2NE1 With Blockbuster World Tour: World Invasion

Your newest single, “I Love You,” contains a trot melody and style, which was sure to be a new challenge for you. Being a new style, it must surely have been fun while working at it.

CL: It was already a challenge when we positioned to record it. Singing trot is not something we are familiar with. While doing the recording of the song, there were parts that were difficult, and I had to stay behind, while the other three members already finished.

Minzy: I joke that I have a trot side to me. However, the feel of 2NE1’s new song was totally different.

CL: There were a lot of changes during the recording. Compared to the original demo, only a few parts of it made the final cut, and we even modified some parts when we did the first recording, compared to the final.

When we heard the song, we became more and more curious about the performance and looked forward to the broadcast. 2NE1 will have a sexy image, with the choreography and costumes.

CL: Aside from that, the entire stage production has become feminine and sexy. It wasn’t awkward though, the unnies showed off an interesting side.

Would we see you in more broadcasts?

CL: Ever since our debut, we only went out on 3-4 broadcasts in a week’s time amd never more. It’s always been.. (Sandara Park whispers out something).. Huh?

Sandara: We never went to more than one or two shows (Everybody laughs).

CL: Ha ha, so I’ll fix what I said, we didn’t go to a lot. But it is because we want to show everyone a perfect stage, rather than many appearances.

You just made a comeback in July and will go straight to the world tour. There doesn’t seem to be much time to have activities in the local scene.

CL: When we were told that we won’t be having many stages for our comeback song, it was regretful, but since the first concert leg would be in Seoul, we felt a bit better. The preparations for the concert were held at the same time as practicing for our single, everything was just so busy. But we’re more happy working busily than resting.

Is this for real? The other members also feel the same thing?

CL: We don’t know how to rest well. We’ve practiced a busy lifestyle for so long, ever since we were trainees, to when we debuted, we spent more years practicing and performing on stage, compared to lounging around and resting. I think we’ve forgotten how.

Recently, the group has become hot topics for attending the Cannes International Advertising Festival, as speakers for K-pop during the seminar. You also had the photoshoot for W magazine in the same place, how do you find the atmosphere here?

CL: We didn’t spend that much time. We had to go straight to Italy because we had another schedule. We actually saw more of Cannes and had a chance to sightsee the area because of the photoshoot. It would have been nice to eat in different restaurants and walk along the pretty streets.

How did you feel when you experienced standing on stage as speakers?

CL: Although we’re used to standing on big stages, it was the first time that we were invited as speakers. We were very nervous and worried about it for a long time. We requested the organizers to change the format to an interview type, instead of giving speeches. We were able to speak more comfortably then.

Going back on stage for the first time for your comeback against speaking in for an international advertisement seminar, which one was more difficult?

Sandara: Of course, it was more difficult to be speaking.

CL: We get to change into someone completely different during performances. But speaking in a place like this where we had to show ourselves, it was more nerve-wracking.

(more after the cut)

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