Speaking at a press conference ahead of her new release, Taeyeon reflected on being called a role model for junior K-pop artists.
Any K-pop fan worth their mettle has heard of Girls’ Generation – one cannot deny the impact the group had in the global expansion of K-pop, becoming one of the first acts to break international shores back when K-pop will still a niche genre.
Naturally, that reverence has also come with unofficial titles and official accolades, with the members being regarded as role models by numerous junior artists. And while member Taeyeon feels elated, the responsibility does not escape her.
“When I hear myself being called a ‘a role model,’ I’m happy. But it’s also a lot of pressure,” the singer said at a press conference for the release of her latest album, INVU, emphasising that she would like for junior artists to follow their own paths.
“I’d like it if these kids could express well the future they’ve drawn inside their mind. I think that it’s really important these days to express well the things you think and pursue. Since it’s very competitive, I hope they won’t be too hurt. My driving force is myself and my fans. I am always stimulating myself.” she said, as translated by Soompi.
Taeyeon also dove into detail about her latest work and the pressures of releasing a studio album: “People have higher expectations when you say you’re releasing a full-length album, so I gritted my teeth and worked really hard. I focused on making the album contain the image of who I am right now.”
Taeyeon also recently (re)debuted as part of SM Entertainment’s special project GOT The Beat, which brings together girl-group members from across the SM roster as a special group, just like their boy-group equivalent SuperM.
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“Even when I was in the practice room, I was like, ‘What an amazing combination [of members].’ We didn’t have a lot of time to practice, so we didn’t have a lot of time to get close, but we talked a lot in order to get as close as possible. BoA told me that I was the leader so I tried to bring up the mood. It felt a little like we were the Avengers.” she gushed about the project.
You can read more about this topic over at the Asia Pop Observer.
Check out ‘INVU’ by Taeyeon:
