YESSS more QUEENS! What do you all think of my selection of songs this time?!! Gee grew on me cos of Jessica & Taeyeon's ad libs of course. SO catchy. That performance of the Boys is just so ICONIC!! LIVE vocals, killer dancing and those dance breaks and reimagined arrangement. They are truly WOMEN!! You need to see the Catch me if you can OT9 version too hehe.
As for their personalities, SNSD were right in the peak of the popularity of idol variety shows in Korea, everyone still watched tv instead of youtube and so families would watch these variety shows together and that is where they showed off their individuality. I would go as far as to say that SNSD would play exaggerated caricatures of themselves and I think they might be the strongest variety girl group of all time. Idols were on so many popular shows that everyone watched, that is why 1st and 2nd gen idols have so much name recognition with the general public whereas mid 3rd gen onwards it all moved online and idols were less of a general trend in Korea so only fandoms watched their content, it also became more common for groups to produce their own shows instead of going on these tv programs. That's also why we lost so many opportunities for interactions between groups because these tv shows no longer exist.
Yes, the reason they were so coordinated visually in the beginning was because of company direction. Mind you this was the first k-pop girl group to have this many members and not only it was a completely new formula which was being constantly tested and evolving, at that period, k-pop was a lot more about synchronization than individuality. Even the shoes they wear have different heights so that they all match. It sort of still is like this but not so much. Some members even discussed how it was hard for them because not everyone fit or liked the image and concept that they were going for and of course, this is the reason they look a lot more confident and bright after the THE BOYS era which was their first comeback to feature each members individuality throught styling. It was during this comeback that member Hyoyeon started being praised for her looks after years of being deemed the least visually appealing member and this was a direct effect of the company changing their stylistic approach. After that they never made another comeback where all member wore the same style of clothing. (except for CMIYC but that was a whole concept)
Regarding the point you raised about individuality, I think it's because Kpop groups were really strict when it comes to "group color". This is especially true during the 2nd generation (a lot of idols used to talked abt it including some members of SNSD, SISTAR, etc.), and SNSD being one of the pioneer girl groups (during the time when only boy groups were at the top), I think they opted for a strategy that would sell a more cohesive and easily digestible concept to the market. The first song you reacted to, 'Gee', is one of the songs that really catapulted their popularity all around the world, whereas 'The Boys' came out when they already have a pretty solid reputation that's why I think they had more liberty to explore individual touches to their work.
Girls Generation uniform stage outfits are one of their trademark back in the days. Like they are basically a same, but each member usually has one small difference.
The girl you reacted to in 'The Boys' is Sooyoung! She was my first bias before I even got into kpop, specifically because of this performance. Loved that song and was intrigued in general by them and kpop but after that I just checked out them and Bigbang and 2ne1 once in a while until Blackpink 2018 happened and now I became a full-blown kpop fan. Still looove the 2nd gen groups and songs though ^^
@@Yetti. She shiiiiined! 😍 And the girl you pointed out in 'Catch me if you can' as the girl who was smiling in the ballad is Hyoyeon, one of my bias wreckers. ^^ I recently rediscovered 'Catch me if you can' so was fun watching you reacting to it. Thanks for another fun video!
yeh you're right, the blue hair girl in Catch me if you can is the same one you pointed out in Mistake. She's Hyoyeon and actually has a somewhat stronger/"tougher" image than the other girls but she is also known to be the optimist and clown of the group. Also, synchronicity has always been a big part of SNSD's image and the "lack of individualism" is definitely a directional thing.
Ironic that even when they go solo, which as of today they have their own projects and doing their own thing, they're still amazing. That's the power of SNSD.
