Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie January 2012
For the first Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie issue of 2012, MoonSoshi9 and letaengbutt will be answering a few selected questions as usual. Again, letaengbutt will be using AhjuMaknae as her nickname, while MoonSoshi9 will be using Oppa. As always, there are three ways for you to send us questions, and we need to continue to receive them from you in order to keep this column going. Just remember that we’re looking for opinion-based questions, and that questions about Girls’ Generation facts can be answered here instead. Also, remember that there is NO deadline for submitting questions. If we didn’t answer your question this month, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll never answer it, and we can save it for later months. Method 1) Email questions to us at tip@soshified.com with the subject “Ask Column“. Method 2) Leave questions in the official Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie Question Submission Thread here on Soshified. Method 3) Submit questions to the official Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie Formspring page. So what fascinating questions did you all ask this month? Let’s dive right in and find out! When you hear the word “Girls’ Generation”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind and why? letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae When anyone mentions the word “Girls’ Generation”, I honestly just break into this super huge goofy smile. I don’t actually know why, but I suppose it’s because they make me incredibly happy and I get hyper just by them being mentioned. The first thing that comes to my mind is probably that they are this bunch of amazingly talented and goofy girls. Why? Just watch any of their variety shows and you’ll definitely agree with me. From when Sooyoung and Yuri did a demonstration of how they improvise with their “Gee” choreography to match the event they are performing at, all the way to the various members speaking English, these girls are full of laughter and they brighten up my day. Their fun and laughters are infectious, and I’m sure that many fans out there will agree with me that nothing is better than a daily dose of SoShi. MoonSoshi9 -Oppa Honestly, I usually just start laughing when I hear someone mention them. I start smiling because I can’t stop thinking about their most random goofball moments or their performances where they just have fun with each other on stage. During one of the many performances of “Oh!” Yuri did her solo part where she usually improvises some dance, and one time she just jumped up and down making a heart over her head. It was so silly and fun. The girls have an uncanny ability to exude happiness and joy in their performances, and it’s infectious. Basically I just get happy with the mere mention of their name because I have a lot of memories of being happy watching them or listening to them. Do you believe Girls’ Generation will last forever? -Zaey Ü letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae Obviously, Girls’ Generation cannot last forever. As much as we would all like to believe that Girls’ Generation can remain in the spot they are in now, it is inevitable that they will eventually grow older and move on to lead their own individual lives. However, the legacy and name that they are creating for themselves now will definitely leave a mark in history, not just in South Korea, but across the world too. Their success in the music industry is nothing short of fantastic, and the record of nine consecutive wins on KBS Music Bank set in 2009 is still as of yet, unbroken. Although I can’t say this for sure, I’m pretty certain that the girls will definitely keep in touch with each other as almost all of them practically grew up together. Also, I believe that even after the members of Girls’ Generation have moved on to lead their own lives, fans will still continue to support and believe in the term, “Forever 9″. Girls’ Generation isn’t just a physical group anymore, it’s an identity. MoonSoshi9 -Oppa I believe the group as it exists right now will not last forever, but “Girls’ Generation” will. What I mean is, the girls will not all be performing on stage together forever, simply because they will eventually grow older and lead their own individual lives with families of their own. However, the idea and identity of Girls’ Generation will stay with each member forever. I think they each will always consider themselves as a member of Girls’ Generation, and be known as “Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon” or “Girls’ Generation’s Yoona”, etc. While they will have their own path when they stop performing together as a group, they will always share a common bond. They’ve grown up together, and they are practically family. In the end, Girls’ Generation will be forever, just…different. Which Girls’ Generation song have you listened to the most? -yuukitot letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae Well, according to iTunes, it’s “Tell Me Your Wish”. However, since I recently changed laptops, the new iTunes now states that “Diamond” is the song which I have been listening to the most. Truthfully, I can’t choose a favorite song even if you threatened to shoot me. To me, “The Boys”, “Tell Me Your Wish”, “Into The New World”, “Kissing You”, “My Best Friend”, “Diamond”, “Time Machine”, “Beautiful Stranger”, “The Great Escape” and possibly another 50 other songs all tie for the first place. It’s impossible to choose just one because all the songs each have their uniqueness. Also, my preference for a song changes according to my mood so I can never