♥ Right Now, Tomorrow, Forever, 소녀시대 ♥ The Official Girls' Generation (SNSD) Thread

[Auratus]

Don`t get me started on line distribution. 

 

Seriously Yoona should just quit SNSD if they are gonna treat her like this. She is famous and popular enough to be star on her own, and we all know acting is her true love. Honestly it`s sad that she has more time to shine when she is doing solo projects than when she is with her own group. Too bad she is so attached to the group and loves SNSD more than anything, cause she would honestly be better on her own at this point.

 

Seriously? You're an embarrassment and I sort of feel bad that Yoona has you for a fan. She deserves better.

[Auratus]

Loved the MV.

 

The concept seems easy enough to understand. The bejeweled heart they put IN is sorta the central theme, making a better man, one with a beautiful heart that can feel, ergo the 'waking up' at the end. That's a common enough idea, that love can change a man for the better.

 

HOW Mr.Mr did it I find very interesting. The visuals are striking, almost like the whole thing is a teaser. I loved the color palette they used and the editing cuts and the effects. The parking garage might be the one discordant thing. I don't know if they had to substitute footage from their first attempt back in Decemeber to make the MV, a piece that got stuck in as a replacement for corrupted data. If so it was a small enough offense to not detract from the flow.

 

The dance break, the fedoras, the black & white glimpses of the choreo, the up close shots, all conspire to REALLY MAKE ME WANT to see the music stages. I LIKED that they didn't just give us a dance video. Sure, we enjoy seeing the intricacies of their group dancing, but we're already fans and we already know them well.

 

But remember that this is the followup to YTMA and a dance video a la Galaxy Supernova ain't gonna cut it for that. There are lots of visual hooks present that draw the eye. Sooyoung's thighs, Yuri's neck, Taeyeon's solos and Hyo. Each of the girls looked fabulous.

 

For someone coming into a SNSD video for the first time since YTMA, those closeups invite closer study. Remember the first reaction a lot of people have to a NINE member group is that there are SO MANY GIRLS HERE AND THEY ALL LOOK ASIAN. Differentiating girls who are swirling about in intricate choreo ain't all that easy if you didn't know the girls to begin with.

 

As it is, the girls look simply stunning and gorgeous and NOT at all alike and I think that was a deliberate choice.

 

TLDR? I LOVED the MV.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

I found these funny and cute.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q49qP0bJPb8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIeKBtUIgw

[Auratus]

omg like that maid scene wasn't bad enough with its unnecesary existence in this MV (which I happen to really like) that tts part was by far my least favorite part out of all the flaws in this MV. I don't hate tts but ever since they were "elevated" at the tour and placed above the others and now this whole last part being focused on them; it's doing my head in. I swear the camera is zoomed in of them for most of that scene.

 

Anyways I'm still looking forward to live perfs and love the song but hopefully after the tour we'll get something, Japanese or Korean that Sm realises should be liked by

the masses.

 

The 'maid' outfits are actually feminine versions of tuxedos, complete with fake cuffs. Formal wear. Would servile outfits make sense given the rest of the video where they're in control of the 'operation'?

 

 

Note the lack of an apron.

 

If you want to compare/contrast you can click this: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=french+maid+images

Edited March 1, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

Is sunny acting too "adult" lately?

 

First her solo performances are always ultra sexy, three and bloom

 

then stuff like this :!!!!

 

Is sunny a bit lewd?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would be helpful if you linked the source of that image. I'll do it for you. 

 

She says, "I'm boooooored. Whahahhaha!" 

 

Not terribly sexy given the proper context.

 

As for Three and Bloom, she's doing covers of other artists' works. She's PERFORMING. Putting on a show. For me Sunny has always done wonderfully staying on the cute side of things. She PLAYS at being sexy without taking it seriously.

 

And Oh! had short shorts and crop tops so I don't know why you're picking Sunny out... 

 

Edited March 1, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

Another fun reaction.

 

[Auratus]

The feels are real. Great reaction video. I think this would be representative of a large part of the fandom (if not the majority) that get lost in the screaming, naysaying and noise of a SNSD comeback. I mean, there's a reason most of us are fans, right? We like SNSD and what they do. Right? 

 

[Auratus]

Can we please just enjoy the comeback as much as we can and stop complaining anyway its already there and we can't do anything about it. Plus we never know when they'll have a proper comeback again with the news of SM releasing a new girl group.. so guys let's just support the girls as much as we can! Fighting!!! 

 

What do you think this is? A fansite or something? Remember the golden rule. SNSD can't do one fucking thing without complaints, especially from their fans. (I was going to put, 'fans', but then I realized that irony is lost to most...)

