SNSD - How are they doing in Japan? by silis7noy2 (from Soompi forums SNSD official thread) - PART 1

You can understand SNSD's success in Japan from those great Oricon
sales numbers and award wins in Japan. But there are more real stories behind this success that you can't notice from the numbers.

Everything here are just straight comments from Japanese people who have experienced SNSD's performances.


Slowly but surely something is taking place in Japan right now with SNSD.


By observing what's happening with the Japan Tour we can get a feel for this something. The SNSD Japan Tour is a huge success but its true
implications may not be immediately obvious to people outside Japan.
Let's go back to 2 years ago. At the time SNSD had become the biggest girlgroup in Korea with the success of Gee, and fans in Korea were starting to ask for the SNSD solo concert. But whether such full scale concert for a girlgroup could be held successfully was unknown. By full scale it meant filling up at least 5000 seats which was the breakeven point in the industry.


Only 3 girlgroups in kpop history tried holding this full scale level
concerts but the results proved that such concerts were not viable so
the kpop companies would not attempt such concerts anymore for
girlgroups. At the time even SNSD was unproven in this regard and SM was secretly planning and would carefully feel out the possibility of a solo concert, even taunting Korean Sones to show up in numbers at SMTown Live etc if they wanted a SNSD solo concert. People were still unsure if SNSD could pull off a 5000+ audience concert.


That was the case in summer of 2009 and few months later SNSD would sell out the 14,000 crowd ITNW concert and do encore concerts weeks later, achieving the unthinkable for a girlgroup in Korea. This year more than 200,000 people will be attending SNSD solo concerts all over Korea, Japan, and Asia, an achievement almost incomprehensible for a girlgroup in Asia. SNSD now walks alone.


These concert records are amazing but also think about what a concert really means for a female musical group like SNSD. It is the culmination of long years of arduous training followed by countless days and years of performing on stages. Skills must be developed and refined. Endless rehearsals and dozens of choreography must be memorized and maintained in sync with the team. Fitness must be maintained at the highest level to endure hours-long performances requiring extreme physical and mental power. Even figures and looks also must be maintained with strict regimens as entertainers. Most difficultly all these elements and more must come together unified on stage to exhibit the performance and win the hearts of the audience.


It's not really about financial 5000 breakeven numbers that prevent
companies from offering true full scale girlgroup concerts. More
fundamentally it is the excruciating difficulty of preparations and
getting on that big stage and performing and giving everything, and this
is precisely what SNSD is doing right now. The big tour in a foreign
land where they give their everything. Everything that they have lived
for, the very reason they chose to become performers, is poured out onto this stage. It is the story of the nine members.


And that will be the strategy and spirit of SNSD in their journey in
Japan, to stand on the big stage, to show their grit, to perform for
people of Japan. And for the rest of the story in this journey, the
audience will speak its mind.


* 少女時代に圧倒されました。ありゃあ、スペックが違うわ。。。

I have been overwhelmed by SNSD. They are just, of a different class... - Platinum_shin@twitter


* SNSD concert, I was completely KO'ed by the overwhelming performance. Now calling them the greatest isn't even...they are the final evolution of idols. - hana_getarou@twitter


* Tomorrow I'm going to the SNSD concert at Hiroshima. Plainly I'm a
little excited (#^.^#)... I had been negative towards SNSD last year...

(after the concert)

Came back. I am overwhelmed... the quality is just too high. A little
shock shall I say, it was good to the extent that my sense of values
have changed... Japan must change... SNSD was that much of a shock...
Can I dare to describe the SNSD concert... it's like international pop
artists performing... each of the member's skills are insanely high - madness_coris@twitter


* SNSD concert was amazing. I think unless you see them at the concert you will not understand the true power of the members. I had thought they were just a pop girlgroup with pretty legs but I was wrong. - bitboi@twitter


* SNSD's concert has ended. Too overwhelming I cannot put it into words (- _ -) They have surpassed the realm of female idols - kumasung_5@twitter


* First time in my life for a concert like this I am really nervous. So I am drinking some beer.

