Jessica's Crossover: K-Pop Star Opens Up About New Music, Diversity & Doing It On Her Own

Since debuting on the music scene just over nine years ago, Jessica Jung has constantly been tagged as an "ice princess," with the San Francisco-born singer boasting a cool, regal demeanor in her music videos and public appearances. But when Fuse meets up with the singer at The Highline in midtown New York on a summer day, there's no ice to melt, just a somewhat timid, extremely well-spoken woman whose inner passion slowly reveals itself. 

Maybe she's initially guarded because she's needed to fend for herself since unexpectedly leaving K-pop supergroup Girls' Generation in 2014—what actually happened is still one of K-pop's biggest mysteries. Or maybe it's because she's still got so much left to prove when it comes to her solo career.

In the two years since she exited the group that initially made her famous, Jessica has expanded her fashion company, Blanc & Eclare; made her debut as a solo artist with her With Love, J EP, which topped the charts in Korea and sold respectably in America; met passionate supporters at exclusive fan events across the globe; and signed on to multiple upcoming film roles. When you meet with Jessica in person, she'll do her best to make eye contact with you, but figuratively and literally, she's always looking forward.