When talking about Girls’ Generation, one of the most succinct ways to describe them would be to say, “female idol group”. But do those words truly describe them for who they are? Not in the slightest. The only accurate words in that description would be “female” and “group”. However, the context of the word “idol” is completely wrong in this case. Nowadays, the word “idol” is synonymous with “pop singer”, or someone that is active in many parts of the entertainment industry. Not only does the accepted meaning of the word not describe the girls in full, but it can also burden them with unfair prejudice from the general public. So if they aren’t an “idol group”, how would we go about describing them? For me, I prefer to call them “artists”. Maybe not necessarily on the same level as some of the greatest musical artists of our time, but calling them “idols” is understating how much talent they have and how much hard work they put into getting where they are today.
The dictionary definition of the word “idol” is “someone you admire”, or you could even say is “role model”. But in reality, because of expanding pop culture, a variety of shows were spawned based off of the new “an idol is an entertainer” definition, such as “American Idol” and subsequent variations all around the world. However, these kinds of shows only made the new definition mainstream. It already had its own niche in Asia where the term had been used to describe many people involved in the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, riding on the coattails of the term “idol” was a stigma that was almost impossible to shake off. It was a stigma saying that you were only there to look pretty and that you had no real talent for anything else. Even the members of Girls’ Generation have faced such accusations before. Yet, here they stand as one of the most successful groups that are currently active. Can it be considered fair to brush aside talent backed by years of hard work, only to have the general masses throw them to the side because they are “idols”? Of course not. Still, such behavior persists, and it not only burdens Girls’ Generation but others as well.
Some might argue that it’s only fair that they be called idols because they undergo a “grooming” process through many years of training. It is a fair argument, but at the same time, the same could be said of people that are just singers. The only difference would be that they only focused on one aspect, whereas those who are considered idols went through a more diverse training regimen. Does the hard work they put in make them any less of an artist? For example, is a person who participates in a triathlon any less of an athlete than a pure swimmer? Obviously not, as they just practiced for more than one thing.
Let’s take Taeyeon for example. She is an idol by definition, but definitely much more than that. Out of all the members, Taeyeon loves singing the most. Taeyeon has even stated that she would like to become the kind of singer who could sing a wide variety of songs. She is a student of music: someone who continually strives to become better and isn’t content with being stagnant. On the flip side, you have Hyoyeon, maybe not the most prodigious of singers, but definitely a dancing virtuoso. Is she any less of an artist than Taeyeon? Of course not. She merely has a different talent, a different form of expression that is more suited to her. While on the topic of artists, we can’t forget Jessica with her “amazing” talent for drawings and paintings. Her drawing of Sunny received such rave reviews and international coverage that michaelroni’s “The Cucumber” even reported that she received an offer from a famous art museum to display her drawing. Jokes aside, the members of Girls’ Generation are obviously more than just “idols” that are pretty with no talent, so why not recognize them as artists?
The girls spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to move beyond the little box that is defined by being an “idol”. Yuri and Sooyoung wrote the lyrics for “Mistake” and “How Great is Your Love?” respectively, and if that isn’t considered a step towards being an artist, then I don’t know what is.
Sooyoung herself has mentioned on KBS 2TV’s “Star Life Theater” that she wanted to be considered as more than just an idol that could dance, but as an actual artist. A part of her essay reflects on the path she took as an idol, stating that she thought it was art. Sooyoung further explains that it is difficult to determine the full spectrum of art, but continued by saying that art can be influenced by the emotions in an individual’s life.
There is a lot of truth in what Sooyoung says about art. It is difficult to gauge what should be considered art. But it shouldn’t mean that if someone takes a different path that they can’t be considered an artist like others can. If art can be considered an expression of emotions, then regardless if it is the dancer who dances, the author who writes, the painter who paints, or the singer that sings, each and every person can become an artist. However, not everyone should be called an artist. Obviously, people have attempted to tread these paths before. Some fail right away, while others make it farther, and there are those who are capable of continuing down that path but choose to not walk down it. So then, who can be considered an artist? For me, the answer is the people that aspire for excellence: those people who work tirelessly to improve, to continue to chase their dream despite the obstacles they counter, and to leave more than a fleeting impression behind, creating an everlasting path that others can draw inspiration from in order to achieve even greater heights.
Girls’ Generation does this and more. Since the group’s debut, the members have faced challenges both as a group and as individuals. The songs they promoted weren’t always similar to their personal tastes, but they took what they were given and did the best they could with it. The multitude of criticisms the girls have faced throughout their careers in not only singing, but dancing, acting, song-writing and whatever else they have attempted were taken to heart and used to make themselves better. Jessica herself stated in an interview that she strives not only to spread Girls’ Generation around the world, but also K-Pop so that younger artists like her sister, Krystal from f(x), may one day surpass even her own achievements.
