BOM
V.G: It seems that the Bom on stage always wears a dress.
Bom: That was a grievance when we debuted. I would be the only one wearing a short dress, so it was really uncomfortable when I danced. But now that I'm used to it, I can do anything while wearing those kind of dresses. It'd be nice if my body was a little more perfect...
V.G: Have you seen any effects from the lettuce diet?
Bom: It's still in progress. I'm not perfect yet!
(V.G: It's hard to diet, right?)
Bom: I don't diet for 24 hours like the fans think I do. I eat rather well during each meal. I don't just eat lettuce. I simply don't eat in between meals. However, crackers/cookies, cake, and especially bbang(bread) are taboo food. To have that "BbangBom" can't eat bbang is distressful.
(V.G: There's quite a lot of talk about Bom's body.)
Bom: If I say that I never felt bad about it, I guess tthat would be a lie. (Small voice) Well, to be honest, my body was a bit bloated that day.... Anyway, since I began dieting because of that, it's okay now.
V.G: What's the best part about being a singer?
Bom: The best part is that I can sing on stage. That's the biggest privilege, so I think it's the only benefit. A job where, rather than simply not receiving stress, but through which you can relieve your stress through working is truly rare.
(V.G: But there's the part where you can't date.)
Bom: Aigo, I completely forgot about that. But I don't want to think about things like that. I'm the kind of person that definitely has to do what I want to, so when I just think about dating, I feel bothered. I don't have an ideal type. If I like him, then I like him. But there is a type I hate. A guy with an inferiority complex! I can look over it if he just lacks confidence.
V.G: Are you currently in the peak of your preparations for your comeback? Compared to other groups, your hiatus is really long.
Bom: We haven't decided on the title track and we're recording the included tracks. From R&B to hip-hop, it's planned to contain very diverse styles, so it'd be good to look forward to it. Honestly, it hasn't been long since we started preparing for the album, so even talking about this is kind of awkward. Haha.
(V.G: I heard that you're going to come back around August?)
Bom: Ah, we might. Even we aren't sure when the exact time is. If President Yang says that we'll make a comeback in one week, then we will. And he'll tell us we'll shoot the music video 2~3 days in advance.
(V.G: You must do it once everything is in perfectly prepared condition?)
Bom: We can't relax. That's why even though it's a resting period, we don't neglect practice every day because we don't know when we'll mobilize (laugh). Plus we have to practice constantly so we won't be tired later. When we actually start our promotions, all progress becomes extremely fast.
V.G: What was the very last thing you did yesterday night; practice?
Bom: No, we ate watermelon. Haha. Lately, I've been really into watermelon that I put in the refrigerator to make it cold. Ah! The trainer can't see this...
SANDARA
V.G.: Did you know that the origin of this VOGUE GIRL (aka V.G.) photoshoot concept, revealing the hidden femininity in 2NE1 was due to Sandara's words "I want to try doing a pretty photoshoot too."?
Sandara: The reason I said this was because of the fact that 2NE1 has only, up until now, had photoshoots portraying very strong images. As a result, I wanted to try undergoing this transformation, even if just for a photoshoot, as we'll never have an opportunity to wear such fluttery clothing during a performance.
V.G.: You've been on a break for a while now, but we've been hearing news about Sandara every day, as you're really active with your me2day updates.
Sandara: My me2day has been my greatest concern lately! If I discover something interesting, my first thought is that I have to take a picture and upload it. If I don't do a me2day for a couple of days, I worry about whether I should search for something (to post up), ha ha. It's a complete obsession.
(V.G.: Are you upset that each one of your updates are becoming news articles? It seems like there are news reporters just patiently sitting and waiting for news about your updates, as if they're like 'Sandara Park Correspondents')
Sandara: There are some times when I can't believe it either. It's not really anything special but there are times when the news exaggerates it. However because the reason I began me2day originally was to communicate with our fans, I try to think that those intentions I had to begin with, are more important. I like the feeling that I'm communicating with people through my me2day. It's like sending and receiving text messages with my friends.
V.G.: Have you become more comfortable with me2day than with your friends now?
