G.Na thanked fans for their supports and loves after winning first place on M! Countdown
G.NA’s Fancafe Message
Hello~~^^ It’s G.NA~~~~!
It’s been such a long time since I’ve come home from finishing a schedule and came here to leave a message~~
After coming back, I lost my mind doing schedules so I couldn’t write what I wanted to write. Sorry… You’ll understand, right?^^
After having come back, I received a lot of love and interest… I felt really new… I am working with thankfulness!!!
There was a lot of worrying and thoughts.. but because of you guys, I could overcome all that and gain strength so I truly do thank you..
I still have a lot of shortcomings but seeing you watch me until the end makes me live everyday with a mindset to work even harder~
Yesterday on February 17th, I won first place again… I still believe that this is because of your strength…^^ I thank you and love you so much for making me feel so happy, words can’t describe it!!!!!!!!!!!!
There’s a lot more I want to say but I have to gogossing to Music Core in five hours so as much as I regret it, I will end it here and sleep!!!^^
I also thank those who came to BEAST’s concert today.. From now on, please keep a good eye on our Cube family…
I’ll make sure you see our changing and growing appearances… because of your love for us, we feel happiness…!!!~~~
I really…love you…I’ll work hard!!!!!!!!!!!! Let’s all gain strength and run until the end!!!!! Yaho!!!!
Fighting!!!!!!
(ENGLISH MESSAGE BY G.NA)
Thank you so much for all your love n support guys.. u guys mean everything to me…everything…
Please show all your love n support till the very end hehe… thank you so much for makin me who i am…i will do my best to become the person u guys hope for me to be… LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!
G.NA ”Becoming More Confident Due to My Confidence in Korean”
G.NA has come back. Last July she debuted with her powerful singing ability with ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better’ and was accepted as a ‘daebak rookie.’ In August, G.NA continued her popularity with ‘Supa Solo.’ She rose to the top ranks among the idols and has stood out from the other female solo singers in the music industry.
Things like her ‘Five Girls’ origin, her appearance in 2PM’s debut music video and even her time as 4Minute’s Hyunah’s back dancer has gathered lots of attention. However, a benefit of hers is that she proudly used her power to let her name be known. But this time, it’s definitely changed. She transformed in a feminine way.
“When I promoted ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better,’ the atmosphere had to be heavy and mysterious. I just tried to match that and keep the song alive. I think the singer has to keep the song alive well. That’s my job and that’s what I wanted. At the time, I didn’t really reveal much of my personality. I didn’t even appear in variety programs then. But now, I think I’ve gotten more comfortable. I think that the fans see that.”
The new album G.NA presented, ‘Black & White,’ has a playful synth sound, strong rock melody that is combined with G.NA’s powerful yet delicate vocals. However the feeling from this song and ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better’ is different. It’s both powerful and bubbly.
“I’m not always bubbly. At the time of ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better,’ I believed that any emotion, expression, hand motions and gaze were parts of my personality. At that time, I had a vivacious, female warrior feel. However, I feel that was only one side of me shown. At that point, there was never really a time where I introduced myself thoroughly on variety programs. I was regretful. That’s why as I released my first full-length album, I felt as though I was debuting again.”
The fun part of this album is that it adds emphasis on G.NA’s body and that it is attracting much interest. In the days of G.NA’s debut album, any interest about her body was present, just not as prominent as it is today. Names such as ‘nine-part proportioned body’ and ‘body terminator’ spilled out everywhere. Why did the thing that set her apart from others, change?
“If I didn’t have to buy clothes, I wouldn’t have to say things like this. Honestly, at first I asked ‘How can I wear this?’, but now my stylist and I talk a lot. I wanted to appear bubbly and refreshing to you all. I think they’ve enjoyed watching my more confident promoting appearance.”
G.NA gave us a feeling of bold transformation from the past in today’s interview. Whenever she came out with her debut song, she didn’t have much confidence on stage and when she talked to other people. Language was definitely a big problem. I think that this was because G.NA, who lived in America, kept experiencing communication gaps with people with her awkward Korean. However, that has changed.
