[TRANS] http://bit.ly/2nplx8I Sooyoung's interview with Sports Donga (part1)

(caption under the photo: Sooyoung is known as the member who knows the best places to eat. "I'm the type of person who has to take the members when I find out about a good, tasty place." Sooyoung has the utmost love and friendship for her members.)

-Girls' Generation's 10 years of friendship according to Sooyoung

Even when we go to overseas concerts now, we gather in one room and chat.
Most of the members have shared a third of their lives together.

Sunday morning, August 5, 2007. Inside a 45- seat bus heading to the SBS Open Hall in Deungchon-dong, Seoul. It was the ride to their first stage on SBS 'Inkigayo' following the release of their debut single 'Into the New World'. Inside the silent bus, the members couldn't look at each other. Because they thought they'd cry if their eyes met. In order to avoid making eye contact, they looked outside, but they couldn't see properly. At the time, the outside of the bus was wrapped with Girls' Generation's photo. While looking out at a scene they couldn't see, the members tried their best to hold back their tears. And they got up on their first stage. Girls' Generation held back their tears and completed their stage. While returning to the waiting room, the members started crying, one by one. Their parents, who came to congratulate them on their first stage, cried with them. The tears were hotter than any shed during their time as trainees, at the shortest 3 years and longest for 7. The girls returned to their dorm and cried again. We met Sooyoung at the SM Entertainment company building on the 21st, and she reminiscenced. She said, "I remember looking out a window you couldn't see out of, sniffling. It was a stage that we went on after practicing our kick for 1 year," and smiled. The kick Sooyoung is talking about is a point in the choreography for 'Into the New World'.

-"The secret to our 10 years is friendship and being considerate/respectful, beyond the members."

-What might be the secret behind being able to maintain the group for 10 years?

"It's the closeness between the members. We've been able to come a long way because we aren't simply connected through work, but meet as friends. Just because one person is older, they don't try to control another member. I think we've been able to come this far by being respectful, considerate, and yield to one another regarding what each other might like or dislike."

-If it's been 10 years, don't you end up not meeting as often?

"We still have a lot of things to talk about. Being together for 10 years is really an amazing thing. Most of the members have shared a third of their lives together. Half of my life that I've lived so far has been spent under my current company (SM Entertainment). It's to the point where I don't have friends my age other than my members. We talk about everything from our worries, work, and family. The members are all those kinds of friends."

-I heard during your early debut days, you had time to talk everyday.

"We had a '5-minute talk' time for a while. Everyday, we would have mandatory talks together. While ending our day, we would talk about things like what was sad, things we should pay attention to and improve on. (After leaving the dorm) Everyone got their own space, or started living with family, and we haven't been able to do that, but we did for a while. Even when we go to overseas concerts now, we gather in one room and chat."

-Do you talk about dating or works (dramas, etc.)?

"We talk about the littlest things like 'What should I wear tomorrow?', as well as work advice like, 'Do more of this in the future'. Because we are hearing about a different female celebrity who has also been doing this for 10 years, it works as a stimulant and challenges us."

-Is it an obligation going to support another member when they do something different?

"I think the most important thing to the members isn't money, but time. Not too long ago, I felt sorry asking my members to come to a benefit concert. Because they have to use that precious time. But Tiffany took the time out herself and came, already assuming 'she's probably not asking because she feels sorry'. And she even performed. I also go and support the members when they release a solo album or film a drama. That's the biggest and most valuable present to one another."

●Girls' Generation's Sooyoung
▲February 10, 1990 (real name: Choi Sooyoung)
▲2016 Graduate Joongang University Theater and Film Department
▲2002 debuted as Korean-Japanese duo 'Route O'
▲2007 9-member girl group, Girls' Generation
▲The same year, she started acting in the KBS 2TV sitcom 'Unstoppable Marriage'
▲'Girls' Generation', 'Kissing You', 'Gee', 'Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)', 'Oh!', 'Run Devil Run', 'Hoot', 'The Boys', 'Catch Me If You Can', 'Lion Heart', they released 2~3 new albums a year
▲2013 Received the Rookie MC award at SBS Entertainment Awards (for 'Midnight TV Entertainment')
▲2014 Received the Excellence Award for Actress in a Miniseries at the MBC Drama Awards (for 'My Spring Days')

Reply · Report Post