Zion.T Reflects on Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing Self-Compassion

Zion.T, the 36-year-old singer, recently opened up about his past struggles and journey towards self-acceptance.

On October 7th, the YouTube channel 'Sebasi Talk' featured a video titled 'Zion.T's First Confession: Learning to Love Myself Through Self-Compassion at the End of Self-Doubt and Self-Destruction.' In this talk, Zion.T candidly shared his experiences of self-loathing and the path to acknowledging his true self.

Zion.T admitted, "Honestly, I didn't like anything about myself, not my music, not my face, nothing. It was unbearable and pitiful." He recalled a time when he was so dissatisfied with his voice during a recording session that he punched a wall in frustration.

He added, "A friend who was working with me at the time was so shocked that they cried. It was unnecessary, and I genuinely feel sorry for that." To mask his thin and frail voice, he revealed that he layered multiple choruses.

Zion.T also shared how he tried to hide himself on stage, saying, "One day, I wore sunglasses I took from my father's car because I didn't want to show my eyes to the audience. I couldn't stand being on stage."

Reflecting on his journey, he noted that his attempts to appear more impressive ultimately became a process of filling his inner self. "The songs I created out of self-hatred strangely became the ingredients that helped me love myself," he emphasized.

Introducing himself, Zion.T said, "I was born in Korea, made music, received positive feedback, and eventually met my own team. Now, I lead a company called Standard Friends as a musician."

Regarding his participation in the talk, he mentioned, "I didn't think I was someone who could boast about anything. But I came out to speak as someone walking their own path, as a person living on the same land."

"Believe it or not, I love my face, my body, and my music. Anyway, I love myself," Zion.T said with a smile, recalling his past filled with self-hatred. He confessed, "There was a time when I looked in the mirror and thought, 'Why do I look like this?' and 'Why does my voice sound like that?' I was scared that people would notice how messed up I was if they looked into my eyes on stage."

Yet, he continued, "As much as I hated myself, I slowly, very slowly, managed to love this pitiful human being."

He pondered, "Others are no different from me. No matter how successful someone seems, they're all the same. But why is it so difficult to love oneself, not someone else?" He explained the time it took to embrace self-compassion.

Zion.T confessed, "I still have hundreds of songs piled up that I can't release. I want to be loved, but I struggle to reach out. Even posting a single photo on social media makes me hesitate." He admitted that he continues to battle with himself.

He concluded, "In the future, I want to cover myself with the person I want to become, not the lacking past. I hope for a market where old works and people are respected, and I want to be that kind of person."

Meanwhile, Zion.T confirmed his relationship with TWICE's Chaeyoung in April last year. Chaeyoung, born in 1999, is 10 years younger than Zion.T.

Reported by Min-Kyung Lee, TenAsia