T-ara Trans

[15.05.16] Boram talks of the pressure of being a part a 3 Generation celebrity family
 

 
A 3-generations celebrity family. She has a celebrity family that consists of grandfather (Hwanghae), grandmother (Baek Sulhee), father (Jeon Young-Rok), mother (Lee Miyoung), and even her younger sister (Jeon Wooram). It’s T-ARA’s Jeon Boram who’s determined with her unique talents to become an even more famous singer than her father and an even more outstanding actress than her mother.
Jeon Boram said that she does feel lucky for having celebrity parents and grandparents; however, there’s a side to the story that not everyone knows. “Because my parents are celebrities, I feel even more careful. The burden I carry inside to show (the public) an even better image than my parents has been stressing me out. I’m not even in the position where I can tell others that I have worries. My worries might bring shame to my parents.”
“I tried to not become (a burden) on my parents’ name. When I first said I wanted to become a singer, my father worried a lot. Although he didn’t show it, I could tell he wanted to stop me when I first told him. However, he didn’t oppose me. He just looked at me silently,” said Jeon Boram. Whereas Boram’s mother, Lee Miyoung, fully supported her singer activities.
Jeon Boram confessed that she felt lots of pressure over being labelled a 2nd or 3rd generation celebrity. “Before being known to the public, the label ‘Someone’s daughter’ was following me everywhere. I had lots of stress since my parents are the ones to receive the backlash whenever I do anything wrong or cause trouble. However, after I began working hard in T-ARA, I started getting acknowledged as T-ara’s Boram rather than ‘Someone’s daughter’ which made me feel happy.”
When asked whether she ever took advantage of her celebrity parents’ statue, Jeon Boram replied “That’s completely not true. If I was riding on my celebrity parents’ coattails, then I wouldn’t have failed all of those auditions. I would’ve just debuted easily and promoted easily. When I was cast as a T-ARA member, it was due to the CEO’s love-call to me after he watched a video of me dancing to BoA.” The whole family are celebrities so it’s not easy for them to gather. Boram shared that when the family gathers, they’d talk about all sort of things and the place will be filled with bright laughers. She said that she’s happy to be promoting in T-ARA. “I don’t have a friendly personality, but I enjoy it and feel happy when I share conversations with my family. When we have activities, we monitor and give advices to each other. We’re all celebrities so we have sharp eyes,” she said while laughing.
***
Source: Baekuk-nam
Translation by FY! T-ara

[15.05.16] Boram talks of the pressure of being a part a 3 Generation celebrity family
 

 
A 3-generations celebrity family. She has a celebrity family that consists of grandfather (Hwanghae), grandmother (Baek Sulhee), father (Jeon Young-Rok), mother (Lee Miyoung), and even her younger sister (Jeon Wooram). It’s T-ARA’s Jeon Boram who’s determined with her unique talents to become an even more famous singer than her father and an even more outstanding actress than her mother.
Jeon Boram said that she does feel lucky for having celebrity parents and grandparents; however, there’s a side to the story that not everyone knows. “Because my parents are celebrities, I feel even more careful. The burden I carry inside to show (the public) an even better image than my parents has been stressing me out. I’m not even in the position where I can tell others that I have worries. My worries might bring shame to my parents.”
“I tried to not become (a burden) on my parents’ name. When I first said I wanted to become a singer, my father worried a lot. Although he didn’t show it, I could tell he wanted to stop me when I first told him. However, he didn’t oppose me. He just looked at me silently,” said Jeon Boram. Whereas Boram’s mother, Lee Miyoung, fully supported her singer activities.
Jeon Boram confessed that she felt lots of pressure over being labelled a 2nd or 3rd generation celebrity. “Before being known to the public, the label ‘Someone’s daughter’ was following me everywhere. I had lots of stress since my parents are the ones to receive the backlash whenever I do anything wrong or cause trouble. However, after I began working hard in T-ARA, I started getting acknowledged as T-ara’s Boram rather than ‘Someone’s daughter’ which made me feel happy.”
When asked whether she ever took advantage of her celebrity parents’ statue, Jeon Boram replied “That’s completely not true. If I was riding on my celebrity parents’ coattails, then I wouldn’t have failed all of those auditions. I would’ve just debuted easily and promoted easily. When I was cast as a T-ARA member, it was due to the CEO’s love-call to me after he watched a video of me dancing to BoA.” The whole family are celebrities so it’s not easy for them to gather. Boram shared that when the family gathers, they’d talk about all sort of things and the place will be filled with bright laughers. She said that she’s happy to be promoting in T-ARA. “I don’t have a friendly personality, but I enjoy it and feel happy when I share conversations with my family. When we have activities, we monitor and give advices to each other. We’re all celebrities so we have sharp eyes,” she said while laughing.
***
Source: Baekuk-nam
Translation by FY! T-ara

[15.05.16] Boram talks of the pressure of being a part a 3 Generation celebrity family
 

