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[ENG SUB] 170726 WEEKLY IDOL - Mamamoo & Gfriend

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[ENG TRANS] [Birthday Talk To You] Mamamoo Hwa Sa

Having risen as Korea’s girl crush symbols only after 3 years of debut, Mamamoo’s (Solar, Moonbyul, Whee In, Hwa Sa) fatally sexy and charismatic Hwa Sa (Ahn Hye Jin) met her birthday this 23rd. Her birthday is 7/23/1995.

Hwa Sa is part of Mamamoo, who released their first mini album ‘Hello’ on 6/18/2014, is a four membered girl group that made their official debut with their title song ‘Mr. Ambiguous’ on Mnet’s ‘M Countdown’ on the 6/19/2004. After only 2 years from their debut, they grabbed first place on ‘Inkigayo’ with their song ‘You Are the Best’ earning them the phrase ‘Mamamoo is the Best’ as they grew to be one of the most popular groups receiving an explosion of love.

Hwa Sa is garnering intense attention having released a cover of ‘City of Stars’ from the movie ‘La La Land’ OST for her birthday. Her chic but humorous personality is evident in this birthday interview as Hwa Sa’s charm appeals through her answers to tell her birthday story.

Q.[How do you feel about your upcoming birthday?] “I have always had schedules on my birthdays, so I usually pass my birthday without even realizing.”

Q. [You are the Best. Now that you’ve become very popular do you feel this birthday is different than your past birthdays? What’s the biggest change?] “My hair got a lot longer. ^^.”

Q. [What does a birthday mean to Hwa Sa?] “I don’t put a lot of meaning to it. But if I had to, I would say it’s just a day when I miss my parents more.”

Q. [As you are turning one year older, you are getting what you’ve craved for since your debut. How are you currently feeling about getting older?] “I wouldn’t say I craved for it ^^. I just feel that age is but a number.”

Q. [Is there an age that you are really looking forward to?] “30 years old. I am curious of how much I’ve changed when I greet a new decade.”

Q. [What was the best most fun birthday you have had?] “When I was in middle school.”

Q. [Did you ever receive a special birthday present?] “When I was in middle school, my second eldest sister did my nails for the first time. My sister didn’t really want to do it for me but because I was begging her to on my birthday she reluctantly complied. ^^.”

Q. [Would you tell us what compliment Hwa Sa would like to hear most on her birthday?] “I would prefer to be treated as I would be on a normal day. Hahahahahahaha.”

Q. [Last year your members gave you lingerie. What if they gift you lingerie this year too?] “I will hit them with the lingerie.”

Q. [If you are given a vacation for your birthday, what would you like to do?] “First, I would like to quietly observe the aurora in Iceland. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do since I was young. Second, I would like to see the Iguazu Falls. I’ve always wanted to go and just feel the vastness of the Iquazu. Third, I would like to see the Grand Canyon. I fell in love with it from a picture I saw when I was little.”

Q. [Is there a star that you would like to be congratulated by?] “Kim Hye Soo senior. I might faint before I even get congratulated though. She was my role model ever since I was young.”

Q. [Please say a short birthday message for your members.] “My members keep asking me to take them to a lobster buffet and I hope they take the roof off my house.”

Q. [Lastly, please leave a message to yourself for your birthday.] “Don’t lose this side of you even in the future as you fulfill your duties and steadily share the love that you have received. Always be healthy!”

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; take out with proper credits.

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[ENG TRANS] From Mamamoo’s ‘Ugly Duckling’ Maknae to Girl Crush Rapper

Hwa Sa “Stage fright… I dreamt of Winehouse”

Mamamoo has become the symbol for courageous female idols and Hwa Sa, a Mamamoo member, said, “I dreamt of becoming a courageous woman watching stars like Beyonce.” 

Singer Lee Hyori picked Mamamoo when asked what junior group caught her attention on the 4th during her 6th album ‘Black’ release press conference. Mamamoo is from a different company without any close ties and so she states the only reason they caught her eye was because, “They are overflowing with talent.” “They are one of the only groups who perform lives for college festivals,” is a praise (from Mersenne Entertainment’s event planning president Kim Jae Hyung) that proves how skilled Mamamoo is for having broken through the confines of uniformity idols are trapped in and are able to freely run wild on stage. “Don’t be conscientious, I am the Vogue,” is what their new song ‘Yes I Am’ declares, making it a song for confident women, and accordingly they walk a different path from other girl groups.

