'Wouldn't it be sad if I wasn't even mentioned?' DJ Soda was 'deeply wounded' by criticisms of her music but accepts it now

She may have been hurt by negative comments in the past, but now DJ Soda has learned to take them in her stride.

In a recent interview with AsiaOne, Hwang So-hee — better known as DJ Soda — revealed that she has come to accept brickbats even though she had previously suffered because of it.

She had been accused of having more style than substance and "faking" her DJ performances.

"I was deeply wounded by the negative comments when I first started DJ-ing," the 34-year-old South Korean DJ said. 

"But now I think that is also an interest in me and I take it. Wouldn't it be sad if I wasn't even mentioned by people?"

But the criticism isn't the only thing that affects her — the same is also true for the "energy and love" that fans give her.

Said DJ Soda: "I return to my hotel or house to take a rest and bathe to calm down [after a performance]. 

"But when I return to my place after receiving so much energy and love from my fans, I often feel so lonely."

When her loneliness hits, she endures it by working on her music, she told AsiaOne.

"Maybe music will be my lifelong companion," she mused.

DJ Soda in Singapore

DJ Soda will be in Singapore for Skechers Sundown Live on Dec 31 at Sentosa where she will conduct the countdown and usher in the new year.

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But she's no stranger to our island city or to Skechers events — back in 2019, she was part of the Skechers Sundown Festival at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.

DJ Soda also came to Singapore a few months ago, she said. 

"I love the weather and the [environment] of Singapore — I don't like winter, because it's freezing," she said.

And when talking about Singapore, how could we forget about food?

"The most memorable and delicious food in Singapore I had was the chilli crab restaurant that I visited a few months ago," she recalled. "That place serves the best chilli crab ever.

"It's been operated by three generations, from a grandmother to her grandson, since 1956. It was even more mouthwatering after they informed me that they are the creator of the mighty chilli crab in Singapore."

She's also tried the iconic Southeast Asian fruit, the durian, although her experience was far less pleasant.

"I have tried durians before in many different countries including Singapore. I kind of liked the texture of the durian but couldn't stand the smell from the first bite," she laughed.

Fun for the family

The 2022 Skechers Sundown Live Countdown Party will begin from 4pm on Dec 31 through to 1am on Jan 1, 2023.

Aside from DJ Soda, DJ PIN and DJ Inquisitive are also set to perform for the crowd among other Asian talents.

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Tickets for solo adults are priced at $40 for advanced purchases and $50 for door sales, and will include a $5 voucher for food and beverages.

For those aged seven to 16, tickets are priced at $10 each, while entry is free for children six years old and under.

If music isn't to your taste, fret not — the Sundown Live also features other things to do such as scratch art, massages, face painting, a local food village and a film screening of the animated film The Bad Guys.

ALSO READ: 'Doesn't mean I have to eat it every 5 minutes': Jackson Wang gets bombarded with durians in Singapore after saying he loves them

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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