say for sure which song my favorite is. MoonSoshi9 -Oppa As I look at iTunes, it’s a little deceiving, because my top played songs only have 40-something plays, so this is a hard one to actually say for sure. But, according to Google Music+iTunes plays, “Echo” comes out on top. The first time I heard this song I was hooked. It’s not even my favorite Girls’ Generation song, but it’s just so catchy! Jessica’s ridiculously cute intro puts a big ol’ banana grin on my face every time I hear it. The instrumental is just fun and gives so much energy, and I absolutely love the end of the song when the girls are all yelling “echo” in the background. The chorus literally echoes in my brain all day long after I hear the song once. iTunes says 48 plays, but my brain says 48,000. In your opinion, what were the three most crucial, landmark or turnaround moments since Girls’ Generation debut? This includes achievements or adversities surpassed. letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae I’d say that the three most crucial turnaround moments for Girls’ Generation are their Japan showcase, winning nine consecutive awards on KBS Music Bank, and winning the Disk Daesang Award 2010 during the Golden Disk Awards. Firstly, the Japan showcase helped to set up a very solid base for the girls in their entry into the Japanese music industry. Without the extremely successful showcase, I think that Girls’ Generation would probably have had a much harder time breaking into the industry there. It also helped to boost the girls’ confidence, and I think it helped them to overcome all the hardships that they faced while promoting there. The eleven K-Chart wins by “Gee”, nine of which were consecutive, will definitely remain as one of the all time unbreakable records that Girls’ Generation has under their belt. This nearly impossible feat is possibly one of the proudest moments that SONEs have of Girls’ Generation. Although “Gee” didn’t catch my eye, I’d still like to say that Girls’ Generation made me more than proud to be a SONE with this fantastic accomplishment. Also, “Gee” was the song which propelled the girls into the top echelon of idols so I think that was an important moment. Lastly, the 2010 Disk Daesang Award was an absolute shocker, and I will admit that I cried when I found out our girls had won. Girls’ Generation broke yet another record by being the only artist to have won both the Disk and Digital Daesang awards and their expressions when they found out they won were priceless. However, one thing which was regrettable was that Tiffany was unable to join the girls and celebrate with them, as she had injured herself. MoonSoshi9 -Oppa The girls’ First Japan Album and coinciding arena tour was a huge turning point for the group. They cemented themselves as popular artists in Japan and gained huge recognition, but more importantly, they gained experience. Fourteen concerts in a couple months is no small feat, and it takes preparation, talent, and hard work to pull something like that off. All of it gave them a chance to grow as artists. Even the girls themselves say how important the tour was for them. As good as they were before, they elevated their game to the next level thanks to the Japan tour. Second, “The Boys” comeback had a lot riding on it. They had been away from Korea for a year, just finished a hugely successful tour in Japan, and were considered the best girl group in Asia. Girls’ Generation had insane amounts of pressure to deliver with their comeback. And, deliver they did. They crushed the charts, got two triple crowns, and set more records with six K-Chart wins in a row. If there was any doubt that they were still the queens of K-Pop, they stomped all over it with “The Boys”. However, the “Gee” comeback was probably the most important moment for Girls’ Generation. They had gone through a very rough time, and they needed to come back strong. The song, performances, the still-standing(and likely never to be broken) record of nine consecutive K-Chart wins, and everything that came out of “Gee” propelled them into super stardom. Girls’ Generation would not be where they are today without “Gee”. Which member would you like to have as an unnie, noona or dongsaeng? letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae Being the youngest in the family, I’d love to try having a younger sibling (although all my friends think I’m crazy for wanting that). With that said, I’d love to try having Yuri as my dongsaeng. She has a quirky side which I can relate to because according to my friends, I’m a really weird child. Also, she has the prankster side to her which I totally love, because I love playing the funniest pranks on my friends. Having Yuri as a dongsaeng will probably turn the house upside down, but what’s the fun in life without a little mischief? Also, I’d like to be greedy and wish that I can have twin dongsaengs. More specifically, Yuri and Yoona. My parents would probably get multiple heart attacks from the stress though… MoonSoshi9 -Oppa I’m an only child, so I’ve always wanted a sibling. I really wanted an older brother, but I don’t think Soonkyu hyung counts, so I will pick Soonkyu dongsaeng! Sunny has a quick wit and loves to bum around and watch tv. Plus, she is a gamer. I am a gamer. It’s the perfect match. We could have a lot of fun playing video games and watching movies, cracking sarcastic jokes at each other. And she knows how to take care of people(rescuing Taeyeon, best mom multiple times), so Sunny will take good care of her oppa. Written by: letaengbutt@soshified, MoonSoshi9@soshified Have a news item that you think Soshified should know about? Leave us a tip or e-mail us at tip@soshified.com. |