You should react to "The Boys" Music Video too. My other recommendation is, "Hoot", "All Night", "Oh!", "Lil' Touch", "Lion Heart" and "Twinkle" Then, their japan discography, "Galaxy Supernova", "Bad Girl", "All My Love Is For You", "Paparazzi" and "Flower Power"
tbh for snsd it didnt really matter that they had similar stage outfits because EVERYONE knew them individually (which is crazy given that they had 9 members). they were on variety shows quite frequently and had a lot of individual schedules pretty much from the start. like for reference yoona started acting before snsd even debuted and yuri and sooyoung were in a couple of commercials before too. taeyeon had a pretty extreme rise to solo fame in 2008 (a year after debut) when she sang the OST "If" (which is still charting now). despite sizeable solo recognition all of them were dedicated to the group first and foremost so they managed to get group recognition as well (taeyeon went solo a whole 7 years after "If" was released despite the demand for her solo stuff).
You know what... you can't really predict their comebacks during their peak era. They served different food on the table that time. It was truly remarkable and before Blackpink, SNSD was really that girl group who even topped and outdid boy groups. Back then, girl groups did not receive bigger recognition compared to boy groups, but they really changed the game. Every comeback is phenomenal. Always something different. From Into the New World, until Gee... Genie, Oh!, Run Devil Run, Dancing Queen, I Got A Boy, Mr. Mr, Party, Lion Heart and You Think, they are all different. That versatily gained a lot of fans.
it's funny that you mention their lack of "personality" in style, because that is definitely deliberate. I think SNSD is by far the girl group with the strongest personality out there. It's one of the only GG where all the members shine both alone and in the group, and they are famous for how different they all are from each other yet they always got along super well. They used to dominate variety shows and ace their solo projects. Anyways, great reaction! Catch me if you can was not a proper release, it was a present for the fans, hence the lack of music video. But i think the song shines more with a simple choreo video.
OMG I just watch your first reaction to snsd and now another reaction to them another blessing. Please react to their other song ( BUMP IT, PARTY, LION HEART ETC.) their japanese discography is also good.
Ah, as a 2nd gen fan this makes me feel soo nostalgic! Every boy group covered Gee back in the day haha and I even learned the dance for "Genie" (Tell me your wish) loool Also: GIRLS BRING THE BOYS OUT!
If you are looking for more suggestions: "Lion Heart" is a good one that showcases a mature "cutesy" vibe while still showing his much the girls have matured over the years. "Lil' Touch" is a smaller formation and it showcases Oh!GG which has the girls singing good vocals that showcase the sounds of the girls and it is a sexier song with the choreo. "Oh" or "Run Devil Run" is a two-part music video series that showcases the girls' earlier more youthful sounds like "Gee" but the two parts is like a Good vs Evil concept. "Beautiful Stranger" is a along that is AMAZING live and it definitely much more rock vibes with the guitar in that song. It is a B-side though, hence it being live, but I know you react to live songs sometimes. Lastly, you can always react to their latest comeback with "Forever1" to show exactly where the girls' are now in their careers, the maturity in their voices, what they have learned over the years, and they are back to the 8-formation. This also their newest song.
Ive seen a few comments explaining already but its good to note that at the time, kpop was pretty much dominated by boy groups (tvxq, suju etc) so trying to get popularity and recognition was not easy. they had a black ocean during their debut stage (meaning the crowd was absolutely quiet and, giving no recognition when they performed and jsut waiting for them to leave). gee was sort of like their 'redebut' where they started to get fully recognised. so instead of amplifying the members, they had to amplify the group. and through tv shows is where their individual personalities and characters would be shown and explained
You hit the nail pretty squarely when you noted that identical styling was a part of that era...it was and the era is called Second Generation Kpop, which these ladies were at the forefront of. Current generation is Fourth. Third generation groups like Mamamoo and Red Velvet have hit the magic seven year mark.
10:49 The one that sung the bridge out of nowhere is actually the one that wrote the lyrics for the song and did the arrangement. Her name is Yuri and she's only a sub vocalist. But yeah, she's a Girl's Generation, so the confidence is 100%.