No one can deny the talent that Girls’ Generation possesses, and no one can ignore just how much hard work and dedication they put into getting where they are today. We should leave behind the mainstream definition of an “idol”, which says that they are mere “entertainers” or “talentless people who only look good”, acknowledge the effort they put into being respectable artists, and not make slight of their dreams to pursue new heights. Girls’ Generation is a group of artists that continue to hone their talents in hopes that their work will inspire other people. They are so much more than idols.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are solely those of the author and are not representative of the Soshified community as a whole.
Written by: SeraphKY@soshified
Edited by: michaelroni@soshified, FrozenArctic@soshified, bhost909@soshified
Contributions: taengsoshi@soshified, MoonSoshi9@soshified
Have a news item that you think Soshified should know about? Leave us a tip or e-mail us at [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/soshified for the latest on Girls’ Generation.
I’m a Sone, but think SNSD as a group are definitely idols. A huge part of their popularity is based not on singing or dancing, put beauty and TV appearances. As individuals, some of them are artists (e.g. Hyoyeon, Taeyeon, etc.)
Beautiful article. Just beautiful
This is a well written article about the girls. They are artists because they can do it all. World domination baby!!! :D I love the girls more and more w/ each passing day. I always look forward to what they plan on doing next w/ their careers (solo and together as a group.) They work so hard and deserve all the success they’ve had so far…they’re only going to get bigger! :) The power of 9!
i agree. since the beginning i also called them artists because they have true individual talents. i don’t like the way the term “idol” is being used nowadays. i think most people have their idol who they look up to but having the media decide who that is, is wrong..
nice article, i’m glad i’m not the only one who thinks this :3
I do not want them to be Americanized by losing the idea of being idols, and instead becoming “artists”. The idea of the idol is part of what makes Kpop fascinating to me. The music that influences the youngest generation is given by people you can trust and respect. Someone you can emulate. As an American, I detest what our pop music has become. I’m drawn towards Kpop, because Korea seems to be a country that still has some innocence left. If I wanted “art” and “freedom of expression” I could listen to Gaga and Spears any day of the week.
SSF really needs a proper editorial, how a article so retarded as this one can get published is beyond me…sure, this is drone central and most people are just retarded kids, shippers and the like, but i assume even them have some level of intelligence you must appeal to, and i really hope this isn’t that level, because if this editorial does something, is insulting the IQ level of your readers.
To put it simply, SNSD, SM and all of this that you can see, is not art, they are not artists even if some of them do have some talent, it is a business following a proper business model, and you guys are nothing more than bacterial marketing for them.
Sure it is ok to like them, enjoy them and support them, but there’s no need to excuse yourself and try to give them a “new meaning” when it is just a business, and yes it is that and nothing more than that because there’s not a single decision that is not about making profit, and insulting all the artists in the world in the process making such a blatant and retarded comparison isn’t very nice of you, at all.
Aw shucks. We got a live one.
I guess it comes down to the definition of art. I like simple things. I don’t like most ‘art.’ Modern art? Eww. It doesn’t appeal to me. I guess that makes me single cellular?
Yes. What SNSD perform, are in the BUSINESS of performing, is pop music. POPular music. As are most idols. As are MOST POPular singers on the airwaves of the world, regardless of the country of origin and label assigned them.
Yes, they are after that root of all evil. Airline miles. I mean money. You know what I mean.
Because… umm… people work for money. Whatever. Your singed indignation makes me think that only wholly created works made by some starving genius with fevered eyes and spotty sanitation should count as art. And then only appreciated by 3rd year art students, dressed all in black, or overfed socialites twittering at some hoighty-twoity gala?
Or is it only art if its underground, when only the hipsters know about it, whispering to their friends and passing cassettes like contraband?
Because as soon as big business enters into it, then it can’t be art? It’s about money, maaan!
No.
Art and money are not exclusive things. Sculpture, paintings, songs, poetry, at the root of it is inspiration. The ability to inspire those who hear and see. Those who feel moved by this most organic of creations, even if they’re unthinking plebes who eat fast food, can feel the connection to something beyond the ordinary, beyond themselves. (Btw, bacterial? Really? Can’t we just be the scum that grows on the surface of the 3rd rock? It’s just that some of us are vegetarians, and scum can even be productive, thanks.)
How do you feel about Shakespeare? He was a money grubbing opportunist who wrote to the mass market. I don’t know if his illiterate contemporaries of the day considered themselves consumers of POPular entertainment, or his plays as ‘art’, but looking back, reading and seeing them performed now, aren’t we still moved?
