Teamwork holds Girls' Generation well this year

Girls' Generation at the press conference held Sunday at Gymnastics Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Seoul. From left, Yuri, Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, Sunny, Seohyun, Yoona, Tiffany and Sooyoung / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

By Ko Dong-hwan

With only a few hours remaining until the start of the second day of their fourth concert in Korea, idol girl band Girls’ Generation said at a press conference held Sunday that their teamwork has been particularly outstanding this year.

"Throughout our eight-year career in K-pop, I think this year marked the best regarding how well our teamwork kept us together," Hyoyeon said, recalling the band’s major tasks this year, including performing the single “Party” released this July, their fifth album “Lion Heart” this August, and appearing in reality TV program “Channel Sosi” on cable network OnStyle airing from July to September.

“They are all fond memories that now make us smile.”

“We have always tried to refresh our image with each concert in the past,” said Tiffany, who was the liveliest of the bunch during the conference. “And whenever we performed a concert, we strived with our passion. As we grew up, our teamwork made us hustle and stick together better.”

“I feel proud of my teammates,” Yuri said. “Because although each of them has been busy with their own schedules this year they all rolled up their sleeves whenever they were required to work as a team. Frankly, I thought we didn’t have enough time to practice for yesterday’s concert but we and all the staff worked together well. I then realized that this was some good teamwork.”

Girls' Generation held concert titled "Phantasia," the band's fourth concert in Korea, in Gymnastics Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Seoul, from Saturday to Sunday.

The eight-member band, who debuted with SM Entertainment in 2007, performed two concerts under the theme "Phantasia" at the Gymnastics Gymnasium in Olympic Park, eastern Seoul, after which they will begin a world tour, starting in Thailand in late January. The band, who often worked as three separate units -- TTS (Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun), Yoona and Sunny, and Sooyoung, Hyoyeon and Yuri -- have huddled themselves again for the concerts for the fourth time in their K-pop career. No other K-pop idol girl band has performed as many concert series.

Some members have been busy with extra activities outside the band. On Nov. 15, Sunny ended her radio DJ role at MBC FM that she has been doing for the past 18 months. Taeyeon is gearing up her career as a solo artist with her first mini album “I” released early October. Yoona has recently finished shooting a Chinese TV series “God of War Zhao Yun” and wishes to beef up her acting resume back home.

But the stars are most attractive as a complete team, they confessed. Their appearance on “Channel Sosi” was not only a headline maker but also one of the most memorable and happiest times of the year, according to the members. In the same vein, preparing for “Phantasia” has made the stars realize the true value of themselves as a team reaching almost a decade in their K-pop career.

Held after the band’s previous concerts in June 2013, “Phantasia” sectionalizes its contents themes -- from being classical to charismatic, adorable and seasonably Christmas -- to highlight the unique characteristics of each member. The concert was directed by Rono Nakasone, a globally renowned choreographer who has worked with American singing stars Britney Spears, Chris Brown and Janet Jackson.

“Shooting the music video for Party on Thailand’s Ko Samui Island was such a blast. Wasn’t it, girls?” Tiffany, amused by the thought, asked as she rekindled the memory as another reason that the members got along especially well this year.

“How about we shoot all our future music videos there from now on?”