2NE1’s 4 Thrills… from Billboard to First Appearance on TV (Direct Interview)
[스타뉴스 길혜성 기자] Girl group 2NE1 (CL, DARA, BOM, and MINZY) has finally disclosed the performance for their second full-length album “CRUSH” and kicked off performance for the new album in earnest. The four members expressed their feelings about four thrills that they have recently experienced in an interview with us.
2NE1 appeared on SBS channel’s live-broadcast music show “INKIGAYO” shot in the afternoon on the 9 at SBS Hall located in Deungchon-dong, Seoul. In the show, 2NE1 gave performance of two songs: “COME BACK HOME”, the title of their second full-length album, and “CRUSH”, which has the same title with the new album itself.
2NE1 disclosed all the songs in their new album on February 27 and released the offline album on the 7 this month, but their performance in “INKIGAYO” on the day was the first time to showcase the performance of their new songs in a TV music show. 2NE1 presented the stage of two new songs, with intense performances.
On the same day when 2NE1 kicked off their TV performance for their second full-length album, they met STARNEWS at the shooting of “INKIGAYO”, to talk about what they feel about the first TV appearance, as well as about four thrills they have been experiencing in relation with the new album, including their highest-ever record in Billboard Top 200 among Korean singers (or bands).
As 2NE1 has been super busy for preparations for their second world tour and first TV appearance ever since the release of the second album, they have hardly had an opportunity to talk about what they feel about the achievement of their new album. That is why we couldn’t wait to listen to what they say.
◆ Billboard Top 200… Highest-ever record among Korean singers=”Never imagined.”
2NE1’s second full-length album came in the 61st place in the latest Billboard 200 (Mar. 15) which is the main album chart of Billboard, America’s most-renowned album and music sales survey web-site. 2NE1 has not only put its name in the chart, but also recorded the highest-ever record on the chart among Korean singers. 2NE1 has also shown a big potential by taking the 2nd place in Billboard World Album Chart, which ranks albums released outside the country. So, what they feel about this feat?
“At first, the fact that our album ‘CRUSH’ came in the 61st place on Billboard 200 chart and that we set the highest-ever record for a Korean singer didn’t hit home. Frankly, we’ve never thought of Billboard. We had no such expectations. So, we were all the more surprised and happy. Haha. We worked so hard for the new album and our record on the Billboard chart felt like an unexpected reward for our hard-work. We will continue to live up to the expectations of not only Korean fans but also all the overseas fans, with better music and performances”.
◆ No.1 on music and album charts in and out of Korea=”Feels like our music created by all-nighter efforts are recognized.”
After disclosing all the music in their second full-length album at the end of February, 2NE1 has been sweeping the No.1 places on Korea’s top ten music charts and iTunes’ main album charts “Top Albums” in many countries with their double title “COME BACK HOME” and “GOTTA BE YOU”. 2NE1 themselves are more pleased by such a result than any other.
“We have now taken the No.1 ranks in music and album charts in and out of Korea, but we were so much worried before the release of the album. Of course we release some singles last year, but the evaluation standard for a full-length album is quite different. Plus, we felt a bigger burden because it’s been so long since we released our first full-length album. However, our fans in and out of the country loved our new songs and album so much, so we could take the No.1s on music and album charts. We are so happy about that. We felt rewarded for our all-nighter efforts to create good music. We thank you once again”.
◆ YG’s head Yang Hyun Suk created the point dance for “COME BACK HOME” himself=”A big reassurance.”
Yang Hyun Suk, the CEO of 2NE1’s label YG Entertainment and the member of “Seotaiji and Boys”, the legendary idol boy group in the 1990’s, showed his passion for 2NE1’s music and performance, by choreographing the point dance for the title of 2NE1’s second full-length album “COME BACK HOME” himself. Yang created the choreography of Seotaiji and Boys’ “COME BACK HOME” in 1995 and now, he has created the dance once again, for the song with the same title with his past hit, 19 years later. This has been drawing much attention from music fans. 2NE1 themselves are very much satisfied with Yang’s point dance for “COME BACK HOME” and thankful to him.
“President Yang (Yang Hyun Suk) does a lot of things for the company. Now, he doesn’t even have a time to choreograph YG singer’s music as he did in the past. However, we asked for his advice for the point dance of ‘COME BACK HOME’ and he readily gave his idea. You know, he really cares about us. Haha. We were so happy that his idea satisfied not only us but also all our staff very much. Since we are armed with his point dance for ‘COME BACK HOME’, we feel so much reassured every time we stand on the stage. It was the same for our first TV performance. Thank you Mr.Yang. Haha”.
◆ First TV performance long awaited by fans and 2NE1 alike=”Exciting and fun.”
Before “INKIGAYO”, 2NE1 has shown their performance for the songs in the second full-length album only at the second world tour held on March 1 and 2 at Olympic Park’s SK Handball Hall in Seoul. That is why not only 2NE1 fans but also the members themselves looked forward to the first TV performance in “INKIGAYO” so much. 2NE1 has successfully finished their first TV performance with excitement and fun.
“It was so much exciting and fun to finally show the performance of the songs in our new album in four years to fans. We’ve been working hard on the performance for the new songs for a long time, and it was really happy and exciting to demonstrate the performance for the first time on TV. We were a little bit nervous because it was the first, but it was also very much fun. Starting from ‘INKIGAYO’, we’re going to show performances of more songs on the stage to fans. Since we have been working on the album for a long time, we put a lot of efforts not only in the songs themselves but also in the performances for them. Since we’ve been working hard, we’re confident about the performances to show you from now on”.
Meanwhile, about the coincidental overlapping of the release of their album with that of another globally-popular girl group Girls’ Generation, 2NE1 smiles and says, “We like it because we can support each other’s woman power and show it together”.
2014. 3. 10.
