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T-ara puts sexy on hold, tries tender instead

November 9, 2016

SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) — South Korean girl group T-ara hit a media showcase event on Wednesday with a new EP, trying out a tender, warm-hearted image.

The six-member act, best known for their haughty and seductive style, showed up on the promotional stage for their 12th and latest EP “Remember” in central Seoul wearing black chiffon blouses and skirts. The fashion is a sharp contrast to most of their earlier hits, such as “Bo Peep Bo Peep,” “Lies” and “Sexy Love,” for which the K-pop band generally wore tight mini dresses and shorts.

“In our earlier works, we used to take on distinctive concepts for our music, choreography and stage outfits — these things were something that other girl groups would not try,” said T-ara’s Jiyeon.

“This time, we wanted to see how a very common, natural girl group style turns out with T-ara,” she added.

Jiyeon (L) and Boram of South Korean girl group T-ara perform at the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP "Remember" in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

Jiyeon (L) and Boram of South Korean girl group T-ara perform at the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP “Remember” in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

The typical cycle of a K-pop girl group’s style starts with tender, moves on to cute, then ends with sexy. T-ara, on the other hand, started sexy and has stayed sexy since its debut in 2009, so they are trying the opposite for the first time in their seven-year history.

“Our signature is high-tempo (dance) songs, but this time we tried to come up with a warm, refreshing song that goes well with winter,” said T-ara’s Eunjung, when asked about the five-song EP’s lead single “Tiamo.”

T-ara’s dramatic change of style became even more clear when six little girls mounted the stage in the middle of the “Tiamo” performance. Even sign language constituted a key move of “Tiamo,” adding to the good girl vibe of the mid-tempo pop song.

Composed and written by South Korean hit producers Park Jang-geun and Chancellor, “Tiamo” presents a mellow blend of piano, guitar and strings on top of a pop beat.

Members of South Korean girl group T-ara perform with little girls in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP "Remember" in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

Members of South Korean girl group T-ara perform with little girls in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP “Remember” in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

After “Tiamo,” the girl group staged a ballad, tentatively titled “Heartbroken Just for Today,” which describes the love pain of a woman who cannot let go of the memories of her ex-lover.

The third song, tentatively named “Farewell Film,” is a dance-pop song that best fits T-ara’s trademark sexy electro dance music genre. For the song, the band members changed their outfits to silk blouses and black boot-cut slacks, seeking a subtle balance between sexy and elegant.

Although not performed in the showcase, T-ara opened up about the Chinese version of “Tiamo,” which is also listed in the EP.

“We’re glad to have many Chinese fans who like our songs,” said Soyeon. “That’s why we tend to pick lead singles that can be liked both here and in China,” she continued.

For all of the members, the biggest challenge for T-ara’s activities in China was the language, especially the pronunciation of Chinese lyrics.

Fortunately, Soyeon and Eunjung said, “Tiamo” received great reviews from Chinese audiences and placed high in local Chinese music charts.

Upon closing the showcase event, Hyomin hoped that the audience had awaited T-ara’s songs as much as the band itself.

“With the new EP, we’ve been asked many times if we did not feel scared about our extreme change of style. But if we always put up a similar style and performance, that would have led to even more dreadful feelings,” she said.

“This is our way of breaking out of our limits.”

Members of South Korean girl group T-ara perform in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP "Remember" in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

Members of South Korean girl group T-ara perform in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP “Remember” in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

Since its debut in 2009 with EP “Lies,” T-ara has hit the bull’s eye with 12 EPs, including the latest, “Memories.” Some of its greatest hits include “Bo Peep Bo Peep,” “Cry Cry,” “I Go Crazy Because of You,” and “Cry Cry.”

T-ara’s first official fan club launched three years after its debut, providing a broad fandom at home. The girl group went through its greatest crisis when its member, Hwayoung, left the group amid rumors that she was victimized by her teammate’s bullying. The incident caused T-ara members to drop out of television shows and other entertainment arrangements, and eventually to seek broader market outside the country.

Since its China debut in 2014, T-ara has actively engaged in both China and here.

Eunjung (L) and Hyomin of South Korean girl group T-ara perform in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP "Remember" in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.

Eunjung (L) and Hyomin of South Korean girl group T-ara perform in the media showcase for their 12th and latest EP “Remember” in central Seoul on Nov. 9, 2016.