a bundle of love that I’m grateful for every moment and gives me strength.
There are many animal-related programs these days, so is there a show you’d like to appear on together?
Mm… I’d like to meet instructor Kang Hyungwook once.
Because actually Dubu has a unique habit, you know? Whenever I touch the curtains, she acts weirdly. So I would like to know why whenever I so much as touch the curtains, she turns from an angel to a devil. Mr. Kang Hyungwook, please help me.
What does your pet mean to your daily routine?
Number one in my daily life. I can eat when I’m hungry and do anything I want, but dogs can’t speak, right. What they need and what they want to do. So I think I care more closely for Dubu than for myself. I guess I could say she’s another me? Dubu is a precious family member that I can’t do without in my daily life.
Lastly, as a pet-owner, if you have thoughts regarding fostering a responsible pet culture, please provide a word.
A pet is a family member. You don’t just bring one home because it’s cute and pretty, rather it’s a family member that you really need to give your best to with a sense of responsibility. So I wish people who abandon or abuse them wouldn’t bring home a pet to begin with. This might sound a little harsh to the public who’s reading this, but as someone who raises a dog, I can’t understand the actions of those who abuse or abandon.
If you can’t take responsibility, I hope that you’ll wait until you can. Even at this very moment, many pets are being abandoned and wander through the streets. So I’d like to say that the actions that hurt precious lives should go away.
There isn’t even enough time to give them love. If you’ve brought one home, please cherish it.
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