(hours later after the concert)

I was so moved I could die. Concert is an amazing thing. SNSD is deadly
and amazing. I can only express incoherent things right now. Amazing.
This world is full of bad news, but I'm fortunate to be born in this era
that is SNSD. - max_ryoari@twitter


* Back from SNSD concert. Exceeding my expectations every one of them had great singing ability I was stunned! - KyusyuDanji@twitter


* A friend invited me and I went to see SNSD at Saitama... I see. This
is the level of excellence they come at, amazing.... It's been a long
time since I've seen a concert of this level! - singchang17@twitter


* How was the SNSD concert...

To be honest, I think it was truly incredible.... Each member's solo
stage had a scary level of excellence, and to have those 9 together is
just overpowering. Fan services were great and the audience was
intoxicated and enjoying it to the fullest. Of course for concerts,
there are others with good level of skills too and those spending lots
of money on the sets. But I think the greatness of SNSD is, in the
charms of each of the members. To move people's hearts like that, and to be that entertaining, I don't think there is other concert this
wonderful. - dohhyaruhhyar@chiebukuro


* It would be a shame to classify SNSD as idols. The individual member performance abilities are too high...! - kkmn_@twitter


* What the - SNSD !!!! Too amazing. Fairy tale cuteness~.. Displaying
their performance prowess and exciting people like crazy... Was sad for Sunny's bad condition and her missing solo and then she came back in the end crying and got hugged by everyone... I was madly moved, such a concert full of everything. Goosebumps like crazy... a precious concert where I saw the love between SNSD members.... Gah this was really amazing lol. They are not idols - tvxq7@ameblo


* I went to SNSD concert with mom and dad. I cried (´；ω；｀) I am
moved(´；ω；｀) Even when I didn't cry at other boyband concerts (´；ω；｀)
lol. Ahhhh, I am happy. I am going again for sure! SNSD is the greatest ＼(^O^)／ - ちぃＤＡＹｓ@ameblo


* I went to the Saitama SNSD concert. Wonderful performance! They're so young yet their high-reaching professionalism is so spirited I was so moved and I got tearful. Kawaii, awesome dancing and the standout singing... now I understand why young people of Japan are enthralled by them! - DJYossyCooking@twitter (radio DJ)


* Coming back from the SNSD concert (´;ω;｀) It was the greatest ---!!!! So cuuute and coooooool looking and truly amazing 3 hours wahhhh (´;ω;｀)♥♥ Oh how they shine!!!! They are not same humans as us (´;ω;｀) - saki2salad@twitter


* The SNSD concert that I went last night. I received a culture shock - ymihoxoxo@twitter


* SNSD is no idol. My soul was shaken - yuki0001@twitter


* I cannot sleep the excitement from the concert is not going away... A great revolution is occuring. - canshichi@twitter


* Went to SNSD's concert and I was so moved I ended up going again LOL - saho1113@twitter


* Yesterday's SNSD concert was most awesome! It was a whirlwind of crazy high quality performances, I feel like my stomach is full with like 3 servings of most extravagant full course French meals - inomatu17@twitter


* An idol group surpassing them, too bad but I don't think there will be one - suzukimousou@twitter


* ... SNSD surpasses the boundaries of idols, that's what I thought
watching the concert yesterday. That's how much I was overwhelmed by their performance power and their ability to make expressions through singing. - cota210@ameblo




The SNSD Japan Tour has been receiving praise after praise in Japan, and there is an air of a new shidae coming… If you can please take some time to read the comments here to see what Japanese people have said about this journey of SNSD.






Status of SNSD in Japan


SNSD's success in Japan is already well publicized by Oricon sales
numbers and the arena level national tour which is only possible with
the biggest name artists in Japan. So already a huge success in the jpop world and beyond that the popularity continues to spread thoughout the Japanese public. We can describe the special quality of SNSD popularity in Japan as "wadaino Shoujo Jidai (SNSD the talk of the town)", this buzz continuing since the debut last year without waning and regardless of promotion.


This constant public interest for SNSD can be easily seen in charts like the Yahoo Japan celebrity search ranking where SNSD is #2 most searched celebrity on Yahoo in June after AKB48.