You're right that wearing matching outfits was more of an era thing, a lot of groups wore matching outfits at that time, and it was one of SNSD's trademarks in their early years. The members of SNSD were also known to the public individually though, so it wasn't as much of an issue since they went on a lot of variety shows and showed their individual personalities that way. Gee actually made colored skinny jeans a craze in Korea, that song was HUGE. It won Melon's song of the decade even though it came out in the last year of the decade, and is one of the most downloaded Kpop songs of all time. The Boys came out in 2011, and was the first time they released a song where they wore different, individualized outfits for the MV and performances (you can check out the MV to see more of this). They even mentioned that a lot in the promo iirc. The performance you reacted to for The Boys was from The David Letterman Show in early 2012, and was actually a remix of the English version of the song. David Letterman was a late-night show in the US, and I believe SNSD was only the second Kpop group to ever be on American television (Wonder Girls was the first). It's only in recent years that groups performing on American television became more common since Kpop has grown a lot over the past 3-4 years globally. SNSD was really ahead of their time. They were doing a lot of the things that have become more common, like selling hundreds of thousands of copies, appearing on American television, winning American awards, etc. 10 years ago, that's how iconic they are. Except back then, they were the only one. When you thought of Kpop girl groups, you thought of SNSD and everyone argued over who was second behind them. They could have easily held a world tour even then, but SM sadly never gave them one. It's funny that you said Catch Me If You Can was from before The Boys, because it actually came out 4 years later, in 2015! Sometimes they still wear matching outfits, but they have a lot of individuality in their performance styles, so they all still shine and show their own charms. For vocals, I recommend checking out their performance of Goodbye from Sketchbook, their performance of Into the New World from their Girls & Peace tour, and their performance of the acoustic version of All My Love is for You from their third Japan tour, Love & Peace. For MVs, I'd suggest Oh!/Run Devil Run (they're very loosely tied together), Lion Heart, and All Night (their last release for their 10th anniversary along with Holiday)! I'd recommend digging into their Japanese music/MVs when you get the chance as well, Mr. Taxi, Flower Power, Paparazzi, Galaxy Supernova, and Time Machine are some of my favorites. A lot of fans actually prefer their Japanese discography to their Korean discography, it's a lot more of a powerful woman image than their earlier Korean releases.
Snsd were the ones to start everything.. Things you see and their evolution, they were the ones making it happen. They also had alot less freedom that groups do now. Lastly and incredibly important thing to note is that at this time their mic had no auto tune like even "live performances" do now.
I am glad you bring awareness to the choreo in Catch Me If You Can because that was the first song/ album where they went down to 8 members and I can remember in interviews that the girls mentioned how a 9-formation is easier to choreograph because there can be a focus/ center and a balance on either side so it looks clean and pleasing when they are dancing but with 8 members, they had to change it up and create the grouping like the two groups of four or the 6 dancing while two walk toward the camera. If there was one focus, the formation and camera work created that appeal that was pleasing to the viewer. When you could see all 8 in a formation, there was still layers to it like the front was kneeling or the back had their arms raised.
Crazy how they released Oh! and then released their repackage Run Devil Run. That shows their versatility. I would also like to suggest Dancing Queen. Their performance in Sketchbook was legendary. All the live vocals were insane. You should also watch the music video of The Boys because. I like that one than the remix. It is so good. It's like their telling the world this is really their generation.
I think the Kpop industry “as a whole “ didn’t start embrace more individuality until maybe 2013 or 2014ish / 3rd Generation which makes sense because solo debuts wasn’t really a common thing until Taemin’s solo debut in 2014. I really liked the transition away from the more costume-like stage outfits to actual Fashion and the different hair colors (Although I think they still styled them to look similar for debut and the first comeback era before individualizing) Actually Catch Me If You Can came out in 2015 and The Boys was 2011. I think CM if YC was more matchy because although you reacted to the Korean vers. This was actually a Japanese release. JPOP hasn’t really evolved like Kpop has. The concept for the Boys was that the members were goddesses I think. To highlight individuality, I believe each member was allowed to give input to show off more their own style in their outfits.
