Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook (You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook / 유희열의 스케치북)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Sketchbook.

I'm Yu Hui Yeol.

I'm glad to see so many people here with us today.

Let me introduce our first guest.

Whenever she releases a new song, it always tops various music charts.

She stands unequalled...

among other female singers.

She's also a member of one of the most popular girl groups in Korea.

And she's highly acclaimed among girl groups.

Please welcome the main vocalist of Girls' Generation, Tae Yeon.

Hello!

It was very beautiful and nice.

Please give it up for Tae Yeon.

Hello. I'm Tae Yeon. It's great to be with you today.

It'd be the first time for you to be here as a solo singer,

rather than as a member of Girls' Generation. How is it like?

I am very nervous.

As everyone is looking at me...

- Right. - Yes.

- I feel pressured and... - You do?

still nervous.

Do you get nervous whenever you're on stage?

To be honest, yes I do.

I do get nervous in front of cameras.

I see. But I remember you used to host a radio talk show.

There's no camera in a radio studio.

Right. But it's still hard to believe that you get nervous...

in front of cameras even though you've worked for a long time.

Aren't you just trying to gain men's attention by pretending...

- you're shy and delicate? - Oh.

That's not true.

I don't know why. But in front of cameras, I get...

nervous and nothing comes to my mind.

- You'd go blank? - Right.

Anyway, I heard that you'll perform...

only once on our show, Sketchbook.

Right. This time, I released a digital single,

so I didn't plan to sing on stage.

- But this is Sketchbook, so... - Wow.

I thought...

What made you choose our show only? Why is that?

Because I missed you a lot, Hui Yeol.

That's what all women say.

Seriously, why did you choose Sketchbook?

When I released my last album, "I", I didn't get a chance...

- to sing here. - Right.

This time, I really wanted to sing the song "Rain",

but I haven't had many chances to sing this song on stage.

The audience and viewers of Sketchbook all love to...

- listen to music. - Yes. We can also talk about music.

There're not many programs in which you can talk about your music.

- True. - Yes.

Then, we'll talk about...

- the musician Tae Yeon today. - Okay.

How did you become a singer?

I went to an audition by myself.

I passed an audition held by SM TOWN.

What kind of audition was that?

It was an audition for teenagers.

An audition for teenagers?

And they selected the best ones from different audition groups and...

gave "Super" title to those best ones.

Did they really give "Super" title in an audition?

- Did they really? - Yes.

So there were all kinds of "Super" given to the auditioners...

like super dancer, super singer and even super looks.

What was yours then?

I was the super singer.

Oh, not the super looks?

No, I wasn't.

How old were you then?

Well...

I started practising when I was 12.

- Oh, you were very young. - Oh, I'm sorry.

I was in middle school so I was 14.

No, I was 15.

I am sorry.

- I am sorry. - Oh, now I see that you're nervous.

- Right. - Your mind goes blank.

I think I know what that is. Your hair is turning grey,

a little by little.

She was the super singer in the audition group when she was...

- 14, not 12. - 15.

- Okay, 15. - Yes.

I got it. I'm sorry.

You really want to be exact.

When you joined the SM TOWN as the super singer,

did you think you'd be a member of a girl group?

I mean, especially a member of Girls' Generation?

At that time, I never thought that I would be a member of a team.

So did you think you would be a solo singer?

Well, I didn't think that I must debut as a solo either.

You thought nothing.

I just...

I just wanted to join an agency first.

Hoping to see someone who recognises your talent?

- Yes. - Many had higher expectations...

of your solo performance among other girl groups'.

And it took too long to see you debut as a solo.

How many years did it take?

- It took about 8 to 9 years. - 8 to 9 years.

Why did it take that long?

I think that was just appropriate amount of time.

- Why do you think so? - I think it's the right time.

Why?

If I had made my solo debut too early,

I might have received tons of bad reviews.

So I figured out that I needed more experience...

to be well-prepared...

to release albums as a solo singer.

So you think you're ripe for it now?

I'm not that ripe yet though.

Why do you talk like that? I feel very weird.

Anyway, when you debuted as a solo,

we all thought you'd sing a ballad song.

Well...

I collected many songs in various genres,

and I wanted to sing many different songs.

- You wanted to sing various songs. - Yes.

So I decided to make my solo debut...

with good songs regardless of their genre.

What did you especially focus on when you were preparing?

I tried not to be excessive.

- You tried not to be excessive. - Right.

I tried to sing in more plain and light ways.

- Oh, in more plain and light ways. - Yes.

So you purposely chose the songs that aren't flowery or high-pitched.

That's true. I have to sing from the beginning...

to the end all by myself,

- so I should feel comfortable. - That's right.

So I didn't choose such reckless songs...

and tried to avoid challenging...

something too new.

You didn't want to...

perform on stage way over the top.

- Yes. - I see.

Don't we sound like very professional musicians?

I feel like I'm having an in-depth talk about music...

with Tae Yeon on a radio show.

I like it a lot. It's been a while.

- You didn't get many chances. - You're right.

All right. Let's talk more about your songs.

- The song you just sang is "I". - Yes.

- And you wrote the lyrics. - Right.

Yes, I did.

How did you come up with the lyrics?

- Well... - I don't get what it's about.

Why not?

Listening to the song, all I hear is "La la la" and...

"I, I, I, I" part.

You kept singing "I" repeatedly.

So what is it about?

Well, it's pretty simple.

It's about being yourself...

in a more free way while moving on...

from hard...

and frustrating times.

Did you really write the lyrics?

All right.

Actually, what I found very interesting...

is the composition of the lyrics.

You say lots of things and...

sing "I" repeatedly in between them.

- Yes. - I read the lyrics and...

I know it's not easy to write lyrics like that.

How do you start the chorus part?

Shining sky

I see. It's sky. What's next?

Underneath it is I

Oh, it's "I" underneath the sky.

Yes. It's "I" this time.

What's next then?

Like you're dreaming, fly

- Oh, it's fly this time. - Yes.

You're good at playing with words.

But it was really hard...

for me to arrange...

that rhymes.

All right. Then,

I'll be your one-day mentor today.

You can ask me anything such as...

your worries and difficulties.

I'll try to give you my best advice.

- Do you mean in terms of music? - It can be anything.

- Anything? - Yes.

It can be about your life or relationship, anything.

It can also be about music.

- All of a sudden? - Yes.

It's kind of out of the blue.

- Anything? - Yes.

Oh, I have one.

What is it?

What is it? Ask me.

What genre should I try for the next album?

Please...

recommend me some.

Your last album "I" was more like the Northern European style.

Right. I sang with a band.

- Yes. It also sounded dreamy. - Yes, a bit.

And as you said earlier, this album sounds...