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Photos from K-Pop Nation 2012 concert in Macau: U-KISS, B.A.P, SHINee, and Girls Generation

I wanted to put up this post that very night the concert ended. But considering I only got back to Hong Kong around 2am, I was too damn tired to do anything but sleep. To say it was a hectic day would be an understatement — but I’ll write about my Macau experience when I begin my Hong Kong travel series.

This post is going to be all K-pop!

I chose to go to Macau on 2nd July, 2012 (Monday) because the K-pop Nation concert was happening that evening. I got up early and took the ferry from Hong Kong in the hopes of reaching Macau airport before the flight from Incheon (Seoul) landed at 10:40. That didn’t go according to plan for reasons I’ll rather talk about in the Macau post, but long story short, there was no need for me to go to Macau airport. You see, my biggest (K-pop) dream is to see the members of SNSD up close and in person. But as soon as I got past immigration, I saw a bunch of Shawols (SHINee fans) waiting outside. I was wearing my custom-printed SNSD t-shirt when a considerate girl approached me and told me in her limited English that SNSD arrived yesterday night at this very terminal! She told me it would be of no use to stand around if I was hoping to see the girls.

I thanked her for that bit of information, but as disappointed as I was, I thought “what the heck” and waited to at least see SHINee up close.

Macau Shawols ferry terminal
SHINee fans had been waiting long
Macau Shawols waiting for Shinee
But SHINee was to land in Hong Kong only at 2pm
Shinee fans Macau terminal
The boys wouldn’t land in Macau for another hour
Macau Shawol Diablo sign for Shinee
I can see how this is appropriate, ‘cos you know, SHINee are South Korean… and practically everybody is playing Diablo III right now!
Shinee arriving Macau terminal
As it neared 4pm, the screams began
Taemin Key Onew Shinee Macau arrival
But as they quickly made their way out of the ferry terminal, there was one tall guy missing: Minho
Onew Jonghyun Shinee Macau arrival
Sorry for the blurry shots, but it all got a bit crazy as you can imagine. I couldn’t use flash either.
Macau Shinee ferry terminal arrival
It got chaotic pretty soon

Despite the hour long wait, my experience of seeing SHINee (or whatever I could see of their faces – I couldn’t even see Taemin’s face), lasted less than a minute. Just like that it was all over. There were sunglasses and other things belonging to fans scattered on the floor in the frenzy as girls ran all over the place to get a glimpse of their idols. But fortunately nobody got hurt, and SHINee’s asshole manager didn’t punch anybody either.

I left the ferry terminal and took the bus to The Venetian Macau to get my tickets to the concert as my return ticket back to Hong Kong was only at 11:45pm. I got the HK$780 (Rs. 5,500/$100/€82) ticket and decided to spend some time sightseeing until sunset.

Cotai Arena counters Macao
I headed back to Cotai Arena around 7pm. Although I had to handover my Canon 7D camera and tripod to security, I still managed to keep my Canon 450D in my bagpack
Inside Cotai Arena Macau panorama
This is Cotai Arena – and my HK$780 seat was in front of the girl in white top

As the clock struck 8pm, a DJ came on stage and started playing some dance music to pump up the crowd.

Kpop Nation Cotai Arena glowsticks
All the glowsticks up in the air gave a good indication as to many seats were unoccupied
Cotai Arena unsold seats kpop concert
The concert was far from ‘sold out’. A good 40% of the seats were vacant. The HK$780 I paid was the fourth highest in a six-tier pricing — meaning there were three more ticket prices that cost more.

And then, seven guys walked on stage. Then walked off. Then walked back on again.

U-Kiss Kpop Nation Macau concert
U-Kiss!
U-Kiss Kpop Nation stage performance Macau
They kicked off their performance with their best song to date, “Neverland”
U-Kiss concert Macau China
The boys performed “Believe” “0330” “Bingeul Bingeul” and “Man Man Hi”
U-Kiss performing Kpop Nation macau
But it was fairly apparent that the boys were lip-syncing
U-Kiss performing Macau kpop concert
Which was kinda disappointing considering how good they are as live performers

The organziers were pretty strict about anyone recording video, but some people (as always) managed to record fancams.

