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Idol groups share many things in common, they can sing, rap, dance, and they usually have a lot of members. But one other thing they share in common these days is having one or more international group member/s in their respective groups.
In After School, you have Beka (Korean American). In Super Junior, you have HanGeng (Chinese). In 2pm, you have TaecYeon, JaeBeom (Korean American), and NichKhun (Thai / Chinese). In SNSD, you have Tiffany, Jessica (Korean American), SooYoung (Korean lived in Japan), and HyoYeon (Korean lived in China). In Wonder Girls, you have Yubin (Korean lived in San Jose, California). In 2AM, you have ChangMin (Korean lived in Canada). In 2NE1, you have Sandara Park (Korean lived in Philippines), and Park Bom (Korean studied in Boston, Massachusetts). In Epik High you have Tablo (Korean and lived all over the world, famous for graduating from Stanford with a degree in English Literature and a Masters). There are more including Victoria (Chinese) and Amber (Chinese grew up in Orange County, California) from new SM group, f(x).
Not to mention Nicole (Korean American) of Kara, MickyYooChun (Korean lived in America) of TVXQ, and the list will still go on and on. There's only a few groups that does not have international members like SHINee, Big Bang 4Minute, and Brown Eyed Girls ect.
From the above list, you might have read some names that may have surprised you. That is because people think America when you think of international idol group members. But there's a wide variety now; China, Japan, Canada, USA, the Philippines, and Thailand. People may think of the big and populated places such as the USA and Japan but now they come from everywhere. For example, Sandara Park comes from having a career in the Philippines. This shows the K-Pop industry expanding its horizons in terms of accepting new people into the music scene landscape.
Now you might wonder why there are so many of them. Entertainment companies want international members because they have international knowledge and if they come to Korea, they will also carry a Korean feeling which will appeal to the audience. Another reason is language. Language is a huge barrier for Asians trying to make it in another country. Boa, Se7en, and the Wonder Girls all had to study English very hard and though they have improved, they're still not perfectly fluent. TVXQ had to learn Japanese to make it in the J-Pop industry. By having someone who is already fluent in the language, you know they will lead the group if the group ever decides to debut / crossover over to other countries. Not only regarding traveling to a different country but just connecting with fans in general is easier when you know more language(s). SooYoung of SNSD knows Japanese where as HyoYeon and HanGeng know Chinese. Nichkhun represent 2PM whenever they visit Thailand. This all helps the groups get more known in Asia and the rest of the world.
These international members help bring KPOP music to the rest of the world. International fans will find it easier to accept once they find something in common with the group, once they know they share a hometown, or speak the same language. So all this is only a good thing.
2NE1 member Sandara Park will be releasing a digital single ‘Kiss’ coming 7th September. This is her first solo song released in Korea.
2NE1 who will be ending their promotions for ‘I Don’t Care’ by this week, Sandara Park will go into her solo activities without beforehand news about it. Sandara Park’s ‘Kiss’ is composed by YG main producer Teddy, and will be included in 2NE1’s new album set to be released coming October.
2NE1 has been adopting a different promotion technique of one-week-one-performance. And they also put up new dance choreography every week and for ‘I Don’t Care’ they have shown 3 different remix versions of the song for their performance.
It is also known that the main vocal of the group Park Bom and rapper CL are preparing for their solo songs. And with the sudden news of Sandara Park doing her solo activities, more anticipation are for the group’s promotion in the future.
The song ‘Kiss’ will also feature CL’s rap. This pop genre song talks about the wish of a girl for the guy she likes to come closer and share a kiss.
YG Entertainment said, “2NE1 is a group with members with different talents and individuality. With Sandara Park’s solo song ‘Kiss’, the group members will each show their own charms through their own solo songs.”
2NE1 will be promoting their followup hits from this week which are the 4 other songs from the group’s first minialbum – performing one different song per week.
They will be performing the song ‘Pretty Boy’ on SBS Inkigayo this week, and will go on to perform other songs like ‘Stay Together’ and ‘Let’s Go Party’.
Meanwhile, the reggae remix of the group’s hit ‘I Don’t Care’ will be released on 3rd September.
2NE1 was on KBS CoolFM ‘Maybee’s volume up’ on 16th July. And Maybee has asked who the role models to the group are. Park Bom has answered ‘Beyonce and Lee Hyori’.
With that, Lee Hyori had made a surprise phone call. Park Bom has got very excited since she had always answered ‘teacher Lee Hyori’ when asked how her role model is.
Lee Hyori said, “A while back, I sent a message to Bommie encouraging her and telling her she did well with the group’s new song but there was no reply.”
Surprised, Park Bom said, “My mobile phone was changed hence I didn’t receive the message.” Lee Hyori, “When I try to contact my juniors, they all tell me they have changed their numbers.” trying to make the atmosphere comfortable.
When asked what features Park Bom should take after herself, Hyori said, “Bommie is a girl who can go very far but she is a little shy. So go drinking, and have fun, go clubbing too and get to know guys and lead a free lifestyle. Do not confine yourself, try different fashion styles, and try on different markeup, she will be a cooler Bommie than now.”
2NE1's member Park bom has tears falling during a radio show.
Park Bom who came out on MBC radio, Starry Night on the 2nd, had tears fall during her message to her family. During her 3 years of training, Park Bom had many hardships and suffered, and the tears fell while thanking her family for believing in her and waiting for her.
Also, Park bom along with dara, minji and CL sang their debut song 'Fire' and also Rhianna's Umberella. She also sang her part in Big bang's debut song 'We belong together' and got a big cheer from the listeners.
Instead of the brilliant dancing they have been showing, the girls showed their amazing live grabbing the mics instead and sang 'Umberella with their own style. They got praise from a lot of people and DJ Park Kyung Lim thought that it was their own song.
Also on this night, the stories of how the girls made it in to YGE and how 2NE1 was born was told.
source: asianfanatics
