YG’s Ambitious Work After 2NE1 is Revealed
[CBS노컷뉴스=김현식 기자] Finally, BLACKPINK has been revealed. It is a group that YG Entertainment, one of the three biggest entertainment companies in Korea, launched for the first time in seven years after 2NE1. The group’s debut showcase was held at 3 PM on August 8 at a studio in Sinsa-dong, Seoul.
The music videos of “WHISTLE” and “BOOMBAYA”, the tracks of BLACKPINK’s debut single album ”SQUARE ONE”, were released for the first time at the showcase. YANG HYUN SUK attended to show his support for the group as they embark on their great journey.
◇ Tell us about BLACKPINK.
JENNIE, JISOO, LISA, ROSÉ, who all have been YG trainees from four to six years, are members of BLACKPINK. The name means that the group has talent and the looks.
JISOO’s face is already known to the public as she featured on the music videos of EPIK HIGH and HI&SOO HYUN. Thanks to her beauty, she appeared on a number of ads and shows great talent in dancing, singing and acting. JENNIE featured on G-DRAGON’s “BLACK”, the title track of his second solo album, and showed off her powerful and soulful voice. She studied in New Zealand when she was younger, and she is fluent in English and Japanese.
ROSÉ joined YG as a trainee four years ago when she was 15. She also featured on G-DRAGON’s “WITHOUT YOU” and is the main vocalist of BLACKPINK. LISA is from Thailand, and she has been a trainee of YG for five years. She is great in dancing and has been dancing as part of dance crews since she was a child.
YANG HYUN SUK said, “I experimented a lot. There were dozens of candidates. Some are still trainees and some have left YG. I think the four we have now is the best combination.”
BLACKPINK said, “We’re nervous because we’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We’ve been trained for a long time and we’ll do our best to show you a great performance.”
◇ How is BLACKPINK different from 2NE1?
YANG HYUN SUK answered, “I just want to say that I didn’t go out of my way to make them different from 2NE1. My thought was that making the most YG-like group is the most important thing.”
He added, “Until now, I valued ‘cool’ over ‘good-looking’ or ‘pretty’. Looks weren’t my priority when I made BIG MAMA, 2NE1, or BIGBANG. This was how I did things for the past 20 years, but I wanted to try a different way this time. I wanted BLACKPINK to be a group that has the looks and the talent.”
“It’s hard to find people who can sing, dance and are pretty at the same time. That’s why it took so long,” he said with a chuckle.
JISOO said, “People compare us with 2NE1 a lot, but they are seniors to us. We just want to be like them and follow in their footsteps.”
◇ Will BLACKPINK be the next leading artist of YG?
BLACKPINK’s debut album “SQUARE ONE” will be released later in the day at 8 PM. YG’s main producer TEDDY has been working on the album for more than two years.
The album consists of two tracks: a hip-hop song titled “WHISTLE” which is about the desire to receive confirmation of love and a fast EDM song titled “BOOMBAYA”, a song about loving yourself.
YANG HYUN SUK said, “We’ve completed eight tracks. We’re releasing two music videos today, but we’ve have completed making another one. I think we’ll have to see on whether to release the album straight away or release two singles next like this time.”
As the showcase was nearing to an end, YANG HYUN SUK showed his confidence in the new girl group by saying, “I feel nervous as if I’m sending off my kids to school on their first day of elementary school, but I want to put them on the stage quickly.”
He added, “I feel worried and burdened because we haven’t launched many girl groups before. As you all know, 2NE1 has been on a break for two years now, and since BLACKPINK is filling in the gap as the next YG girl group, we’re feeling a lot of pressure. I hope BLACKPINK will do well, and I’ll do everything to help them.”
JISOO commented, “Since we’re YG’s first girl group in seven years, we feel a lot has been put on our shoulders. But we will continue to practice hard so that we put on a perfect stage and don’t ruin YG’s reputation.”
2016. 8. 8.
