YOOA : New facets, new challenges

Meeting with YOOA over a coffee, to discuss her comeback!

It is during a privileged interview in Seoul that KSTATION TV meets YOOA, singer of the group OH MY GIRL, which makes her solo comeback with an album called «BORDERLINE».

This first single marks the singer’s return, under the agency WM ENTERTAINMENT. As her last comeback was in November 2022 with the mini-album «SELFISH», it is many secrets and anecdotes that YOOA is ready to deliver to the journalists present during the interview. It is with great anticipation that her fans await her return, and above all, impatience to know the concept of this single.

«BORDELINE» proposes a theme oriented around identity and dream. At the beginning of the interview, before the arrival of the artist, a video teaser is broadcast where YOOA speaks in English in an angelic environment, surrounded by white and feathers, then another video is presented where we find her this time in a darker world, with ripped-off clothes. Then, the music «Rooftop» marking the comeback of the singer is broadcast. The music is catchy, and shows a different facet from YOOA which had already surprised her audience with the songs «Selfish» and «Bon voyage».

YOOA then appears, dressed in pink and smiling at the journalists. Once the preparations are made, the questions flow immediately. The young singer begins by saying that during the break between her two comebacks, she worked hard, and prepared a lot of content for her fans. She is delighted to make her comeback, and is eager for feedback.

Although her concepts change, she expresses the fact that all her songs are linked in one way or another. Indeed, «Bon voyage» told the journey of a child in a forest and here, although the concept is a little darker, we can describe this comeback as the journey of a child, still, but in dreams, which are darker, to get closer to the song “Selfish”.

« I wanted to challenge myself for this comeback » — YOOA

The first time she listened to the song «Rooftop», she focused more on the dance that went with it to express the different feelings of the music. The way she also describes this comeback is the confidence she has in herself, that she has earned over her career since she was young and she gained as a solo artist and artist in the group OH MY GIRL. It is with a strong desire to share her story that she offers solo comebacks that can stand out from her group activity.

Trust is a key element that can help her achieve happiness. So mindset is just as important to her. By doubting too much, the quality of her music can weaken, so it is important to have messages of encouragement for yourself. In addition, she always seeks to improve herself, and watches other artistic productions such as musicals to draw inspiration, and try new vocal techniques.

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YOOA says it is complicated to live in a world without any form of joy or happiness. Among the lyrics of the song are words such as «loneliness». In real life, she can counter this loneliness thanks to her loved ones, and especially the love of her fans who are present in each of her activities, solo, or in groups. Loneliness can therefore be avoided through small marks of love, or support in her projects. The lyrics of «Rooftop» resonate with her, as someone who knew how to appropriate this comeback like her previous songs.

Regarding the design of this album, and above all, her image, she reveals having made a diet to lose her cheeks that made her face round and lunar. In addition, she did a lot of massage on her face to help make it look natural, setting up a real facial care routine to improve her image and make her more mature. Makeup also helps to emphasize this mature aspect, which can be found in her teasers photos and her clip. Shyly, she asks reporters if her face and image have changed, sharing laughter in the room.

« For this comeback, I focused the fashion side of it on my shoulders and arms, by putting feathers and accessories to highlight them. » —YOOA

Making the reporters laugh again, YOOA who is dressed in candy pink says that her clothes today have nothing to do with the comeback, which is darker and vaporous. As she worked, it became easier and easier for her to prepare albums, her mind calming as her musical career was built over the years. Concerning feathers, it was an idea of her agency to remind the nature side of «Bon voyage».

Among the songs of this single, we find three tracks; «Rooftop», «Love myself» and «Shooting star». YOOA starts by saying that she obviously likes all these songs, and that each one is special in her eyes, because they have different messages, which seek to give confidence, in oneself, or to others. She recommends listening to her single carefully to receive all these messages of encouragement. Even if her comeback is only next week, she is already thinking about her future comebacks, and other opportunities like acting.