“I really practiced a lot. When I do an interview, I have to take in the question, figure out its purpose, organize my thoughts and answer. That was the hard thing about interviews. I think the reason why I had no confidence in myself was because I had no confidence in Korean. I think that was why I felt even more dread back then. My company friends helped me a lot. I fixed their English, they fixed my Korean.”
Seven months after debut. During that period of time, there were a lot of different events and there were many different comments about solo singer G.NA. Despite that, the more important thing to her was what they would say about her as time went on. No matter what people on the outside say of her, it is because if she is not satisfied with herself, there is no satisfaction at all.
“I am more proud of something else rather than what I have done well. Rather than my pride in the things I’ve done, it is more about the people around me who are like family, who’ve always remembered me as a person and were always at my side, giving me strength. During my trainee days, I told myself I’d hold it in for one year, I’ll hold it in for three years. After my debut, I anticipated my future as well as the future of my company and family. Making an album isn’t easy. I think it’s because of the many people that create the road for me to walk on that I can work with even more passion.”
Although she has yet to become as mainstream as idol groups, her footsteps as a female solo singer isn’t easy. Same goes for IU and even rookie singer, Han Groo. Among those good points, there is G.NA. This part may seem overwhelming for her though.
“I think that’s what makes it interesting. When I did ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better,’ there were no female solo singers. Now, interest in female solo singers has risen and this overwhelming feeling is large. Despite that I still have confidence. I was born in 1987 but my zodiac sign is the rabbit. I have a good feeling, you know? To say I don’t care about popularity and awareness would be a lie but it also becomes a strength for me so I can show off a better appearance. Although it’s overwhelming to hear stories of legendary female solo singers, I still believe that doing my best and having fun in all that I do is very important.”
Back when G.NA first debuted, because of B2ST’s Yoon Doojoon appearing in her music video “I’ll Back Off So You Can Live“, G.NA had gained many anti-fans. However, with her recent “Black & White” comeback and promotions, G.NA’s anti-fans have become fans.
On February 28th, G.NA had a stage during B2ST’s Danguk Concert. On that day, G.NA not only received a lot of enthusiastic cheers from B2ST fans, but her fandom extends to males and females of all ages.
A representative from Cube Entertainment expressed, ‘G.NA’s anti-fans have gradually changed. In the early days of her debut, she had a lot of anti-fans, but now I am relieved. G.NA’s mother used to go on her anti-fancafe almost every day, but now there is no need anymore. In the beginning, G.NA was a little arrogant and haggard in appearance, but now fans are able to see her other charms.‘
G.NA attempts to become 4minute’s English teacher on “4minute’s Mr. Teacher”
On the latest episode of “4minute’s Mr. Teacher“, G.NA made an appearance to teach the girls the proper way of speaking English. However, the poor singer had a hard time getting the 4minute girls to stay focused, as they kept going off topic and dancing randomly to songs.
She first attempted to help the girls differentiate the pronunciation of the ‘f’ and ‘p’ sounds, and they were able to butter up their English and say “4minute” with the perfect American accent. Jiyoon then said “f(x)” and all the girls started dancing to “LA chA TA“.
After a while, G.NA finally gave up on the easy-going idols, declaring that they were simply too hard to teach.
Back on February 27th, the star returned to Incheon Airport after visiting Canada for a special performance. G.NA exhibited a comfortable look, wearing a matching black tracksuit set and a
. Although her clothes were conservative, she was unable to hide her perfect body proportions.
Despite the downplayed look, G.NA couldn’t escape the admiring gazes she attracted. Rumor has it that she even created garnered much attention from the Vancouver Airport as she departed.
Netizens commented, “I have a tracksuit from the same brand, but when I wear, it looks completely different” and “The tracksuit fashion really fits her well.”
G.NA taken to the emergency room for a knee injury
Singer G.NA was taken to the emergency room for a knee injury.
On March 11th, G.NA fell while heading for the stage of KBS’s “Music Bank“. It’s said that the star had tripped and landed on her knee.
