여러분 안녕하세요~! ^^
In this post, I'll just share with all of you my thoughts before and after the member changes to my favorite girl group:
As a K-pop fan, we should all be aware of T-ARA's tyrant yet surprisingly successful boss, the CEO of Core Contents Media, Mr. Kim Kwang Soo.
His ideals and plans for the girls have constantly been the talk of the K-pop universe, overworking and overstating the girls as if they were his puppets of fame.
He has stated time and again that popularity can go from as high as Mt. Everest to as low as the Marianna Trench in just a single moment.
So he himself had devised plans for the girls so that they keep developing and mature as artistes that can "survive" the K-pop industry without dropping into the abyss of time.
It's been a roller-coaster ride for the fans, especially.
Just recently, the inauguration ceremony for T-ARA's official fanclub had just commenced and we are now official known as QUEEN'S, fitting for those who love and support the girls of T-ARA.
And during that event, Danee, T-ARA's newest-member-to-be was introduced to the fans.
Some people hated the addition.
Some welcomed it.
To understand more on T-ARA and their forever struggle to adapt and change, we'd have to go back to their debut days, back in 2009.
5-ARA
*The stylization of [number]-ARA started only recently with the change of 7 membered-T-ARA to 9 membered-T-ARA. To make it easy for discussions and conversations, QUEEN'S just used 7-ARA, 8-ARA etc
To most people, T-ARA debuted with their song 거짓말 (Lies) as six, but to those who've known them even before that will know that T-ARA was once a five membered girl group consisted of Jiwon, Jiae, Jiyeon, Eunjung and Hyomin.
To date, only EunJiMin have retained their positions as T-ARA members, with Jiwon now a member of girl group SPICA and Jiae still awaiting her debut with another girl group.
I wasn't aware of 5-ARA when I first got to know about T-ARA.
But as far as I know, Jiwon and Jiae took their leave due to differences between them and supposedly the "style" of T-ARA.
Even so, CCM was quick to add new members to the concoction, and thus born:
6-ARA
With the addition of ulzzang Qri, former SNSD-member-to-be Soyeon and famous singer Jeon Young Ruk's daughter Boram, a fresh-faced T-ARA was set to hit the music charts with a bang.
Their song Lies was a hit with listeners and netizens began to keep an eye on this upcoming popular girl group.
6-ARA had a few hits, especially Bo Peep Bo Peep that impressed a lot of people with the new style of K-pop and direction.
Other hits include 처음처럼 (Like The First Time), TTL and TTL2 (featuring fellow label mates Supernova), I'm Really Hurt and I Go Crazy Because Of You.
It was only up to IGCBOY that I got to follow T-ARA's progress.
I left for matriculation in May 2010, so my K-pop followings and news became abruptly interrupted, so I was oblivious to everything for about a year.
When I finished my matriculation in April 2011, I reignited this new found love and searched for my favorite girl group prior to my "hiatus".
I stumbled upon their new song, 왜 이러니? (Why Are You Being Like This?) and once I saw their MV, I was perplexed.
There was one figure whom I didn't recognize from before.
As I was well equipped with the knowledge of 6-ARA, this one girl was really unfamiliar till I eventually found out that T-ARA had added a new member, namely Hwayoung.
So, it seemed that 6-ARA had then become:
7-ARA
When 5-ARA became 6-ARA, I wasn't at all affected.
I thought they debuted as six, so it was okay for me to see them perform and work as six.
But when 6-ARA became 7-ARA, I was kind of weirded out as I didn't understand the whole situation.
I wasn't much of an avid fan as I am now, so seeing as they had already been together for quite a while, I was only able to accept it and move on.
I didn't see much of Hwayoung, though.
It wasn't until I listened to Ma Boo that I actually could accept her and seeing as how they grew really close to each other, I fell in love with Hwayoung as much as I did for all the other members.
It can arguably be said that T-ARA have achieved most of their success throughout their career as 7-ARA.
They reached their prime with a very fresh and very nostalgic retro tune and image with Roly Poly, also my favorite T-ARA concept to date.
John Travolta Wannabe concept aka Roly Poly
I loved everything about Roly Poly, the song (YOU MUST LISTEN!), the colors, the stage, the feel, the dance and the seeing the girls just having fun performing it makes the song all the more lovable.
The all-kills started and T-ARA were on a non-stop track to the top of the charts.
They then came back with Cry Cry, another grabbing concept but a whole lot darker and as Hyomin put it, "masculine" concept.
T-ARA rose to prominence once again with Lovey Dovey, the most recognized concept by T-ARA with their shuffle dance choreography and catchy tune.
Roly Poly had started a revolution for T-ARA last year.
They had opened up a door that brought fans of all ages.
T-ARA's charismatic and charming performances on and off stage (variety shows, fan meets etc) had fans loving them even more.
