[Interview] ‘Comeback’ SISTAR 19 “We will become one and show it properly”

SISTAR 19, a unit of SISTAR that was the most popular and music powerhouse in the girl group world, is coming back. SISTAR 19, comprised of Hyorin and Bora, debuted in 2011 with ‘Ma Boy’ and lyrically captured the innocence and anxiety that the age of 19 can symbolically show in the song.

Although time has passed by, many people will remember the sexy chemistry and performance they showed. We were able to meet them at a cafe in Gangnam-gu as they released ‘NO MORE (MA BOY)’ on the 16th (today).

Although they are not currently in the same group, they seemed very close as before, and expressed their gratitude for being able to return as SISTAR 19 and their desire to work hard.

Q. It’s been a long time since you appeared on SISTAR 19. How do you feel?

Hyorin: I don’t really feel it. The music has not been released yet, and neither the stage nor the music video have been released. I think people are curious about what kind of concept SISTAR 19 will come out with after 11 years, but since I haven’t been able to show it, I don’t think I can really feel it yet. It’s been a while since I’ve been working with Bora, so I think it’ll be fun and I’m looking forward to it.

Q. How did you come up with the idea to get back together?

Bora: We have shared these stories lightly before. ‘Let’s try it later~’ something like this. And I often said that I wanted to perform on stage. The timing was right, so it came out like this.

Q. You were the summer queen, but I’m curious as to why you came out in the middle of winter.

Bora: SISTAR 19’s ‘Because It’s There’ was in January. I think SISTAR has a summer feel and SISTAR 19 has a feeling that is not limited by seasons. It feels like a New Year’s gift, and since the last album was released in January, I think the timing was right.

Q. 19 symbolizes the age of nineteen, but now you are far from that age. Wasn’t it embarrassing to bring it up again?

Hyorin: I didn’t think it was embarrassing. I had forgotten the concept of 19 for a moment. Rather than giving it a new meaning, I feel that the ability to express the emotion of ‘NO MORE (MA BOY)’ itself is a continuation of the old ‘MA BOY’, so I feel that is important. I was thinking about doing SISTAR 29 because other people told me about it, but since I’m past 29, I think 19 is just right (laughs).

Q. How is this song connected to ‘MA BOY’?

Hyorin: ‘MA BOY’ expressed fresh love, but now, with ‘Because There Is There’, that love has hurt me. This ‘NO MORE’ is an extension of the meaning of experiencing many such moments and confidently saying, ‘I’ll let you go, just go.’ From experience, I think there is a time when love can be sent in a cool way, and we think that is now.

Q. When you met again as SISTAR 19, you must have had concerns about direction and concept. What is it like?

Hyorin: At first, SISTAR 19 had a big concept created by the company. This time, because we continued our activities, it didn’t mean that a lot of our opinions had to be included, but we thought it would be good to discuss ideas together and create them, so we talked a lot and created them.

Q. It has a slightly stronger feeling than ‘MA BOY’ or ‘Because It’s There’. The point of the song is

Bora: This song is also emotional. I think what was added was more confidence. Because I have composure and confidence, even when I face sadness, I think I can express it by saying, ‘Yes, this is how you go too.’ I think this is something that can be described as emotional and yet, in a way, strong.

Q. What was the reaction of other members?

Hyorin: Now each member has a different agency. When I joined SISTAR 19, I met with all the members and told them about it first. The members were very happy and congratulated me. I think that’s what I said.

Q. Bora, it’s been a long time since you stood on stage. How is it?

Bora: I really missed it, and I was worried, but I really wanted to perform on stage during the seven years I was acting. I lacked both opportunity and courage. I ended up working with Hyorin, and I think I was able to gain that courage again thanks to Hyorin. I think it was a very enjoyable moment of work for me.

Q. Hyorin participated in composing the title song and directing vocals. How much did you feel Bora’s vocals have grown?

Hyorin: Since SISTAR’s promotions, I have felt regretful that if Bora had been better at vocals, she would have been able to sing more than just rap. I really liked how quick she was at catching and compensating.

Q. Are there any choreographic points?

Bora: A chair was used for ‘MA BOY’, and a transparent bench chair was used for ‘Because It’s Not There’. This time a table appears. There is an extension to the use of objects. The point choreography seems to have a similar effect. It’s not that the choreography is more difficult than the previous work, but the practice period wasn’t very long, so I’m still trying to get used to it. I thought about how I could naturally excel at object activities.

Hyorin: Objet’s role is so big that it has to be one of the members. I think this song is especially attractive because it highlights the tween feel a little more. She makes a lot of eye contact and is very attached.

Q. Bora has been acting for a long time, so it seems like your acting experience has helped you a lot in your career. What do you think?

Bora: I thought it would be really helpful too. But rather than being helpful, I think there were areas that needed to be converted. When I became an actor after being a singer, I had to lose weight. I got used to it, but it felt a little difficult because I had to put on extravagance and excessive expressions again.

Q. These days, the expression ‘disbandment’ is not often used when disbanding. SISTAR simply disbanded. Do you have any regrets?

Hyorin: I have been asked this question before. There is no regret, it is not regret, it is regret. When I think about it now, I wonder if there was a need to drive it that hard. In fact, the members don’t take it that seriously because even if they disband, they can still get together if they want to. But when it came out in an article, it was very provocative.

Q. So is there a chance that the four of you will talk about doing it again?

Hyorin: Before this, we often talked in passing about the four of us doing something together.

Bora: We had a lot of casual ‘let’s do it~’ talks.

Hyorin: Even when Soyou is with us, she plays the SISTAR performance video and cries when she feels sad (laughs). I think the feeling is, ‘It was like that back then’ (laughs).