‘Unique,’ and ‘Progressive Women’ are the highlights of this song that is maintaining high popularity. ‘Decalcomanie’ placed 19th on the first half of the year(January~June) Gaon Charts, while 6 songs including ’Um Oh Ah Yeh’(2015) and ‘You Are the Best’(2016) have been played over 5 million times on Melon music sites. Mamamoo is the only idol group to have over 5 million streaming plays in the course of 3 years.

“It would’ve been a pretty girl group if it weren’t for you” Her talent broke through this harsh remark.

What caught everyone’s eyes to propel this team to popularity was the youngest Hwa Sa’s efforts. With rich facial expressions and rap with a unique taste, she is doing well in the role of the team’s energizer. Hwa Sa’s characteristic husky low voice has also played a key role in broadening Mamamoo’s musical spectrum.

Hwa Sa’s story is much like the group 2ne1’s member CL. Before debut she didn’t receive much attention but with her rap and singing skills she gained spotlight within the passing year. Recently at one cafe meeting in Seoul Sangahmdong, Hwa Sa said, “Around our debut days I’ve read comments asking me to be kicked out of the group saying ‘Without Hwa Sa (Mamamoo) would be a pretty girl group’ and I was hurt,” and she continued, “But also because of those comments I thought ‘I will show them what I’m really made of’ and felt compelled.”

Last year they released the song made for their fans called ’Never Letting Go’ and it contains “I didn’t have anywhere to go, I fell down so many times,” which sings about Hwa Sa’s personal story. She came up to Seoul alone from Jeonju in her 1st year of high school to become a singer and started her life as a trainee. To not waste money on transportation, she would walk to the record studio in Chungdangdong from her house in Sangdangdong. Even if she took the subway it takes 20 minutes to make this trip. “I cried when I heard about how my parents only spent 9,000 won on heating during the winter,” Hwa Sa expressed how she hungered to be a reliable daughter. She gritted her teeth and endured for 3 years to debut in 2014 as a member of Mamamoo.

“I can’t write Ballad lyrics even if my life depended on it!”

Hwa Sa has a lot of female fans. It’s because her stages are fearless. In her self composed and self written song ‘Freakin’ Shoes’ she raps “Noona will marry you,” and in her song ‘I Do Me’ she says “Ribbit ribbit I’m a mischievous frog like woman,” singing that she is a woman that the world cannot tame. Hwa Sa laughed, “Even when I was really young, I liked confident women.” “I loved Beyonce and the actress Kim Hye Soo, so I naturally followed suit.”

Hwa Sa could not overlook injustice even as a pre-schooler. When one of her girl friends were teased by boys, she would find and fight them to get an apology. This kind of attitude fit hip hop so well. “I started writing lyrics 1st year of high school, but I couldn’t write lyrics that fit ballad songs even if my life depended on it. I just don’t have the temperament for it I suppose. I could freely express my thoughts through rap and so I just accepted that rap music is more fitting for me.”

Still, she has a different side to her as well. Hwa Sa’s real name is Ahn Hyejin, and according to her Ahn Hyejin is “a totally different person” than Hwa Sa. She means that there are many different traits between ’Ahn Hyejin’ and ‘Hwa Sa.’ Hwa Sa says, “Even though I am confident on stage I do get nervous in front of cameras and sometimes get intense stage fright.”

Mamamoo’s member Hwa Sa dreams about taking her solo activities in the musical direction of “Amy Winehouse.” Winehouse’s unique music hailed her as a genius musician but she passed away at the age of twenty-eight.

“Live passionately” On her ankle she carved ’Resonance’

Like day and night, and “Jekyll and Hyde” there exists a duality within Hwa Sa as her motto is “Live passionately.” It has helped her overcome her nervousness in front of the camera and her stage fight so she can run freely on stage. On Hwa Sa’s left ankle she has the word ‘Resonance’ tattooed. It holds her wish to have her music resonate in someone else.

Hwa Sa stated, “I want to break out of the idol mold,” as her goal although she started out an idol. Hwa Sa sang Han Young Ae’s ’Is Anyone There’ last May on the MBC variety program ‘Masked Singer’ and earned a lot of attention. If she were to do solo activities? “I want to make music like Amy Winehouse,” she hopes. Winehouse’s unique music hailed her as a genius musician but she passed away at the age of twenty-eight. She was famed for her song ‘Love is a Losing Game’ that mixed jazz and soul.

