With Christmas just round the corner, we have decided to release this month’s Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie earlier as gift to our dear readers. However, this month’s version will be slightly different as michaelroni and Procrastinatoress will not be answering your questions. Instead, the ever youthful MoonSoshi9 (despite being the eldest of the Writers) and the always naggy letaengbutt (Also known as the 3rd maknae of the Writers) will be taking over the roles of Oppa and Unnie respectively. As such, the term “Unnie” is not appropriate for a 3rd maknae, so letaengbutt has decided that her nickname will be “AhjuMaknae”, a shortened version of Ahjumma Maknae.

As always, there are three ways for you to send us questions, and we need to continue to receive them from you in order to keep this column going. Just remember that we’re looking for opinion-based questions, and that questions about Girls’ Generation facts can be answered here instead. Also, remember that there is NO deadline for submitting questions. If we didn’t answer your question this month, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll never answer it, and we can save it for later months.

Method 1) Email questions to us at [email protected] with the subject “Ask Column“.

Method 2) Leave questions in the official Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie Question Submission Thread here on Soshified.

Method 3) Submit questions to the official Ask Oppa / Ask Unnie Formspring page.

So what fascinating questions did you all ask this month? Let’s dive right in and find out!

This question is about the song, “The Boys”:
1. What are your thoughts on the difference between the English and Korean lyrics?
2. Which do you like better?
3. Which do you think represents Girls Generation better?
4. Do you think it was wise of them to change the lyrics in the English Version to appeal to the US market?
– Chi_Soshi_Angel

MoonSoshi9-Oppa says:
The difference in the style of lyrics in the English version compared to the Korean version actually really surprised me. The English version feels absolutely geared to a more American ideal of a strong, powerful woman. They’re Girls’ Generation, they’re here, and they’re going to make sure you notice them. However, the Korean version, though still empowering to girls, is more geared to the boys. Instead of the English version where the girls are more boastful, the Korean version has them using their power as a way to empower the boys. This reversal from the English version is quite interesting because Korea is a fairly patriarchal culture compared to western cultures. As for which is better, I think the Korean lyrics have a deeper meaning than the English version. It’s more intricate in how the girls show how they are powerful, as opposed to the English version where they just straight up tell you: “Hey, you won’t be able to take your eyes off us.” The rap in the middle section flows way better in Korean as well. I think both versions fit Girls’ Generation because they appeal to everyone regardless of gender. The song gives energy and power to everyone.

letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae says:
I think the English lyrics show a very charismatic, and to a certain extent, egoistical side of the girls. Throughout the song, the majority of the lyrics is about them not being able to be stopped or beaten, and I quite like it because it shows their power and highlights the point “Girls’ Generation”. Truth be told though, whenever I listen to K-Pop, I hardly ever look up the translations of the lyrics unless it’s a ballad. So when I finally went to the lyrics section of Soshified, I found out that the Korean version is pretty meaningful too. It’s a song which gives someone a lot of confidence, and it’s motivating as well as inspirational. Personally, I prefer the Korean version. The lyrics seem to flow better in my opinion, and the English version does sound a little awkward. It might just be me being biased though! I think that both songs represent the girls very well. They’re all about the girls being at the top and them making a statement. Actually, I think one, if not the only, reason why the lyrics in the English and Korean versions are different is because it is nearly impossible to do a direct translation and still have the words flow with the song. So to answer your question, yes, I think it was a good decision to change the lyrics.

MoonSoshi9-Oppa says:
One thing I’ve learned from meeting a lot of SONEs is that each person shows love for the girls differently. In my mind, supporting all nine girls and the group in a positive fashion is what it takes to be a SONE, and that can take many forms, from fan-fictions to covers of their songs or just plain spazzing about the group. It’s natural to want to see the girls as much as possible, and when they are constantly promoting we can often forget just how tiring their job is. I don’t have a problem with SONEs wanting to see the girls all the time though. Girls’ Generation members have said over and over again how much they love what they do, and that we are their strength. My only problem is when people say out of one side of their mouth, “I want to see the girls on variety shows and concerts and music shows”, and then out of the other side say, “Why won’t SM let them rest?! They look so tired!” Enough of that nonsense already. However, there is nothing that bothers me more than someone claiming to be a fan and then tearing down members of the group because they aren’t that person’s bias. It’s fine to have a bias. Pretty much all of us do in one form or another. But, to actively dislike members of the group automatically disqualifies someone as a real fan of Girls’ Generation in my opinion. As for the fan war stuff, that’s just silly no matter who starts it. I like to think it stems from a love of the girls and wanting them to be number one, but hating on other artists doesn’t accomplish anything other than making the fandom look bad. Thankfully, all of that seems to be a pretty small, albeit extremely vocal, minority online. I’ve met ELFs, Cassies, Shawols, T-ara fans, Hottests, SONEs, etc. and everyone(except for maybe one or two) has been awesome.

letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae says:
I’ve witnessed plenty of scenarios like the ones you gave as examples above, and I feel that as fans of Girls’ Generation, we should be acting in the girls’ best interests. For example, there was this time when I was on the Soshified Shoutbox with a whole bunch of other fans waiting for the release of Girls’ Generation’s “The Boys” music video. As many of us know, many of the teasers and music videos were leaked via a YouTube channel, and one member on Soshified kept advertising the link on the Shoutbox. In my opinion, that was an extremely insensitive thing to do. Not only is it spoiling the fun and suspense for the other fans, I feel that it is also not the right thing to do as a fan. Of course, there are no rules of being a fan, but most would assume that being a fan means that you like the girls, and hence care for them. If you want their songs to do well, then I don’t see why you would help to promote something which was leaked illegally. Correct? Apart from that incident, I’ve seen cases whereby people who call themselves fans of Girls’ Generation think it right to openly insult other groups. Just because you don’t like the other groups doesn’t mean that you should insult them and try to bring them down. They have done nothing to wrong or harm you, so I don’t see the reason for you to put in so much time and effort to ruin the fun for people in other fandoms. People who like to do things such as those you mentioned above are incredibly immature and selfish, and in my opinion, should just keep their mouths shut if they have nothing nice to say.

