When Park Jihoon competed on the second season of Mnet’s Produce 101, he was a 19-year-old whose aegyo belied his steely determination.

In a recent interview, Jihoon revealed that he’s been watching clips from the show. He says he was reminded of how difficult it was to go through that process. “I could see how hard I worked back then,” he shares.

All his hard work was worth it, because he earned a spot in Wanna One. The group debuted on August 7, 2017 with the single “Energetic.” Their contract ended on December 31, 2018, but their final activity as a group was the four-day concert series Therefore, which ran from January 24-27, 2019.

After Wanna One disbanded, Jihoon began promoting as a soloist. It was hard for him to adjust to doing things alone. Not because he felt like he couldn’t make it on his own, but because he had gotten used to spending time surrounded by so many other people.

“It was difficult because those who were once with me were no longer there. For awhile, they were with me for longer than my family, so once they were gone, I couldn’t help but think of them constantly.”

Eventually Jihoon found his footing, releasing one hit after another and embarking on an acting career. He’s not too concerned about ratings or sales figures, because those things aren’t that important to him. What’s important to him is making sure he gives his work his all.

“Just because make music doesn’t mean I want to achieve certain things or sell a certain amount of records. I think that just burdens fans. I feel the same way when it comes to dramas. So no matter what I do, I don’t focus on the feedback or response. I just try to do my best when I’m in the preparation stage, and then I enjoy myself while showcasing what I prepared.”