For Hwa Sa whose motto is “Live passionately,” it honestly doesn’t matter what the genre is. “I am confident in rock music too. I also have dream to meet an audience in a small Hongdae theater with an acoustic guitar. Regardless of what song I sing, ‘a singer who was passionate to the end’ is how I want to be remembered.”

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; take out with proper credits.

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[TRANS] [ARTICLE] “Yes I am! Ma.Ma.Moo!”

“Bluffing idols that aren’t hatable! Mamamoo found their own color?! <Purple>”

A Color Only Mamamoo Can Pull off <Purple>

It’s not an easy color that many can pull off but isn’t the color purple the best color to express Mamamoo’s uniqueness and individuality?

Their past 3rd album ‘Um Oh Ah Yeh’ showed off a bright and cheerful pink light charm and with the addition of the provocative and unpredictable blue light charm the end result was this album ‘Purple’ that represents Mamamoo’s truly own unique color.

The album [Purple] holds Mamamoo’s fancy and colorful charms

“Starting with ‘Yes I am’ and followed by ‘Finally’ an electronic dance song, ‘Love & Hate’ which was released at their concert,

‘Age Gag’ which is overflowing with beagleness, and ‘Da Ra Da’ that Jeff Bernat and B.O. also participated in to conclude a full 5 track list!!”

Like clothes made just for Mamamoo, the song ‘Yes I am’ melts together the girls’ energy and charm so fittingly!

Unlike the retro sound they showed in the past, ‘Cute Bluffing’ is expressed sensually in the lyrics and the point choreography that matches the concept so well is the focus point of this song.

This time as well please expect Mamamoo to be armed with music and an unique performance that will undoubtedly capture the eyes and ears of the audience.

Fans can ride the System at Mob! Fan Sys Mob

<3 3rd Favorite <3 Mamamoo

MU MU TALK

Mob has invited Solar, Moonbyul, Whee In, Hwa Sa.

MOB: Mamamoo hello! Congrats on your comeback! What kind of song is ‘Yes I am’?

Whee In: It’s a song with a modern sound change that let’s you meet a whole different side of Mamamoo!

Moonbyul: We show bluffs that aren’t hateable onstage with the concept Cutie Bluffing and it sensually expresses the offstage sides of us.

Hwa Sa: This is a highly energetic song melted together with a charm that fits Mamamoo like tailored clothes ha ha

Solar: We’ve prepared an unique performance that will capture the eyes and ears of the audience so please listen to it many many times~~

MOB: Did you know that there are a lot of questions that Moomoos have for Mamamoo?

Solar: Ask, ask away~~~!

Q: What was the reason you chose ‘Purple’ as the album concept?

Solar: Most think purple is not an easy color to pull off Solar: So we chose it because we wanted to show that Mamamoo is able to easily pull off such a difficult color and look good! Solar: In other words, the color purple can be used best to symbolize our charm that is difficult to define!

Q: Other than the title track, what is the song that you like most on the album?

Moonbyul: For me it’s my own song ’Love & Hate’ that I personally worked on that I like the most!

Whee In: ‘Da Ra Da’! It was my first time I collaborated with a foreign singer and since he was an artist I had liked from my trainee days, this song means a lot to me.

Hwa Sa: ‘Finally’. It’s my choice after the title track. I really like the Cosmic Sound composer’s sound.

Solar: Age gag - it’s funny. - v -

Q: In the <5 Minute Spoiler Video> didn’t you guys introduce the new song as ‘Um Oh Ah Yeh 2’?

Moonbyul: Because this song is funky and shows off our goofy and bright sides like ‘Um Oh Ah Yeh’ ha ha

Q: Who’s idea was ‘Aze Gag’? Q: Just like how ‘1cm’ was made because you guys fought with each other Q: Was Age Gag made while the members were joking like that with each other?

Whee In: ‘Aze Gag’ was an idea that our producer Kim Do Hoon first gave to us and we all worked on the song together~~

Q: Mamamoo is always having so much fun! Were there any hilarious episodes while you guys were preparing for this album?

Hwa Sa: It’s not a hilarious episode but because we shot two MV’s… Hwa Sa: I laugh bitterly when I think about those times because it was so mentally exhausting�� ㅠㅅㅠ.

Q: Which member uses ‘Aze Gag’ jokes the most day to day?

