OMONA THEY DID(N'T)!

write up by yeeun kim

Unnie. GZB. Cherry. Those who follow musician CL will know that these are just a few signature words to describe the K-pop veteran. And those who grew up with her music, like myself, will know just how much of a trailblazer the former 2NE1 leader has been in the Korean music scene.

As a high schooler in the 2010s, I would fill my iPod Touch playlist with almost all of 2NE1’s releases. Amid a K-pop world where women were – and still are, for the most part – portrayed by the male gaze, it was refreshing to see an all-girl group championing female power with tracks like “FIRE” and “I AM THE BEST.” Fast forward to 2013, the group’s leader CL, whose real name is Lee Chae-rin, went solo with her debut single “The Baddest Female,” a key part of her identity to this day.

The past couple of years have marked a new era in CL’s artistry. In late 2019, she released some of her first singles as an independent artist since leaving her previous label YG Entertainment. She shortly followed up with hits like “+HWA+,”“+5 STAR+” and “SPICY.” And after some minor delays, last August, CL gifted fans with her first physical solo album, ALPHA.

( at the end of the day, i think the most important thing is to listen to your gut )

( photoshoot )

source: HYPEBAE, hypebae.com

This is the full featurette of 2NE1's interviews done prior to 2021's MAMA awards ceremony. The 2NE1 members, Sandara, Bom, CL and Minzy, review their memories of performing at the ceremony. They talk about the unique stages they put on, the amazing outfits they wore, and how it felt to be setting records for the awards they won.

Some highlights:

- the members pretty universally find their 2009 musical to be cringeworthy - they remember really struggling with the performance, none of them had done any acting. Even Sandara says she wants to delete the footage of it
- They're a little embarrassed by the 2010 gods theme intro, but find it more amusing
- reviewing winning the biggest awards, several of the members do find themselves tearing up
- 2NE1 and their team themselves handmade the mirror outfit for their 2010 Can't Nobody performance. They spent 3 days hand gluing tiny mirrors in their hotel rooms amidst rehearsals
- Sandara says that something she likes about international audiences is that they cheer for all the performers, not just their favourite group as fans often do (or used to) in Korea. She then brags that however she did like that they got the most enthusiastic reaction on the night (2011)
- Music critic Kim Yoonha pops up occasionally to provide commentary; she points out that the 2011 ceremony was a particular turning point because I Am The Best had gained traction overseas, with a high level of youtube views to show for it, and it was one of the songs that was beginning to show a real surge in the hallyu wave. Thus this was the first MAMA that a lot of new international viewers tuned in for
- Sandara admits to feeling jealous and upset that, after 2014, CL had been the only one to get solo activities and a MAMA invite.
- CL apparently was only able to tell the other members that they were going to MAMA, 4/5 days before the 2015 performance


source: Mnet K-POP

HEARTBREAKING: Former 2NEI member CL (@chaelinCL), who is working hard on her solo career, looks back on the disbandment of the group. pic.twitter.com/1i8yb5NsQ7

— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) December 15, 2021

Interviewer: “My colleague interviewed Minzy ages ago, and she said that she found about the disbandment, like, through media. How did you find out?”

CL: “Well… I did too. [laughs] To be honest. I was at a Thanksgiving dinner, and my phone blew up. But yeah, like, you know, those situation, it’s um, yeah, but, yeah… yeah..”

Interviewer: “So through the media?”

CL: “Yeah, but now you know, it’s… Yeah, that was very heartbreaking for me. But, like I said, now I have, um, a lot of freedom and just, control over at least what I choose to do, so - very exciting chapter for me.”

source: APEntertainment