K-pop Icon Sunmi Shares Her Love for Notion and Ear Cleaning Videos

Sunmi is a powerhouse in the K-pop scene. She made her debut with the Wonder Girls in 2007, one of the pioneering K-pop groups to gain traction in the West. Their English version of “Nobody” marked a milestone as the first K-pop track to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2009.

In 2010, Sunmi stepped away from the group to focus on her education, but the allure of music drew her back. She launched her solo career with the EP Full Moon in 2014, kicking off a series of award-winning releases, including the Song of the Year for “Gashina” at the Gaon Chart Music Awards.

Despite her continuous presence in the K-pop landscape as both a solo artist and a member of the Wonder Girls—whom she rejoined in 2015—Sunmi only recently dropped her first solo album, Heart Maid, in 2025. This year, she unveiled the single “Forever July,” a track that fuses ’90s R&B synths with bouncy bass and UK garage-inspired beats. Sunmi describes it as one of her most personal songs. In a recent Q&A, she opened up about her songwriting process, her biggest disappointment as an artist, and her unexpected fascination with ear cleaning videos.

What is your most indispensable tool?
My phone. I rely heavily on the Notes app and Voice Memos for writing lyrics and creating music. Whenever inspiration strikes, I can jot it down immediately, so I can’t imagine being without it.

Which is the most underappreciated?
The Samsung Galaxy series. It has really streamlined my work environment.

Team Galaxyyyyyy!

What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?
Nowadays, transferring apps and data from my old device makes it easy, so I don’t have to install anything from scratch. But if I had to, I’d probably go for KakaoTalk, my go-to messaging app.

What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?
I have a ton of unnecessary photos and screenshots cluttering my gallery. I wish there was a feature that could identify similar or duplicate images and group them, so I could delete them all at once.

What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?
Notion. I use it frequently for group projects. It’s super handy, but it does take some time to get used to. I think the user interface could use a bit of a makeover.

How many tabs do you have open right now?
Four: Notion, Google Drive, YouTube, and Claude.

Which social media platform do you use the most?
I’m not very active on social media, but I think I use Instagram and X the most.

What is your happy place online?
YouTube videos of people getting their ears cleaned.

What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?
I’m not the most tech-savvy, but I’d say the Samsung Z Fold 8 I’m using now is my favorite. It’s perfect for working on documents or editing videos while I’m on the go. The wide screen allows me to multitask easily, and it’s surprisingly lightweight. It’s exactly what I’ve always needed.

What game do you have the fondest memories of?
MapleStory by Nexon. I played it in elementary school, and even as an adult, I sometimes enjoy the mobile version. The graphics really take me back to my childhood.

Which tech trend do you wish would go away?
Deepfakes. They’re just creepy.

What is one thing you wish you had created?
Stranger Things 5 and Game of Thrones 8.

What creation are you most proud of?
“Tail.” It’s a song that still excites me every time I perform it live. When I hold my breath, the audience does too, and when I let it out, they explode with energy. It creates a truly unique experience.

Which are you least proud of?
“You Can’t Sit with Us.” It was my first attempt at rapping, and both the lyrics and my delivery were pretty rough.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Always stay humble. Never let yourself become arrogant.

What is your current obsession?
I’m really into ice cream. Korean summers can be brutally hot, so it’s hard to get by without it. I absolutely love Salt & Straw’s Salted Caramel Waffle Cone, but there’s nothing quite like it in Korea.

What do you do when you need to focus?
I find a small space to organize my thoughts.

What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?
I say “No?” out loud. For instance, if I catch myself thinking, “I can’t do this,” I immediately counter it by saying “No?” out loud.

When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?
When I’m filming, I leave my phone with my manager. Even during short breaks, I hardly check it. But I’ve never actually gone anywhere without my phone.

What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?
The Senses of an Everydayist, a new essay collection by lyricist Kim Eana. She gifted me a copy when it was published, but I believe there’s something special about personally buying and reading someone’s creative work, so I ordered a copy online.

What do you think is worth splurging on?
A meal with the people I love.

What would the tagline for your biopic be?
Dancing on the Borderline.

What’s the last GIF or meme you used?
[Media: https://youtube.com/shorts/3uBHPYy8cc0?si=71I-ueY31tBTi5k2]