If ever such an opportunity presents itself to her, she wishes to try any style of acting, but especially a friendly style to make herself accessible for potential debuts. Returning to her identity as a solo artist YOOA and YOOA of OH MY GIRL, she says she always wanted to express her ideas and concepts, and thought about the possibility of changing her name to go solo. However, her group being what allowed her to go solo, she finally did not want to deny her identity, and preferred to keep YOOA also as a solo artist, so that in the end, there is no real difference between her two musical identities, except that her repertoire is wider in styles as a solo.

During this interview, the young woman’s attitude is very relaxed. She takes the time to look at each of the journalists, smiles at them, jokes with them. She responds by providing many details to her answers, allowing to transmit her professionalism and her desire to succeed in her career. Returning to the songs of her single, she said it was difficult to choose among them for the title song, and finally chose «Rooftop» to show her charisma and another musical facet. This charisma is what she sought to highlight in her teaser videos, presented at the beginning of the interview.

Also approaching makeup to bring more details, she compares her makeup in the white teaser to a ballet dancer, with lighter hair, light but shiny makeup, and feathers surrounding her to remind birds. The other teaser having a more marked makeup, she was looking to hear words like «any style of makeup suits you well!» and, most importantly, hear the expression “fierce” to refer to her. A journalist also reflects that YOOA has become a fashion icon, even as a singer. Immediately, she defends herself by saying that this is not the case, showing her humility, but still expressing her joy at her words.

« I hope to be able to get the first place on musical shows, but especially that we talk about my comeback for the atmosphere that I will release on stage» —YOOA

Then, the singer talks about her family, saying that despite her great closeness with her brother, they do not contact each other that often, mainly because he does not answer the phone when she contacts him. However, her mother is very available and present, but YOOA knows and feels supported by her relatives. Speaking again of her break between «Selfish» and «Bordeline», the artist says that she devoted herself to her group activities, but also took the time to spend moments with her loved ones, to rest and recharge and thus be able to come back stronger than ever for this comeback.

A reporter points to the word «Bordeline», asking her if she has the «narcissistic» trait of this pathology, which YOOA strongly denies. For example, she always prioritizes her activities with OH MY GIRL, being her close friends. She is very grateful for the support she receives from other members when she has solo activities, and is always surprised to have made her debut ten years ago. Recognition is just an important value as those mentioned above for the young woman, who warmly thanks all the people who accompanied her for a decade, making sure she stands in this room today with reporters for her third solo comeback.

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In relation to her creative process, YOOA does not put pressure on herself, because she is aware that there are things she can do, and others she cannot accomplish. She believes that you have to do everything in your time, and that there is always a reason for something to work, while others do not. This is valid in solo, but also with OH MY GIRL, destiny having brought them together. Before making a group comeback, the members all consult to ask themselves what artistic direction to take, who will sing which part, who will highlight in the dance or other, etc. Listening and understanding reign in her group.

Another reporter asks her for her involvement in social networks, and YOOA once again makes the reporters smile by saying that she is not very funny, and who thus does not dare to launch on platforms such as YouTube for example. She prefers direct rather than virtual contact, and hopes to one day hold solo concerts in Korea and abroad. If this comeback succeeds, she will be able to gain more freedom and privileges in her agency, which will allow her to perform concerts.

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Actually, it was the agency that asked her to go solo, and wait for the reaction of the public to decide whether to continue her career would be wise or not. Although she wanted to go solo too, it was the agency that took the first step, and she expresses her gratitude that her agents believed in her and trusted her. For example, they could have offered to do MC, or appear in entertainment shows, but the fact that they chose her to go solo is a mark of confidence in her, confidence in her success and abilities.

She was able to exchange with her producers for this comeback, to incorporate her ideas and the messages she wanted to convey in the lyrics of her songs. But she hopes to hear, “Oh, “Rooftop” is a YOOA song? She’s taken on a new challenge, she’s showing us something new!” Receiving such words will mean more to her than a first place in a music show. To conclude the interview, YOOA distributed egg-shaped lollipops to the reporters, with a little post-it to thank us for coming.

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