 
A 3-generations celebrity family. She has a celebrity family that consists of grandfather (Hwanghae), grandmother (Baek Sulhee), father (Jeon Young-Rok), mother (Lee Miyoung), and even her younger sister (Jeon Wooram). It’s T-ARA’s Jeon Boram who’s determined with her unique talents to become an even more famous singer than her father and an even more outstanding actress than her mother.
Jeon Boram said that she does feel lucky for having celebrity parents and grandparents; however, there’s a side to the story that not everyone knows. “Because my parents are celebrities, I feel even more careful. The burden I carry inside to show (the public) an even better image than my parents has been stressing me out. I’m not even in the position where I can tell others that I have worries. My worries might bring shame to my parents.”
“I tried to not become (a burden) on my parents’ name. When I first said I wanted to become a singer, my father worried a lot. Although he didn’t show it, I could tell he wanted to stop me when I first told him. However, he didn’t oppose me. He just looked at me silently,” said Jeon Boram. Whereas Boram’s mother, Lee Miyoung, fully supported her singer activities.
Jeon Boram confessed that she felt lots of pressure over being labelled a 2nd or 3rd generation celebrity. “Before being known to the public, the label ‘Someone’s daughter’ was following me everywhere. I had lots of stress since my parents are the ones to receive the backlash whenever I do anything wrong or cause trouble. However, after I began working hard in T-ARA, I started getting acknowledged as T-ara’s Boram rather than ‘Someone’s daughter’ which made me feel happy.”
When asked whether she ever took advantage of her celebrity parents’ statue, Jeon Boram replied “That’s completely not true. If I was riding on my celebrity parents’ coattails, then I wouldn’t have failed all of those auditions. I would’ve just debuted easily and promoted easily. When I was cast as a T-ARA member, it was due to the CEO’s love-call to me after he watched a video of me dancing to BoA.” The whole family are celebrities so it’s not easy for them to gather. Boram shared that when the family gathers, they’d talk about all sort of things and the place will be filled with bright laughers. She said that she’s happy to be promoting in T-ARA. “I don’t have a friendly personality, but I enjoy it and feel happy when I share conversations with my family. When we have activities, we monitor and give advices to each other. We’re all celebrities so we have sharp eyes,” she said while laughing.
***
Source: Baekuk-nam
Translation by FY! T-ara

[15.05.16] Eunjung tells us more of her solo, her appearance on 4 Things Show, T-ara and dating
 

 
T-ARA’s Eunjung has made her comeback as a soloist named ‘Elsie’. Just like how unfamiliar the name ‘Elsie’ sounds, Eunjung has armed herself with her own unique colour different from what she has shown as a T-ARA member thus far. Her sometimes lively and sometimes delicate charms have shone through.

On the 13th of May, Eunjung has met with various news outlets at a cafe in Jongno-gu for an interview. She has unfolded her stories in a pleasant and honest manner.

Q.How do you feel about your solo debut?

Eunjung: I received lots of help for the outfits and stage, they turned out more perfect than I expected. For the song, I wish I had sang it better. When I listen to the recorded AR, I keep regretting it thinking ‘I should’ve sang it this way, I should’ve sang it that way’. Regarding my debut, I feel like a rookie debuting with her first solo. It feels like I’m starting from the scratch all over again. As I was preparing for a solo stage with a style different from the one I have in T-ARA, it felt like I had become a rookie. I didn’t even have confidence at first.

Q.Your title track ‘혼자가 편해졌어 (I’m Good)’. You can use its dual meaning for your actual solo debut as well. [T/N: her title literally translate to ‘Being alone has become comfortable’]

Eunjung: It’s ironic. The name of the title track is like that. ‘Being Alone Has Become Comfortable’ is like chanting a spell on myself, but it’s not really that I’ve gotten more comfortable. For me to show a different side to myself as a soloist, it feels like I’m chanting a spell saying “I’m fine even when alone.” However, it’s not really that being alone has become comfortable. I’m nervous and stressed.

Q.What’s different about solo Eunjung.

Eunjung: My image in T-ARA feels very boyish and powerful. As a solo, I wanted to show a more composed and feminine side to me. Actually, I put in mind that many people might not be able to recognise me (if I go for that image), and there were really some who didn’t recognise me. (Laughs).

Q.You had your first stage last week, how were the members’ reactions?

Eunjung: First, for Jiyeon, she’s in China right now so she can’t (watch it) with her mobile phone. She said she wanted to watch it but the video doesn’t play for her so she couldn’t. Hyomin and Boram personally came to watch me, they said I looked very feminine and very very different than when in T-ARA. They said I improved on stage. (Laughs) I think I looked composed.

Q.What is the concept about in Eunjung’s opinion?

Eunjung: I actually did want a feminie concept, but I thought about a somewhat different type of feminine. The staff, composers, and our CEO all said they wished for a composed and feminine concept, so I just listened to them. They preferred a boyish concept last year though..(laughs). But I think they changed their minds after receiving the song. The quality of the songs has been my motive even while in T-ARA, so I think it always changes depending on the song.

Q.The biggest difference about performing solo compared to performing with T-ARA?

