ok, so after my previous post, i received links from my fellow singaporean friend, KPOPisLUV, showing me the interview on the 4 singaporeans who were chosen at the audition last year and are now aiming to make in big as a kpop star. Personally, i was rather neutral, and was supportive of them, hoping that they would do well. BUT... after watching the interview... I don't know... me thinks that they are like ignorant? ok, maybe naive, of the path awaiting them...

if you have the time, I'll be posting my thoughts on their interview below. =)

ok, first, introducing the characters.  ;)

Elaine Wong, 22, preparing to debut in a Korean girl group with Ferlyn and 3 other Korean girls probably in March next year.

Alfred Sng, 20, waiting for approval for deferment from NS, if successful, will debut in a Korean boy group.

Ferlyn Wong, 19, preparing to debut in a Korean girl group with Elaine and 3 other Korean girls probably in March next year.

Natasha Low, 18, I don't know what's her status or when she'll debut. lol.

ok, interview part 1:

*i have problems embedding the videos so i'll just provide the links

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65410.html

(talk about Korea's social norms): Ferlyn comments on the unspoken "rules" that they have to follow. I feel that the way she phrased it was wrong. It's not really rules, but more that Korea is a more respectful society, way more than Singapore is, if I should say so myself. (I'm from Singapore and I feel Singaporeans are kinda rude...) so anyway, Koreans are respectful to each other and especially so to their sunbaes, or seniors. that should not come as a surprise and seriously, it is good to pick up the good manners from them.

(not being able to eat as and when she likes) for a Singaporean, this is gonna be hard. we LOVE our food! ^-^ but it's a fact, everything you do will affect not only yours, but your whole group's training.

(hours of sleeping) supposed to average 5-6hours of sleep per day, which is actually better than I thought they would have. it seems most artists average more of 3-4hrs, and rookie bands have to work really hard (if not what's the point of debuting), and it's not unusual to go a few days without sleep if you're shooting MVs... guess Natasha will be having a hard time there. you want you 8-10hrs, go another career path.

part 2:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65400.html

(intro): ME SEES BEAST!!!!!! xDDD *spazzes* ^-^

(is it a dream come true?): and all answers no. -.- (kind of) they all had no real interest in being a kpop star at first, not even wanting to go for audition, Alfred only just got into kpop... haiz. makes me wonder why they even went for the audition in the first place. hopefully, now that they've been chosen, they'll find real love for this or they'll just die in that industry.

(what you're looking forward to): @elaine- all kpop bands does singing and dancing, that's how they promote their songs -.- you make it sound like your band is a special one that does that...

@alfred- you were stunned by the question? needed prompting? >=/ doesn't seem like a good sign. you've chosen to join and you don't know what you're looking forward to...?

@ferlyn- you want to dance with Eunhyuk? o_o big dream xia...

@natasha- normal, realistic things to look forward to, nothing to shoot. =)

(roles in upcoming drama): OH MY TIAN! DRAMA WITH JYJ'S KIM JUNSU?!! >.> I totally can't believe it! and seriously, they are going to be acting already so fast? no offense to them, but seriously, Singaporeans acting quite fail leh. which i why i hardly ever watch my own country's show.. -.- so if the trained actors doing it as their ricebowl bores me already, you go put these newbies with the hot Kim Junsu?! unbelievable... good luck to their acting teachers man.

part 3:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65402.html

(current favourite kpop artist): @elaine- boys over flowers isn't a kpop group... -.- me thinks you don't know much bands, let alone their members, and you only know Hyunjong cos of his role in boys over flowers... and i don't think it's Hyun-jun, but Hyun-jOONG. please, you say you like the artist, at least get the name right. your bias and you can't even get the name right. -.-

@alfred- IU? good choice. ^-^

@ferlyn- seems like all you know is suju...

@natasha- 2ne1. me not particularly very familiar, so shall not comment. but i like that she elaborates a bit more on who she likes and why. more substantial than the rest.

(must-go TV show): @elaine- so you wanna go 'we got married' because you wanted to marry Hyunjoong, but since he's married already...? lol.

@ferlyn- erm... i think aiming to appear on the music shows is not called being "very ambitious"? like hello? every group that debuts appears on all the music programs to promote their songs unless the station has a problem with the group/company/song or something... -.- so like, if you finally manage to debut, you'll be on those shows already. and more shows= more money? typical Singaporean. but being on (variety) shows is not easy, being chosen in the first place is harder. and the money you earn from the show doesn't go to you? it goes to your company, and what the company gives back is usually split with the rest of your band members... don't think you want to aim being in all of them if you know the facts.