Is it only art if the thing being considered was created solely by the ‘artist’? What about performance art? What about collaborations? Is it only art if it was written and performed by the same person? Produced and designed, too? Is ‘artist’ reserved for only the creative geniuses of whatever field they work in? Are music producers artists? How about costume designers? What of the craftsmen who made the instruments, the ink, the paints, the canvas, the tools? The lighting? The cameras? How about the singers and actors? Why are some lauded and picked out as the best?
Because the masses love spectacle, and spectacle takes teamwork. Is spectacle art? Can’t it be? It can move the people. Defining ‘art’ is a big mess. Creativity on a scale that can reach millions? Maybe with YouTube, and maybe its coming to an age where artists can finally show themselves to an entire world without decent production values, but to make it big, to be polished and competitive, it takes MONEY.
That’s the biz nowadays. (News break, the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo? Know them? Big money, for the day. Or slavery. I hear it was an exclusive contract.)
Here’s my definition. ‘Art’ moves people. It moves them to feel SOMETHING out of the ordinary. And by that definition, most modern art, most underground music, most popular culture, does absolutely nothing for me.
But SNSD does. Look, SNSD is more than 9 girls. There are dozens of people involved in everything they do for the public. So where is the artist in this equation? The business men at their board table? The music producers around the world who designed the sound? The people who wrote their songs? The lyricists? The music show cameramen with their nausea inducing swoops? Their makeup people? The costumers? (Btw, all of them work for… MONEY)
All of those people work to bring a performance together, rehearsed, orchestrated, focused. And focused on 9 girls. But it’s the girls who take the work of all those people and make it count. They bring it to life and they make it beautiful.
To me, that’s art.
Nicely put Auratus. Enjoyed your writing.
hmmm.. the meaning to the word “idol” has really been changed throughout the years.. but personally i think instead of calling the girls just “idols” or “artists”, i would say they are kind of both. but the phrase “talentless people who only look good” kinda gave me a strong feeling; i dont know what feeling tho, but im sure the girls aren’t those.
they are talented, all of them and we can’t deny that.
all of them are unique and have their own strengths, and maybe even the best in their own league.
to me, the girls are best i’ve seen among other groups and they are the reason i got in contact with anything korean-related and im glad it’s them.
no matter what happened or what will happen, i, as a SONE will stand by them and face everything head on!
I understand why they would want to strive for that title as an “artist” rather than an “idol”, but in my opinion, an artist is someone who is completely immersed in the whole process. Rather than sing, they have to be a lyricist and a composer, rather than being a piano player, they often to create their own piece, rather than being a dancer, they have to choreograph their own dance, and the list can go on. In my opinion, they are all rounders (entertainers) be ause artists is such a deep term. Just like an artist, just because they happen to have great brush techniques and can recreate the most identical painting, it doesn’t make them an artist, be ause an artists can actually have worst techniques ever, but they never fail to make it their own. E.g take abstract painting, by looking at it, you can’t exactly praise the artist on their pairing ability, but you do praise the artist for being an artist and thinking outside the box. I do understand that some of the girls have slowly emerged themselves into the arts genre and started writing lyrics and hyoyeon choreographs dances, and that’s a great start, but honestly, i can’t really call them artists at the moment, perhaps just an amateur (and I don’t mean that in a bad way) because I have yet to see that artistic flair from them
Well said, well said indeed. Without repeating anything else that has been said by other responders except this one bit, I will just call them from now on “starving artists”.
More appropriate because like all artists or budding, they are still perfecting whatever craft they have chosen be it individual or group and also looking for proper recognition. As such, they are starving artists. ;)
For me, it’s on what a certain someone thinks about the definition of an idol. For me, they are an idol because they are great artists. :)
Idols and artists are not mutually exclusive. Rather? I think still in regards to, I would call them idols, for yes they are still “someone you admire” or a “role model”, someone atypical to a variety of skill rather than a skilfully in a specific field but this is when I think they have exceeded expectation and raised the bar for future generations that they become artists.
Most people would define an artist as someone who freely express themselves, be it in dance or singing like you have given Taeyeon and Hyoyeon to be “a different form of expression that is more suited to them (sic. her)” but they have yet to really show their composition, in which I define as a true… no, whole artists, only when they have paint own canvas. You have given an example of Yuri and Sooyoung writing for ‘Mistake’ and ‘How Great Is Your Love?’ respectively and “considered a step towards being an artist” which I agree, but does that really make them an artist when they still have many people behind the scenes to cater for everything that was made? be it concepts, choreography or songs. Hard work aside for a moment, indeed, this is why the girls are so thankful for the staff and openly so because they know without them they are just a bunch of girls, talented ones at that, but still growing, maybe even inexperience (despite their years in the industry) because they have not yet challenge themselves yet in, what AaTaRee says “true self-expression”. They MAY have added their own interpretation to these concepts or whatnot but then again it is an adaptation, not of their own creation. Most of us know enough of the girls to see that it is not what they truly could express, so this is why I will not see them as artists this way. But as I have said, they are artists, but artists who have created a new mould of idols, redefine it and made it something much much more.
yeah, your right i really really agree with you their talents are not just for idols its fortunately to be called artists. Girls’ Generation is our female artists group ♥ this article is so nice ! SNSD jjang !