Eunjung: It’s fun when performing on stage as six members, (the stage) also looks rich with people. What I worry about when performing alone is the camera transition. The mood changes completely depending on the lyrics, song course, and transition, so I’m trying to fill up the void with that.

Q.Isn’t singing live difficult?

Eunjung: We’ve had solo stages during overseas concerts before, so it’s a part I practiced before. Of course, there are many things to worry about, but it’s fine. Also, since I have a male performer with me. (laughs). I will perform some solo stages [without the male performer] before my promotions are over, that’s when I really have to do well.

Q.What did you worry about the most for this comeback?

Eunjung: Because I came out mysteriously as Elsie, I worried a lot. Having to stick the name ‘Elsie’ next to Jang Hyunseung and Jeon Hyosung, I worried that people might not recognise me.

Q.What do you think your own strong point is?

Eunjung: How my song is a lyrical song that expresses one’s emotions very well is my strong point to me. I’ve always shown those exciting and fun sides to me on music shows, but this time I have to show a composed and emotional side to me which I consider a fine point for me as a solo. The choreography has many dancey parts, also a captivating side… ‘captivating’ coming from my own mouth is a bit. (laughs). I think being able to show those sides of me is my strong point.

Q.Is there any compliment you wish to hear the most?

Eunjung: I’d be very grateful if you tell me that I have shown a completely different charm than when in T-ARA. “What will her next solo concept turn out to be”, showing such curiosities will be good too. It is my goal to release a second solo album with a yet different side to me than this one. Although there’s no plans about it yet.

Q.You’ve had acting experiences as well, did it help you with the choreography?

Eunjung: I was told that the choreography will suit me since I did acting as well. As we were looking for (a choreography) that goes along with the acoustic sound, we’ve come to find one with a story to it. Acting was fun for me as an actress, but having to act on stage is a new challenge for me. Having to act while dancing was difficult at first. I’ve only tried dancing powerfully before, so I had no idea how to express my emotions while using only one hand (in the choreography). But I’ve become more confident after being told that this will be a strength for me.

Q.You gained the nickname ‘Red Pencil Teacher’ in ‘Witch Hunt’.

Eunjung: Actually, when I was on the show I filmed it not with the thought that it’s a TV program. I acted like I was just talking with my friends. However, it appeared like I was an excellent dating master which made me feel embarrassed. (laughs). I don’t think I’m a dating master in real life. Even I will have my judgments clouded and will not know what is what anymore when I date someone. I think I was just able to talk about it because I wasn’t the person directly involved in the situation. Anyone will do the same if they were in my position.

Q.When was the last time you dated?

Eunjung: Early last year. That’s why I teared up when I first listened to ‘I’m Good’. I wasn’t the one who wrote the lyrics, but it’s really good. It feels like you’re the lead in a tragic love story when you part away for no reason. So I really like it when I listen to my song lyrics. Among my acquaintances, the people who experienced breakup all said that they liked the song.


Q.You’re already on your 7th year since debut. How does it feel to look back.

Eunjung: I think only now we are in the position to be making a long-run. I’ve come to feel the importance and necessity that comes from the insignificance of every single thing. In the past I took things for granted. The staff who take care of me, the song, the choreography, I thought they were all naturally needed things to release an album. But it all depends on how each work is carried out, I am learning about such trivial things. The staff whom I pass by everywhere I go, I didn’t think much about them (before). When you get severely scolded and then reflect on yourself, you come to think deeply of so many things. I think that’s how I come to have a new mental attitude.

Q.Do you pay lots of attention to online comments?

Eunjung: I read them a lot. I often do. I read them a lot on a day I feel I’m fine, and refrain from reading them when I feel like I might break down.

Q.Is there any hateful comment you were hurt by the most?

Eunjung: Although I wasn’t hurt by it, but I happened to read the comment “(She’s) like weed”. Strangely, I’ve come to admit it. I automatically nodded my head. Of course, It’s not a colorful flower, but (the comment) wasn’t saying anything wrong. I’ve been persistently and continuously coming out lately, it’s to the point where I wonder ‘am I not appearing (on tv) too often?’ I think it’s a good thing being invited by broadcast stations and getting to appear here and there. Even if I get called a ‘weed’, I still want to attend all places that look for me. I have to go if I get invited. (Laughs)

Q.What helped you the most in hanging in there for the past 7 years?

Eunjung: It might sound pretentious but our fans are what helped the most. Telling myself that I should hang in there is all thanks to the fans. I’m the type to admit (to my mistakes) quickly. I admit quickly, accept it, then focus on what I have to do next. I think of what I have to do next without giving myself a rest, this is my personality. The public might not know that I’ve already acknowledged it, but I still have to work hard while focusing on what I have to do next. I am also relying on the time. When things go against your will, wouldn’t it be better to wait until things naturally get better with time.

Q.T-ARA are actively promoting even in China.

Eunjung: We’re always active. It actually hasn’t been long since we started feeling our populairty in China. We’ve come to realise it better after winning a triple crown in an award ceremony. We felt “Ah so we are popular.” I think we’ll feel it even more during our China concert tour. We’ve held concerts before, but holding a tour has a yet different significance. On a different note, we also want to have another concert in Korea. Because there are fans who watch over us silently, we wish we can hold another domestic concert, we’re fine even with just a small-scale year-end concert.

