SHINee's Key turned emotional during an appearance on "As You Say," where he talked about the early stage of his career with the boy group.
The 26-year-old idol began by telling a story about a reporter who branded SHINee members as swans for their natural-born elegance. The idea made Key ponder and realized that he does not have anything "natural-born."
"So I considered which bird I am like the most and concluded that I am like a chicken," Key said as per Allkpop. The SHINee member added he previously thought he was a swan, however, he has come to realize that he is not.
"When I finally debuted, reality hit me. Among SHINee members, I always ranked 5th place [last] in search engines," Key said, adding that he started to doubt his capabilities during those crashing days.
While talking about his slump days, Key could not help but cry and added, "I found myself as a chicken among many swans. I had to admit that I had no competitive edge."
Key even shared that becoming a singer was his ultimate dream, noting that his parents used to oppose the idea but later accepted his decision. The SHINee member also experienced being rejected from several auditions until he reached 15 and became a trainee of SM Entertainment.
Key and the four other members of SHINee debuted in 2008 with a mini-album titled "Replay." Aside from performing with the group, Key has also done acting. In fact, the SHINee member is reportedly filming for an upcoming project, Soompi reported.
Recently, SHINee's Onew, Jonghyun, Minho and Taemin made an appearance on "Kim Chang Ryul's Old School," where they talked about their comeback as a group. Taemin expressed his excitement for their return after their solo activities.
Meanwhile, Onew is confident that he can finally perform after suffering from a minor injury.