B.A.P entrance kpop nation Macau concert
Next up were a hot rookie group
B.A.P performance K-pop Nation Macau concert
B.A.P began their set with an R&B ballad behind curtains before unveiling themselves
B.A.P K-Pop Nation Macau concert
They sang all their singles to date: “Warrior,” “Burn It Up,” “Unbreakable,” and “Power”

After two songs or three, every group would take a break to introduce themselves to the audience. The audience had a laugh when one of the B.A.P members said something along the lines of: “… I’m excessive to be here”. He meant “excited” but that’s not how we all heard it 🙂

B.A.P performing Macau China
Despite the fact I’m not a huge fan of them…
B.A.P Kpop Nation concert Macau dancers
… B.A.P put on one heck of a performance! I was really impressed!

After B.A.P’s energetic performance, it was now time for the big guns of K-pop. The hugely popular SM Ent. artists were up next. I was a little disappointed to not see Minho since SHINee are not Super Junior — even if one member is missing, their choreography just doesn’t feel right.

Shinee kpop nation concert
But come out as a four-piece SHINee did
Shinee Kpop Nation Macau concert
They began with with “Lucifer”. I had a blast singing along to the whole song, as it remains my favourite K-pop song!
Shinee performing in Macau
But despite the expected awesomeness that comes with being SHINee… they were lip-synching too
Shinee on-stage Macau China
After performing “Stranger,” they paused to speak to the audience. Jonghyun also explained why Minho wasn’t here tonight.

Or at least that’s what I assumed he was talking about, because he spoke in Korean and the translator only spoke in Cantonese(?). Maybe Minho was filming his drama.

Shinee Sherlock live in Macao China
The crowd went wild when “Sherlock” came on
Shinee Sherlock live in Macau China
Fans were itching to chant/shout “SHINee’s back!”
Shinee Sherlock dance Macau concert
“Oh-I’m-curious yeah…” Love that chorus! 🙂
Shinee Sherlock Kpop Macau concert
Taemin is such an energetic dancer

After “Sherlock,” I assumed “Hello” or “Replay” was next. But no. The boys looked at each other and awkwardly just walked off stage waving goodbye to the audience. I was like: “huh?”. The deal was that each artists would perform five songs each. I assumed SHINee would do an encore of two more songs later. At least that was the hope.

Kpop nation concert dj
Anyway, the DJ came back and I got ready for the final act
Kpop Nation Macau concert stage
For it was now time for the pink glow sticks to come out!
Sunny Sooyoung Seohyun screen
Because it was now time for the biggest act in the concert line-up
Jessica Yoona Yuri screen
The loudest cheers were for this group
Taeyeon Tiffany screen
Heck, they’re the main reason I came to Macau today
Snsd Macau kpop nation concert
I spent $780 mainly to see them
Girls Generation Kpop Nation Macau entrance
Because they’re my absolute favourite group in all of K-pop
SNSD Kpop Nation Macau China
SNSD a.k.a Girls Generation!
SNSD Girls Generation Kpop Nation concert
It was only because I was this far that I could manage to fit all nine of them in one frame 🙂
Girls Generation leg dance Macau
The girls ‘kicked’ off their set with “Genie (Tell Me Your Wish)”
Yuri Hyoyeon Snsd dancing Macau
I wonder what Yuri found funny
Tiffany Genie performance SNSD Macau
“Macau, put it back on!”

Snsd screen graphics kpop nation Macau

Girls Generation Genie end pose
And that was song number one
SNSD Macau Genie line dance
Next up was “Run Devil Run”
Sunny behind Sooyoung Genie dance
Poor Sunny – the shortest member right behind the tallest girl in the group 🙂

SNSD close up Macau concert

Run Devil Run dance SNSD
As impressive as their choreography usually is, it’s funny when you capture such frames. Looks like they’re creepily trying to exit the stage 😀
Girls Generation on-stage Cotai Arena
The girls then took a break to introduce themselves
Ice Princess message for Jessica Macau
This Jessica admirer got his message on the big screen
Sooyoung Girls Generation Macau
Sooyoung raises her hand, Sone raises his hand — just when I click. Ugh.
Taeyeon Girls Generation Macau
Hello dorky leader 🙂
Girls Generation Macau audience interaction
The girls introduce the next song
SNSD Hoot graphics
Time to “Hoot”! And thanks again Sone’s hand. Ugh!
Girls Generation Macau Hoot performance
But just before hitting the first chorus…
Girls Generation technical problem Macau concert
… the music suddenly stops!
Taeyeon surprise Macau concert
Best part? Taeyeon goes: “Surprise!!!!”
Yoona talking Macau concert
The girls make small talk while the team behind the scenes try to sort out the technical glitch
Girls Generation Hoot down dance
When the music began a second time, it was time to go “Down, down, down” again
Girls Generation Hoot Macao
Seohyun was doing her line before the first chorus
Girls Generation technical problem Macau
And the music stops again! And Taeyeon went: “Surprise!” – again! LOL
SNSD on stage Macau
But thoughtful ‘manager’ Tiffany still gave a shout out to the technical team for their efforts. While Yuri checked up on Sooyoung.