Q.What do you think is the secret to your popularity in China?

Eunjung: I think it’s our music. I heard that in China people like songs with a melodic line. Also, China is fond of Korea(n music). I heard that Chinese people like the combination of retro and pop and think it’s unique. The members’ TV show appearances and acting, as well, were screened in China, and the power of Hallyu has had a great influence on us as well. ‘Little Apple’, too, was really big.

Q.How long will T-ARA continue.

Eunjung: I don’t think it’s up to us. It’s only possible (for us to continue) if we have fans who love us, but we wish that we always continue as T-ARA even as each of us does the things she wants (on the side). We don’t want to lose the unique colour that T-ARA has. As long as there are fans who love T-ARA, we want to continue promoting for a long long time.


Q.Your latest appearance on ‘4 Things Show’ has become a hot issue.

Eunjung: (It must be because) the part where I cried was shown. I do ask myself, ‘why did I cry back then’ and ‘it would’ve been better if it wasn’t broadcasted’. It was an extra interview after I finished shooting everything so I just talked it out comfortably, but then I unknowingly started tearing up. I think what I said just provoked further misunderstanding so it was upsetting and regretful. I think it’s because of my tears that it was viewed that way even thought it’s not like how it seemed like. I already cried it out so it can’t be helped, but I do question myself for doing it. Only if I knew it’d be viewed that way, I would’ve been more careful. I appeared (on the show) alone and was doing the majority of the talk by myself which made me worry a lot.

Q.Why did you cry.

Eunjung: Rather than anything in particular, it was just that the filming itself was so fun and happy that I started tearing up. Actually, even the writer and director in front of me cried. The room only had girls, and we all cried together. I cried after seeing them cry. I was in the midst of telling them “I’m really happy that I was able to film this so comfortably like this, thank you. Thank you for letting me film this without caring however it turns out, whether (the show) receives hate or not.” They started crying after I told them this, and then I burst into crying as well. Well, I did cry so I have nothing more to say.

Q.Are you the type to cry easily?

Eunjung: I don’t cry easily when I’m sad or when I’m being scolded, I cry when I’m happy. I guess that appeared to be sad. But that was what I really wanted to say. I actually was thinking about it in my head but I didn’t think they’d bring it up. As it was a reality show, we have been going around while chatting and talking with each other for a few days which made me grow comfortable around them*, so I just talked about it naturally. For a moment, I forgot I’m a celebrity and forgot about the cameras. (Laughs)

[T/N: ‘them’ was referring to the director and writer unnies]

Q.Lastly, anything you want to say?

Eunjung: I also want to return to our past (popularity) but I don’t think we can go back easily. I think we might be looked on more favourably than before if we work hard and show a good side to us. We would be content with just this much. After we can be looked on favourably, then, I might want to think of more. We have to show a good side to us to be looked upon favourably though, I think that’s our biggest assignment. I think working hard is more important than anything else.

Note: Eunjung’s answers might have a slightly different wording/phrasing or might be shorter or longer depending on which news site they are quoted from, so you might see different versions of her interview answers online. They’re all correct.

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.25] DongA's short interview with Eunjung,
"moved by Brunei's Hallyu fans"
 


Popular girlgroup T-ARA’s Eunjung expressed her gratitude regarding the Brunei hallyu fans.

Eunjung, who was appointed as the public ambassador attending the signing ceremony for the latest Korea-Brunei 500 billion won joint cosmetic project, has arrived to Incheon International Airport on the 22nd.

On that day, Eunjung met with DongA.Com and opened up about her impression of her visit to Brunei. She said “I wasn’t expecting it but I was surprised and thankful seeing so many fans welcoming us at Brunei. Meeting with the Brunei ministers and Prime Minister was a nice and new experience to me. As the honorary ambassador for this joint project, I have to promote diligently.”

She continued, “Wherever I go, I’m not sure how did they know, but Brunei fans were always there to cheer on me. I was very grateful at how they showed love to the Hallyu culture and T-ara. There was a Hallyu DVD store in the Brunei main street, that made me feel once again how influential and scary Hallyu is.”

On the 24th, T-ARA will release their collaboration with popular Chinese singers, Chopstick Brothers, of their hit track ‘Little Apple’.

"As it is the first collaboration project with a foreign singer, there were many parts in which we had to pay careful attention to. It is a new experience, so I’m anticipating this. I think it will be a new side to us different that what we’ve shown before in T-ARA. The song’s promotions will last short in Korea, but we will still work hard."

Meanwhile, the Korea-Brunei collaboration project in which T-ARA’s Eunjung and Actress Kim Gyuri are promoting as honorary ambassadors, is a business in which the world’s top 20 Sovereign Wealth Fund Brunei Investment Authority will be co-founding with the local co-operation, IMK, for the manufacturing-selling of cosmetic products, and then are set on taking over the Halal cosmetic market. Halal is a term describing products that Muslims can eat and use.

