a couple of snsd interviews

[the-erotomanic.livejournal.com]

From stilettos to sneakers: SNSD adores new group image

Girls’ Generation makes comeback with new look, fresh sound

Girls’ Generation recently released their fourth full album, “I Got a Boy.” (S.M. Entertainment)

The K-pop girl group leaders of Girls’ Generation have made their long awaited comeback with the release of their fourth full album, “I Got a Boy.” The nine beauties have not only transformed the group’s image from cute and innocent to raw and edgy: they have a new sound to match.

“I personally think that Girls’ Generation’s strength, and from this album on, is versatility,” said Tiffany during an interview Monday. “Just by listening to the album itself you can get hip-hop to sweet songs, to tough and girlish. There’s a lot of versatility in the album ― from the wigs to the fashion, the sounds, the beats, the dance.”

“For our comeback, we really wanted to show our fans a new side of us,” said Seo Hyun. “This is the style of music that most of us enjoy listening to in our free time. It was so much fun for us to try something new.”


The album’s title track, “I Got a Boy,” has also gained attention internationally, receiving positive reviews from both Billboard and the LA Times, which referred to the song as a modern-day twist to the classic rock hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

The track has a hybrid sound that includes heavy electronic, rock and hip-hop beats which, when combined, is both cute and chaotic. The girls of SNSD even ventured into a new realm by adding rap to their arsenal.

“At first, I was not very confident about rapping,” Soo Young said. “I began practicing by rapping in English before I switched to Korean. Now, when I’m on the stage, I feel very confident.” 

Prior to the new album’s release, SNSD was popularly known for its cute and bubbly image, thanks to the group’s breakout hit “Gee.” When the ladies’ latest album was first released, many fans commented on how the songs, with the drastic change in style, did not feel like SNSD.

“Maybe it’s because I’m a member, but I really don’t see why some people say the song does not feel like Girls’ Generation,” said YoonA. “We’ve made changes, but I think that the overall essence is still very much Girls’ Generation.”

“Even the lyrics to the songs are some of the typical conversations that we have with one another when we text or talk to each other,” she added.

The girls took to changing their music as a way to not only express themselves in a new light, but also as a way to show off a new fashion statement that is a complete turnaround from how the members were typecast in the past.

“Because we have so many members, it’s very difficult to capture all of our individuality and that can be frustrating sometimes,” said Tiffany.

“We are usually used to wearing tight and short outfits, but now we’ve come out in a more baggy style,” said Tae Yeon. “We focused on our outfits a lot, and even though we do have a different image now, I still feel like it’s our own image.”

“We’ve gotten older,” Jessica said, laughing. “That’s a big change as well.”

However, one of the biggest changes in terms of group’s image and stage presence is the active, hip-hop-inspired choreography which has the girls strutting energetically on the stage wearing sneakers as opposed to the high heels that most fans are accustomed to seeing them in.

“If we wore heels, we could not give this sort of stage performance,” said Jessica.

“It’s more outgoing and free now that we get to dance in sneakers,” said Tae Yeon. “Wearing heels while performing onstage is very difficult.”

“I was one of the members who was a bit reluctant about performing in sneakers,” Tiffany admitted. “But when I saw how much fun it was for all of us dancing around and performing, I felt very liberated and really started to enjoy myself.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, the music video music video to the “I Got a Boy” title track, which shows off the girls’ dynamic choreography, had been viewed more the 22 million times on YouTube in just six days.

“Even for us, the more we keep listening to the song, the more we like it,” said Seo Hyun. “We hope the fans feel the same way.”

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)



Source: The Korea Herald


Girls' Generation redeemed with 'I Got a Boy'

From left, Sunny, Tiffany, Taeyeon, Seohyun, Yoona, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Jessica and Sooyoung
of Girls’ Generation pose for their fourth full-length album “I Got a Boy,”
which was released on Jan.1. / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arriving for a round of press interviews in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul, Tuesday, the members of Girls’ Generation were lovely even in their off-stage, every-day clothes.

