Former GFriend member SOWON reviews 5th generation girl group music videos

Former GFriend member SOWON has launched new content on her YouTube channel where she analyzes the music and performances of active 5th generation idols, including HEART OF WOMAN and Keyveats.

SOWON, a former member of the 3rd generation girl group GFriend, recently shared her perspective as a senior artist and her personal thoughts while watching music videos of 5th generation girl groups. Through her YouTube channel, SOWON introduced new content where she examines the music and performances of currently active idols.

"A time when I craved more makeup"... Reflecting on the importance of visuals

Observing the flashy visuals of recent idols, SOWON recalled her own debut days. She reminisced that during her early activities with GFriend, she wore almost no makeup, sometimes only applying lip balm or not even using false eyelashes. "At the time of my debut, I wasn't allowed to wear makeup, so as time passed, my desire for makeup grew," SOWON revealed her honest feelings, adding, "Back then, I focused more on heavy makeup rather than looking pretty, but looking back now, I think it wouldn't have looked tacky if I had just done less."

These experiences influenced her perspective on the stages of recently debuted groups. SOWON emphasized that an idol's stage is only complete when the clothing, hairstyle, and visual elements harmonize with the mood of the song, rather than just having a good song. While listening to a specific group's track, she added her professional suggestions and regrets as a senior, noting, "It is finally complete when the song, visuals, choreography, and outfits are all in place."

"I love it, it feels like BoA"
Affectionate analysis of 5th generation groups

SOWON offered specific impressions while encountering the music of 5th generation girl groups. While listening to a song by the group HEART OF WOMAN, she repeatedly expressed admiration, saying, "The song is so good." Regarding the track "How Not to Lose Myself" in particular, she expressed high satisfaction with the hip-hop infused atmosphere, stating, "It feels like a song by senior BoA." However, she also offered opinions on the direction for rookie groups to build a fandom. Watching HEART OF WOMAN's performance, she remarked, "I think it's right for rookies to move in a direction where they can gather a fandom," sharing her personal view that it would have been even more impressive if visual directing, such as wearing achromatic outfits or emphasizing powerful choreography to match the song's mood, had been added.

While watching a video by Keyveats, she noted the visual effects provided by filming methods, saying, "The video composition has a magic that makes the song sound different." She specifically commented on the members' dancing skills in the video, remarking, "They look like they wouldn't have any dance in their faces, but they dance so well." She also pointed out from a professional perspective that the filming methods of music videos—such as using high-angle shots or various camera shots—make the song sound different, noting the hardship members face during debut periods as they must perform group choreography dozens of times to achieve such shots.

"I wanted a pure concept during trainee days..." Anticipation for the fan meeting

While conducting the content, SOWON also revealed behind-the-scenes stories from her trainee days. She confessed that during her time as a trainee, she wanted a style that showed intense performance rather than a pure image. It is an interesting point that while those around her tried to define her style as pure, she eventually debuted as a member of GFriend.

SOWON shared her concerns from that time, saying, "When I was a trainee, there was a separate pure team, and the team I was in mainly did strong songs." She added that she wanted to perform songs in the style of Apink, but was told by those around her that it was not her style. Regarding her upcoming fan meeting, she expressed anticipation for her fans, saying, "Rather than choreography-focused songs, I will choose songs where I can show my charms in front of the fans."

Source: original video (YouTube)