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T-ara: 'It Is Amazing to Be Besieged by Autograph Hunters in Europe'

Soyeon (25), Ham Eun-jung (24), and Hyomin (23) of the girl group T-ara, which is enjoying incredible popularity with their songs "Roly-Poly" and "Lovey-Dovey", said, "We had just wanted to rank atop the music chart in the past, but now we are besieged by autograph hunters in Europe. It is amazing thing (laugh)".

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T-ara finished their activities in Korea for a while after their appearance in the SBS TV music program "The Music Trend" on February 12, and they will leave to Japan on February 16. They will hold activities in Japan until March 3 with their third single album "Roly-Poly" in Japan. Soyeon, Ham Eun-jung, and Hyomin came to Euljiro on February 13 to give an interview. Soyeon said, "We had been very busy for the last ten months without taking a break, but we feel satisfied as more people recognize us at this month. We had a full schedule every day for the past ten months, and sometimes we had nine different schedules on the same day and spent almost 22 hours for our activities. Our fans worried about us, saying, 'You have too much work'. But the interesting thing was that the group members did not sleep even though they were all very tired from heavy schedule. All of us tended to release our stress from works by talking to each other while we were moving in a car". Like Soyeon mentioned, T-ara had been extremely busy for the past ten months.

Whenever T-ara releases new songs such as "Roly-Poly" which was released last year in June, "Cry Cry", and "Lovey-Dovey", those songs ranked atop the various music charts, and the group members had to hold more activities while having an incredibly heavy schedule. In addition, the group members also held their individual schedules at the same time. Ham Eun-jung appeared in the JTBC weekend drama "Queen In Soo", and Soyeon and Hyomin appeared in the musical "Roly-Poly". Ji Yeon of T-ara also appeared in the musical "Roly-Poly" and the KBS 2TV drama "Dream High 2" at the same time. Asked whether they had any difficulties while holding group activities and individual activities at the same, Ham Eun-jung answered, "I had gone through difficulties because I appeared in a historical drama. I worried about my acting, but acting itself was very interesting experience. I once had to film a bedroom scene in the drama and worried whether it could have negative effect on our group activities, but people just regarded it as acting (laugh)". Hyomin answered, "Musical is different from appearing on TV programs because we have to directly show our appearance in front of the audience, so it was more difficult for me. I sometimes felt sad when I cannot present perfect singing while taking care of acting. But I could become more confident as time goes on. Now I can present my dancing and singing more confidently than before thanks to the experiences on the musical stage". Soyeon said, "Actually Hyomin always acts as if she were on the stage in her daily life. She produces a huge laugh among group members with her exaggerated behaviors".

T-ara has become a topic of conversation with their unusual series of "pledges" in the beginning of this year. They promised to take a subway if they could rank atop the music chart for the first time and they also promised to participate in voluntary activities if they could rank atop the music chart for three consecutive weeks, and they actually kept their promises. Ham Eun-jung said, "Actually we felt uncomfortable to mention it as 'pledge', but we just wanted to make a public promise with our fans to abide by our promises. We were lucky that we could actually keep our promises, which was very meaningful for us". Hyomin said, "But there was a bad thing to make pledge because our voluntary activities were broadcast through various media, so we felt it very uncomfortable and the elderly seem to feel uncomfortable as well. So we have decided to keep holding voluntary activities in private in the future".

Lovely group members of T-ara

T-ara has gained huge popularity both in Korea and overseas last year. Their debut single in Japan entitled "Bo Peep Bo Peep" which was released in Japan last year in September ranked atop the daily and weekly Oricon charts, and their second single entitled "YAYAYA" was also placed on the fourth place at Oricon daily chart. In addition, they appeared in the Music Bank's concert in Paris with other star groups such as Girls Generation, 2PM, and SHINee on February 8. Soyeon said, "We held our first performance in Europe and we could learn many things from it. We visited the Effel Tower and many people from France, England, Spain, and Italy actually recognized our faces and knew our songs. We were very proud of ourselves as one of the K-Pop singers. We felt like as if we became the members of national team". Ham Eun-jung said, "A person even told me that she enjoyed watching the MBC TV variety show 'We Got Married' in which I appear as one of the cast members, so I was very surprised. I could realize the huge impact of K-Pop boom, and I could have a hope that there are many more things to do in the future". Hyomin said, "We know very well that we have to improve ourselves more, but we could have higher goal after visiting Europe. If we can have a chance, we want to advance into the world beyond Asia to Europe and America".

Asked about the T-ara's competitiveness, they answered, "We have a strong strength to transform ourselves by trying various new concepts without limited to the images of girl group. 'Roly-Poly' was the song that the old generation seemed to like to listen to and the shuffle dance we are presenting while singing the song 'Lovey-Dovey' is different from the dance performances that the other girl groups present. I think that people seem to like those differentiated element of our performances". Soyeon said, "I once asked a person in our agency whether we can hold activities with cute and pretty imams like the other girl groups, but our agency answered, 'That pretty and lovely images do not match us'. We might be destined to present only unique images in the future (laugh)".

T-ara will have their first performance in the USA upcoming April. They will participate in the concerts in San Francisco and Los Angeles along with other singers Yang Pa and Davichi who belong to the same agency. Soyeon said, "We are anticipating our first concert in America. These days, K-Pop has been more acknowledged in the US market, so we want to broadcast our name in the USA through upcoming concert. We are lucky to have this good chance to hold activities in America at the right time (laugh)".

The ultimate goal of the greedy group members of T-ara is becoming a "multi-player group". Ham Eun-jung said, "There is a saying that a person becomes greedier as he or she has more, and it also applies to us. We had just wanted to rank atop the music chart before we debuted, but we have come to have a higher goal of advancing abroad. And we want to become actors after becoming singers. We want to be remembered as a group whose members are good at everything. Now we have a goal to have people's evaluation, saying, 'This group is amazing'".

The interview with Soyeon, Ham Eun-jung, and Hyomin will broadcast at 3:20 pm on February 16 on cable TV channel "News Y" of the Yonhap News Agency.

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