Girls’ Generation was recently featured on the website for the “Wall Street Journal”, one of the largest newspapers in the United States, with many readers worldwide. An entry posted on the website’s “Scene Asia” blog discussed Girls’ Generation’s appearance on tonight’s “Late Show with David Letterman”, their global popularity, and the recent SMTown concert held in New York.
The Wall Street Journal continued their coverage with a video segment on “Asia Today”, which focused on introducing Girls’ Generation and detailed their popularity worldwide. Unfortunately, the correspondent who was interviewed in the segment portrayed several members of Girls’ Generation as only being singing or dancing specialists. She also incorrectly suggested that the group’s fanbase in Korea was made up of only one gender and age group, namely older males. However, the correspondent accurately stated earlier in the video that Girls’ Generation’s fanbase is spread throughout all age ranges and among both males and females. You can check out the clip below.
Source: Wall Street Journal Blog, Wall Street Journal Online
Written by: bhost909@soshified
Edited by: taengsoshi@soshified, michaelroni@soshified
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As a reporter you need to research and to be able to communicate really well. In my opinion, she was off on both at that time. I’m not saying she’s not a good reporter, but I felt that she was a bit nervous speaking in English. It’s probably a language she’s not used to doing reports, therefore creating confusion and misunderstanding among the viewers specially the SONES. To say that one is a good singer, one is a great dancer and the rest are there for their looks is an opinion, and were not based on facts. These girls passed the talent auditions, trained in acting, singing and dancing most of their pre-teen and teenage years, and are practicing the same things over and over again now that they’re professional performers. The girls are more than pretty faces, but really hardworking talents.
On research, taking her example of the Wonder Girls (WG) debuting in the US and the progress not really seen or felt that much now in Korea. That is again an opinion. It all depends on where you are and what you’re watching. You won’t see them often in Korea if your watching local channels, because they’re in the US mostly these past few months…years… And you won’t see them as much in the US channels, because they don’t have weekly music shows like Korea. The WG are doing slow and steady progress in the US Market, they had concerts and other engagements in the US and Asia that were not shown on television, but could easily be viewed on YT. Moreover, they were shooting a film for TeenNick called “The Wonder Girls”, showing Thursday Feb.2 (5PT/8ET). Also the show’s English single and MV for “The DJ is MINE” was released last month. If that’s not progress then what is? I guess chasing the American Dream also need long hours of careful preparation, planning and good timing. And “RIGHT NOW, IT’S GIRLS’ GENERATION!” ‘s time.
– JD, Proud Sone
Oh yeah, regarding the age issue, it’s another opinion by the reporter. Just try having the Girls walk around Hongdae in Seoul, swarms of people from different age groups would just swarm. I know and I’m not from S. Korea. If they come over Manila I know the SONES here are really patiently waiting, and there’s a lot of them.
what older males???!! that reporter better apologize~~~~~~~~~ because i’m just one of the living proofs that it wasn’t true…i’m a dedicated teenage girl S♥ne for crying out loud..not a freakin old male xDDD
I think she’s just another anti of the girls.. :/
Unfortunately, she’s also a reporter..
She should have been more neutral though..
Soshi fighting..\^o^/
Wait wait…WHAT?!!
What the heck is this reporter saying? Does she really lives in Seoul?
I mean how can a person that lives in Seoul, doesn’t matter a fan or not, say something like what she said, some of them are there just for their looks?? Seriously? Do you live in Seoul or some caves in North Korea?
Does she even know what a TV is? Does she even read newspapers for her to even qualify to be reporter?
Like she doesn’t even know what the girls has achieved in S.Korea for her to say it like that.
And about the fanbase, older males, and because of the obvious reason? Are you suggesting that their fanbase (which is SONE) are made up of middle-aged perverted males that like them because they”re hot?
Well then screw you and I hope your career ends early because you’re not qualify to be one.
Douchebag reporter.
Our girls has a very diverse fanbase. She should apologize to SONEs
In my opinion, that reporter couldn’t have done anything. It was something the general public wanted to hear. In their ‘general opinion’, Korean girl groups are pretty and cannot sing. Thus the negative review. I continue to await a positive review about their singing and dancing abilities. I dislike hearing, ‘the group of beautiful nine girls are here in New York with their huge fanbase’. Yes, they are dazzlingly beautiful. Yes, their fanbase is enormous, as this site proves. What I’m looking for is the recognition of their true abilities and talents, not just the biased and sarcatstic introductions to our girl group. Honestly, when will someone who knows the nine girls speak up?