Whee In: It’s hard to just choose one person because we all spit them out when we are mentally exhausted.. keke I think we all got better at them recently?!

Q: I want to be able to sing well…… Q: How much do I need to practice to sing as well as Mamamoo?

Solar: Watch a lot of videos and try to follow the musician’s way of singing and expressions, it’ll help a lot!

Q: If you were a boy which Mamamoo member would you want to date? Q: Tell us the reason too!!

Moonbyul: Myself. I don’t think it’ll bad to date someone like me? keke (cute bluffing)

Q: What times do you feel “Moomoos love us a lot”?

Whee In: When they cheer for us so much on stage that their voices get more strained than us!!!!

Hwa Sa: That’s right, it’s really touching..

Solar: That’s right! Because of Moomoos we get renewed strength!

Moonbyul: We’re always thankfulㅠㅠ!

MOB: Moomoo <3 Mamamoo let’s stick together for a long long time! Thank you for your time~~!

Whee In: Okay! Lastly, I just want to ask you to listen to ‘Purple’ many many times :)

Hwa Sa: Bye~~!!

Solar, Moonbyul, Whee In, Hwa Sa has left.

MOB: Who will be FanSysMob’s 4th favorite?

(Source)

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; take out with proper credits.

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[TRANS] [ARTICLE] “Don’t Expect Good Results” Mamamoo, Still BeLisMaMoo

‘BeLisMaMoo’ Mamamoo has returned.

There was showcase to commemorate Mamamoo’s 5th mini-album ‘Purple’ on 6/22 at the Seoul Mapo-gu district Hapjeong-dong’s MUV Hall.

Hwa Sa said, “We held an encore concert after our ‘Decalcomanie’ promotions last year. That was our biggest activities,” about their activities during their hiatus.

Solar revealed, “Whee In and Jungkey’s collaboration song ‘Anymore’ reached number 1 on the charts. It was most likely a very different experience for Whee In, but it was a huge experience for us, Mamamoo, as whole as well and we were all thankful.” Moonbyul also revealed, “We met our fans a lot at college festivals and regional events.”

About their album title ‘Purple,’ Whee In stated, “Purple is a color that results from mixing the colors pink and blue. Pink represents bright and cheerful feelings while blue holds depth and an intense musicality. We wanted to express the music color that is mixture of those.”

Mamamoo has returned in 6 months with their mini-album’s holds 5 tracks starting with their title track ‘Yes I am’ followed by an electronic dance song called ‘Finally’ which well captures Mamamoo’s strengths, Moonbyul’s solo song ‘Love & Hate’ which was released at their concert in March, ‘Age Gag’  a song with lyrics that hold the puns and childish humor used by old men and dads, and the song ’Da Ra Da’ that pop singer Jeff Bernat-rising newbie B.O. and Whee In worked on together.

The showcase began with their song ‘Age Gag’ that popped up from all over the stage and Mamamoo explained, “We think this kind of performance is our strength. A different performance every time, a performance you can’t get sick of is what we want to always show. People see showcases to have an uptight image but we wanted to break this and wanted to make a fun performance that we can connect with the audience with.”

‘Yes I am’ is a song that was made by composer and overall producer of the Mamamoo’s albums Kim Do Hoon, and it escapes that retro sound with a more modern sound change. With the concept ‘Cute Bluffing,’ they plan to show a kind of cute bluffing that isn’t aggravating to watch.

Hwasa revealed with confidence, “Whenever we were asked in the past about what Mamamoo’s strengths were we always said something about how we are bright and healthy but now we can say that we are a group that pleases both the eyes and ears.”

Solar said, “I think ‘BolMae’(acronym for ‘more charming as you get to know them’)  is a good way to describe Mamamoo. When we first debuted many people saw that we were short and had more friendly neighborhood people appearances and so they said things like, ‘What are those kids. Are they really a girl group,’ but as time passed their perspectives changed and now they just see us and go ‘They are just Mamamoo.’ I think this shows that we are more charming as you get to know us more.”

Solar also spoke about how they are work harmoniously with their company CEO and composer Kim Do Hoon, “A while ago while we were practicing our composer Kim Do Hoon told us not to expect good results. He told us not to get too disappointed and not fret about rankings. I understood what he said but because I’m human it was hard not to fret.”

Hwasa expressed gratitude by saying, “I tried to joke about it even though that thought was heavy in my heart and said ‘But what if we rank really low?’ to which he said ‘If it’s low it’s good because it means it can go up’ in a positive light. I was so thankful he tried to cheer us up like this.”