Sixth year since its debut, the nine girls seemed more maturing girls than the dynamic, rapping powerful dancer/singers in their fourth full-length album “I Got a Boy.”

Their title track “I Got a Boy,” released on the first day of the year 2013, surprised the K-pop scene with fresh, unexpected music and style.



The song is an evolved form of K-pop, beginning with hip hop-style rap and developing into electronic dance and dubstep with the girls’ harmonies. The song constantly modulates and changes beats.

For the song, the girls’ styles have changed. The girly girls are gone and the group has became much funkier, where the nine piece presented at least three totally different looks in punk, retro and military styles. They stepped down from signature high heels and changed into running shoes, adding more dynamism to their costume and dance performance.

Their fourth studio album received the most mixed reactions by far. Local music critics and fans were rather negative, claiming the music is too difficult.

“We expected this. When we first heard the songs, we wondered whether we could sing and dance to this,” the youngest member Seohyun said. “We know people prefer songs with easily recognizable, repeating hooks, but we can’t remain the same. This is the result of us trying to present something new with a broad perspective musically.”

However, the Billboard complimented “I Got a Boy,” saying the album, combining electronic dance music, classic and modern R&B and 80s new wave, “should more than satisfy not only K-pop fans but also listeners of all types of popular music.”

For the title track of the same name, the Billboard said it is “one of the most-forward thinking lead pop singles heard in any country" and the girl band "set the bar truly high for pop in 2013.”

Tiffany, the U.S.-born member, was thrilled about this review. "I read the review directly in English and so delighted to see the expressions describing our music, performance and fashion.”

The performance leans toward hip hop and the group’s best dancer Hyoyeon is elated at it. "I love the music that I can dance to and immediately fell in love with this song. It’s fresh and exhilarating,” Hyoyeon said.

Tiffany added, “When we saw the choreography first, we thought this was only for Hyoyeon.”

But all the members followed up the dance routine perfectly. “It was more like what we did when we were trainees,” Taeyeon said.

Sooyoung said singing the full song complete with performance is like finishing a marathon. “At first, we had to take a 20-minute break after dancing to the five-minute song.”

However hard the practice is, the group now seems to know how to enjoy being on stage, singing and dancing to their music.

At the same time, they are like ordinary girls in their 20s offstage. During the interview, Tiffany called other members “my girls” with affectionate eyes and Sooyoung pointed out Taeyeon’s red socks matching her red sweater.

The lyrics of “I Got a Boy” are more like girls’ chattering at a coffee shop over a variety of topics and the Girls’ Generation is no exception. They don’t have much free time and spend time with each other a lot, which created a strong bond among them over a six year period.

“We talk a lot when we get together. It could be about fashion, food or television shows, including our performances,” Yoona said.

When members of Girls’ Generation do individual activities such as singing as a unit, appearing in a television drama or staging a musical, the other members are best friends in monitoring each other.

“I was so proud to see Yoona and Yuri appearing in dramas ‘Love Rain’ and ‘Fashion King,’” Tiffany said.

Sunny said when a member blames herself for acting or performance, others cheer them up by complementing. “We are Girls’ Generation who love Girls’ Generation.”

After one-month promotion in Korea, the girls will be busy internationally, as they will leave for Japan to embark on their second arena tour in February.

Korean singer Psy opened up a new era of K-pop with “Gangnam Style” last year and Girls’ Generation will have more opportunity in reaching farther across the globe with this album.

“Psy obviously changed everything and it paved a road for K-pop. If we have a good chance, we hope to go abroad and promote our music,” Tiffany said. “We could head to the U.S. or the U.K. Why not a world tour?”

meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr


Source: The Korea Timesa

Comments

[pinkosa.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy they're happy with the concept. I love these girls so much <3

[flumes.livejournal.com]

yea, i see what you mean

[angela-derp-otp.livejournal.com]

the lyrics of the song still fit that needy, naive image of femininity they've been projecting for years.