[Auratus]

Given the production quality and camerawork of most of their M!CD stages to date, I was pleasantly surprised with this comeback stage's production. I can almost delude myself into believing that SMe spent the money out of guilt. Almost. And yeah, swoopy camerawork and 'dramatic' closeups at the worst moment are something the music show PDs seem addicted to, as if they don't realize that SNSD has no need of cheap camera tricks to raise interest. The Japanese music shows are a bit better which is unfortunate since the girls rarely show up on J-TV. I usually have faith in Inkigayo's PD, but his end of year show was shit so I'm not holding my breath.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

I'd say the magic is still there. Doubters to the left, please.

[Auratus]

For Sunny and some of the other girls to be that flat at the announcement, they have to be near exhaustion. That's not petulance, that's numbness. IF they are feeling resentment or disappointment, you can bet it's aimed at the screwups in the promotion cycle and NOT at 2NE1. They're much too professional and veteran to act like spoiled children.

[Auratus]

 

 

#1 SNSD Mr.Mr. - 159244

#2 thru #10 - 162989

 

And yet there are people who keep seeing Mr.Mr. as a dismal failure or something. The end is in sight, yo! SNSD is goin down! The wall is crumbling... ummmm. No.

 

Undoubtedly digital sales and subscription streaming are important, especially in S.Korea, but physical album sales are what keep the industry afloat.

 

I found this to be an interesting read: http://musicindustryblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/the-curious-case-of-the-south-korean-music-market (there's something funky about the link. it adds a space at the end.)

 

But the important bit is this:

 

• Physical longevity: physical revenues have bucked the global trend, with 2012 revenues 128% bigger than their 2006 low.  This compares to a 14% rise for digital (though the 2012 collapse obviously skews the rate down). It is not a unique trend though, with Japan also experiencing a physical uptick in 2012. What links these two markets is the way in which the respective local pop sectors (K-Pop and J-Pop) have created ardently loyal fan bases that eagerly buy lavishly packaged CD products, often with merchandize extras, and frequently resulting in fans buying multiple editions of the same release.  Thus for all the surge in digital, the South Korean and Japanese pop markets have found a way to deliver unique, tangible value with physical products.

TL:DR? SNSD is important to the music industry because of SONEs. (Boy groups and their fangirls are, too.) Ardent fans spend WAY more money on music than casual streamers.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

The numbers and conclusions in that report are complete nonsense tho. They are not correct.

 

Just Melon alone has about $200 million USD in annual digital sales in Korea. That's more than twice what that report claimed was the total digital market in Korea. The digital market in Korea has kept increasing.

 

And the conclusion about physical sales in that report is also nonsense, because that surge in Korean physical sales is driven by sales to foreigners. The Korean demand for CDs has probably not increased.

 

And the "physical uptick" in Japan is also complete nonsense. That shit is only because of the huge numbers of event-ticket-sales that idol groups like XXX48 has been doing. The real physical market in Japan has been going down down down down down with all the records stores in Japan starting to have a really tough time.

 

I know the digital market was revised last year (both with Japan's anti-piracy protection and with higher prices for downloads in Korea) so the situation might have swung further away from physical sales. But that doesn't invalidate the importance of those physical sales to the bottom line, whether it's driven by domestic or international demand. The retail sales outlets (e.g. Tower Records) are dying, that's plain, but the demand for tangibles from the big groups remain. Will SM's new girl group have any pull physically? Or will they be a digital-only player like every other girl group out there besides SNSD?

 

Having growing numbers of I-SONEs can only be a good thing for the girls' longevity, if SM is paying any sort of attention to where the sales are going.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

yuri is one of my bias but what happened to her gorgeous face and perfect body? I am not being mean   ¬¬

 

Here's a clue. When you have to qualify your statement with a, "I'm not being (whatever) ", then in fact, you ARE being (whatever). At least you have a hint that your insensitivity could be cause for offense.

 

If the only reasons you like Yuri is for her "gorgeous face and perfect body" and THIS

 

 

Somehow falls short of your expectation, I can only think you're a shallow cretin. A blind, shallow cretin.

 

Sorry, am I being mean?

 

Perhaps.

 

"What happened to her gorgeous face and perfect body?" 

 

It bugs me when we go from being thankful for their efforts to expecting "perfection" as a condition to liking them. Where is the impulse or desire to try and understand that their lives are pretty damn packed? That their frequent flyer miles have to be near the half-million mark? That their concert and rehearsal schedules might be a full time job if that was all they did?

 

Working out? (Which we know she does assiduously when she has the time.) Dieting? Hormonal swings? Late night ramyun? All the takoyaki in Japan? Kobe beef? Who's gonna say no to that?

 

Here's a thought. How about we let Yuri worry about Yuri's weight. She's happy. She's healthy. She's Yuri. Look at that smile. Ain't that enough?

 

If it ain't, maybe keep your disappointment to yourself? It'll be good training for when you get a real girlfriend in real life. You know, when you get to answering the age old question, "Does this make me look fat?"