Mamamoo recently reached the 3rd year anniversary of their debut. Whee In said, “It’s a new experience. It feels like we debuted yesterday but 3 years has already passed so many thoughts popped in my head. All the things we’ve been through… all those upsetting ordeals don’t seem like a big deal anymore and now I realize those are slumps, hardships that anyone can overcome. We actually had more cheerful and happy moments.”

Hwasa revealed, “Promotions are always hard in the beginning. During our recent ‘Decalcomanie’ promotions I lacked energy and endurance. Usually we jump jump around like crazy and have tons of fun but I had no energy so I decided that I need to exercise more.”

‘Beagleness’ is a keyword that is associated with Mamamoo and they said, “We really love being called Beagle-dols. It’s not a characteristic that is trapped in a box. The keyword has a nuance that’s full of wild freedom and it shows off our color well. We think it’s a good keyword to introduce Mamamoo and we really like it.” Hwasa added, “We also like the ‘BeLisMaMoo’ keyword. We are grateful for it.”

Moonbyul revealed her ambition saying, “Even though we don’t have strong make up or high heels like other girl groups, I want to hear once that ‘Mamamoo is really cute. They have a very adorable side.’ We have a very strong ‘unnie’ image. Sometimes we’re portrayed too strong and it hurts us. We can also be pretty and we want to be able to show more of our different aspects.”

Mamamoo said, “We want to be a group that pleases the eyes and ears. We will strive hard until that day we are acknowledged as an artist that pleases everyone’s eyes and ears.” (Source)

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; take out with proper credits.

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[TRANS] [ARTICLE] ’Sketchbook', From Mamamoo to Park Soo Hong... 'Super Hyperactive People' Special Prepared

The episode of KBS 2TV ‘Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook’ that is to be aired this 24th will include hot stages from various musicians of diverse genres who are known for bringing the raw talent and hyperactive energy.

From the legend performance at the ‘2016 Blue Dragon Awards’ that Mamamoo celebrated, member Moonbyul changed that famed line aimed at Jung Woo Sung “If I one shot this, will you date me?” to aim it at Yoo Hee Yeol with “Will you let me briefly live by your side?” and brought out laughter from the audience. Also Mamamoo grabbed the attention by performing their title track ‘Yes I am’ from their recently released 5th mini-album ‘Purple’ for the first time for a broadcasted show.

The romantic producer Jungkey and Mamamoo’s Whee In appeared on stage for another performance. These two had worked together on the song ‘Anymore’ in March and reached number 1 on a music show without even promoting on air. Jungkey who made this song revealed, “I made this when I read the lips of a fighting couple in front of my window,” and shocked everyone with how he had finished composing the song and writing the lyrics in one hour.

Also he expressed the reason why he chose Whee In as the vocalist by saying, “Whee In’s voice can rupture the space-time continuum.” On the other side, Whee In was brought to spotlight recently for her collabo project with the beloved romantic musician Jeff Bernat and expressed sadness for only being able to speak “Thank you” to him when they met. Whee In followed up by singing a bit of Jeff Bernat’s ‘Moonlight Chemistry’ to reveal she is a big fan of his. Jungkey and Whee In performed ‘Anymore’ for the first time on broadcast. (Source)

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; take out with proper credits.

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Mamamoo “Purple” Comeback Support Tutorials

Melon

A] Make a free MelOn account (TUTORIAL) B] How to navigate the site and stream (TUTORIAL) C] Claim free coupons BEFORE 6/21 (1 per account/can make multiple) (TUTORIAL) D] How to purchase a MelOn pass (iOS) (TUTORIAL)

Naver Music

A] Making a Naver account (TUTORIAL) B] Free coupons (use mobile) (TUTORIAL) C] How to stream on Naver (TUTORIAL)

Genie

A] Login with Kakaotalk + earn a free pass for 10 streams (and repeat!!)  (TUTORIAL) B] How to stream on Genie (TUTORIAL)

STREAMING VIDEO

A] Streaming on MV on Youtube (TUTORIAL) B] Streaming Stage perfomances (From Official Sites) M!Countdown - Music Bank - Music Core - Inkigayo

Album Purchases

A] Stores that count towards Gaon and Hanteo Charts YesAsia - KPOPTOWN - KPop Mart - KTown4u - Kpop Plus - Korean Mall - Synnara [Pre-orders (Opened 14/6)] B] Group orders for different countries: (Not affiliated with us) Philippines - Indonesia - Usa/Can/Mex

