Happy Birthday Jessi: Taking a look at some girl boss moments of the popular K-Pop idol rapper

Jessi was born and brought up in New Jersey until she moved to South Korea for work at the age of 15. From a young age, she worked hard as a rapper and began her professional journey in 2005 with her debut album Get Up and soon featured in a group named Uptown in 2006. 

Jessi's beginning:

She gained her recognition and place in the industry after she appeared in the first season of Unpretty Rapstar which is a female rapper survival program, where contestants compete for the chance to be featured on tracks in a compilation album. Jessi was chosen as the second-place winner of the show by audience vote. Her unguarded personality got her so much popularity that she appeared in J.Y. Park’s song Who’s Your Mama.

Jessi's rise to stardom:

Soon, she joined PSY’s label P NATION and released Who Dat B, a noted bad girl anthem driven by biting lyrics and an infectious beat, followed by Nunu Nana, the song that brought more popularity to Jessi as it was a fun and earworm of a song! Jessi became a part of a reality-variety show Hangout with Yoo in 2020 as a member of four-member supergroup Refund Sisters. The group consists of Jessi along with Hyori, Uhm Junghwa, and MAMAMOO’s Hwasa; they made their debut on October 10, releasing their debut single, Don't Touch Me. Taking on alter egos, the group managed to create a popular song that went viral in South Korea, especially amongst the youth. 

Jessi's recent activities:

Right after, she began her journey as a variety personality, appearing as a fixed cast member in Sixth Sense alongside Yoo Jae Suk and others. This was one of the shows that brought her more fans as she continued to display her no nonsense personality as well as her soft side that not many get to see. She had also started her own variety show called Jessi’s Showterview on YouTube that had many popular guests like TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ATEEZ, ITZY and many more. Her bold and cheery personality made every guest feel at ease and they were able to talk to her like a friend rather than a host or an interviewer. Fans were looking forward to her episodes until one day it was announced that she had been replaced with Sunmi for showterview and while people love both the singers, it's not the same without Jessi. 

Here are some of the moments where Jessi was a total girl boss over the years :- 

Jessi in Unpretty Rapstar 

As explained before, Jessi got catapulted into popularity through this show and it was because the world saw a new version of an idol/rapper- an unapologetic, New Jersey-centric bold girl who is not afraid of competition. Her most famous line ‘We are not a team, this is a competition’ is used amongst idols even today. Her iconic lines and gestures got the South Korean and international crowd on a hold and for good reason, they found a new gem and were fascinated by her. 

Jessi in Happy Together 

Happy Together is an old KBS variety show and an extremely popular one with Yoo Jae Suk as one of the MCs. Jessi was invited as one of the guests along with other rappers to discuss their scene. In that episode, she addressed a lot of rumors that were flying around at the time regarding her plastic surgeries and she openly admitted to it and said that it was her body and her money, nobody else gets to judge her. While her words and gestures made the other men on the panel uncomfortable, she was also given respect for owning up to her decisions and sticking by them. 

Jessi in Sixth Sense 

Jessi in Sixth Sense with her favorite cast members like Yoo Jae Suk, Lee Sang Yeob and more has allowed her to be more free and herself. Her cheery personality shines through in all episodes and she is never afraid to speak her mind or be crass, which can be looked down on in that society but Jessi being so charming, it suits her! She manages to steal the thunder at every given turn and is the life of the party. Many are fans of her through this show as well and it's because she represents a side of people that many are afraid of unleashing and they live vicariously through her! 

Jessi in Jessi’s Showterview 

Here is where Jessi was completely untethered and showed her authentic self at all times, allowing the staff and the guests to feel comfortable around her. From first glance it would seem like she is harsh and mean but truly, she is just honest and has a good heart. She always allows her guests to be themselves and has a conversation with them rather than just a plain old interview, which is a refreshing change. 

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