G.NA underwent acupuncture, and returned to the staff despite her staff’s concerns; reportedly, she repeatedly iterated, “I have to complete my schedule.“ Originally, she was set to stand for her performance, but due to the pain in her knee, she sang her song “I Miss You Already” sitting in a chair. Right after the live broadcast, G.NA was immediately taken to the emergency room to receive a complete medical examination.
On March 12th, a Cube Entertainment representative revealed, “Although there is no problems with her bones, she may have pulled a ligament and so we must wait for further details. While she is doing activities for a ballad track, we plan to lessen her movement as much as possible.“ Representatives have further stated that if the injury develops, they plan to adjust her activities.
Since she had already pre-recorded her performance for MBC’s “Music Core“, her next live appearance will be on the 13th through SBS’s “Inkigayo“.
9th Korean Music Festival: Third batch of artists announced!
In anticipation for the annual Korean Music Festival, KoreaTimes released the first and second batches of artists over the past ten days, and they’re already back with the third set of idols scheduled to perform at Los Angeles‘ Hollywood Bowl this April!
The third batch includes five individual artists that we’re sure fans will be excited to see perform live. Check out the list below:
Baek Ji-Young
G.NA
Jay Park
Jeong Soo-Ra
K-will
The line-up also includes Sul Woon Do, DJ D.O.C, SISTAR, 4minute, Kim Jang-Hoon, Lee Eun-Ha and U-KISS, bringing the artist total up to twelve thus far. There are still more artists that will be added to the list, so stay tuned for more announcements from KoreaTimes this month!
Make sure to check out allkpop’s extensive coverage of Korean Music Festival 2010 through our event recap, high-definition photo sets, videos and more. Stay tuned for more details from both KoreaTimes and allkpop regarding this event!
G.NA reveals her secret technique of maintaining a “mannequin figure” during a busy schedule
Seoul, Korea – Singer G.NA has revealed her technique of body figure maintenance.
An around-the-clock date with G.NA will be reported on KBS JOY’s Entertainers on the 18th.
G.NA who is busy these days performing her new song “Black and White” commented on her busy schedule: “I take a three-hour nap in the car every day.”
She has once been a hot issue for her glamorous figure, which was nicknamed “mannequin figure.”
G.NA revealed her technique for maintaining her body figure: “Whenever I have the time in the moving car, I do some stretching and activities to maintain my figure.”
Also, G. NA’s story about being featured wearing a bikini in male ‘idol’ group 2PM’s music video of “Ten Points Out Of Ten Points” was revealed.
The around-the-clock date with G.NA will air on KBS JOY at 10:50 p.m. on the 18th.
G.NA releases a sweet remake of Fukuyama Masaharu’s “Milk Tea”
Japanese singer-songwriter Fukuyama Masaharu is celebrating his 20th debut anniversary with a new album titled, “With Special Guests – Fukuyama Masaharu Remake“. He’s invited many of Korea’s top vocalists to cover his numerous tracks, which included “Best Love” (done by 2AM) and “Rainbow” (done by B2ST).
G.NA’s cover of “Milk Tea” is the latest track to be publicly released from the album. Her voice gives this song a melodic sweetness, and many of Fukuyama’s fans are praising the Korean idol for her successful rendition.
“Milk Tea” will be followed by releases from Tei, Ban Kwang-ok, Joohee, and Young Jee, so stay tuned!Tip: rawr6127
G.NA talks about her pre-debut days with HyunA and 2PM
Known to be 4minute HyunA’s backup dancer prior to her own debut and as an extra in 2PM’s ‘10 out of 10‘
musicvideo, G.NA recently revealed her feelings of the experience on KBS JOY.
On March 18th, G.NA made an appearance on ‘Entertainers‘ and talked about her experience as
HyunA’s backup dancer for the latter’s solo single, ‘Change‘. She confessed, “My days as HyunA’s backup dancer were so hard.” Additionally, she told viewers a behind-the-scenes story about filming for 2PM’s debut music video.