Didn't know that! Since 2ne1 was doing it from the get go in 2009 as well as having two members go solo (and G-dragon going solo the same year) I thought it kind of began there. BUt at least with 2NE1's fashion I guess it was supposed to be breaking boundaries, out there, rebellious and maybe a bit shocking. Took some years after that I guess for it to become more of a thing? Something I think SM artist always seems to be good at! YG artists were being rebellious and loud and breaking boundaries while SM artists made it their own and more publically embraced, just as you said. :D Perfect combo, YG breaking boundaries and SM setting the standard! I may be a YG fangirl but Girl's generation was my first group and Shinee will always be epic! ❤ Also interesting comment about Catch me if you can being matchy because it was a Japanese release! Never thought of that but makes sense. I just loved the styling that era in general. ^^
Taeyang debuted as a solo in 2008, got a no.1 hit, so did deasung. G dragon debuted in 2009, and was the best charting solo in Korea that year, Park bom got a solo PAK in 2011... I respect taemin- but that was a lie
@@xoxlove6101 Oh right I forgot Taeyang debuted solo already in 2008! Thought GD was first one in Bigbang even though I still listen to Taeyangs solo debut. 😅 But yeah Taemin wasn't the first one or first successful one going solo, but I kinda assumed OP meant that Taemin made going solo more of a thing. The first one doing something new are usually not the one making something mainstream, just as I mentioned above about how 2ne1 focused a lot on individuality and fashion when they debuted 2009 but this didn't become mainstream until later. ^^
LOL I didn't expect The Boys Eng Version when I recommended the song. This is still an iconic performance but the MV is also worth looking into. Other group cbs I would suggest is Run Devil Run, Party and Holiday/All Night since that was the last full group cb. Other than that I would delve into some of the subunit/solo songs or even a guide if you have time for individual members.
2nd gen groups are usually dressed up uniformly like that, they seek out individuality in other activities such as dramas, variety shows, etc. Girls' Generation, on the other hand, each and every one of them is famous in South Korea. There's no need to differentiate their outfits, people already know who's who!
This girl at 11:30 is Jessica Jung, she is the main vocalist (with Taeyeon) and unfortunately were kicked out of the group in 2014. Also, you should react to The Boys music video, is pretty iconic. Loved you reaction btw.
@ 6:10 Never really paid a lot of attention to that detail! I’ve become so used to it lol If I remember in one of their shows (Girls Go To School), Jessica said something about how they really needed to make sure they were all dancing in sync because it would look good and organized-I’m guessing it’s because some ppl like it when you have a ton of things moving in sync and/or things to be the same. Also, I know they’re not a kpop group but they have a lot of members too, AKB48 (jpop) does this too. I’m thinking it’s a style choice. Not entirely sure if it’s a culture thing tho.
The one and only Nation's Girl Group. SNSD Ultimate kpop Queens, they are award winning actresses, in demand models, soloists, Dj, business woman, and they are so talented. What HUmurous asf, what else can you ask for?
love your reactions! :)) feels like you're one of the rare ones that always tries to understand the story that each song is portraying through lyrics and the cut scenes in MVs :) would love if you can react to "lion heart" "all night" "holiday" and "adrenaline" :))
Get ready for Gee to be stuck in your head randomly forever. I don't think I've even watched thr full MV before now (in this reaction) and already the song has been getting stuck in my head for years, even if I hadn't heard it it would just randomly pop up in my mind. It lives rent free.
I think your comment about the styling in Gee seeming "more mature" is also because they're wearing clothes that are now just outdated. All the styling minus the heels is pretty accurate to what "stylish" teens/tweens wore back in 2009 media lol. You can see the same kind of styling in other kpop MVs of the era: Kara's Rock U/Wanna, 4minute's Hot Issue, etc. It was also definitely a trend at the time to have members "mesh" together more and have similar styling but it definitely depended on the group and concept (and it still is used in some more recent groups occasionally). 2NE1 is a great example of a group from the era that really focused on showing the members' originality for all their releases.