(how do you appeal to the Korean market): "since we're the first Singaporeans, i think we're appealing enough." ooh really? I so don't think so. already the Korean artists and trainees are working harder than you all, and have started earlier, while you live your sheltered life. saying you're from Singapore isn't appealing in the kpop industry, especially if you're gonna end up being worse than them, which would most likely be the case. it's not like Singapore is known to produce great artists... -.-

"of course we have to work hard to make ourselves more appealing" i think it's more of, of course you have to work hard to even make yourselves appealing. because right now, i'll choose any random Korean trainee over you.

"we have already overcome the english and mandarin language... as Sinagporeans, we can help the (korean) members with english and chinese" i almost choked on my smoothie at this point in time. pfffttt! please don't make me laugh! Sinagporeans' english is not something to be proud of, most can barely even make it. i read how some of my fellow singaporeans write i don't know whether to laugh or to cry. and chinese? HELLO? where have you been? Singaporeans chinese chao FAIL can? the kids don't even want to learn the language, and they're already super bad... and most chinese teachers can't teach either (not that english teachers can teach very well), especially since a number of them become chinese teachers just because they can't seem to go anywhere else easily. in fact, apparently if you have a pass in 'O' level chinese you are eligible to become a chinese teacher... =) we can teach others my foot!

"even if the korean wave goes down, we don't have to worry cos we can speak blah blah blah..." again, please, don't make me laugh. i'm amused enough by the interview already. you seriously think you can break into other markets so easily just because you know a little of the language? i see if you go the chinese market what happen! you'll probably be made fun of cos your chinese so lan! and you're chinese somemore...

"the only thing that is really tough right now is the Korean language." obviously, they see learning their language as a chore. i learnt what i could for free for a short time and i'm so desperate to learn more because i totally enjoyed learning the language. you get to be in korea, get to learn the language for free from expert teachers, and you're complaining. go debut in china then! since you say your chinese so good! don't need to learn new language somemore.

part 4:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65408.html

(loosing weight): don't worry, natasha, i'm sure if you work as hard as how all our other idols are working, just by practising for your song's dance routine, you'll loose enough weight to meet your target. BEAST always look thinner at each comeback, especially so for FICTION. when practising for their comeback, I'll Be Back, 2pm lost a lot of weight, such that Nichkhun even asked fans on how to put on more weight. so basically, just do what you're supposed to do, and if you're working as hard as you're supposed to, you'll lose those weight. same goes for you, ferlyn.

part 5:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65404.html

(concerns on issues like scandals, etc) "of course I'ld be concerned, especially not knowing their language, culture..." which is why you're supposed to go learn, but you were complaining... and you should go do more research even before flying over. like, i have not been, and will probably take another i don't know how many years, before finally going to Korea, but still, I feel like I know more about them than you do... -.-

elaine talks about fears that the managers would be touchy-feely with them were not true. I've never heard stuff like this for the Koreans... for the Japanese artists i know, to earn roles in dramas they sometimes perform ual favours, some were even stars before to gain fame before being a proper legit actor/actress. but not all of them does this/goes through this. but have never heard even rumors of this for the Korean side, though I've heard of coordi noonas who try to be touchy-feely with the male idols... >.<

(money-Singaporeans 2nd weakest link, 1st being food =P): @elaine- good answer. your first one that amaze me, and i totally like. =) not particularly concerned but wanting to debut well first.