It was really funny, but at the same time we all wondered what was going on. Here’s a good fancam of the goof-up(s):

The girls were about to walk off stage…

SNSD Hoot third time Macau
Just then the song restarts a third time… the girls embarrassingly walk back to their positions
Hoot SNSD Macau Kpop concert
Third time proved to be a charm as it went without a hitch
Girls Generation Macau concert
The girls followed “Hoot” with “The Boys”
Girls Generation The Boys live in Macau
Which was a moment everybody was waiting for as we finally got to shout “GG!” at the top of our lungs
Girls Generation hair Macau concert
Ahh, hair freeze moments
Snsd hair funny picture
Seems everybody but Tiffany had their hair moment 🙂 LIKE A BOSS!
Girls Generation The Boys Macau concert
You don’t realize just how cramped for space SNSD’s choreography is until you see them live. How do they not bump into each other? 🙂
Snsd The Boys live in Macau
“Girls bring the boys out!”
SNSD lights Macau concert
Confetti began to rain even though we had one more song left
Girls Generation Taeyeon jig
The girls spoke one last time before getting into their final song (that’s Taeyeon doing a jig)
Taeny Macau Kpop Nation concert
TaeNy is so real, it’s no joke!
Snsd Macau stage
Everyone was up on their feet and ready to fan-chant like crazy for the final SNSD song
Snsd Gee performance Macau
For it’s SNSD’s signature song, and the one that introduced me to the group
Girls Generation Gee crab dance
“Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee, baby baby”
Girls Generation Gee dance Macau
Even though I’m tired of hearing “Gee,” seeing it live is another feeling altogether
Sunny Hyoyeon Jessica Girls Generation
Sunny smile!
Kpop Nation SNSD confetti Macau
Confetti marked the end of the girls’ performance
Kpop Nation Macau crowd Cotai Arena
The crowds were pleased, and so was I!
Empty seats Kpop Nation Macau
Ignore the empty seats below, the upper sections were full
Girls Generation SNSD saying goodbye
The girls cheerfully walked off stage with Yuri giving us all a big “muaahh”!

The DJ came back on again and some of us waited to see if there was going to be a encore. I was hoping for more SHINee, but there was none. The announcer said ‘thanks for coming’ and I left the arena.

Kpop Nation The Venetian Macau
I collected my Canon 7D and tripod and made my way out
B2ST 4minute Macau concert
Next up, B2ST and 4Minute!
Kpop Nation tickets
So was it worth it?

Well, kind of. I can now say I saw Girls Generation live in concert. And U-Kiss, B.A.P and SHINee. Add to the fact I’ve seen Jay Park and three-fifths of BIGBANG, I guess I’m lucky to have seen enough K-pop acts compared to most fans back in India. On the other hand, K-pop Nation 2012 wasn’t a well put together concert. For something that promised to be an unique show with the artists interacting with the fans and sharing stories… yeah, there was none of that. Pretty much all the interaction went like this: “We are _______” “Hello Macau, I am _______” “What’s up Macau, how you doing?” “Our next song is _____” “Goodbye Macau, we hope to be back”. That’s it – standard concert talk. In fact, SNSD spoke the most, and it was thanks to technical difficulties.

As much as I loved seeing SNSD, it was B.A.P’s set that I can say was the best without any bias. Their segment was if that’s how they would have done their stand alone concert. From start to finish, their act packed quite a punch. So I appreciate the effort they put in putting on an impressive show for what was a multi-starrer concert.

I’m proud of the fact SNSD were pretty much the only group who didn’t lip-sync! Every other group danced well, but didn’t bother singing live (did B.A.P sing live? some vocals sounded like it did). Girls Generation did both live, and were funny… god, tell me why I love them so much again?