Exactly, except this time the lyrics are even worse. I wonder what's their real opinion about the lyrics tbh.

They look cute though, I dig their style.

[ullielvidina.livejournal.com]

Yep I agree about the comment. I had an argument with a hardcore Sone and we talked about IGAB. I said to her that the song gave me headache and she answered by talking about the Billboard review, the choreo and the lyric. And when I reply back that the lyric is childish, she bashed me as anti. Sone are really hard to talk to :)

[bebita19.livejournal.com]

No doubt they hate the lyrics but I doubt they'll say that aloud considering they're promoting right now.

[eishastan.livejournal.com]

IA with everything you said.

[rachelrainna.livejournal.com]

idk for me the lyrics and how obnoxious the concept is makes it seem more like a parody. wasn't the idea behind this concept something like how everyone's doing this hip hop crayon pop image and they wanted to make fun of that? it's like how oh is supposed to be the girls making fun of themselves for the excessive cutesy stuff they do or something along those lines.

[miwa201.livejournal.com]

The song is really catchy lol. I hated it so much but after watching a couple of fancams it really got stuck in my head. As much as the song is still terribad, it's still a better comeback than The Boys (imo) because the girls are really enjoying performing it.

[turtles-tszx.livejournal.com]

mte, i actually liked this song compared to the boys and idek why watching taeyeon performing this song makes me have this fuzzy feeling. The girls are actually enjoying performing the song especially taeyeon.

[flumes.livejournal.com]

i can't read all this. even though everything about this kind of sucks (despite me loving it) i'm really glad they are having a good time because it really does seem like they're having so much fun and it's cute as fuck when they project a fun and happy attitude.

[angela-derp-otp.livejournal.com]

oh lord don't get me started on the song and those damn lyrics. They really rub the wrong way.

They look like they are having fun though? and they look really cute as well. I dig Sunny's hair tbh.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

Everything about the song is a big no...the beat and lyrics...I judge them so hard

HOWEVER, the concept is cute. Though you cannot even say they are raw and edgy when they are promoting Dancing Queen and that cat dance at the same time. They do look like they are having fun...which is an improvement. I hope that when they do the talk circuit this won't be another song they cried over because they hated it so much.

Also what is this "Tiffany, the US born member" stuff...Tiffany ONE of the US born members. You can't just leave Sica out like that.

[wushuhimexx.livejournal.com]

what song did they hate so much they cried over? I remember reading something about that but I've forgotten lol.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

Is the running gag that Taeyeon hates all their title songs? Seobot and Sica is just aren't here for the cutesy stuff

[wushuhimexx.livejournal.com]

I have no idea, it just sounded vaguely familiar haha. And yeah Seohyun seemed really unamused during most of Oh promos lmao

[pumpkinskin.livejournal.com]

It was Taeyeon who cried over Gee.
Taeyeon has bad taste in title tracks tbh.

[ullielvidina.livejournal.com]

Tiffany is famous as the US born member because the girl is the English spoke person for the group while Sica isn't.
Quite unfair don't you think?

[in-noctem.livejournal.com]

I read the other AKP article about their ~honest thought about IGAB and I appreciate that they're enjoying this concept but I was like :| when Seohyun said something along the lines of how the song was a grower. I don't want to have to listen to a song 100 times before I start to like it. In any case I've heard it more than once and I still can't stand it. But I'm glad others are enjoying it I suppose.

[cagallisakura.livejournal.com]

was just taking to a friend in class today and she was saying how IGAB is growing on her xD

the song is still a mess but as long as the girls enjoy performing it, i can live with the song lol

[ullielvidina.livejournal.com]

I don't like the song but I'm happy to see a happy GG. I think the girls love the concept. Well as long as the girls happy, I'm content

[inati.livejournal.com]

i for one LOVE the song & concept. it is definitely my fav korean release of theirs. i also really love how much fun the girls are having with this comeback. <3

[bebita19.livejournal.com]

The girls loving this concept is more than enough for me. Considering they had to deal with a lot of concept they hated.