Sandara: Rather than that, I would say it's because I don't really have any friends to text message. Because I moved to the Philippines when I was in elementary school, if you don't count my colleagues at YG, I don't have a single other friend in Korea. Lately I've been really lonely but I've receive a lot of comfort through my me2day. When I can't fall asleep late at night, I post a me2day and when the comments go up, I think to myself, "I'm not alone".
V.G.: How do you mainly deal with stress? Other than with your me2day.
Sandara: As expected, the people that I can pour my heart out to are my fellow members. We talk about the details of our lives to each other often, and sometimes we cry too.
(V.G.: When you're at the peak of your stress, does lively Sandara become sensitive too?)
Sandara: I become quieter. I avoid making contact with other people. I've never fought with anyone before. I don't want to fight and I can't fight well either. When someone would try picking a fight with me verbally, there wasn't a single occasion when I would fight back.
V.G.: For a lonely and weak girl, surely it'd be great to have a guy who could protect you! Even though you said that your ideal type was a tough, younger guy.
Sandara: I like guys who can be cute but at the same time take complete charge of me.
(V.G.: Why do you like younger guys?)
Sandara: I think childishly to begin with. Starting from when I was young, I would mainly play with my younger siblings, and so even now I'm more comfortable around my younger friends. When I see people who are in their teens, it seems like they're people I can relate to, where as if I see people actually the same age as me, it feels extremely awkward. Since I started doing celebrity activities at the age of 19, it seems like my thoughts have stopped growing up.
V.G. When you don't have practice, what do you guys mainly do?
Sandara: I just stay at the apartment by myself. Bom and CL stay at the company and work on songs, Minji goes to see midnight movies and does shopping and goes out a lot. Because she's still at a young, spirited age (laughs). When I'm at our apartment, there are times when I'm just lying down and staring into space, sometimes I do the laundry, and sometimes I watch some previously recorded dramas. These days I'm really into 'Baker King Kim Tak Goo'.
V.G.: How are each of the member's room decorated?
Sandara: CL's room is so packed full of clothes, accessories and other prop-like items, there's not even any room to walk. There's a lot of interesting things in there so sometimes I purposely go in there to look around. Bom's room has a lot of makeup and health food. Ha ha. Minji's room is full of books and toys. She said she's collecting Gundams lately? On the wall she has a lot of pictures of herself. If you compare my room to their's, mine is just a bed and a closet, it's really simple.
V.G.: A while ago, MBLAQ did an interview with
Sandara: Actually, it wasn't even 6 months between MBLAQ and our debut and so I don't really have any advice to give him (laugh). But since I'm his eldest noona and there's an age gap of 6 years between us, I try to take care of him a lot. As our periods of activities haven't overlapped yet, even meeting at broadcasting studios is tough, but I hope that we'll meet a lot in the future. I miss him, our baby. Haha.
V.G.: Lately, idol groups have been extremely active on variety shows, yet it's been hard to see 2NE1.
Sandara: I've wanted to do it, but I'm seriously awkward with strangers. Last year, even when I appeared on 'Family Outing', I just kept trying to read others' expressions. Rather than that, I want to appear on talk shows such as 'Come to Play' or 'Win Win'. Not by myself, but the four of us together. The problem is that it has to be the four of us together for it to be interesting. If we go on separately, we'll be hit with the 'Edit Out' button? Haha.
(V.G.: Amongst the members, who seems like they'd be good at doing variety shows?)
Sandara: Bom! She'd be a huge hit if she went onto 'Family Outing' or 'We Got Married'. She's a lot wilder than I am and she's truly 4D. The side of Bom that she revealed in '2NE1TV' is her true self. She'd probably generate a lot of buzz too! Haha.
MINJI
V.G: I was surprised since you were so shy in front of the camera. Are you the same Minji who does the bold popping dance moves on stage?
Minji: After changing from the clothes I normally wear to a skirt, my body started to tensen up slowly. Haha. During our debut when the stylist oppas told me to wear a dress I hated it, but now it's different. Skirts aren't unfamiliar anymore and I've even started to buy them.