It would have been cool if the venue was sold out as the experience could have been wilder, but that’s what you get when you price a concert out of the reach for most K-pop fans (who are really young). I know K-pop concerts in general are more expensive (heck, I’ve seen world famous David Guetta and Metallica for less!), but I can imagine the cost of bringing down such acts to such a small place like Macau, and that too in an expensive venue. Still, it’s baffling to see how many seats were empty for a concert that had U-Kiss, SHINee and Girls Generation in the line-up! That last group alone could fill up a stadium.

Of course I would have wished I was closer to the stage so I could see the girls better, but in some ways I’m glad I only paid HK$780. SNSD barely came forward to the smaller stage up front, so there was quite a bit of distance even for those who were seated in the most expensive section. It would have been nice if they had like a T-shaped stage, but anyway… I’m saving up and hoping for an SM Town in either Singapore or Bangkok later this year.

Otherwise the concert was alright. Oh yeah, there was one moron who showed up with his girl to the venue and accused me of taking his seat. I didn’t want to argue with him so I just let him sit in my seat. SNSD were just finishing up “Gee” and I wanted to click as much as I could before they left the stage. I don’t know what his problem was.

All-in-all, looking at the above photos, I’m happy I was there. My love for K-pop remains the same and I don’t think my urge to see the SNSD again has died down one bit.

As for the rest of my day, I’ll begin writing about my Hong Kong trip soon.

P.S: I did take a few more photos of U-Kiss and B.A.P, so if any of you fans/clubs want to see those, just ask. I’ll e-mail them to you. I didn’t take any videos as the Canon 450D can’t take videos, plus I didn’t want to get into trouble as the usher was right behind me.

TaeTiSeo – ‘Twinkle’ album review: SNSD’s first sub-unit!

Nearly five years since they debuted, the popular nine member girl group has formed their first sub-unit. Speculations ran wild for quite some time until SM Entertainment confirmed the first sub-unit would comprise of group leader and power-vocalist Taeyeon, “manager” Tiffany and maknae Seohyun. And thus TaeTiSeo was formed! (Would have much preferred ‘TaeNyHyun’ though)

Taetiseo Twinkle SNSD subunit album art kpop
From the teaser images, nobody could make out the concept the girls would be undertaking

Continue reading “TaeTiSeo – ‘Twinkle’ album review: SNSD’s first sub-unit!” »

SNSD – ‘The Boys’ album review… and about Girls Generation succeeding in America

I began drafting this post and worked on most of the images at the end of September in hot anticipation for October 7th, because that’s when the album was supposed to be out. But due to some delay, SNSD’s third full album was eventually released on October 19th.

Apparently the delay was because SM Entertainment was planning for a global roll-out, including an English version for the international (namely US) market. Hmm, about SNSD making it in the West… I’ll talk about that later.

Jessica Taeyeon The Boys concept art teaser cards
Just like the Japanese album promotions from earlier this year, the girls don elegant, Victorian-era outfits for the album art

I’m starting things off with my take on the lead single “The Boys,” also the first song on the track list.

Produced by Teddy Riley, the man who made it big in the 1990s for working on Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and his own group Blackstreet, the “New Jack Swing” producer has been working with Korean pop artists lately. I don’t know if he’s doing it because he doesn’t seem to be finding many takers for his music back in his home country, or if he just wants to be a part of something new. Even then, this is the guy who gave “Demon” to Jay Park — and that song made me a Jay Park fan. So Riley has proven he still got what it takes! (I won’t talk about Rania, that was just…)

When the teasers for “The Boys” hit the web, everybody got the idea we were definitely going to be hearing something completely different from SNSD. With every new teaser’s release, some of us also got the idea that this song was… well, going to underwhelm. On October 19th, I stayed up late like a lot of other hardcore fans for the song’s full length release. When the song and MV finally went live… upon first listen? Disappointment. Mostly out of high expectations, but even after listening to it repeatedly after waking up the next day, the song just feels “meh”.