@ferlyn- ... ... "not at first. but after knowing how hard we have to work, i hope, after retirement, the money left is enough for the rest of my life." wow. with your one sentence, i've got a lot to say. erm, you do know that rookie bands are not paid much right? and some are hardly even paid anything initially? yeah. the company pays so much to train you and prepare you for debut, usually they hardly pay you at first to cover their costs, especially since they're still paying for your living and dorms and such. plus they also need to cover themselves for those trainees who train so long, and totally flop thereafter. it is so common for bands to work so hard and still earn next to nothing. even when they do bring back the dough, the amount they bring back is about the same as an average lowpaying desk job you can find anywhere in korea. so my point? if you think you're working so hard and deserve to earn more, get the heck out of Korea! if you want the money, you totally just entered the wrong industry. it's not gonna pay you much. and what you get is split with your band. and well, if you think since they're not gonna raise your pay, no need work so hard, then you won't even make it to debut stage. the artists there work so hard because this is their dream. they do it for themselves, for their fans (though there's always more antis at first), for their families, and everyone else supporting them, NOT FOR THE MONEY! oh and retirement? what do you mean by retirement? you mean after 5 years, when your contract is up, and your band faces a possible breakup as the members want to go different paths as they are no longer bonded by the contract? or you mean you'll continue as an artist even so, either as a solo or in another group, or smaller group? well, it's not an easy path, but still possible. but then, question again, how long will you stay like that? it's harder for female artists to stay long, unless they really have a great exceptional voice. if not, i think another 10years, 15 tops, you'll be overshadowed and forgotten. or maybe you'll go a different line, an actress or model perhaps? but a different path means new things to learn, new challenges to face, and a new debut all over again. and again, you'll face the same problem, sooner or later, the young ones arising will overshadow you. so what is retirement to you? one can't stay as an artist forever. heck, you can't even stay long. once you lose your prime, your looks, it won't be long till someone else takes your place, unless, like mentioned above, you have exceptional talent.

(any backup plans if debut flops) @elaine, alfred: no worries, just come back to the nice, safe, sheltered life in Singapore where with the qualifications you already have/are working to have, you'll find a decent job. =)

@ferlyn: "i believe our company will make other plans, like putting us in acting, etc" yeah, i'm sure. you sure have great faith in your managing company! you're so confident that you're worth so much for the company to waste even more money on training you after wasting so much for your flopped debut (if it happened)? seriously? you think they don't have enough talents to train that are better than you ah? if you failed once what makes you think they'll think you won't fail again? and the fact is, if you failed once, you'll probably be crushed such that you'll struggle to even do normal things again (which happened to Hyunseung when he was eliminated from being in big bang, after working so very hard). well, unless you are not affected by the failure, which meant, it never meant much to you, which makes me wonder why you even want to be here... anyways, if you do rise up again, you'll face hurting comments about your previous failure. just like how BEAST does, being called the recycled group and all. so one, you believe the company will give you a beautiful alternative like acting all served on a silver platter if you fail. and two, you believe that if they do, you'll succeed in your new path without a hitch. life is not a bed of roses, you know?

@natasha- the realistic, practical one as always. continue studies, probably in music. i'm sure you'll succeed from there if it ever amounts to that. =)

part 6:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/entertainment/65406.html

(Alfred) nice performance, the korean sounds a bit funny, and your singing is choppy? like it doesn't flow smoothly at the front part. the higher parts... using your falsetto wasn't too bad, but... I guess that's where your training will come in handy. =) overall, it's still quite good.

(Natasha) i like your (speaking) voice, but your singing is airy, and your breathing is too heavy, which makes it very ugly when picked up by the mic. and your mic will not always be good, especially when you're a rookie, which would only make it worse. control your breathing and the amount of air released when singing, that would change the sound of your singing too. but the singing was smooth and really nice which is a big plus. the transition from the lower parts to the higher parts was nice and smooth too. me like if you minus off the irritating, distracting breathing.

overall:

-the guy, Alfred, looks kinda like Junhyung, but i think that's because of his sunglasses. lol. he is so not Junhyung. ^-^

-the girls overall seemed to be talking very casually, like not really how they should uphold themselves at an interview? maybe they're unaware of the impression they're making? but then again, this is how most Singaporeans behave even when chatting with the Minister Mentor... -.- for the guy, it's hard to comment seeing he doesn't talk much unless addressed. and he's really soft-spoken...

-I feel Ferlyn doesn't sit as she should at an interview. She sits like she's at her friend's house having a chitchat session.

-@elaine: saying "touchwood" in an interview doesn't seem appropriate... =/ (part 3)

hmm... if i have to rank them (in order of preference, and who i think will succeed), it'll be Natasha as first, the practical, realistic one who actually seems like she has some idea on what to expect and is ready to handle it; followed by Alfred, well he doesn't irk me with ridiculous comments, but he doesn't talk much, which might not help if you're gonna be in a new environment. between the two girls, who will be debuting first out of the four, i can't decide who's worse. >.< they're both are naive at best. i really wonder if they'll do well there.

so what do you think? is it just me being too harsh and skeptical about them? or are they (or at least some) too ignorant?

anyways, congratulations on reaching the end of this super long, maybe boring, post. if you really read everything and made it this far, King applaudes you! =) especially if you're not a singaporean and are not concerned with the happenings here. lol.

and this is King signing off~ =)