V.G.: Your hair has grown out quite a bit, so you look a lot more feminine.
Minji: I'm in the process of growing it out. I did want to change something for the comeback, but I was worried what people would think. But it wasn't simply for the comeback since I had completely changed as well. So it was time for something new.
V.G.: When anyone is at the age of 17, they'll be like that.
Minji: A while back, during our debut anniversary party, we were watching 2NE1 TV and we were really surprised. A year ago, I was really bright and acted like a child. Am I just going through puberty? Before when people asked me if I was, I told them no very seriously. Nowadays I just say probably.
(V.G.: Was that not the time you went through it?)
Minji: Haha, was I?
(V.G.: Later you're going to miss your youth.)
Minji: I actually feel like time is going by too fast these days. It feels like such a short time ago when I reached my teens and now I'm already seventeen. But the oppas at the office tell me that the twenties go by even faster?
V.G.: Of course, it's like an arrow. When you turn twenty how do you want to live?
Minji: I want to read a lot of books and not live lazily. I want to become intellectual.
(V.G.: When you're 22 the 5 year no dating rule will have passed.)
Minji: Haha, that's tempting?
(V.G.: Who do you imagine your ideal type to be?)
Minji: I want us to be a couple that helps one another. A relationship where it's one-sided is so limiting. My ideal type just based on looks is Usher. I seriously fell for him when I went to one of his concerts a while back. I don't know how someone can be that cool and sexy! Based on personality, my ideal type would be Sean oppa from Jinusean. He's thoughtful toward Hyeyoung unni, and with his kids he is very fatherly. But I don't know if someone that has both these qualities exists.
(V.G.: When you get a boyfriend, what kind of dates would you like to go on?)
Minji: I want to hold hands and walk the streets of Myungdong (T/N: Shopping area in Seoul).
(V.G.: You don't mind people staring?)
Minji: I don't really mind. Anyway, it's better to be looked at and whispered about than to be ignored. I feel more hurt with no attention at all as opposed to malicious comments on the internet.
V.G.: What do you think you would be doing if you weren't a 2NE1 member?
Minji: I wouldn't have given up trying to be a singer. I'd probably still be a trainee. But truthfully, I didn't want to be a singer in the beginning. I had wanted to be a creative choreographer, but after I saw a YG family music video, I fell in love completely and decided that I had to get in the company and be a singer. I can choreograph in the future, and maybe even teach younger artists at YG.
V.G.: Compared to people your age, your answers seem really thought out and you seem much older.
Minji: It's because I've spent so much time with my unnis and oppas. So now when I meet with people my age, it feels stifling to talk with them. I start thinking they're too young, so now it's become awkward talking to people. When I feel tired, my friends can't empathize and they can't offer advice so their words of consolation feel superficial.
V.G.: You don't seem happy in walking a different path than those of your age?
Minji: I know that I have a lot of friends who are envious of me. But if there is something to be gained, obviously something else has to be lost, right? Lately I miss the things I've lost. When I was in middle school I barely had four periods a day before I left school. Schoolwork was boring and playing with friends seemed so trivial. But looking back I wish I had enjoyed it more. I'm planning on taking the GED exam later so I'm studying hard.
V.G.: But when you're on stage dancing and singing, you don't seem to think about those things at all.
Minji: Of course. When I go on stage I become a completely different person. Should I call myself 'Michin Minji'? (T/N: It translates to Crazy Minji but I wanted to keep the alliteration) Haha. When I'm on stage I don't think at all. I really like to dance. When I become old and my body becomes weak, I'll be really sad when I won't be able to dance anymore.
CL
V.G.: The other members picked CL to be the most "unexpected" feminine member.
CL: I'm actually more feminine than my image on stage. And I have a lot of cuteness. I'm always everywhere. I'm completely cold and warm, and change from an angel to a devil. It's just like how CL and Chaerin are clearly different, but both are me.
V.G.: When I see the CL on stage, how should I put it? It seems like there's always something boiling inside you. It's like you're screaming "This stage is too cramped for me" with your entire body.
CL: It's because I have so many things I want to do.
