GIRLS' GENERATION FANSITE: 7/26/09

The PD of Kim Jungeun's Chocolate wrote a blog/entry on how he felt after he met the girls. It's really touching.

It first started like this.
We wanted to change up their stage to make it really seem like a special performance. SNSD’s songs, from “Gee” to “Tell Me Your Wish” don’t get tiring no matter how many times you listen to them, but we wanted show a new image of them that you can’t see all the time in ranking programs. SM had already announced their goals and the kids(girls) that were already tired from a murderous schedule were facing a tough practice in the time that they barely had. Gee was re-arranged into a jazz version with a piano accompaniment that turned into a strong rock song. There was also a 6 minute large scale and exciting non-stop dance battle prepared to show a power that only SNSD possesses. There was an emphasis on the less recognized members, like the maknae Seohyun’s piano solo or the super talented Hyoyeon’s powerful solo stage, as well as all the other members, of course. Thankful of the hard work these idols put in, we took a lot more time and trouble than normal to plan the filming and design the stage so that not one of the girls’ actions or expression is missed. Just like that, we prepared until we were all happy with the music.

However, even after that, we still felt we were lacking something. The girls’ attractiveness is not just their singing, but also how they are in their everyday life. We didn’t want to play it safe and just fill in time with a variety-talk-show-like interview asking them normal questions like what their ideal man is, or what cool imitations they can do. That is not the Chocolate that I think of. These girls have already turned into a girl army of the nation’s favorite dongsengs, so everybody would have already seen their special hidden talents or heard some of their general stories. I wanted to create a meaningful time that is fresh for the viewers and possibly helpful for the girls. Having this in mind, I was even more nervous meeting them in the band practice room. Even if they are SNSD, they are like any other 20 year old girl [in Korean age], laughing freely, chattering endlessly, and joking around mischievously with each other. And in the short hour they had left, you could clearly see each of their individual personalities, but even more, you could also see how close they really are and how much they care for each other. It strongly rang through my mind that this was what I wanted to show the audience.

As “Tell Me Your Wish” became more popular, SNSD became even more busy. Just like the title of the song, SNSD had to grant people’s wishes and they were aired on programs everywhere. They sang, danced, and laughed a whole lot on many different variety and talk shows. Although they must be thankful for being so popular, the girls always have to be apart from their families when they are still at an age where they should be at home, playing the role of a teenager. That is why I didn’t want to ask these girls to fulfill anybody’s wishes again. I wanted to do the opposite and hear some honest wishes they might have in their hearts, no matter how small or insignificant the wish.

The show that started last year called “Change” had popped up into my mind. The people on the show who wore disguises always wanted to meet their families. It’s in human nature for families to fight most with each other and upset each other, even if they have lived together the longest. Even if the person in always sees their family, they never fail to shed a tear when meeting their family with a disguise on. This includes Hyori, (Son) Hoyoung, Tablo, and Ok Dongja. It was a very meaningful show to me as I have been very negative toward the topic of “family.”

I kept it a secret from the girls, but through their manager, I contacted the maknae Seohyun’s mother. She said that it had been over a month since she last saw her daughter who lives in a dormitory with the members. She felt very sorry that she couldn’t be there for her daughter’s birthday last month. She gladly agreed to go on air saying, “anything for my only daughter.” There were many meetings, even until the night before filming, on how to resolve the show which had almost become like a hidden camera type show.

The filming began, and disguised as a regular person in the audience, Seohyun’s mother asked the members, as a wish, to show her aegyo-less daughter how to appear cute and charming. Her mother also asked the girls to read a letter for her that she wrote to her daughter. The girls, who were laughing and thinking that they were only being asked to fulfill a wish, slowly started to talk. When MC Kim Jungeun asked the maknae Seohyun to give the mother a hug instead of her daughter, the girls’ eyes were already red. The mother hugged Seohyun, took off her mask, and wished her daughter a happy belated birthday, giving her a baby diary of Seohyun which she intended to give to her on her wedding day. These girls were pouring tears like crazy, and even the MC turned around to wipe her eyes. The place momentarily became a quiet sea of tears. When Jessica, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Sunny, Taeyeon, Yoona, and Tiffany were asked to say something to their mothers, the brave and leader-like Taeyeon stood up and began to talk. She said, “The word “mother” is a taboo to SNSD!”

Just then, Tiffany, who cried first and the most, suddenly raised her hand. She said, “I want to say something,”

There was a request that SNSD’s manager had made on behalf of the girls. He asked to please be careful of the subject of families as it was a hard topic for some of the girls. As a director who understood the gist of it, I was especially careful not to persist on the topic of mothers in case some of the girls got hurt.
Tiffany smiled and said, “This is the first time I’m saying this, but…” and she continued to say a short and wonderful greeting. When she was done, she mustered up the courage and said:
“But I thank you so much for giving me these very special siblings to me instead…”
And then she hugged her friends one by one. The girls hugged, consoling and encouraging each other and wiping each others’ tears. Seohyun’s mother also hugged all the members, saying that it was because of the eight unnies that her daughter learned to soften up. It was hard for me to not sniff my nose while the tears began to fall from my own eyes, even as I was behind watching from behind the cameras. I am beginning to tear up again right now as I am honestly writing this. A sunbae, who was watching me from the side, said something to me… “Aigoo, the PD even has a soft heart…”

When the talk was finished and filming was briefly put on hold, we quickly made an announcement. There were many reporters and people in the audience, and had to explain that Tiffany’s story is extremely personal and may even be cut out from the show, and asked them not to make any articles on it. Worrying for the girls, I then ran to their waiting room. I just wanted to give them a little surprise, but now I felt so bad. With a worried expression, I found Tiffany in the waiting room and called, “FANY!” Then, surprisingly, Tiffany came running toward me and in one moment, gave me a big hug. She then held my hands, looking at me with eyes that still had tears in them, and said, “Director, thank you so much~!” The child told me, who was feeling so sorry, that she was very happy and thankful for such a nice present, and asked to air the part for sure. Because of this child, I felt so thankful, so happy, and so apologetic, and my heart broke. Fany… and kids… thank you, and sorry..

To be honest, I don’t really know the SNSD girls. I’ve never met the girls before filming Chocolate even for work. I just enjoyed watching their cute and adorable images like other Ahjussi fans. But after this filming, the girls have become special to me. Not as a fan or a man, but as somebody who is like their older brother, I really hope they don’t become hurt emotionally. I’m pretty sure this feeling only goes for me, but it seems like I have become a part of their family. It is a given that an idol group will always be followed with gossip and malicious talk, but SNSD also has rumors saying that they’re a loner, they don’t like each other, and they say bad things. But from my experience, I can say for sure that those kinds of words are garbage that aren’t even worth considering. The members of SNSD are like real unnies, dongsengs, and loving mothers to each other. The group SNSD is but a family only under the name of SNSD. Through this filming, I have come to know a family with a sincere bond.

It first started like that, wanting to fulfill SNSD’s wishes.
However, instead, I have received a great gift from SNSD in the end.
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Original Post: http://www.ezonepd.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=0...=asc&no=215
Translations: mishybear