The Investment institute(BEDB) affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office will be supplying an industrial complex and factory construction of 50,000 pyeong. IMK has been planning over the past 3 years for a 200 million dollar joint investment with the government enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

For the global star-marketing promotions of this project, the Brunei Investment institute(BEDB) has signed a LOI(Letter of Intent) with one of the influential local entertainment management companies under the IMK Group, MBK Entertainment(CEO Go Geun Hee) and invested it with an approximately 80 billion won for advertising, promotions, and global star marketing.

***
Source: DongA
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.10.24] Jiyeon talks of fashion and beauty in an interview with Cosmopolitan
 


"I am ignorant when it comes to beauty and fashion. I find it bothersome so I don’t exercise to keep in shape nor do I go to massage shops to take care of my skin. I just live while being content with what I have. This is who Park Jiyeon really is.” - T-ara's Jiyeon

- The makeup artist just said this: that amongst the members, Jiyeon-ssi is the only one without a (makeup) pouch.

I don’t need a pouch. Other than when I get my makeup done at the salon, I almost have no other occasions where I need to put on makeup.

- But still, there are times where you need to fix your makeup.

First, I have no interest in makeup, I don’t even know how to do it. So I don’t even feel that I have to fix my makeup. Once I get my makeup done by the makeup artist, then I don’t touch it after that. I just trust the makeup experts and leave it to them.

- Nevertheless, do you have a ‘favourite item’ in your possession?

Sisley Essence, Jo Malone Orange Blossom Perfume, and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. These are three different products that I’d definitely buy whenever I run out of them. I skip all kinds of skin care as I find it a huge burden, so I tend to use products that are as good as Essence. Also, I really need the cleansing oil since I’ve got to erase my makeup. for perfumes, they are the only beauty products that I buy and collect.

- It seems that you’re not much into makeup.

Due to my carefree personality, I don’t like dressing up lady-like on casual. If I ever have to put on makeup, I put on foundation or base makeup, and after that I just slightly draw some eyeliner.

- Do the other members have no interest in Beauty like you?

Unnies are different than me. They have so much interest. They are no less than professionals when it comes to makeup, they personally do their stage makeup. It’s to the point where your jaw would drop seeing (them do makeup) up close.

- If you were to pick the one who’s the most Beauty-Holic amongst the members?

Boram unnie! Other than me, all of them are so interested in Beauty and do exhaustive beauty care. After our overseas schedules end, all of the members would go out shopping, and I’d end up staying alone at the hotel room. The unnies would tell me “Just wait for few years. You, too, will end up buying this and that”, but I still haven’t reached that stage yet. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m still young or if it’s just due to my personality.

- Looking at your interview answers up till now, it seems that you don’t even have a Beauty role model.

Rather than a ‘Beauty’ role model, I have a life role model. That is my mom! I always tell my mom “when I get married later I will be like you”! It’s not because she’s my mom, but she’s really wise, smart, and cool. I’m proud of my mom who’s always assertive wherever she goes.

- Let’s suppose you ever grow interested in Beauty, which of your present habits you’d want to fix then?

Wouldn’t I take care of my dry skin? My skin is so dry since I really don’t take care of it at all. It’s to the point where makeup artists would tell me “at least use a (face) pack” when doing my makeup. Of course, I know well that I have to take care of my skin but I still can’t get myself to do it. Lately, my skin is itchy and blotchy. haha. Anyhow, it seems that I keep giving answers that are far from beauty, is that fine? But still, since this is actually who Park Jiyeon really is..

***

Source: Cosmopolian
Translation by: FY! T-ARA

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.11.05] Hyomin recalls school life, becoming an idol and her dreams to be actress in an interview with her own Sungkyunkwan University
 


All-Rounded Entertainer, Her.

Korea’s representative girl group, T-ARA, who had left so many hit songs like “I Go Crazy Because Of You”, Bo Peep Bo Peep”, and “Roly Poly”. Amongst those girls who have it all from looks to talents, there is a member who studies in SKK University, that is Hyomin!

She, who is said to have had unique talents in art since she was young! Under the influence of having both of her parents majored in art, she has grown so interested in art, she says she has dreamt of enrolling in an art high school.

However, she was torn having had realised she lacks the art skills to enrol in an art high school. Therefore, she has found her new path that is ‘acting’! After she knew that the art high school she was applied in has a theatre department, she persuaded her parents and registered in an acting academy. She said that although her family were greatly worried about her new challenge at first, they came to acknowledge her passion shortly after.

"I was extremely nervous when I first went to the acting academy. I think I was feeling both thrilled and terrified at this new experiment. But I remember how I started this path after I reaffirmed my own resolution, by which I hardly convinced my parents and started going to this school.”

However, due to the keen competition, she failed to enrol in the school she wanted, and therefore enrolled in a regular high school, but she still was never let down. As she was going to the acting academy and studying acting, her personality changed to an enthusiastic and extroverted personality rather than an introverted one, and thanks to that she was able to open up and get to know more people in the field she was interested in. Anyhow, she started a new life goal of becoming a ‘musical actress’.