As for the ‘new sound,’ the songs “Run Devil Run,” “Hollaback Girl,” and quite strangely, even “Patron Tequila” by the now defunct Paradiso Girls came to my mind. As I still listen to it, it actually isn’t a bad song, but if SM thought this is the song that will take SNSD global, surely they hit the curb on that thought. I know songs like “Gee” will not work in the mainstream Western market, but touting Teddy Riley’s name isn’t what people in the West will pay attention to. Most listeners are oblivious to the real talent behind a good song. Heck, how many people who have been listening to pop radio from 1995  to present day realize one Swedish man and his crew are responsible for just about every big hit for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, Katy Perry, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, and even Bon Jovi? I can assure you most people don’t. Bragging about songwriting talent only matters if the song turns out to be good — and it’s not like top producers have always made the best music for every artist they work with. Often times, they tend to keep all the good stuff for artists backed by labels who can cough up the money to buy what are sure to be monster hits.

I don’t know how much SM paid for the rights to “The Boys” but this song isn’t worth the money in my book. More so because SNSD also released an English version for the American market. Now when both versions hit the web, I made sure I listened to the Korean version first and then the English version. Because if did it the other way around, I knew the girl’s English pronunciation was going to distract me away from the main song.

As for how it sounds in English — I’m indifferent. “The Boys” wouldn’t stand out as a stellar record even if an American or British girl group sang it. I don’t know why Tiffany didn’t get much actual singing in the song, but the other girls weren’t bad at their attempt at English singing. I didn’t understand some of the words at first listen but you can still get the gist of what they are saying. But even as I write this, I’m still listening to the Korean version more.

Now the music video. SM invests in good production values and after seeing the Japanese MV for SHINee’s “Replay,” you know they value a good looking MV. That said, some of the sets for “The Boys” do feel a bit cheap. “The Boys” MV also showcases the beauty of  the SNSD members, but I felt the focus on highlighting how gorgeous the girls are is a bit too much in this MV. Maybe it’s because I take their charm for granted by now.

Expected counter argument? “The focus on the member’s faces is because this is the first introduction of SNSD to new audiences, so they can get a good look at the girls!”  Fine, but just like the song, “The Boys” MV isn’t that good a video either. End of rant.

Seohyun Yoona The Boys concept art teaser cards

I’ll be really curious to know how the fan-chants to “The Boys” are going to sound and how this song will do on the music programs. Rabid fans will, as always, help SNSD nab wins. But like I’ve said many times in previous k-pop reviews, it’s not the right way a song needs to win.

When SNSD’s last major single, “Hoot,” came out in 2010, I didn’t like it at first listen. But it grew on me and I ended up liking it a lot. Of all their hit singles, “Hoot” and “Genie” still stand out as my favourites. I went into “The Boys” hoping it would slowly grow on me. Sadly, it hasn’t and I don’t think my opinion is going to change any time soon. My rating for the song “The Boys” is a 3/5 (good – but not great. As a SNSD single in their 4th year as a group, a new single needs to be ‘great’)

SNSD Girls Generation The Boys MV screencaps members

Here’s a mini-review of the rest of the songs on the album:

02. “Telepathy” (텔레파시) – I’m no expert (yet) on Korean linguistics, but is it hard for them to pronounce “th”? Funny how after “The Boys,” Telepassythe second song on the album instantly takes you back to familiar SNSD territory. Except for the mispronunciation of the song title, this is actually good pop song. But is it just me, or do I hear Jessica’s vocals bumped up higher than the rest? – 4/5

03. “Say Yes” – Made me smile after hearing what I thought sounded like “TaeNy” ^_^ A fun girly song, so not really the kind I would go back to on a second or third listen. – 3/5

04. “Trick” – Now this is my kind of song! Love it! Electro-pop with auto-tuned bits, and a great chorus! It sounded very European, so I had to find out the real talent behind this track. Turns out it’s from a Swedish songwriter named Martin Hansen who also produced the last Scorpions album and the awesome single “Raised on Rock“. I don’t know what it is with ‘ABBA country’ but the Swedes know good pop! – 5/5 (No comment on the last line of the song)

05. “How Great Is Your Love” (봄날) – Written by Sooyoung, but featuring Jessica’s vocals more than hers. The first ballad on the album and might I say, I’m impressed Sooyoung! 🙂 I don’t know how much of a hand she hand in the song’s production but it sounds really good. That is, until I found out this song is basically a Korean version of this English track by Jenny Hyun. SM essentially bought the rights to the song, Sooyoung wrote the Korean lyrics. Anyway, if I ignore the ‘behind-the-scenes’ deals, and judge the song purely on how it sounds, I’m giving it a 4.5/5!