Their quirky, dorky and cute personality, armed with every sense of humor made their way into the hearts of worldwide K-pop fans and even neutrals.
When they came back with Lovey Dovey in January, their fanbase expanded even wider.
They had also started to promote in Japan, mostly with Japanese versions of their previous hits and Japanese fans had also succumbed to the ever-adorable 7-ARA.
But that's when things got rough for the girls.
T-ARA, as I've mentioned before, are top of the list when it comes to being overworked and under-appreciated.
As much as they had to keep up with schedules as a unit and also with members having their own individual dramas and shows to attend, the girls had no time for rest and were constantly seen with very tired and weak expressions.
Not only the fans, but the girls themselves had asked for some vacation from KKS and they did in fact get that vacation when they were brought on a Europe trip to help with their label mates Gangkiz with their debut.
However, a large bomb was dropped by the boss, where he stated that there would be line-up changes, with additions and removals imminent.
Fans went into a craze.
I, myself, was set into disbelief with the news.
Appalling, after all 7-ARA had been through, after all they had sacrificed, KKS still wanted to mess with them and QUEEN'S.
Fans retaliated and forums burst with discussions on whether the then current members were to be dropped or not.
Just a while before all that, Eunjung had injured her ankle, Boram was facing depression and medication and Jiyeon had breakdowns while the other members, too, struggled with fatigue and sickness.
Such news wasn't acceptable at all, especially the part where KKS said some members would be replaced.
The thing was, 6-ARA was already as complete as a girl group could be.
They had visuals, rappers, main vocals and the ability to sustain a harmony in melody and voice without needing anyone else to support.
When CCM added Hwayoung as a rapper, fans worried about the roles of Hyomin and Eunjung.
However, since they both weren't just rappers, their place wasn't totally affected and seeing as how Hwayoung provided a little extra edge to T-ARA's performances, fans quickly warmed up to her.
But it became somewhat illogical to again add more members to an already perfect recipe for success.
7-ARA was doing perfectly without having anymore disruptions to their already solidified team dynamic and morale.
Adding more members implied that they still weren't good enough.
KKS even boldly stated that artistes start to be complacent with their success and needed more nudges and pushes for them to keep up with their success.
Fans were hurt by that statement, seeing as how their girls were tortured day in and day out, without a speck of compassion.
To add such a statement to an already sad situation was downright painful, like adding salt to a wound.
Finally, at the end of May, KKS announced the addition of 14 year-old Danee, a girl he'd recruited just by one glance at her on the street.
Later in June, he announced the addition of 19 year-old Areum, who debuted as a T-ARA member recently with the release of Day By Day.
So now, 7-ARA became:
8-ARA
Truthfully, I wasn't against member changes as a whole.
I only hated the "replacement" part of it but since KKS decided to keep the previous 7-ARA members, I was okay.
After a few comeback stages, I find Areum fitting as a T-ARA member.
She's vocally talented and her looks are quite nice on the eyes.
She's 19, so her age doesn't deviate too far from 7-ARA's age range of 20-27.
8-ARA's Day By Day has also been a monster on the charts, with an all-kill in under 24 hours and beautifully presented comeback stages.
Areum has shown her capability in performing but I still haven't seen how well she clicks with the rest of T-ARA.
It'll be difficult, I guess, since T-ARA no longer live in dorms together anymore.
It'll take time for both 7-ARA and QUEEN'S to warm up to Areum.
All we can do is wait and see.
Even so, I'm still against the addition of Danee.
In my humble opinion, I feel that she is still too young, too inexperienced and too unsuited for T-ARA's solid image as a successful girl group.
I really don't get it.
Even worse, although KKS had promised that the two new members were to assist Soyeon in the vocals area, Danee is reported to be training as a rapper and dancer.
She was also stated to be the new visuals for T-ARA.
Absurd!
T-ARA's rappers are Eunjung, Hyomin, Hwayoung and just recently Areum (Don't Leave).
T-ARA's main dancer is Jiyeon.
T-ARA's visuals are all of 7-ARA (not too sure about Areum).
Danee doesn't have a role to fill in, especially the "maknae" role, which has been changed to Areum from Jiyeon, though Jiyeon has always been dubbed the "forever maknae" by the older members.
I love T-ARA with all my heart and would never turn my back on them.
All QUEEN'S can do is pray for the best of T-ARA and hope for more success in the future, despite the additions and changes.
퀸즈 힘내요!
함께 티아라를 서퍼트하자!
영웒이 사랑한다 티아라!
티아라 파이팅!
"T-ARA = 5 - 2 + 3 + 1 +1 + 1"
p/s: This post was a reflection of my own opinions and experiences. As far as factual credibility can be guaranteed, I urge you to double check on chronological references and such.
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