For that life goal, she had put in many efforts in singing, dancing, and acting, she lived fiercely not to repeat the same failure again. Thanks to that, she received various offers from many different agencies. Of course, it wasn’t that her efforts were recognised by everyone. She has underwent great frustration and scepticism when she failed the university aptitude test which she rejected all of these different offers in order to prepare for. However, she couldn’t just give up on her dreams and passions, she tried auditioning again and was finally accepted after her 3rd time. She enrolled in the university she wanted in last minute and achieved her goal. T-ARA Hyomin whose sense of accomplishment is said to have reached the skies back then. Based on this, she said she worked even harder in order to reach higher.

And this is how she started preparing for her new life as a celebrity and ended up being part of a popular group; however, it wasn’t so easy from the start. She didn’t adapt so easily to the trainee life in which she used to practice from early morning to midnight everyday without a break. There were many times where she would get tired due to all of this hard work and secretly run away, and what’s more is that she would unite with other trainees and rebel because the training program during the early trainee stages wasn’t satisfactory.

Above all, she confessed that it was tough as the gap between her ‘musical actress’ dream that she had since young and being in an idol girl group is vast. However, she didn’t give up and did her best until the end as she kept reminding herself that “Chances will come to me who’s trying.” Therefore, she ended up debuting in the entertainment industry after her trainee life that lasted for 4 years ended. Up until then, her source of strength was her family and her trainee colleagues whom she lived with and shared her joy with.

"So many entertainers recall their trainee period as an extremely tough period, right? Although It was tiring physically too, it was an extremely emotionally tiring period. I, too, held onto my dream goals, but if it wasn’t for my family and all the good friends around me it would’ve been way tougher for me. Especially the friends who shared the same dream and worked hard with me, they were a great help in overcoming such difficult time. We fail together, comfort each other…. It’s important to have the resolution to overcome tough times, but I think the feeling of reliance is also important. I am sincerely thankful to my family and friends who have been a great support for me."

After debuting in the entertainment industry like this, T-ara couldn’t stand out greatly during their rookie days; however, they attracted the public’s attention and succeeded after repeatedly showing original attempts and fresh concepts. (Hyomin) confessed while smiling that they were of an old age amongst girl groups during their debut time. However, the members said that despite that, they have put in great efforts such of enthusiastically attempting new things, personally researching them, and whatnot. In Bo Peep Bo Peep’s case, they said they were embarrassed when they first heard about it, but they enthusiastically proceeded with it with the mindset to enjoy it, and thanks to that they gained the honour of winning their first no.1 since debut. Also, they said that they suffered in order to create each’s own colour, such that during T-ara’s best hit track, Roly Poly, Hyomin personally designed her stage outfit.

Moreover, Hyomin ran once again towards her dream of being an actress. Her passion didn’t solely stop at music industry, she gained recognition for her acting skills which she worked for for a long time and started starring in dramas and movies. Drama , , etc. She, who showed her increased popularity through popular dramas, has starred in a Japanese movie as the lead this year.

Regarding having achieved the goal she had since young, she said she was happy and that this is just the start. It might be because of a long-time eagerness, but she said that when she thinks of the dramas and movies she starred in she gets mixed feelings. She said that although she has felt burdened in filming sites, she has come to discover the good sides of an actress’s job through this. She, who felt more passionate (about acting) than burdensome, said she wants to try acting in a short or an independent movie one time, and that she wants to develop more as an actress.

T-ara Hyomin who wants to live an ardent life where she gets to always challenge herself with new things. She, who is talented in many different fields and passionately works hard, is still a girl with many dreams. T-ARA is gaining hot popularity not only locally, but also overseas. At last, we have asked her about her opinion regarding T-ara’s secret to having gained all of this popularity and their goals.

"I think I was lucky. Just in time we debuted, the girl group craze started, and we were able to ride on the hallyu wave and meet international fans. We learned so many things while promoting, and are very thankful to our fans. In the future too, we want to promote more diligently under T-ARA’s name, be of help to our hoobaes, never forget fans’ love, and repay it through better songs and performances. That is our goal."



SKK University And T-ARA’s Hyomin.

Hyomin, who enrolled in SKK University’s Art and Theatre Department before debut is very proud regarding her alma mater. She said that SKK University is a great asset to her as it is her future pride, and at the same time is the first accomplishment she achieved herself.

"The fact that this is the result I received after genuinely working for it by myself makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud. It made my parents very happy, and gave me huge faith (in myself). Just like other students, there are many times where just the fact that I attend SKK University is a source of strength to me."

Although her university student life and trainee life were going side-by-side, she said she could never give up on either of them. Even in the midst of her tight schedules everyday, her attachment to her university was so strong that she would ask to be excused at her agency just to attend university regularly. Thanks to that, she was able to enjoy every bit of her university life while at the same time digesting her schedule and tight routine as a trainee. ‘From orientations to MTs to even meetings’, Hyomin who was happy to have enjoyed it all in her university life. When she was asked what university life memory remains to her the most she smiled and answered that ‘It’s hard to just pick one’. After she finished choosing, she finally said it was the ‘festival performance’.