Karma Butterfly is one of their best live performances. Into the New World is their iconic debut song that's literally sung at protests/women's marches in Korea and every girl group has covered. There's a ballad version too for the vocals. SNSD's known for their versatility and wide range of concepts. For example, they dropped Oh! and Run Devil Run as a double comeback and they are polar opposites. As others have said, their Japanese discography is amazing. Their ballads are amazing. There's so many good live performances from their concerts too, like Bump It which others have mentioned.
I am so happy to see you react to the legends right before their comeback! They always make me so proud! I do think u need to see them in live dance performance becoz their choreo never fail to amaze me! And also, if u really want to get to know their personality better, do catch their Channel Soshi shows! Each of them are so unique and funny i bet you will love them! Looking forward to more reactions to them again!!
I havent watch this yet but pls not the mistake live version koko3op watch lmao And yasss thank god its the different one Im cackling when you point out how hyo's energy in mistake performance 🤣🤣🤣 The boys, how sooyoung keep stealing your attention lmao
Yeah as others mentioned before, the variety shows brought out their personalities more. In fact, it was a variety show that got me hooked on them and it snowballed from there. They are about to make a comeback in August with a show coming up this month. That might give you more of their individual personas.
CMIYC is one of their most taxing and difficult choreo, trainees who covered it said they might actually pass out of exhaustion just doing choreo and these ladies gave those vocals too. as for The Boys, this perf is not it and thats saying something bcz they did amazing still. maybe do a concert one or Dream Concert 2013 bcz trust me it hits different in KR. most eng ver of songs just dont work. at least for me.
Btw the coloured jeans they wore in Gee actually started a fashion craze across South Korea, they were absolutely huge and now are still really big in their individual ways nowadays
From your comments in the Gee video. Yes, it is a Korean thing. Part of the Korean concept for groups is to have them look and perform age-appropriate music. Most girl groups started out with girly bubble gum pop music and kept the look uniform. The reason for this is that they wanted to grow the group's image as the members aged. Many groups debut with members that are from 14-16 years old. It made no sense to have groups with members that young doing mature songs and themes. I believe this is cultural, and much of the K-pop fandom in Korea are not big fans of groups starting out looking so mature at such a young age. You are supposed to grow a K-pop group. When groups start off with mature looks and concepts, it leaves them nowhere to go.... nowhere to grow. Another thing to consider that a Westerner would not know is there is a maturity gap, as well as a sexuality gap in Korea. Young Korean idols like you saw in "Gee" had never dated and had very little contact with members of the opposite sex. Once they are formed as a group, and move into communal living, they will have managers who will be with them 24/7. Many of these idols are in their mid to late 20's before they ever have a chance to go on a date, and even then, they have to do it in secret, as they catch a lot of flak and cannot date in the open. There was a study done that showed that the average age a Korean woman has sex is 23, while for Korean men, it is 21. So, when you see lyrics from K-pop idols that are in their 20's, but sound like they are teenagers, it could very well be that is where they are emotionally and growth wise. It may seem strange from a Western perspective, because Westerners are much more mature and sexually active much earlier.
get into their japanese discography it’s crazyyyyy check out the mvs for galaxy supernova, flower power, karma butterfly (live stage), the iconic ballad Divine (last song before jessica left) and animal (live stage)
Correct me If i remember wrong....but Gee was the song that was the one that made the girls number 1. And obviously it was cute and stuff, since that looong time ago. And girls were soo young. I would watch The Boys mv....that is my fave mv from GG
That David Letterman clip is so cringe. That's Regis Philbin and Bill Murray along with David Letterman, and they clearly have NO idea who SNSD is. Regis is just staring at Sunny the whole time. That stage is very tiny, and I"m super impressed that the members were able to pull off that performance there. Kpop has come a long way since then.
they would avoid preforming Catch me if you can live because of how exhausting the dance is. Taeyeon said she could tastiest blood after they where done preforming it.