06. “My J” – The song kicks off with Jessica’s nasally vocals (sorry, I love everything else about her, but I’m not a huge fan of her voice or her accent). The song sounds like a holiday X’mas record, similar to how “Snowy Wish” made the cut in their Hoot album. – 3/5

07. “Oscar” – It doesn’t take the listener very long to figure out the song’s hook sounds so much like Britney’s “Gimme More”. The “twinkle, twinkle” lyrics don’t help either – 2/5

08. “Top Secret” – Clicked play and in the first 15 seconds thought “Wait, is this just another version of Oscar?” A mish-mash of melodies ranging from CSJH’s “One More Chance” to Rania’s “Dr. Feelgood”. Not a very original song then. – 2/5

09. “Lazy Girl” – Written by ‘kid leader’ Taeyeon, another girly track with a retro sound. It’s alright, but there’s little else I can say about it. – 3/5

10. “Sunflower” (제자리걸음) – Funny how Super Junior’s comeback album also featured a song called “Sunflower”. So which SM artist’s “Sunflower” is better? I probably won’t do this often, but I’d have to give my vote to Super Junior this time. SNSD’s “Sunflower” sounds a bit, withered. – 2.5/5

11. “Vitamin” (비타민) – If you wanted a full-length song used in a commercial, you got it! – 3/5

12. “Mr. Taxi” (Korean version) – As simple as it gets. The Korean version of Shoujo Jidai’s lead Japanese single from a few months back. Sounds just as good in Korean as it did in Japanese – 4/5

Sooyoung Tiffany The Boys concept art teaser new album
Sooyoung looks gorgeous, just as she did in her Japanese album photo

This isn’t the first taste of new music we got from SNSD in 2011. The girls spent a good chunk of this year focusing on conquering Japan, and how! Their first full-length Japanese album was an instant best seller with great songs like “You-aholic” and “The Great Escape” — the album contained some of the best songs Girls Generation has recorded. Listening to that album, I was under the impression that, maybe this is the level of quality and polish fans could expect from their next Korean release.

Sadly, despite a few good tracks, ‘The Boys’ album feels inferior. It suffers from the same issues I often complain about in just about every K-pop album I have recently reviewed. A few good tracks but a latter half with the expected album fillers and uninspired material. Though there aren’t many songs on this Korean release I would brand as ‘album fillers,’ I still rate SNSD’s Japanese album higher in terms of quality of songs compared to this third Korean album.

I don’t know if SM Entertainment is doing it on purpose, but it’s as though they rather save all their money in getting better songs for the Japanese market where the financial returns are higher. ‘The Boys’ the album will still sell well to cover costs, but that’s all down to the fact SNSD is the biggest Asian girl group in the world right now, and they have a fan following to prove it.

My final rating for the album ‘The Boys’ – 3.5 out of 5 (Good)

——————————————

About SNSD making it big in the Western market, namely the US…

I love SNSD, but I’m split two ways when it comes to their attempt to crack the Western market with English songs. Now I know just because SNSD is now signed to Interscope and UMG (the largest music company in the world), doesn’t mean SNSD will immediately start appearing on American TV starting next month. Lee Soo Man recently stated in an interview that SM artists are not going to focus on America so much, as conquering Asia is still his focus. But if SNSD did start promoting themselves in the US… read on.

As much as I would love to see my favourite K-pop group succeed wherever they go, I shudder to think how they are even going to promote in a country like America. Firstly, they are a nine-member girl group. To regular k-pop followers, we’re used to seeing large member ‘idol’ groups by now. In a country like Japan, home to a 48(!) member girl group, the Far East and South East of Asia are accustomed to large pop groups. But everywhere else? No.

The media and the mainstream public who have never heard of K-pop will easy pick on that, first. Which is why I feel the Wonder Girls have a slightly better shot, because they’re an acceptable five members. Even if they were to create a sub-unit with fewer members… it just wouldn’t feel right to fans who believe in the ‘power of 9’.