Even without major TV show appearances, the Japanese people are
continually fascinated by SNSD and most in Japan are quite familiar with the name Shoujo Jidai and slowly even member names are beginning to get recognized.

The 1st Japan Album and the Japan Tour by itself are not something of a huge nationwide publicity but the effect it has is that there is the
viral, grassroots spreading of SNSD's reputation as the definitive
female artist group of Asia.


* Came back from the SNSD concert. Packed 3 hours... Goosebumps all the way. Now I realize this is what's called a boom. - ikumitter@twitter


* Last year this time SNSD was unknown in Japan but it is surprising how they have now become an everyday scenery of Japanese popular culture - smasuda@twitter


* ... the power SNSD now has in attracting new fans is at the highest
level even among all the current jpop artists - z4ak9/jy@ch


* It used to be like SNSD was mine but now they are popular in Japan and the people's responses around me have drastically increased. Now I realize Soshi is everyone's Soshi... feeling a little lonely - o/w5H/ql@2ch


* Anyway it is a lonely morning... the sense of loss is so great. Here
in Hiroshima with Soshi gone how am I going to go on living from now
on... I want to move to Tokyo - nDStQn/m@2cn


Hiroshima is not really one of the centers of trends in Japan and SNSD
selling out huge venues in places like Hiroshima indicates that SNSD's
reputation has started to penetrate over all of Japan in contrast to
last year's Tokyo centered boom.








Aside from the majority of female fans, SNSD is attracting fans from all types of demographics.
This is very uncommon for female idols which normally only attract few specific parts of the population. Why would so many diverse people fall for SNSD?


* My kid (in kindergarten) likes SNSD~ She is doing their dance (^0^) - TORICA_TORICA@twitter


* Monday and getting myself excited while listening since morning to SNSD that my husband gave to me... miwa_ya@twitter


* When I got home, dad was working on the computer with SNSD playing. Same as yesterday. - l7ll7lbaaa@twitter


* Even among the females at our company, the rate of people falling for SNSD is especially high these days - Satomi_0717@twitter


* My daughter ended up falling for SNSD, and I would tease her, but in no time I was humming the song. (Sweating) - ma_1025@twitter


* Right now with my daughter, the two of us mom and daughter are passionate for [SNSD] - yumiruna110@twitter


* Lately, everyone in my family are into SNSD. - golfernin58jp@twitter


* I asked my kindergarten daughter what song is she listening. Then my grade school son said "Huh! You don't know SNSD?" - Shingjung@twitter


* For my daughter who's into SNSD I downloaded the PV on iPhone then my wife said "Hey it's you who want to see it huh?"..... Yeah that's right. Can I not? - Kenji_Onu@twitter


* At her kid's 6th grade class it seems [SNSD] is extremely popular,
dominantly over other Japan idol. I saw their MV for the first time on
Youtube, and was overwhelmed. How pro they are... - kochu_karu_ko@twitter


* My father came home in happy mood with a SNSD DVD ( ;°Д°)一 He said let's watch it together lol - e5296r@twitter


* The professor is bragging that he had a 2nd row seat at SNSD's concert lol - bookpaddies@twitter


* There's my friend who wrote "Listening to SNSD" as his hobby on his resume. Then the interviewer turned out to be a huge fan of SNSD, so the interview became quite a lively one LOL - 29PntT9a@2ch


* Mother is talking on about SNSD ( ~っ~)/ Like Yoona or Taeyeon... - naaayaaaa@twitter


* Looks like my parents are into SNSD - coume_50@twitter


* My wife lectured me about SNSD. I was surprised she could identify
every member. And their names. And looks like she could sing their songs in Korean... - ken1fkd@twitter


* Yesterday at a cafe several middle age ladies were sitting behind me. They were diligently talking about different SNSD members... - snsdthread@2ch








Diverse range of fans could be observed at the concerts


* At the Soshi concert many girls are there of course but also wide
range of fans like boys, kids with parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents
and so on - ぱさらん@ameblo