“However, the context of the word “idol” is completely wrong in this case. Nowadays, the word “idol” is synonymous with “pop singer”, or someone that is active in many parts of the entertainment industry.”
I don’t see the problem. They are pop singers, so the term idol fits them exactly. It’s not an insult to call them what they really are.
I agree. Do they want to be artists? Sure. But at this point, they are an idol group. That doesn’t mean they won’t become more involved in the production-side of their music and be “artists” in the future though. As pointed out, they’re moving that way. But there are already idol groups that write the music and/or lyrics for the majority of their songs, and those to me are artists. When Taeyeon writes the music, Yuri/Sooyong write the lyrics, and Hyoyeon creates the dance … then, I will call them artists. Until then, I’ll continue supporting them as an idol group so that day can come!
I can’t be bothered reading..
Why even bother commenting…
I completely agree with you.
Sooyoung, based on her essay, may want to be called an artist but they are idols in the first place.
This editorial and the comment of Auratus are relevant in understanding what an artist and an idol are all about.
I completely agree with you.
Sooyoung, based on her essay, may want to be called an artist but they are idols in the first place.
This editorial and this comment are relevant in understanding what an artist and an idol are all about
Great read……I completely agree.
They are not only idols and artists, but they are great people as well.
Wonderful article, but I can’t fully accept them as true music artists until I see their names as the composers, otherwise they are merely entertainers and artists grown from someone else’s musical vision. This is the aspect where K-Pop is missing for it to earn respect as true artists in the U.S. market.
I love the girls always, but I think Korean culture holds them back from true self-expression.
Wonderful article, but I can’t fully accept them as true music artists until I see their names as the composers, otherwise they are merely entertainers and artists grown from someone else’s musical vision. This is the aspect where K-Pop is missing for it to earn respect as true artists in the U.S. market.
I love the girls always, but I think Korean culture holds them back from true self-expression.
Yeah !>. Why do I treat them as my idol?>. SOrry, Now im treating them as a great artists,
-They are not just gorgeous but very talented, That’s why I gonna call them as a Great artist
What’s in a word? Let us ponder this.
The girls would of course be honored to be considered ‘artists’ and indeed Sooyoung wrote a paper questioning why ‘artist’ shouldn’t apply to her for one of her classes. After all, if an artist creates art, and art is something that moves the person looking or listening, then by that definition, yes, they ARE artists. At the very least performance artists, singing songs written and composed by others, dancing to them with choreography taught to them, dressed and made up by professionals. But it is THEM who move US. The girls underneath all the artifice. Yes and yes.
But they’re also products, beneficiaries and subjects of the culture that made them. S.Korea. We know they’re the best at what they do, but they compete in the realm of idols, amongst other idols, idols as defined by the culture they live in.
That culture would widely view ‘idols’ putting on airs as arrogant, and indeed a significant percentage would decry idols being called artists. What, judgmental? Koreans? Well, yes. Any S.Korean entertainer lives by embracing public humility. That’s a requisite for being in the biz. Praise is for others to put forth, never self-aggrandizement. The ‘me! me!’ attitude so prevalent in western entertainment is not acceptable for S.Korean entertainers, unless meant tongue-in-cheek, and then only for people who can play the irreverent clown.
But for SNSD, they ARE the best. They are the nation’s girl group, the representative example of girl group idols. Even if in their hearts they’d like to think of themselves as artists, disdaining the label ‘idol’, still, they would be the first people to say that they still have so much more to learn, so much more to grow. They are humble, bowing 90 degrees to even rookies getting ready for debut stages. And they’ve gotten to where they are by by living and breathing humility. They’ve achieved wild success through hard work and diligence and the support of so many other people.
They are performers, entertainers, artists, but they are first and foremost idols. The very best of idols, but they would be the first to OWN that label, with no shame, no stigma of being looked down upon. After all, they ARE SNSD, their nation’s representatives. 9 women who’ve done so much to make their nation proud. Idol? Artist? How about ambassadors of a culture?
Well written article, author. May I compliment you on your subject and argument that was expressed in the simplest way.
Sooyoung’s essay about her and her path as an idol is a good example that even she, desires to be called an ‘artist’ and not just an idol in colloquial terms.
aaaah, look at Seohyun and Sunny on the first picture..
And yes they’re artists, when I hear the word ‘idol’ I think of people who are popular solely because of their looks.
beautifully written.
Nice article and I definitely agree. It really is too bad that the word “idol” has indeed been tarnished, because they really are idols to the true definition of the word, as well as artists.