Discussing her current promotional activities, she stated, “I sleep for only three hours a day in a car. Even if I had 10 bodies, it would be hard maintaining my schedule.” When asked how she maintains her figure with the busy schedule, she responded, “I stretch and focus on keeping my body in shape when I have time in the car.”
Source + Photo: Star News & My Daily via Yahoo! Korea 1,2
[Newsen Writing Reporter Go Kyungmin / Photo Reporter Lee Jaeha]
This year is clearly the year of the female solo singers. IU, JOO, Navi, Beige, After School’s leader Kahi and even former BABY V.O.X main vocal Kan Miyeon released their own mini albums and pronounced themselves as solo singers. Despite the many female artists, G.NA shines with her visuals and musicality.
G.NA recently released her title track for her new full-length album, Black & White.’ It has been receiving much love and heated up the Internet as it rose to number one on music charts. On the 17th, she won first place on Mnet’s ‘Mcountdown’ and displayed her potential as a female solo singer. She started her first nationwide fan signing on the 11th in Seoul Kangnam Central City, then Daejeon on the 12th, and Busan on the 13th. Even at her fan signings, her fans confirmed her hot popularity.
With the recent album promotions, G.NA’s amazing body caught many eyes. Before promoting her album, she lost 3.5kg and she lost a lot of body fat. She boasted a more firm and balanced body than the time she promoted ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better’ and ‘Supa Solo.’
G.NA said, “During my last promotions, I worked harder to hide myself because I didn’t want my body to be magnified. It felt overwhelming that all the eyes were turned on my body even before I was able to show off my musical side. However, my thoughts have changed. Saying I’m hiding it when it’s not even getting hidden haha. I’m thinking of everything in a positive way and to succeed at everything boldly.”
Although her body is worth being jealous of, with her nine-part proportioned mannequin body, small face and D-cup chest size, G.NA found all this as a complex.
“I am truly thankful that they gave me the nickname of mannequin body. That kind of compliment always makes me happy. However, it is better to say that I worked hard to get a body that fits that nickname rather than being born with it. My growing condition is only different because it was passed down from my family. My mother, younger sister and grandmother have similar body types. But my large chest causes a lot of frustrations for me.”
Like G.NA said, her amazing body came from her parents. G.NA’s mother, Yoon Taesun, used to be a national representative swimmer in Canada. G.NA’s mother is close to rocker Yoo Hyunsang’s wife, Choi Yoonhee, who is called Asia’s mermaid. They are so close that G.NA even calls Choi Yoonhee ‘auntie.’
Her father, Choi Sunsoo, came out of the Marines and was an active national representative taekwondo player. G.NA’s younger sister is currently an athlete in Canada and before G.NA debuted, G.NA played volleyball and did cheerleading.
Unlike her athletic family, G.NA was closer to music and unknowingly dreamed of being a singer. Especially when her father passed away and her mother sent G.NA to live with her grandparents, she had no choice but to hide her dreams from her grandparents, who thought differently.
But in 2005, she left for Korea without a plan as soon as she entered college. At the time, G.NA passed the ‘Battle Shinhwa’ auditions and found a chance. At the same time, 2PM’s Nichkhun and Park Jaebum were picked up by JYP. G.NA said, “The time we went to go see open auditions and received the same casting card. The time we arrived in Korea was similar as well. We were picked up by separate agencies at a similar time as well. When I think about this process, I think it was fate.”
In 2007, G.NA prepared to debut via MTV’s ‘Diary of the Five Girls’ but the plan was dispersed and she returned to Canada with much heartache. The other members who originated in Five Girls, Yubin, UEE and Jeon Hyosung all debuted before her in separate groups. G.NA had watched their appearances from behind. But G.NA didn’t give up.
(continued from Interview ①)
To those who don’t give up, there are second chances. President of Cube Entertainment, Hong Seungsong, acknowledged G.NA’s potential and brought her to his company. Even after entering Cube, the chance to debut didn’t come easily. However, as she chased her dreams, many events happened that allowed her to grow more mature.