* ... I went to the Yoyogi concert with my son in college... For sure
there were lots of young people, but looking around me, two 40ish ladies in front, one middle aged gentleman, a group of high school girls, two well built young guys, another group of young females, middle aged husband and wife, parents with a young daughter. The diverse range of people is surprising. For a young female artists group in Japan this is a phenomenon never seen before. Seems like this is the amazing power of SNSD. Power to attract such a diverse population within a year of debut. Once again I can feel the potential for a new and big wave to happen - ウダジ@sblo.jp


* SNSD Japan Concert was full of guys ー（；゜０゜ Never saw a concert with so many guys since the GLAY concert - Rom17B@twitter


* Our family of 4 going to the SNSD concert lol - Yutaoh23@twitter


* SNSD Osaka concert was the greatest~~~! From 3 yr old kids to people in 60's, wide range of fans of all ages and gender! A concert where everyone can go is so great - amymaybefab@twitter


* Now SNSD was the awesomest! I am enchanted lol... Audience around me were guys and I had thought it'd be full of girls so I was surprised! SNSD is really amazing.. Today I must buy a Lipton lol - 松戸由美子@ameblo


* Looks like my aunt went to the SNSD concert - bleuxnalq@twitter


* I went to the Yoyogi concert with my husband * SNSD in real life was too wonderful~ I cried (T_T) Taeyeon~ The greatest~ Actually we are going to the Nagoya concert too~ Looking forward to it (*^^*) - ｺｸﾞﾏ☆ｷｳｨ@sblo.jp


* At tonight's SNSD concert the ratio seemed to be 40% male to 60% female - andomotoh@twitter








The dominance of female SNSD fans in Japan and their akogare

Even as fans of all ages and gender are increasing female fans are still at the core of the SNSD fanbase in Japan.


* 今、なりたいアイドル。それは、「少女時代」。

My akogare in elementary school was Pink Lady... In middle school it was Matsuda Seiko... Now the idol I want to be like. It is SNSD. - yonhiki@cocolog-nifty



Akogare is someone that you look up to, a
role model, someone with the style and character that you yearn to be
like. Young Japanese females often have these akogare figures - Matsuda Seiko, Akina, Amuro Namie are some prime examples. SNSD becoming the akogare figures for Japanese females was really one of the most surprising phenomenon of the Japan advancement, as Korea and Japan have different ideas in regards to preferred female styles. Just what is it about SNSD girls?


* I'm a high school student I've never been interested in idols at all I
looked down on them. But when I got to know SNSD I was really shocked. They destroyed the idea I had about idols. Singing, dancing, styles everything about them is marvelous... I am also a female and they are my akogare. - くまこ@amazon


* .... well most of all females respond very enthusiastically to that
feel of the charismatic stylish girls, I think for a lot of females
they are the akogare, that kind of thing... - kyesun7222000


* ... everything about SNSD is the best. They are almost 10 years
younger than me but really are my akogare I want to try my best to have style like that even for just a little bit - emily0510@ameblo


* I want to become very stylish like I could blend in with SNSD.... - miluhyde@twitter


*- There are many cute female idols but there are rarely females idols
that can sing and dance so well and perform perfectly like them! Kakkoii (<-This is a big reason), beautiful and also with cuteness even.
That akogare desire to become like (SNSD) makes females into fans, don't you think? And when you get to know SNSD, you come to understand each members' personalities. This is a very interesting group. Just like that in no time I became a complete fan lol. - osatou25@chiebukuro


* Lately I am feeling SNSD... It's odd, at first I wasn't interested at
all. Maybe now I'm feeling sophisticated females are my akogare. But in fact they are younger than me. - nicole_of_bump@twitter


* Initially I didn't have any interest in them, but by watching their
performances on TV I got into them completely. This is no cheap "idol"
music. The singing, dancing and the looks are taken to the highest
levels, It feels that their mere presence is an "art"... Even from the
view of being female and same age as them, they are my akogare. - いよかん@amazon


* I want to be toyed by beautiful unnies like SNSD - perfume9nineAKB@twitter


* Now elementary school girls' dreams will not be to become other idols, but to become SNSD! - 76Cha@twitter