(V.G.: Is there also something you really want to do, but can't because of our country's feelings about it or because of TV regulations?)
CL: People say there are limits, but honestly, I think I don't have that. It's just that people don't do anything about it. I want to show people a performance that will make them think, "She can even do this." First, I really want to stand on stage together with a real band. As expected, there are limitations when you turn the MR on and sing.
V.G.: Last May, it had been 1 year since you debuted. What kind of changes have there been in 1 year?
CL: During that time, there was a lot of change in all the members and they have matured. The style of music they like, their personality, and their attire. And I've become an adult.
V.G.: Have you adjusted to living as a singer?
CL: As a singer, I'm a novice. There are still too many things to experience. But I try not to think of this work as a job. I don't listen to a lot of music and practice singing because I'm a singer. Because I like to since and dance, I am a singer. If the time comes and I feel that this work has simply become a job, I think I'd quit without regret. There's no reason to do this work if there's no fun in it. "Having fun while working" is really important to me.
(V.G.: But saying that, it doesn't seem like you're thinking ahead about what would happen after.)
CL: That's right. The reason is that, that could even be next year.
(V.G.: Still, won't you at least do work that is related to music?)
CL: Well, I can stop singing and draw instead. Or I can get married and even become a mom. Even I don't know. I just want to live while doing work that has meaning. Work that has meaning to me, not to others. Because at the moment, it's dancing and singing, I am doing this work.
V.G.: Is your free way-of-thinking something that you acquired while living in a foreign country when you were younger?
CL: Rather than that, I think that's the way-of-thinking that my parent's taught me. My father likes to experience new areas so till now, we've moved tons of times. It seems like those experiences have built the diversity of my thoughts. I almost never watched TV at home too, I'd mostly entertain myself by listening to music or drawing. If the weather was nice, I'd go take a walk in the park.
V.G.: Out of all the places you lived, which neighborhood had the biggest impact on you?
CL: It's Hongdae, where I lived at when I was in 4th grade. That's also where I purchased clothes for the first time.
(V.G.: An eleven year old bought her own clothes?)
CL: My mom doesn't really like malls, so she bought clothes for me at vintage stores or markets in Hongdae. I passed by the store that I went with my mom to alone and there were clothes that I liked, so I received money and bought it.
(V.G.: What was young CL's taste like?)
CL: I liked clothes with bold colors and colorful prints. I wore big accessories no matter what. When I look back at it now, boy, it was unbelievably tacky.
V.G.: Girls at that age don't really wear that style of clothing. You must have really stuck out amongst your friends.
CL: I didn't have many friends, so it was okay. Right now, there are only 4 people that I can say are my friends. Truthfully, even if I have only one friend my entire life, that would be enough. Whether that's my husband or boyfriend, I'd like it to be someone that I love.
(V.G.: What will you do if that one person betrayed you?)
CL: I'd have to cautiously decide depending on the situation. I haven't been betrayed that badly yet, so I'm not really sure what I'll do.
V.G.: Are you most comfortable when you're alone?
CL: I really like people. I have a large family and I like people crowding around me. However, I'm most comfortable when I'm the only one in that person's heart. I don't like being alone in a desert, but I like being alone in a big city.
V.G.: Do you have any concerns as the leader of a girl group?
CL: I don't really have any. It might be because I'm the leader of 2NE1 and not of a different group. The members know and practice on their own, so I can just relax and shout "fighting".
V.G.: Do you have any burdens about always having to show "something new and strong"?
CL: There's no point in slightly changing something that already exists. We always want to show others completely new things. Then it's fun to watch us. If we settle on the same style, it won't be that fun for us, who are promoting, or the people watching us.
V.G.: Between pretty and cool, which one do you like to hear more?
CL: Definitely cool! But I like "beautiful" more than that. I think it's a word that includes both pretty and cool.
(V.G.: Who has told you lately that you are beautiful?)
CL: Haha. I don't really hear it that much. I meant it's something I always want to hear.
Translated by kimchi hana, elise, GEE @ ygladies.com
one vote for shayne kay would be so much appreciated ^^
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