Wow, well someone’s an anti. I can’t believe she actually reported that some of the girls are only there for their looks and that only older guys like them in korea for “obvious” reasons. Yeah they’re super polite, funny, and talented, what is she trying to say! Anyway this is only the start, they’re gonna rock the US.
soshi fighting~~~~~~~!!!!
On a brighter side Hwaiting
How ignorant can this reporter be? I mean has she even research on them and all to put out in a news? Hope our girls can show them that what this korean reporter stated was not entirely true! Because all of them can sing, not just one. And they have so many other talents!
Just wait and see! Girls’ Generation makes you feel the heat!
… is the Korean reporter a anti? :(
I LOL at the ”they have a huge fan base of older guys for obvious reason” xD
Despite the inaccuracy in the reporting I must say this is a big thing for the girls, it is yet another huge leap into the US market and a new journey to a new peak of success. I AM SO PROUD OF GIRLS’ GENERATION!
wow!!
they must be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo proud!!
and i absolutely proud tooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
It kind of bothered me that she did not mention SNSD as nation’s girl group or their success in the Japanese market :///
Whoever you are, Wherever you are, No matter how old you are, No matter what gender you are, Girls’ Generation makes you feel the heat!!!!
Uh what kind of news writers are those who don’t do their job properly which is to do their research thoroughly before reporting on a subject? My goodness SNSD don’t just have male fans you know and their fans are not only in the older age department. geez!!! Anyway I’m happy to see the girls in such a huge article. Good job ladies. Thanks SSF! :)
for gods sake please let a person who really knows about them talk about them. i cant stand it anymore lol
The Seoul reporter greatly underestimated the ability of the girls! By my estimation, all of the SNSD girls have multiple talents of singing, dancing and exceptional charm. Good looks help, but the real issue here is talent. Cute and sexy girl groups without real talent come and go, but Girls’ Generation has staying power. Every member brings special, wonderful and indispensable abilities to the stage, along with their ultra-cute looks. It’s great to see them branching out again, and winning more fans over. I wish them the best here in America, and I hope that I get to see them live when they make it to Los Angeles.
great!fighting my girls!
Are you serious!?!? has she NOT listened to this group or seen them on variety shows? they should have found someone who was knowledgable about SNSD. So disappointed in this, but glad they got mentioned in an American newspaper.
Am I like the only one who is like really dissatisfied with with interview?
It seemed more stereotyped of SNSD than anything really.
“Fanbase consists of older men for obvious reasons”
“Some rely on their pretty good looks”
Looks like someone’s not really a fan of SNSD in seoul.
Esp since this was written for the wallstreet journal so americans might really misunderstand if she described the girls like that.
Like come on lady, you should’ve talked about their talents! and HOW SNSD’s fanbase actually consists of A LOT of females and younger people. sure she mentioned the age group variety a bit, but she kinda just brushed it by and said teenagers just wanna learn to look, dress and dance like them =_=.
ah well. lol. at least they were mentioned. SNSD hwaiting!
Maybe you should write to her directly that she got her facts wrong.
email: [email protected]
I’m also from Seoul, and having followed the girls during shows and concerts, and I can say their fanbase is fairly equivalent male to female. However, the majority of fans are younger than the girls.
i wish i was the one who summaried or probably other SONES about SNSD, she doesn’t talk much about their talent, rather then their looks.
alot of missing information as well, shes right about them being loved by all ages and i think nationality
except the part she said older men love them for obvious reason……. totally do not agree if she was about to say looks lmao
i wish they’d focus and elaborate more on their talents and personalities rather than looks.
on the good side, i’m glad that the girls are getting exposure in the US.
I don’t think she meant to say that some of the girls were only capable of singing or dancing. I think she meant it like that’s what they’re known for.
Also I’m pretty sure she didn’t mean that -only- older males like the girls either but a majority of the fans in Korea are which is honestly not that far from the truth since, you know, she lives there. I guess she might be talking about people who are super-fans of the girls and not people who are like ‘casual’ fans. I’m sure there are plenty of people who like the girls of all different age groups, male or female, but they don’t necessarily follow or obsess over the girls as much as other fans do. ^^
I mean, when you think about it, she was probably speaking from the perspective of an average Korean citizen. Not everyone is crazy or head over heels for our girls but they do like them and they are very popular.
it is really cool that the girls are featured in
one of the more historic news gathering companies
of the world. i would expect the wall street journal
to misjudge them right now since they know very
little of them, but i am surprised that this coorespondent
was so far off. especially being in seoul. none of the
girls are just there for their looks, and acutally most
of their fanbase is female if i’m not mistaken. regardless,
congrats to the girls! i’ll be watching you on tv in a little
bit!!!