* Tonight was the SNSD concert!... it can be seen they were dancing in perfection, giving their everything. Watching them I felt a strange
sense of trustworthiness... Hard to fathom at first sight but this is a
group of distinct characters... Maybe it's good for me to get addicted~
SNSD... Though I'm a woman over 30 it was like a back-to-being-a-shoujo experience for me - jungris@twitter


* ...(SNSD) they are spreading their wings as women, that style which
can be called perfection, even when seen by the same sex it was
mesmerizing - yujin@ameba








First, SNSD grabs your attention


* I saw SNSD's MV for the first time now, and I had underestimated them. What styles they have, and such high quality stuff. No wonder many people are saying they want to go to their concert. - hayato_my@twitter


* In the morning TV they were showing SNSD... I'm not a fan but when they are on TV my eyes just turn to them. Even from a female's view they are beautiful~ - リッシュ@ameblo


* SNSD's MV definitely has some kind of strange powers! Like it
recharges my energy, like it makes me want to keep watching it, in a
word it's just too cool. - yukichangmin218@twitter


* ... while eating lunch at I got interested by a song I heard... "This
is made so well". Returned home and found out that it was SNSD's Gee
lol. This is going to be popular. I realized that. - yadb@twitter


* Saw the Music Japan SNSD special... Unwittingly I think I'm falling for them this is dangerous... - i_kuk_w@twitter


* The shock I received from first watching SNSD Gee, was the first time since that moving moment 27 years ago when I saw Michael Jackson's Thriller - hideosaito@twitter


* 少女時代のライブはもはやアイドルの枠を超えていたよ

SNSD's performance is already beyond the realm of idols - chirumichiru129@twitter


Then people in Japan discover SNSD is performance par excellence, each and every member then to the whole 9


* Came back from the Osaka concert... Taeyeon was overwhelming. As if a top athlete was in the zone, or as if she was channeling the goddess of singing, she showed off her incredible singing ability - 公僕@fc2


* To be honest initially I didn't think much of SNSD's singing but how
could they sing Lady Marmalade so soulful and powerful like that. Their dancing needs no explanation and they mesmerized me with their singing. - Me_Rock369@twitter


* Hyoyeon is good.. I think she pushes up SNSD to the level beyond idols - nokio1213@twitter


* Came back from the SNSD concert. Overwhelmed by their singing and dancing it's crazy. Each of the members really are at a great level.
Simply it's just as reputed. - tomohiro_kaku@twitter


* After watching the SNSD concert, I thought that they are most
different from Japanese idols in that there is no single main power
member, but every one of them are the main power members - @twitter


* I'm always surprised by the high quality of SNSD's performances - bez_akb0201@twitter


* I can't even decide which member fan I am now - snsdthread@2ch


* That every member is capable of being the center of SNSD is incredible - TokyoAddict@twitter


* Watched the SNSD video and was truly moved. It really is amazing. Just how much hard work have they put through. I can't even imagine. - KRHRAKR@twitter


* Only now but I am glued to SNSD's MV!...9 girls who can sing with
styles like models, and on top of that dancing so synchronized with
heels, come to think of it this level of quality cannot be found in
Japan. Thinking about all their hard work behind this I got a little
teary lol - konachoco@twitter


* Oh man, SNSD is really just incredible... Watching the concert clips
it's outrageous. Everyone has a solo song? It's like every member
performs like Amuro LOL - h_matsumoto@twitter


* SNSD's singing ability, dancing, style, you can choose any aspect but
there can be no complaints, I feel they are the mirror for all idols. -
くまこ@amazon


* Everytime I watch Soshi's performance videos, the performance of this group, exquisitely balanced combination of members and more, is it only me who thinks this is miraculous. It is so mesmerizing, I think I know why the Korean army is so loyal to them ^^ - takuyajoe@twitter


* SNSD... I bought the album. What the... this is insanely good. I
thought they were idols but this is at the level of artists! - cocoskb@twitter


* They have the images of being pretty girls but what I felt at this
concert were power and passion. And that SNSD are challenging their
lives on singing and dancing. I have been affected now this was an
opportunity to look back at my self. - couco0703@chiebukuro


* I think it's amazing that they can pull off both kawaii or kakkoii styles. - kogumakeron0628@chiebukuro