Music Show Voting

Scoring System Breakdown of All Music Shows

Mcountdown (Pre-Voting Fri 2PM ~ Mon 9AM ) (Live voting Thurs 18:00 KST) Music Bank (Show starts Fri 17:00 KST) Music Core (Pre-voting Wed 10:00 ~ Thu 12:00) Inkigayo  (Pre-Voting Mon 12 PM ~ Sat 11:59 PM) (Live voting Sun 12:10 KST) The Show (Live voting Tuesdays 18:30 KST) Show Champion (Pre-voting Tuesday 00:00 KST - Sunday 23:59 KST)

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[ANNOUNCEMENT] Mamamoo Trans 2 Youtube Channel Has Been Terminated

Hello, everyone. As MMMTrans2 has been terminated, we have created MMMTrans3 where we will upload any FUTURE videos that are suitable for Youtube. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClFjhPRh3JrakKRKMAU0F3w We will NOT be re-uploading any older videos onto Youtube. In times like these it is great that we have our index which has alternative links for every video. Mamamoo Trans Video Index: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ck-dPOKb301Z74-5GqV2Ey5F4QS4F7kAw7g4zr5qsgU/ Because it seems every YT channel we create will eventually be terminated for copyright reasons, we have decided that we will allow others to re-upload any videos to YT we haven’t uploaded ourselves on MMMTrans3. All we ask is that you leave our credits/logo on the video and if you want to be really cool, link our video index in the description so people can find all our other subbed MMM videos. We think this is the best way to keep MMM subbed content on Youtube. Thank you! - YOONGI Mamamoo Trans Owner/Cooridnator

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[TRANS] [ARTICLE] Mamamoo “Even Though We’re Not Pretty We’re ‘TruLiMaMoo’ —This Year We Want To Go Out Into The World”

Becoming one of the top girl groups after 3 years --- “ We paid our family debts --- Kim Do Hoon is our mentor”

Mamamoo have accomplished astounding growth this past year [photo by RBW]

(Seoul=YeonHap News) They let out ‘bwuhaha’ laughter even for boring conversation. One of them would make a mischievous face and as if it were contagious, the others would return it with a more exaggerated expression and applause.

Girl group Mamamoo (Solar 26, Moonbyul 25, Whee In 22, Hwa Sa 22) are bright and overflowing with playfulness befitting their related search word ‘Beagle-dol’. They just finished their promotions that started last year in November with the release of their ‘Memory’ album and also held their Japanese showcase just this month, yet they show no sign of exhaustion.

In this recent meeting with YeonHap News, Mamamoo said, “Because we have matching points of laughter we are always boisterous,” and, “During our debut days, we would even turn on music in the car on our way home after our schedules and sing our throats out. Our laughter has died down a bit since we have a lot more schedules now.”

Mamamoo’s first appearance in 2014 was refreshing. They appeared in the midst of girls who wore the school look to emphasize their innocence. They weren’t completely a hip hop ‘Girl Crush’ emphasizing style like 2ne1 either. Although they were idols they showed a more mature image by covering a retro sound from the 30~40s, and just as they say in the lyrics of their hit song ‘Pride of 1 cm’  they packed the stage despite their 159~161 cm small heights with their strong vocal abilities.

The president of their company RBW, the famed composer Kim Dohoon, had said “I wanted to create a group with unique voice colors and the ability to play well on stage no matter what genre of song” and exactly as he desired Mamamoo has earned the title of ’TruLiMaMoo’ (Trust and Listen to Mamamoo) in just 3 years.

“Even during our trainee days we had a very different training. Instead of being given a tightly fit schedule, we led our practice ourselves nor were we given a character to fulfill by our company. Moonbyul just enjoyed those boyish dances and she brought life to her charm well on her own. Realistically we aren’t very pretty and we are all small so we had to fight with just our skills, we needed to have perfect lives and produce each stage with excitement.” (Hwa Sa, Solar)

Mamamoo have earned the title ‘TruLiMaMoo’ [photo by RBW]

Another reason they were able to surface in the red ocean Idol industry is due to the ‘truly different’ music made by Kim Dohoon.