Pls react to aespa pls order Debut song black mamba Forever live performance Next level dance practice or mv Savage mv Recent realease lifes too short mv
So what I think the girls Generation look similar is for the unity is need to project this is from 2009 Girls Generation was the first Girl Group with nine members in kpop and before of them it wasn't popular big girl groups so they want to potrait more like united group and look like never one member look more expensive or the favorite of the group but if you see from "The Boys" they look different in outfits and hair styles so they change a lot after that.
The styling of looking alike you're kind of spot on about unity and teamwork at that timeframe. That's why it seems the older choreographies was more about synchronization, including SNSD, was known for. From what I notice about kpop image progression is they lean towards the generation they've debut with, so while SNSD may have been one of the older and active girl groups, they still utilise the same teamwork image dynamic from their vocals and harmonies and therefore styling and choreos. But I think like the past 3 years or so it's so rare and not a trend that I doubt we'll be seeing that from any groups anymore. Their last comeback although 5 years ago for Lion Heart (compared with CMIYC's 8 years) also have a set of matching outfits (some not) for that reason. Also in terms of individuality thing per performances, my guess is it's not necessarily SM telling them against being individualistic but they kind of lean in the whole unity thing. Beyond music, they're also beloved for their teamwork/friendship. And maybe reading too much into it but back then when SNSD was so popular that they have just so many gigs and tight scheduling that they're often autopiloting a lot. Which is still incredible because although you don't get that extra umpf you crave, you're not robbed of a quality performance. This is why too many fans just love their dance practice videos because it's chill and quite individualistic plus sometimes funny cause mistakes and shenanigans. I'm always amazed at these little bits of obscure commentary that you are able to pick up way beyond their music. Thanks for another fun video.
Other great suggestions for you to react to would be: Show Girls in MBCKpop Channel Bump it in Phantasia (Japan/Seoul) Karma Butterfly 3rd Japan tour Run Devil Run-T.O.P-The Boys-Reflection set at Tokyo Dome 😊🙌
@12:20 thats Taeyeon!! In my op, I kinda wish they started making kpop groups like they used to back in the early 2000s throughout the mid 2010s. Girls Generation is a really good example. Again, this is just my opinion
Well they wore uniforms in MVs like Genie,Hoot,Run devil run, Catch me if you can etc and still nailed it 💯 concept wise, Plus there's no genre new groups are doing they've not done(some still even refer back to them or gain inspiration from their past works),they literally ate all genres and left no crumbs, From bubble gum pop to electronic pop,to R&B to ballads etc, they're are legends for a reason 😎🙌🏅🎖️
gen 2 really work hard to make their individual personality shines companies after that just learn or copy what had been the outcome of previous generation's idol hard work . before, idols went to audition to achieve their dreams like they are desperate to become a singer.. they get in a group with their unique talent in hands, promoting themselves at various show, creating , reinventing idol culture. bringing pure fun in fandoms (although it was brutal for fandoms even back then) now, idols are so easy to find because companies know the formula to find certain characters of their dream group. because they watch what make a teams great from previous groups which are not as a lot in numbers as todays groups. previous gens are fun because they are genuine.. there's a lot of high quality production of idols these days but we'll never see the firsts of amazing things created out of desperation of the idols themselves.. i might sound stupid for this comments but theres just a lot more to say but i cant put into words. send help hope people understand where i come from and where im going with this comment 😃 sorry if theres anything wrong
bcs they work hard to make the team name known, to make songs stays in chart. personality is number 2. they werent selling personality.. that what people saw in them after people know them.. thats why they are memorable by tv hosts ..know their song first, then know each singer