[Auratus]

Yoona's phobia of cameras came after an incident happened in 2009. The girls were about to perform Etude in short dresses and Yoona lifted Tiffany's skirt to check if she was wearing safety shorts under her skirt. But Yoona was surprised that Fany hadn't worn any. She was kind of telling Fany off.

 

The incident happens at 2:00.

 

It got caught on camera and netizens blew the whole thing out of proportion and started to attack Yoona. 

Yoona obviously was affected by the comments to have gotten a phobia of cameras after the incident. 

 

You can see some of the netizen comments translated here: http://sookyeong.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/yoonas-little-act-towards-tiffany-gets-blown-out-of-proportion/

 

Of course Fany wore her shorts. Yoona was checking to see if Fany's skirt was pinned down so that the shorts wouldn't be flashed when they were twirling. 

 

The netizen over-reaction is unfortunate, as are the (still persistent) rumors of knickerless-Fany.

 

Turn down your audio. The start of this clip hurts the ears. This is also the clip where taeyeon notes how sexy fany's fany is. lol.

  Edited June 11, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

Ah, so the international fans who watch videos on youtube, illegally download mp3s and sometimes vote in polls should tell the local fans who actually go see Taeyeon at events, buy all her albums and merchandise, and organize gifts/events for Taeyeon how to feel and what a proper fan should be like.

 

I've spent quite a bit on int'l shipping for SNSD albums. Much more than I've spent on any other artist that I can remember. And while the K-Sones are undoubtedly the core of SNSD's support and reason for success, I have to believe I-Sones are a significant contributor to SNSD's continued relevance. Sure, a youtube award might not mean much, but it keeps them in the public eye. Domestically.

 

Which is entirely beside the point of being a fan of SNSD and the individual members.

 

This point gets to what a fan is supposed to be.

 

Looking in from the outside (internationally, but STILL a fan) I can't at all sympathize with the K-Sone plaint of perceived betrayal. It makes no sense. None.

 

It's one thing to be in mutual love, to be in a relationship that is actively reciprocated. A meeting of equals. That's the healthy sort of relationship we can all aspire to with someone special.

 

But fandom is a different thing. Maybe it's more pronounced for us I-Sones since there is a distance, both geographical and cultural, not to mention the language barrier, but fandom is very much ONE sided. A one-to-many thing. Idols sing and dance and play a role and fans support them, appreciate them, 'love' them, AS fans. We empathize, we care. We imagine and fantasize and feel uplifted by their triumphs. That's what we get out of the time spent.

 

But. There is no actual ownership involved. We don't own these idols. Yes, they succeed by keeping us happy. By smiling and waving and doing what it is that we enjoy watching them do.

 

The danger to fandom, how it can go bad, is when there is an expectation of more. A sense of entitlement to the idols' affections? That is when we enter into the realm of delusion. Which ain't a healthy place to be.

 

You say we can't understand the full connection K-Sones THOUGHT they had. And that when it has proven differently, of course those K-Sones would feel betrayed...

 

But to feel betrayed means that there was an expectation of deeper meaning, of actual communion and connection. Of love. Really. A love that signified more than actual fandom.

 

Like, to paraphrase, 'Taeyeon loves me. She talks to me. Through her SNS and Instagram and whatever. Me. And her. Us. But then. Then. She betrayed me. She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to HIM. How dare she play with my feelings!' 

 

Uh. That shit is delusional. Feeling betrayed means that that is delusional.

 

There is a core, a kernal of belief in all of us, that we matter to her. Of course. But as fans, we can't, if we're going to be healthy about it, imagine that she loves us as anything more than a general, faceless, mass of people, waving and cheering.

 

We CAN NOT compare to what she feels for an actual love. A person whom she can connect to, feel with, be friends and together with.

 

Was what she did unreasoned? Irrational? Incautious? Yeah. Was she acting like a young person in love? Yeah.

 

When was that a crime?

 

What crime has she committed? Dating someone she fancied? Being young and in love? Wanting to show it? 

 

Yeah.

[Auratus]

Shitty journalists are shitty? Check.

[Auratus]

Why would you do that?

Why would you stay loyal to someone if that person starts to disappoint and betray you?

 

Your attitude seems like that of someone staying in an abusive relationship.

 

I agree. You all saying supporting no matter what and shit all sound like a cult. You have to know how to let go and move on...

Hold on a moment. What has Taeyeon done to abuse me? What assumption of mine has she abused? What trust? Why should I be feeling butthurt? She's dating someone? She's playing instagram-footsie with someone?

 

That's something I should feel abused about?

 

Lol. No.

[Auratus]

Even if you apparently don't feel abused now,

 

why would you swear to forever stay loyal no matter what abuse that might happen in the future?

 

and why are you judging others for complaining when they feel abused?