If you could be one of the members of Girls’ Generation for a week, who would you be and why?
– Solstice Of Light

MoonSoshi9-Oppa says:
My first thought was to be Yoona so I could be a shikshin and eat a lot without gaining weight. All the girls have some quality that I would love to have, but I guess I would have to say I would like to be Taeyeon(sorry AhjuMaknae!). I love music and singing, so being able to sing with the most incredible voice ever for a week would be awesome. If I was Taeyeon for a week you would probably see about 500 new OSTs and duets. The other members might get sick of me bugging them constantly with incredibly dorky aegyo though. I’m also pretty tall, so I would love to see what life is like close to the ground as a danshin.

letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae says:
This is such a tough question, seriously. Can’t I just be all of them? No? Then… I suppose I would pick Taeyeon. She is my all-time favorite person in the entire world, and  I really look up to her. Not only is Taeyeon super responsible and caring, she also has the most amazing voice ever. Every single time I hear her voice, I get the shivers. Despite her tiny size, she still shoulders the responsibility of being the leader, and she stands up for what she believes in. The incident in which she corrected the MCs for calling SONEs “So-Duks” just cemented my love for her. And besides, being Taeyeon means that I get to spam the phone chat group they have, ogle at the other girls, and openly show my butt fetish (Tiffany!!) all without getting scolded! Awesome!

Which member do you find to be the most inspirational and why?
– Dru Solis

MoonSoshi9-Oppa says:
Seo Juhyun. The girl is a legit genius. She takes the whole idea that pop artists aren’t intelligent and laughs at it as she reads a self-improvement book and becomes fluent in yet another language, all while looking like a goddess. When I listen to her speak about how much she looks up to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, I can’t help but be impressed at how smart this girl is. I can honestly see Seohyun being a real positive force in the world later in life because of how determined she is and what her goals are. She’s the youngest, but her mindset is mature beyond her years, and it is truly inspiring to see a beautiful young girl with such admirable dreams.

letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae says:

Without a doubt, Tiffany Hwang Miyoung. She went to South Korea all by herself at the age of fifteen, which is actually just a year younger than I am. Even until now, I still can’t see what I will be ten years down the road, so Tiffany’s determination at fifteen is awe-inspiring. The fact that she was able to pursue her dream and work towards her goals so tirelessly really puts my complete lack of goals to shame. Tiffany is obviously someone who is very hardworking, a trait which I sadly lack, and I look up to her a lot for it. I’m someone who just goes with the flow, so I really admire Tiffany’s ability to be able to have such a strong will. Also, Tiffany doesn’t let the haters get in her way. She has a heart of gold and she takes all the criticism, be it constructive or merely spiteful, in her stride. So out of the nine girls, I’d definitely say that Tiffany is the member whom I find to be the most inspirational.

If you were playing “Marco Polo” in a pitch black room with no light whatsoever with Girls’ Generation, which member do you think you will be able to find and name most easily?
– Loggingurkeyz

MoonSoshi9-Oppa says:
Jessica, because I would be super quiet for a while and then randomly yell out “Marco!” which will bring out the famous dolphin scream. It’s a fool-proof plan! If that doesn’t work, probably Taeyeon. I think she would do something dorky like respond in a ridiculously weird voice.

letaengbutt-AhjuMaknae says:
If I were to rank the order in how I would find the girls, I think it would be Taeyeon, Sooyoung, Jessica, Seohyun, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Yoona, Sunny and Tiffany. Let me explain why I think so. Firstly, everyone knows that Taeyeon and Sooyoung are absolutely horrible in playing games that include moving. Also, being a huge fan of Taeyeon, her voice stands out the most to me. Because of this, I think that Taeyeon would be the first one I can find, and Sooyoung the second. I think that Jessica will be the third because she is scared of the dark, as was very plainly shown in Horror Movie Factory, and catching her wouldn’t be too difficult. As for Seohyun, Hyoyeon and Yuri, i’m not too sure about the sequence, but I presume I would find them in that order? Seohyun would be very honest and respond “Polo”, so catching her might not be too difficult even though she has a competitive streak and has Einstein’s IQ. Yoona and Sunny are good at playing games so I think that catching them might prove to be a bit of a challenge. And last but not least, Tiffany. My reason for putting Tiffany as the last person I would be able to catch is really simple. Tiffany will cheat (as shown during Dream Team) by not replying “Polo” whenever I shout “Marco”, so I will never be able to find her.

Did you agree or disagree with our answers? Leave us a comment below! As always, we hope to hear more of your wonderful questions, and we look forward to seeing you again next month!

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