“When you think about it, there’s nothing that happens on the first try. Nothing comes easy. Things that come easy disappear easily too. One has to endure something not just once, but three, four times to think of it easily than hard. Even though my other friends debuted before me, I feel that I am an adult and that I grew a lot more than they did.”
G.NA caused much fist clenching, even as a child. She was born in Canada and spent her school days there as well. G.NA had always participated a lot in school events and was popular among her friends. She was a student that enjoyed taking the lead and was always bursting with energy.
However, she felt darkness, loneliness and alienation for the first time when she arrived in Korea. When G.NA looks back, she said that that was her life’s turning point. She became a more frustrated person as she thinks ‘Why can’t I do this quickly’ and that fact makes her more confident and proud. She became a singer that way and after she debuted, it was because she had no choice but to work hard.
Like other singers with nice visuals, G.NA did not receive attacks on her singing ability. Her debut had been late but in turn, it took her blood, sweat and tears to raise her singing ability. She practiced every song in her album so that when anybody asked her to sing, she would take the stage immediately. And by practicing so much, she showed off a strong confidence in her live stages.
She hid her dance skills for a while and instead, she showed off cute choreography that would make her unique charm more appealing. She had worried a lot about rejection because she had gained many female fans with her familiar, cold and chic image. If you see G.NA in her actuality, you will remember her as a much more bubbly, pleasant and friendly person.
G.NA’s goal was never being first place. “I hope that a lot of people will know a person named G.NA. I just want to make clear that my goal is not first place but rather, it is to allow my name to be known. I want to become a singer who knows her own color, like Yoon Mirae and pop singer Christina Aguilera. I want my name, G.NA, to have a brand name value. I want to make music that you can listen to without hesitation. I will work hard.”
G.NA’s passion shines brighter than G.NA’s beautiful body.
On February 26th, cable channel Mnet started a new live music program titled “M SoundPlex” and G.NAwas featured on the latest episode!
The beautiful and talented singer covered Beyonce’s“Irreplaceable” and did a wonderful job. She also performed “Rainbow Bridge” and “Already Miss You” with the famous Canadian artist / pianist Steve Barakatt on the piano, check out the performances below!
G.NA shows a pure and innocent image through Twitter
Singer G.NA, who has become known for her mannequin-like body, let go of her sexy image and gave fans a peak of her pure charms.
On March 21st, G.NA uploaded pictures of herself through twitter along with the tweet, “The doll present I received looks like me, right? Maybe not? Thank u for the sweetest present =] keke My hair is totally distracting ㅠㅠ.”
In the picture, G.NA is displaying a cute pose while hugging a brown doll with huge eyes. With her blonde hair all aflutter, it seems like she had just taken a shower, and her bangs drew out the innocent girl within her.
Netizens commented, “Your short bangs are really pretty”, “You look like a barbie doll. You really are the doll-idol”, and “It’s really difficult for female solo artists to be successful, but your skills and your beauty are outstanding.”
Singer G.NA donned a chic, sporty look that showed off the beautiful proportions she’s famous for in her latest photoshoot with “Elle Girl” magazine.
The magazine’s concept this month was ‘dance’, and so G.NA applied her stage experience to pose in fun, charismatic ways that brought emphasis to both her sexy body and to her outfits.
In her interview, she commented, “Music is a necessity in my life. My father passed away at an early age, and because I lived away from my mom, I had nothing or no one to depend on but music. Music understood me, and through music, I was able to cure my wounds and feel happiness.”
She continued, “The only reason I was able to overcome the hardships before my debut was because of music. I gave up everything I had worked for when Five Girls disbanded and I returned to Canada. I can still feel the agony I went through then, but it’s because of I experienced such misery that I’m able to overcome a lot more now.”
On her goals for the year, G.NA revealed, “When I first debuted, I was afraid of talking on TV so I prioritized my promotions around music programs. This year, I want to be a bit more greedy and show everyone that I’m a person with a lot of different sides to myself.”