Secondly, only two members can converse in English — Tiffany and Jessica. The unofficial spokesperson for SNSD, ‘Manager Tiffany,’ can handle any interview and will do a good job of speaking on behalf of the rest of the girls. But where’s the fun in that? Imagine if Sooyoung could speak fluently, all the hilarity and fun that would ensue! Also, how do you think middle America (and that’s a large part of America mind you) will accept a group of ‘Asian girls,’ majority of whom can’t even speak English properly? Not to mention whatever words the other seven girls utter will come out as ‘Engrish. You just can’t promote in such a large, crucial English market like America without appearing on TV interviews and radio shows — and then talking in English, without a translator preferably.

Yuri Sunny The Boys concept photos teaser

Then there’s the image of the girls and how they are going to promote them. Cute & bubbly, hot cheerleaders, sexy navy uniforms… all good in my book. Worked on me for sure (except the lollipops in “Kissing You”). But the whole marketing aspect of using a ‘concept’ with each new release is part and parcel of K-pop. They don’t really do that a whole lot in the West. “The Boys” MV shows the girls in pretty outfits and with a serious look on their faces, but will they stick to that theme for every new release going forward? God forbid SM never forces the “trashy slut” concept the last successful girl group used and how most female artists lacking a voice nowadays are made to go with. Even if SNSD tried, they can’t pull it off. They just don’t have the physical attributes to go with it.

SM Entertainment will say “Exactly why we will go with a cleaner, mature image for the girls! Since all the others use the same image”. I agree, it could work, but I really do worry about their image. There’s a reason why some of use fell in love with SNSD in the first place.

For me, it wasn’t just just SNSD’s songs that made me a fan. When I watched all the variety shows the girls have been on, all the radio shows, the interviews, ‘Hello Baby’ and such, that’s what turned me into a SNSD fan! I, along with the many other SONEs (what the fans are nicknamed), love SNSD just the way they are. Nine girls with nine different personalities and put together, bring out one heck of an entertaining package. They are funny, weird, emotional… I could go on, but if you are reading this, chances are I don’t need to describe the girls to you. That’s how a lot of us really got to know the girls and their individual personalities. But again, communication is what helped get that understanding across. How will they win new fans in a mainstream market if most of the members can’t even speak to their audience properly?

Hyoyeon SNSD The Boys concept teaser new album
Hyo is my bias, so she will get extra attention from me

Some of you in the West will be going “Hey, but SNSD already has loads of fans here!” Hmm, no they don’t. All of us outside of South East Asia and the Far East are still a minority. I’m Indian, in India, and I’m sure k-pop has its share of fans in India too (especially North East Indians), but becoming popular is when you reach the level of fame and attention the likes of Bruno Mars gets — and I use him as an example because he’s a fairly new artist. Forget Lady Gaga, that’s universal super-stardom.

Just because SNSD can sell out a show at the Staples Center or Madison Square Garden, doesn’t mean they can sell out stadiums across a multi-city tour of America right away. California and New York are two of the most cosmopolitan states in America with a lot of open-minded people, and not to mention a prominent Asian population. The rest of America is the challenge, and people outside America need to understand that’s a huge part of what makes up the United States.

Then there’s the whole racial aspect of it. One advantage SNSD has is that, Asian girls have a better chance in American media than Asian guys do. In the past, I wrote about how Jay Park could well be the first Asian star to make it big in the US music charts. The fact that he’s a solo star and essentially, more American than Korean, gives him the edge. But he’s still going to face racial challenges, given his appearance. Yeah I know, Far East Movement succeeded… but the day they confidently promote themselves without wearing sunglasses, I’ll say Asian artists have a good chance in America.

Remember, Se7en failed to make it big in the United States, so did SM’s own BoA, and they were some of the biggest names in K-pop.

Ultimately, to succeed anywhere as a musician, you first need a great song. Unfortunately, “The Boys” isn’t it. So no matter how much SM Ent. is spending on promoting the song, I just don’t think the lead single is going to make any headway for SNSD in the English market. The music video will not do the girls any justice in America, simply because it sticks to the K-pop formula a little too much. If SM wanted an MV they hoped would get some plays on Western music television, they should have done it a bit differently.

Sigh. All said and done, I do wish my girls the best of luck and if they do succeed in the West, I hope their personalities never change and they don’t forget us Asian fans. And if “The Boys” doesn’t do as well as SM had hoped it would, I hope SNSD makes a quick comeback with a re-packaged album and a better song.

Until then, ❥SNSD❥ hwaiting!

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