Eight girls sat atop red barstools, bare legs crossed at an angled knee or at the ankle. The four shorter girls sat in the first row, their feet kicking lazily. Some shared whispers with the girls directly behind them or preoccupied themselves by studying their hands. This event hadn’t gotten off to a very good start for any of them, a reminder of a recent scandal burning fresh in their minds.

“And…”

Instantaneously, eight beautiful smiles flashed at the director of photography, their acting skills beautifully coming into play before the camera.

“Rolling.”

Hosts Defconn and Jung Hyung Don broke into laughter with the girls before them. This was what being an idol was all about. Keeping the public happy.

After briefly greeting the viewing audience, the two Weekly Idol hosts introduced one of South Korea’s most prominent girl groups, giving each member a brief opportunity to introduce herself before getting into the heart of the show.

“Annyeong, I’m Taeyeon~” the leader greeted, offering a toothy grin and a nod of her very blonde head.

“Hi, everyone. This is Sooyoung,” calmly greeted the caramel-skinned girl situated behind Taeyeon. She waved before running a hand through her bobbed, pink hair.

“Hi, guys! I’m Tiffany!” A young woman with a dazzling eye-smile waved at the camera.

“Hi, I’m Yoona,” voiced a pretty blonde from the back row.

“Hey! This is Sunny!” A short-haired redhead waggled a peace sign beside her chipmunk-esque cheeks, looking very much like a modern-day hipster version of the princess Ariel.

“Hi,” the group’s Black Pearl, a hand combing through chestnut brown locks, happily greeted. “I’m Yuri!” she concluded, blowing a kiss to the camera.

“Hyoyeon imnida,” said the group’s lead dancer, smoothly flicking her fingers Fonzarelli style.

“Hello,” voiced the remaining bronze-haired girl, both hands gripping her microphone. She offered a polite incline of her head before concluding, “I’m—”

“Jessica!”

All eyes turned to Tiffany and the camera panned to the smiling girl. The interrupted member’s lips pursed, a smile playing in her eyes, her head tilting slightly.

Defconn and Jung Hyung Don laughed along nervously with the girls, the film editor making note to add animated sweat beads to their foreheads.

“Ah, yes,” stammered Defconn, hands clasped together as a wide smile flashed toward the camera.  “Earlier when setting up the props,” he gestured to the full-scale cardboard cutouts of the girls, which had been positioned in the background, “Our set designer accidentally removed one of the members—”

“And replaced Seo with Jessica,” Sooyoung interrupted, a small smile spreading across her lips.

Kim Taeyeon visibly frowned—or was it snarled—and gave a swift elbow to Sooyoung’s knee. “Just introduce yourself, Seo.”

"I’m… Seo Joohyun,” the maknae finally finished, a blush lighting her cheeks.

“Definitely one for the blooper reel,” chuckled Jung Hyung Don, clapping his hands together to draw the tension to a close. “But that doesn’t take from the fact that Girls’ Generation’s new album, Lion Heart, is being released later this month—”

“Nae!” the girls replied, smiles returning to their faces.

“—and their song “Party” has garnered numerous wins across various musical events. With such success, we must ask, who is growing the biggest head, and which one is turning the most heads?”

The girls chuckled awkwardly, overly familiar with and immune to such questions. But they knew their scripts. It was all about keeping the public happy.

“It was time to have a comeback and to finally give something back to the fans,” Taeyeon answered flawlessly.

“As for the biggest head, that would be either Seohyun or Yoona,” Sunny playfully replied with a smirk, alluding to their recent graduations from Dongkook University. The crack elicited a few giggles from the group.

“Really, though, we are all very happy. Our work over these last eight years has culminated into something wonderful,” Yoona summarized.

“It’s only fitting that we celebrate our anniversary with an album,” Tiffany added.

The hosts nodded, acknowledging that the girls had expertly dodged their second question.

“Can you describe the theme of your album?” requested Defconn.

“Yes, but the music videos do it better,” replied Hyoyeon.

More nods and chuckles.

“Is ‘Lion Heart’ about finding the perfect mate?” Defconn then asked, his eyes probing Tiffany and Yoona, both of whom had just recently broken up with their boyfriends. “Of course, wouldn’t a concept such as the one in ‘You Think’ make your boyfriends jealous?” His gaze had switched to Yuri and Sooyoung, who were now squirming uncomfortably in their seats.  

Seohyun began to open to interject, but Sunny was swifter. “‘Lion Heart’ is a fun song that any girl can relate to.”

“Nae. Please support our fifth album and lead track, ‘Lion Heart,’ released on August 18^th at noon and on August 19^th at midnight.” Seo Joohyun formed a hand into a fist. “So nyuh shi dae, hwaiting!”

This is a bland introduction but it will get better I promise! Soshi drama is brewing. Cross my heart and hope to die.