With the start of their debut song ‘Mr. Ambiguous’ (2014) followed by ‘Piano Man’ (2014), ‘Um Oh Ah Yeh’ (2015), ‘Pride of 1 cm’ (2016), ‘You are(is) the Best’ (2016), ‘Decalcomanie’ (2016) go through the genres funky, R&B, and blues and have been able to make ‘long runs’ on the charts.

These songs armed with unique titles and witty humor easily get stuck in the ear. Last year winning 8 times on music shows, they were even able to spread the ‘넌 is 뭔들’ catchphrase.

Moonbyul and Hwa Sa explained, “Instead of a full retro sound the song ‘Um Oh Ah Yeh’ had lighter music so we were worried,”  but, “However that song is what got us more widely known. Also when ‘You are the Best’ was in the works, it was just internet slang and we thought it was a bit lacking as a title track but the more we listened to it we began to really like it.”

Even though they are a team that have broken out of the idol mold so much they don’t even have a set concept, the members emphasize that “We are Idols,” and that, “We really like that the title Idol that means a figure of adoration.”

Their ripened wit was able to shine through at Blue Dragon Awards last year. They used characters from movies and crucial movie quotes in ‘Decalcomanie’ to decorate the stage and their shoutouts ‘Let’s go to Mojito and drink some Maldives’ to Lee Byunghun and ‘Jung Woosung, if I one shot this let’s date’ to Jung Woosung became a hot topic.

Moonbyul said, “Actually I was super nervous,” and, “Delivering these new lyrics to an audience full of people of the film industry was a mission that made me even more nervous than how I felt at our debut stage. We were so worried that their faces would get dark and so we were very relieved they replied to us with bright expressions,” with laughter.

“We might not be pretty but we’re still Idols” Mamamoo [photo by RBW]

They, like many other artists, have had many hardships rising to spot. Solar has auditioned for 30~40 different companies including YG Entertainment and had in mind of pursuing her dream as a flight attendant if she got kicked out from her current company.

Moonbyul also explained her story, “I’ve been cast out right before I was able to debut once,” and, “When I was kicked out from that company I was told that ‘You are too fat’ and that was reason I was cut. Then I weighed 60kg so I put my life on the line and lost weight until I was 46kg before I auditioned again and got accepted by my current company.”

Even after debut they endured a lot of emotional hardships due to negative comments.

Hwa Sa revealed, “I’ve received a lot of strong comments about my appearance,” and, “At first I wasn’t fazed but after seeing them constantly I started to get hurt. I got shocked by the comments like ’If it weren’t for Hwa Sa they would be a pretty group’ and comments that asked me to leave the team.”

Rapper Moonbyul added that, “I received criticism like ’They are all talented except for the rapper’ and ’She got in because of connections’ ” and, “They’ve also said ‘It must be nice to just be considered talented because of your members’ and ‘You are not needed in Mamamoo’ things like that.” Whee In also said, “I don’t really pay heed to comments but the inappropriate sexual jokes really hurt.”

Mamamoo’s goal this year is to have a tour overseas [photo by RBW]

However their struggles are not all for naught. They are treated differently by their company now, and although it might not be big money, they have become daughters that can provide economic stability for their families. Whee In and Moonbyul included have worked on composing and writing lyrics and are beginning to collect copyrights.

The members said, “After we got more work we got driven around in a latest model car, and before we usually just had kimbap for our meals but now we can freely choose our menu. If we get hurt now our company takes us to the hospital.”

Whee In said, “I was able to help pay a bit of my family’s debt,” and Moonbyul also, “My dad had to take out a loan to buy a truck and so I helped him pay it off and get a new car. Because I spent a long time as a trainee and received money from them, it is only right that I do this.”

They showed deep gratitude to their producer CEO Kim Dohoon as well.

“To our respected mentor. If it weren’t you we wouldn’t be a group that had this kind of color. We feel uneasy if we don’t get even the smallest things checked by you.” (All of the members)

Their goal this year is to grow once more and surpass their current positions.

Last week from the 6~8th, they held a showcase in Tokyo and received hot attention and they said, “We got a really good ‘feel’ from our Japanese stage” and “Even though it was abroad and there was a language barrier we didn’t get scared because we were together.”

“We got our wish and held our own solo concert which was our goal last year. So this year, we want to set up an even bigger goal and branch out into the world. We really want to do a tour overseas.” (Hwa Sa, Moonbyul)

Translation by wheeimple @ Mamamoo-Trans.com Reblog only on Tumblr; Please take out with proper credits.

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