 

Why don't you let me worry about how I feel about Taeyeon? I said I don't feel abused. But that doesn't mean I signed away my soul or firstborn on an altar to Soshi. I'm perfectly capable of judging if I'm in an abusive relationship.

 

On a strictly commercial basis, I enjoy their performances, interactions, fan service, music, dance, smiles, and the way they eat. It's sufficient to provoke the purchase of the occasional CD (with exhorbitant int'l shipping). 

 

On the flip side, Taeyeon, or any of the girls, never promised to give me a handjob for buying said CD, nor did they promise me that they'd remain virginally pure and never kiss or date. So they never broke a promise to me.

 

I don't own them. I don't know them. I simply enjoy what they present, and they've given me much to smile and laugh about through the years.

 

In what way is there any abuse going on? I can't see it. If I do, I'll shrug and move on. But I'll probably still listen to the occasional song. Lots of good memories there. Mmkay?

[Auratus]

People need to chill and stop chasing rumors. It does nothing but inject energy into the hysteria that's been brewing for days, making for a (more) noxious atmosphere. Things are tense enough, yes?

 

 

 

Whatever happens is going to happen, regardless of how many heart palpitations, hours of sleepless twitching and bottles of Visine for your glazed-eyes from staring at your twitter feed unblinkingly. 

 

Remember that ultimately it's pointless to cling. If one of the girls wants out, it'll be for a sufficiently good reason for HER. Remember WHY you're a fan. Remember the photos and videos and variety shows and countless moments of enjoyment you've had because of your bias and her group. If what goes up must come down, you can choose not to crash and flail and panic when it does.

 

Edited June 22, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

We've been spoiled as a fandom for so many years. We get SOMETHING from the girls almost every day. How many other fandoms in kpop are so lucky? When the girls comeback, it isn't a matter of hitting #1, it's how many times. It isn't a matter of 'will they get on a variety show?' It's, 'how many variety shows will they have time to record?'

 

We have the luxury of picking and choosing which looks and costumes and poses we love best, which magazine shoot, which photo-op, which OST, which drama, which musical.

 

Frankly, it's an embarrassment of riches compared to almost any other fandom.

 

So maybe we've become complacent, always expecting more. We expect so damned much and we're so easily disappointed when things change.

 

We wish the girls would remain the innocent rookies we fell for. Dating? Wanting more than idol life?

 

Taeyeon expected hate. But not from us. Not from SONE.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

For Japanese TV interviews, I would really prefer them to speak more in Japanese. Particularly, Sooyoung should ALWAYS respond in Japanese, and not in Korean. Its not necessary for the other members to know what she is saying, because she is conversing with the MCs and the viewers. Also, she should respond more, and not wait for the other members to speak up. It makes everything more fluid and reduces the awkwardness of having to translate everything. And I don't understand Tiffany's preferences to speak English in Japan because Japanese people do not speak English lol.

 

I don't know that trying to ease Japanese viewers' sense of awkwardness was entirely the point of this appearance. After all, hasn't SJJD been shunned by the Japanese media for years now? Besides, Sooyoung is hardly one to be reticent.

 

To me the girls seemed nervous and apprehensive and that's probably because they haven't been told HOW to act. Universal/SM has to be surprised at the invite to appear on Sukira. It sucks that SJJD got caught up between nationalistic politics (and now add China-Japan antics as a third dimension... which makes me wonder if Japan ain't back-pedaling a bit...) and had their J-career waylaid. But given that, does it make sense for the girls to keep on with their Japanese lessons?

 

At best, the girls are being shy and coy, reminding the Japanese public that they've just come in out of the cold. At worst, they're nervous as hell and worried about k-netz' reactions to appearing too much of a suck-up to Japan.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

Yesterday Sunny fell and got hit by a car's door. She went to hospital to check and SM said she is fine.she's wearing an eye patch now but it shouldn't interfere with her daily life/activities...

 

get well soon Sunny unnie :(

 

That must be why her radio show bora was canceled. Also the reason why her manager NEEDS to be an asshole to fans who crowd Sunny too closely.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Auratus

[Auratus]

guys on the billboard vote thingy! everytime i vote for sones, it just remains processing the vote (loading) its been like that for more than an hour, i keep trying but the same old keeps happening :(

 

is this happening to you guys? 

 

or maybe its just my internet being bloody slow

The poll is mostly broken. Too many SONEs and VIPs hammering the vote button. So the VIP/SONE poll has been down like 98% of the time for the last day. The other 3 polls for the remaining fandoms are of course working fine. Billboard should have seen this coming weeks ago and lined up the resources.

[Auratus]

Can y'all shut up about this dumb poll and sub some videos or shit.

There ARE meaningless polls (most are) but SM's asked us to vote for this one because Billboard holds some meaning in the industry. Mmkay?

 

In the meantime, learn Korean and sub your own videos, or some shit.