* I too have been mesmerized by SNSD's overpowering performance ability. That something which draws me to them, it truly is the dream. - ARAx35@twitter


* SNSD is blazing. What do I know as an old guy you may ask, but what's great is great. Myriads of styles, performance that towers above, and the teamwork. - eggtarte@twitter


* I became unable to look away from their dance of wonderful unison,
something that could be called the "synchronized swimming on land". The dance for Genie is even more tightly coordinated than Gee, it puts me into a state of shock and awe. - millerrose_99@amazon


* When I look at SNSD, the fire burns in me to do my best at work. The level of excellence they have is utterly stunning. It would be nice if I can do my work in such a fashion. - takanorimiura@twitter


* I went because I wanted to see Seohyun but I am applauding all 9
members from the bottom of my heart... 3 hours on stage in high heels, how incredible is that? Singing and dancing everything's most awesome. My daughter who was Taeyeon fan became a fan of all members. - torajiji246@twitter





With each SNSD concert in a city in Japan, a flood of comments


* SNSD concert is over! Supra-Hyper-Ultra-Gigantic-Super-Mega Great Ahhhhhhh!!!! - covosuke1223@twitter


* Soshi was dangerous ~~~ - < Every member so slim like dolls just way too cute ♡♡ - marixwx@twitter


* Went to the SNSD concert yesterday~ Incredibly crowded. When I hurried to buy some goods most of them were sold out... Cute, great styles and all perfect. I came to like SNSD even more. I want to go again~ - みなはる@ameblo


* Oh man - SNSD concert was the awesomest! Should I go to Fukuoka one too lol Now I have come to love all the members (´Д｀) - KJR0707@twitter


* Concert is over!! Really SNSD is the greatest (//∇//) A memorable day in a long time! - Toyyon_147@twitter


* I'm back from the last Yoyogi concert. I was still a newbie fan, but I
have fallen for them in an instant, and I was cheering loudly together
with my kid. It was just most awesome. Ah am I going to be able to work now? - TOM @sblo.jp


* Oh gee~ Danger, dangerous~ Ever since I've been to SNSD's concert, their songs energize me at work - salon-meiry@twitter


* Yes (^O^)/! SNSD in person was dangerous (:_; ) Absolutely more cute than how they look on TV - _aimi0801@twitter


* These days listening to SNSD as I go to school has become my motivation. Ah~ I want to go to the Tour again _ < - kazumisoz@twitter


* Real life SNSD were beautiful like goddessses, cute like angels,
styled like dolls, couldn't think of them as same human as myself. - otc_4649@twitter


* SNSD concert was dangerous! Now this is amazing(^^) Highly perfected, great singing, great styles, cute, can speak good Japanese, it's all perfect! From today I've come to like every member!! - kubinobu@twitter


* Concert was the greatest (^O^)... I've known Sooyoung since route0, and supported SNSD since their debut so I was moved and I ended up crying... Then Tiffany pointed at me and gestured not to cry (/_ ; ) Moved by Tiffany's tenderness I cried even more. Not just song and dance Soshi has beautiful hearts truly the greatest. Looking forward to going again on the 28th. - もでぃ@sblo.jp


* I saw SNSD in person. I can die now - panakipan@twitter


* I don't even know what the heck anymore TT Just too excited and ah~~~
First thing SNSD was divine (T_T)... I don't know if all this is real my
condition is weird! I don't think I could now live normally~~ - nachutitty725@ameblo



(continue to PART 2 : //www.bloggang.com/viewdraft.php?id=narnia&month=07-07-2011&group=2&gblog=29 )


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Originally written, translated (the comments; from Japanese to English) and posted by silis7noy2 @ Soompi forums (SNSD Official Thread) :

//www.soompi.com/forums/topic/341781-%e5%b0%91%e5%a5%b3%e6%99%82%e4%bb%a3-girls-generation-snsd-%ec%86%8c%eb%85%80%ec%8b%9c%eb%8c%80-official-thread-3/page__view__findpost__p__17250492

Create Date : 07 กรกฎาคม 2554 Last Update : 7 กรกฎาคม 2554 18:45:10 น. Counter : 925 Pageviews.		1 comments
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