Q. How long will SISTAR 19 be active on music shows?

Hyorin: It is scheduled for about 2 weeks.

Q. The costume revealed in the teaser is unconventional. Does it come out in that costume?

Bora: It must be a costume that is pretty but can be worn while dancing. Rather than that costume, I think we should wear a costume that doesn’t ruin the choreography.

Q. Are SISTAR members taking on the challenge again this time?

Look: Of course.

Hyorin: I’m really curious what it would be like for the two youngest members to dance.

Q. There is so much strong music these days that it’s embarrassing to use the word ‘strong sister’. It seems like SISTAR was at the beginning. The music records were very good, and I was proud while working as SISTAR.

Bora: I didn’t feel well when I was active. I was busy working hard on what I was given. When I think about it now, I think the most satisfying thing is that people always think of us in the summer. I hope you think of us every summer.

Hyorin: I couldn’t really feel it when I was doing group activities, but I really felt it when I sang Sistar’s song during the performance. They all sang along to the point where I didn’t even have to sing a single song, so I thought, ‘Wow, we were that kind of group.’ I was so grateful that I thought, ‘Can I receive this love alone?’ I felt while performing, ‘We worked really hard, and we were loved a lot.’

Q. What did you worry about the most as you went through a busy period and found your own paths?

Behold: It’s a huge burden to have to make a choice. There came a point where I had to think about myself, which I hadn’t thought about at the time. It was very difficult at first. I think most idols are like that. There is a feeling that the ego that should have grown did not grow when it did. I was very confused because SISTAR’s activities ended when I was close to my early 30s. I had a hard time thinking, ‘I really have to do it myself.’

Q. So are you satisfied now?

Hyorin: I think I found it well. The hardest question was, ‘So what do you want to do?’ I said I would do it alone, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. It was a shock. The first thing was to find that first. It wasn’t found right away. It took a long time, it was confusing, and it was difficult, but I think I found it well, and I think Bora unnie also found it well. It is important to experience things that you did not experience during group activities and learn what suits you and what does not.

Bora: In my case, I don’t think my time as an actor was in vain. I found fun in it, and there were many things I realized, ‘If I do it this way, it will be like this.’ I think I’m still in the process of finding it. There came a time when I really thought about what I wanted and liked. I think we are in the process of finding that out in more detail. I have similar but different concerns.

Q. Hyorin has been running a one-person agency for a really long time. What are the pros and cons?

Hyorin: At first, I wasn’t used to it and had a lot of difficulties. There are many things I have become accustomed to now, and I have also realized many things. After I humbly accepted that it was something I had to do, it was so much fun, so spectacular, so free, and the difficult times were rewarded with happiness rather than the hard times. It’s so fun and good. There was a sense of pride in being able to create something of our own. I don’t want to go back now. I hope that we can move forward stronger because we are doing well with such precious people.

Q. Is there any possibility of expansion of the company?

Hyorin: It’s always open, but I think it’ll be possible when we’re ready and start moving. Even though I am active as SISTAR 19, the company continues to work. At first, I wanted to make it a ‘female AOMG.’ I definitely want to do that later, after studying a little more and becoming more solid, if the situation arises. There must be a premise that bringing someone into your family means you can take responsibility for that person. If the person I want to bring in doesn’t have trust in our company and is anxious, I have no choice but to be cautious about bringing them in. It’s a serious issue, so I’m always thinking about it. My dream is to build a great company rather than a big company.

Q. What goal do you want to achieve through this SISTAR 19 activity?

Bora: The biggest reason why I did this activity was to create fun and happy moments. Finding our happiness is the most important thing, and I think that as our chemistry increases, we will feel it and there will be a synergy effect. My thought and goal is that I hope you enjoy this song. Happiness is the biggest thing, and since the fans have waited for us, it also means a lot to repay them, so I think those are our goals.

Hyorin: I think it would be nice if it were an activity that served as a driving force or refresher when I decided to take a new path in the future. And we said that we are still looking for what is right for us and what is not right for us. I hope this activity will help with that in some way. My biggest thought is that I hope it will be a project that makes me mentally happy.

Q. Besides music broadcasts, are there any fan events or anything like that prepared?

Bora: I don’t have anything planned right now, but I think we need to discuss it and do something more. In particular, when I was on stage for the first time in a long time, my fans often said, ‘It feels strange to go to the studio after such a long time.’

Hyorin: We don’t want it to be ordinary, so we’ll find our own way. I’ll try to prepare.

Q. What do you think has changed the most between when you first started working with Sistar19 and now?

Look: It’s communication. We talk a lot more than we did back then. I think that’s the biggest difference because we have a lot of personal and emotional conversations as well as work-related conversations.

Hyorin: I think it’s the external appearance and attitude. I think my attitude on stage and towards SISTAR 19 are different from then. At that time, I had just debuted and I didn’t have much time to spare. Now, I have a stronger sense of responsibility to show the two of us as one. My attitude towards everything has changed.

Q. The costumes are a bit unconventional, unlike those of girl groups these days. The reaction I expected.

Bora: I hope they are great sisters, great sisters.

Q. We welcomed the new year with SISTAR 19. What do you each want to show this year?

Bora: It’s too urgent to think about such a move right now. I think the biggest event is to do our best for SISTAR 19. After that, I think I’ll have to keep thinking about it.

Hyorin: I have been doing concerts every year except for the corona period, so I hope to be able to do it well and have fun this year, and I hope to achieve the goals we have longed for through activities with my sister.

SISTAR 19’s new album, featuring Bora and Hyorin, who have returned with the strongest chemistry, will be available on all music sites at 18:00 on the 16th.

Written by Reporter Lim Jae-ho mirage0613@bntnews.co.kr