4minute's interview with Billboard Korea, 'We won’t be able to forget these 100 dream-like days'

[exo-cath.livejournal.com]

4minute was hot for the past 100 days. After a year of hiatus, the 4minute ladies hit a home run with ‘What’s Your Name?’, and followed by the popularity received from ‘Is It Poppin?’. They dominated the charts almost instantly. ‘What’s Your Name?’ maintained its number 1 spot for almost six weeks, and the momentum continues for its sequel ‘Is It Poppin’ as it gains good responses as well. The entertainment industry was literally a ’4minute World’.

▲ Making a comeback after a year of hiatus and 4minute have dominated the entertainment industry.

SoHyun: We promoted these 3 months happily. 4minute reunited again, but we didn’t know we would be able to receive so much love.

▲ ‘What’s Your Name?’ was promoted for seven weeks, this is the first time 4minute promoted this long ever since your debut song ‘Hot Issue’.

JiHyun: It seems like we have promoted twice as much than the usual time period. Even when there are new releases, it seems like the song charts even higher. Although this promotion is a lengthy one,  we actually hoped that we could promote more. This promotion is a period that we will never ever forget.

▲ If you were to choose the proudest part for this promotions?

SoHyun: Not only our ’4minute’ name, we are happy that people starts to know each members’ name. Although this was just a part of the promotions, banners on streets and roads seems to have produced some good effects in raising awareness for our names.

▲ There were many concerns in the early part (of the promotions). Hyuna admitted to a hospital a week after the release of your new album.

JiYoon: We worried a lot. We worried about Hyuna’s health. And since it was the time where we were gaining momentum, so  there were worries for our performance as well.

Gayoon: Along with our worries, we went on stage with just the four of us, but we were lucky as we managed to find a balance for our dance formation. Since Hyuna is always the center of our dance formation, it was easier for us to fill up the empty spaces.

▲ Hyuna, what were your feels then?

Hyuna: I worried a lot for not being able to go on stage at such an important time. But I was happy that we won first and the members visited me with that trophy. Although I’m saying this only now, nurses at the hospital warmly supported us, and many even voted for us (laughs).

▲’What’s Your Name?’ was a song that portrays a bold female, while ‘Is It Poppin’ shows a weak female who looks only at one man.

JiYoon: We showed our weakest image since debut. We wanted to show a sweet lively side so as to suit the summer season, but we were always strong-looking all this while, so we couldn’t really adapt to it.

JiHyun: Jiyoon looked nice with bright outfits, but  it was quite awkward for her. Her (awkward) look was so funny, it was interesting.

▲ 4minute’s performances are always filled with charisma or comes with a sexy concept. Were there any parts where you feel hard to perform?

Hyuna: 4minute are always hardworking in showing what a sexy concept should look like. Actually, we had many different concepts too. We never feel that the five of us show one same image. We feel that everyone of us are quite interesting themselves. So, there wasn’t any parts that is particularly hard to perform.

▲ It is 4minute’s 5 year since debut. Usually, people would say that a group would face difficulty around this time, but 4minute seems to be doing well.

Hyuna: It’s indeed like that. Rather than crisis, it seems like a valuable opportunity is heading our way. Just like how Cube Entertainment is growing, we truly feel that we are doing well. Although we have grown older, we hope to stay as 4minute forever.

▲ What was 4minute’s most memorable part?

Hyuna: On our 100th day since debut, we won our first #1 with ‘MUZIK’. That memory is still vivid till now. We were in our waiting room celebrating our 100th days anniversary. Like a kid, we were writing numbers on our arms. Without realizing that we were first, we went on stage. We probably couldn’t express our winning speech then (laughs).

Gayoon: I remembered our first overseas schedule, where we headed for the Philippines. It’s amazing how we have fans in a different country. We spent a short amount of time with local fans there. When we were about to leave, I remembered crying very badly.

Jiyoon: At first, we couldn’t speak much. Whenever we do so, we would often run out of topics, or (many members) speaking with their mics at the same time… (Laughs). During press conference, we were like a mugwort field. Now that we don’t make mistakes anymore, sometimes we are surprise about it too.

▲ Five years into the world of idols, what do you think will remain in your lives?

Gayoon: We don’t think of ourselves as idols. We prefer walking around without makeups and live comfortably. Rather than ‘Five Years Idols’, we just want to try to live our own lives. We made our debut during good times, and we were able to go even further. This is all thanks to every music fans who love K-POP.

▲ 4minute’s future will be…?

Hyuna: We will continue to anticipate the future. Going down these five years, and into my 22 years old, all these are really amazing to me. Also, our maknae SoHyunie has turned 20 years old, and it’s amazing how we could go to clubs together. Now that we have become more resourceful, we are filled with confidence in everything we are about to do. We would want to be 4minute that stretches out to Japan, America, Europe and many more.

Source: Loveindacube via; Billboard Korea

Comments

[krstydlght.livejournal.com]

WYN is def their biggest hit and one of the year's most successful songs but imho it didn't translate or lead to an increased popularity as how hits usually go and response to their follow up song was very lukewarm and wasn't even near WYN's success.

my point is, there's something amiss w how cube is managing them and missed the opportunity of maximizing WYN's success.

[chaneltini.livejournal.com]

cube have always been off in their management imo. i can't even fully place it but most of the time i feel like they could have done better with using the members' abilities, at least with 4minute. (or at least been better at dividing up song parts but that affects a lot of kpop groups soooo...)

[girlsday.livejournal.com]

it was a top 10 hit which i think is great for something prepared in only a few weeks. their popularity hasn't skyrocketed, but they're not in the same place they were last year thank GOD.

gayoon is getting invited to top events, lots of solo photoshoots now, jihyun is doing drama cameos and has a CF deal with Olleh coming up for mini dramas with Sungyeol, Sohyun is getting lots of invites to variety shows. They just need another full fledged comeback this year and it'll stick.

Both of their songs are still in the top 30 on most charts.

[oppameansit.livejournal.com]

do hyuna's songs usually do better than 4minute songs? or was bubble pop just an anomaly?

[girlsday.livejournal.com]

her songs have never done better. just her youtube views~