"The memory of when we performed the musical ‘Greece’ during the University’s festival is so vivid. It was my first experience of standing on stage and communicating with the audience. It was a gala-show themed performance that was cut down to 25 minutes, but it was a very very special experience. Expressing myself on stage, and then expressing myself again with the audience, feeling such moments made me feel once again how cool my dream of being an actress that I had since young is. We recorded that performance in video, I gain strength when I sometimes look back to it."

Of course, her university life wasn’t just something she spent joyfully. Her greed in learning was no less than others’, and she never neglected her studying. What class would she recommend? Without hesitation, she picked the ‘Speech And Debate’ class. She said that at first she felt a huge burden speaking in front of many people, but through this class she overcame her fears a lot and was able to gain self-confidence.

She also picked another class that remained in her memory that is the Video Scenario Filming class. She said it was a short class she took as a major course, but producing movies along with friends who all have the passion and ambition was extremely fun. She said that they had so many different experiences such as filming all night long, coordinating various opinions during the producing and editing stage, and so on, which all was of a great help for her at filming locations in real life. She also said that above all, it was a class in which she was able to learn what to do when she’s having a hard time and what to do when others are having a hard time, which made her feel great, and hence it’s a class that remains in her memory for a long time.

[T/N: this interview took place on January]

Recently she has wrapped up her overseas activities which lasted for a long time, and is now preparing to meet again with her local fans through a solo album. Although she is recently on a hiatus from her continuously busy schedule, she wants to return to university for a while and do university activities. She said if she ever gets to return to school, she wants to try getting a scholarship. “wouldn’t it be possible if I focus only on school without overlapping with my celebrity life…” She said while showing a bashful smile. At last, we asked her about what would she like to say to SKK University’s alumni and enrolled students.

"There are so many times where I’d miss university life even amidst my busy schedule. To me, all of the moments I spent attending school have remained to me as precious memories. They also remain as a source of strength for me. I think of it as a school that has given me so many good things. I hope that you all would enjoy your university life, gain good ties and good experiences before you leave. I am always thankful."



Hoobae asks, Sunbae answers.

(Hyomin: Art and Theatre Department, Class 6081)

Q.Who’s the person you respect the most?

A. I think it’s the best school to gain what I want. Also, I trusted this school as it was one that filled me with the self-confidence I needed. I remember how extremely happy I was when my parents told me I enrolled in this university. I actually think you’d know more about this than I do. (Laughs)

[T/N: I think there was a mistake in here as the answer doesn’t match the question.]

Q.What was the happiest moment for you after you debuted?

A. Although the moment where we had our first no.1 win with Bo Peep Bo Peep remains in my memory, I still think it was more remarkable when we had our first fan-club inauguration ceremony. 3 years after our debut, we held our fan-club inauguration ceremony at Kyunghee University, the moment where we got to personally meet with the fans who trusted us and supported us was the happiest moment.

Q.Is there anything you’d want to do if you return to school?

A. There’s so many that it’s hard for me to say everything. (Laughs) This is greedy, but, just like when I used to attend university before, I want to try doing everything in a common university life. Going to classes with my friends, eating at the cafeteria, going to MT’s. Looking back, the trivial enjoyments I gained from everyday life where all great enjoyments. Of course, meeting with cool people would be fun too, but that’s got to be difficult, right? (Laughs).

Q.Are you always treasuring your ‘Musical Actress’ dream?

A. I actually still have my old days’ dreams, but I think I should be careful talking about it. Because the ‘musical’ genre is a performance field that needs a tremendous depth to it. It’s a job where you have to work with many people for 3 months, I don’t think it’s something I can do just with my greed alone. Of course, It hasn’t changed that if I get a really good opportunity and get the circumstances that enable me to immerse myself into it, then I’d definitely want to try and challenge myself with it.

***
Source: SKK University
Translation by: FY! T-ara

[14.10.24] Jiyeon talks of fashion and beauty in an interview with Cosmopolitan
 


"I am ignorant when it comes to beauty and fashion. I find it bothersome so I don’t exercise to keep in shape nor do I go to massage shops to take care of my skin. I just live while being content with what I have. This is who Park Jiyeon really is.” - T-ara's Jiyeon

- The makeup artist just said this: that amongst the members, Jiyeon-ssi is the only one without a (makeup) pouch.

I don’t need a pouch. Other than when I get my makeup done at the salon, I almost have no other occasions where I need to put on makeup.

- But still, there are times where you need to fix your makeup.

First, I have no interest in makeup, I don’t even know how to do it. So I don’t even feel that I have to fix my makeup. Once I get my makeup done by the makeup artist, then I don’t touch it after that. I just trust the makeup experts and leave it to them.

- Nevertheless, do you have a ‘favourite item’ in your possession?

Sisley Essence, Jo Malone Orange Blossom Perfume, and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. These are three different products that I’d definitely buy whenever I run out of them. I skip all kinds of skin care as I find it a huge burden, so I tend to use products that are as good as Essence. Also, I really need the cleansing oil since I’ve got to erase my makeup. for perfumes, they are the only beauty products that I buy and collect.

- It seems that you’re not much into makeup.

Due to my carefree personality, I don’t like dressing up lady-like on casual. If I ever have to put on makeup, I put on foundation or base makeup, and after that I just slightly draw some eyeliner.

- Do the other members have no interest in Beauty like you?

Unnies are different than me. They have so much interest. They are no less than professionals when it comes to makeup, they personally do their stage makeup. It’s to the point where your jaw would drop seeing (them do makeup) up close.

- If you were to pick the one who’s the most Beauty-Holic amongst the members?

Boram unnie! Other than me, all of them are so interested in Beauty and do exhaustive beauty care. After our overseas schedules end, all of the members would go out shopping, and I’d end up staying alone at the hotel room. The unnies would tell me “Just wait for few years. You, too, will end up buying this and that”, but I still haven’t reached that stage yet. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m still young or if it’s just due to my personality.

- Looking at your interview answers up till now, it seems that you don’t even have a Beauty role model.

Rather than a ‘Beauty’ role model, I have a life role model. That is my mom! I always tell my mom “when I get married later I will be like you”! It’s not because she’s my mom, but she’s really wise, smart, and cool. I’m proud of my mom who’s always assertive wherever she goes.

- Let’s suppose you ever grow interested in Beauty, which of your present habits you’d want to fix then?

Wouldn’t I take care of my dry skin? My skin is so dry since I really don’t take care of it at all. It’s to the point where makeup artists would tell me “at least use a (face) pack” when doing my makeup. Of course, I know well that I have to take care of my skin but I still can’t get myself to do it. Lately, my skin is itchy and blotchy. haha. Anyhow, it seems that I keep giving answers that are far from beauty, is that fine? But still, since this is actually who Park Jiyeon really is..

***

Source: Cosmopolian
Translation by: FY! T-ARA

[14.10.24] Jiyeon talks of fashion and beauty in an interview with Cosmopolitan
 


"I am ignorant when it comes to beauty and fashion. I find it bothersome so I don’t exercise to keep in shape nor do I go to massage shops to take care of my skin. I just live while being content with what I have. This is who Park Jiyeon really is.” - T-ara's Jiyeon

- The makeup artist just said this: that amongst the members, Jiyeon-ssi is the only one without a (makeup) pouch.

I don’t need a pouch. Other than when I get my makeup done at the salon, I almost have no other occasions where I need to put on makeup.

- But still, there are times where you need to fix your makeup.

First, I have no interest in makeup, I don’t even know how to do it. So I don’t even feel that I have to fix my makeup. Once I get my makeup done by the makeup artist, then I don’t touch it after that. I just trust the makeup experts and leave it to them.

- Nevertheless, do you have a ‘favourite item’ in your possession?

Sisley Essence, Jo Malone Orange Blossom Perfume, and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. These are three different products that I’d definitely buy whenever I run out of them. I skip all kinds of skin care as I find it a huge burden, so I tend to use products that are as good as Essence. Also, I really need the cleansing oil since I’ve got to erase my makeup. for perfumes, they are the only beauty products that I buy and collect.

- It seems that you’re not much into makeup.

Due to my carefree personality, I don’t like dressing up lady-like on casual. If I ever have to put on makeup, I put on foundation or base makeup, and after that I just slightly draw some eyeliner.

- Do the other members have no interest in Beauty like you?

Unnies are different than me. They have so much interest. They are no less than professionals when it comes to makeup, they personally do their stage makeup. It’s to the point where your jaw would drop seeing (them do makeup) up close.

- If you were to pick the one who’s the most Beauty-Holic amongst the members?

Boram unnie! Other than me, all of them are so interested in Beauty and do exhaustive beauty care. After our overseas schedules end, all of the members would go out shopping, and I’d end up staying alone at the hotel room. The unnies would tell me “Just wait for few years. You, too, will end up buying this and that”, but I still haven’t reached that stage yet. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m still young or if it’s just due to my personality.

- Looking at your interview answers up till now, it seems that you don’t even have a Beauty role model.

Rather than a ‘Beauty’ role model, I have a life role model. That is my mom! I always tell my mom “when I get married later I will be like you”! It’s not because she’s my mom, but she’s really wise, smart, and cool. I’m proud of my mom who’s always assertive wherever she goes.

- Let’s suppose you ever grow interested in Beauty, which of your present habits you’d want to fix then?

Wouldn’t I take care of my dry skin? My skin is so dry since I really don’t take care of it at all. It’s to the point where makeup artists would tell me “at least use a (face) pack” when doing my makeup. Of course, I know well that I have to take care of my skin but I still can’t get myself to do it. Lately, my skin is itchy and blotchy. haha. Anyhow, it seems that I keep giving answers that are far from beauty, is that fine? But still, since this is actually who Park Jiyeon really is..

***

Source: Cosmopolian
Translation by: FY! T-ARA