Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade…

- An excerpt from William Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 18′

So, what’s with the sudden sonnet, you ask? Instead of writing the typical birthday tribute, I thought of writing it with a theme instead. Somehow, the sonnet was the first thing that came to mind when I thought of comparing Yoona to the four seasons. I guess those English literature lessons finally came to good use.

As we approach the end of May, we are stepping into the warm and humid summer season (in temperate countries anyway). So how do we liken our dear Yoona to summer? Good ol’ Willie put it in a wonderful way. Certainly, Yoona is more lovely and constant than a hot and sometimes stormy summer’s day. Like the contents of the sonnet, everything beautiful will gradually lose its beauty but strangely, the youth and beauty we see in Yoona never did fade. Instead, she somehow managed to continue keeping us in awe by getting more and more beautiful (if not goddess-like) throughout the years.

Like summer, Yoona always continues to amaze us with her bright and cheerful personality, not to mention that smile that brightens up your day, however bad it has been. She is one of those kind of unforgettable people that you will always remember once you have met her. She was one of the first members of Girls’ Generation that I got to know and there were no turning back ever since, because she and the rest of the group are like magnets pulling you in with their unwavering and passionate performances as well as their sometimes quirky and dorky personalities. And besides that, summer is the season to be outdoors, to embrace the sun and enjoy doing things you couldn’t in other cooler seasons. Perhaps that was why the outdoor wear company chose Yoona as their model – because of her charming and outgoing personality that fitted so well with the outdoors and nature.

After summer, we will witness the weather turning cooler and leaves starting to turn to a shade of crimson and brown before they start to fall and glide gently off the trees, often providing a beautiful scene to behold. It is autumn and it is a beautiful and melancholic but somewhat romantic season. The gentle breeze in autumn takes the humidity and heat off summer. Like scenic autumn, Yoona is often seen with a certain air of grace and poise except when she’s goofing off when the rest of the group or when she is laughing her head off (just metaphorically of course). She is the epitome of beauty and elegance when she needed to be, such as during important events or award ceremonies.

Other than the vibrant colours of nature, autumn also gives off a comfortable and cozy atmosphere; it is neither too cold or too warm to stay outdoors and it is the perfect setting for a walk in the park or just a stroll in the city. The same goes for Yoona. Despite being a huge star in Korea and everywhere else, she doesn’t give off a cold or diva-like feeling; she always seemed to be nice and friendly to people around her, be it fans or staff.

Now that we’re done with my favourite season of the year, we come to the chilling winter, which can get unforgivably cold in the early months of the year. While Yoona isn’t the ‘Ice Princess’ of the group, she has shown that she could pull off the cold image if she wanted to, such as in some photo shoots she has done over the years. It would be refreshing if she could challenge a cold character as an actress as it would be a huge contrast with her usually warmn and friendly image on and off dramas.

However, for most parts, Yoona is like the warmth that we seek in the middle of winter. Her cute and cheerful personality melts the coldest of hearts and that was probably how she won the affection and love from so many fans from all over the world. Also, winter is where the jolly season of Christmas falls and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Yoona and the rest of Girls’ Generation is perhaps the best gift we have ever received in our lives. Can you imagine how life would be if we never got to know them? No? Me neither.

And finally, spring – the season for love, the beautiful season for blooming flowers and chirping birds. Like spring, Yoona is always refreshing and you really can’t help but love her when you see the perfection that she is and that doesn’t change over the years. Whoever your biases are, you can’t deny that you will always have a soft spot for Yoona because she is that special. And spring, you know what people always says about it – it’s spring so love is in the air! Having always making an appearance on polls that go along the lines of celebrities you would want as your first love or celebrities you would want to date, I guess it is no surprise that people loves Yoona and there’s just no reason not to. She makes you feel like falling in love again and I guess that’s what spring is about too.

One of the highlights of spring is the blooming of the flowers to signal the end of winter, the end of the cold and the emptiness in nature while all goes to rest. It certainly wouldn’t be too much to say that Yoona has bloomed into one of the prettiest people I have ever seen. Her photos as a child and teenager were often shared whenever topics of celebrities’ younger days were brought up. She hasn’t changed much (you can tell it’s Yoona from the first glance at her younger self) and yet she managed to get more and more beautiful by day. Beauty isn’t just skin-deep though; the beauty of her heart and personality somehow manages to radiate on her person and made her perfect, or as close to perfection as anyone can get.

Spring gives off the happy and pleasant feeling – the same could be said about Yoona. She makes one feel like they are walking and bouncing with light steps; she makes one feel so dizzingly-happy like they could sing and dance in the streets accompanied by the spring air and the fragrance of blossoming flowers.

While words and photos aren’t enough to describe how lovely and wonderful Yoona is, we would like to take this opportunity to wish Yoona a very happy birthday! Be yourself always because we love you for who you are. Smile and take care always because we are always here for you. Now, enjoy your day and have a great year ahead!

Photo credits: limyoona.com, Eider, yoonyul.com, Newsen, Innisfree

It’s May 15th and it’s a Sunny day today! In conjunction with Sunny’s 25th birthday, let’s take a look at the A to Z of the irreplaceable sunshine of Girls’ Generation!

Alcohol: Sunny’s drinking prowess is well-acclaimed by her members!

Birthday: Sunny shares the same birthday as her two older sisters!

Catch Me If You Can: Sunny played the role of Brenda twice in the Korean production of the Broadway musical; first, in the second quarter of 2012 and the second time from December 2012 to February 2013.

Dubbing: Sunny participated in dubbing (or voice-acting) for animated film ‘Koala Kid: Birth of A Hero’ with SHINee’s Taemin.

Energy pill: One of Sunny’s nicknames. Why? Just take a look at her famous aegyo!

Fashionista: While most of Girls’ Generation are fashionistas in their own rights, Sunny is the one who pulls off the best sporty-casual fashion, which is evident especially in airport photos!

Gamer: Apparently, Sunny’s an avid gamer and I’ll bet that she can probably beat the majority of us at it too!

Handsome: Sunny came top in a poll where she took the majority of being a female celebrity who is both pretty and handsome! Fellow member Yuri came in second.

Intelligent: Sunny is smart and agile when it comes to handling surprising incidents that happened out of the blue. Don’t believe me? Watch this.

Jitters: or the lack thereof. Have you seen her handling chickens, snakes and cow without fear?

Kuwait: Sunny was born in California but her family moved to Kuwait she was just an infant but due to the Cold War, her family moved to South Korea.

Lee Soonkyu: The endearing Korean name of Sunny. She once jokingly said that Soonkyu is her offstage personality/alter-ego while Sunny is the glamorous Girls’ Generation member that people see on stage.

MC: Sunny played the role of emcee for several shows including music shows ‘The M’ and ‘Music Island’ as well as major events such as the Super Joint Concert in Thailand in April 2013.

Nomination: In the 6th ‘The Musical Awards’ in 2012, Sunny was nominated for ‘Best New Actress’ for her role as Brenda in musical ‘Catch Me If You Can’.

Original Soundtracks (OSTs): Do you know that Sunny participated in several OSTs for dramas? In 2012, she sang ‘It’s Me’ with f(x)’s Luna for the ‘To The Beautiful You’ OST and previously, she has also lent her vocals to the OSTs of other dramas such as ‘Oh! My Lady’, ‘Heading to the Ground’ with Taeyeon and more.

Pyrotechnics: Even the bravest person has their weakness too! Sunny has a fear of loud noises and she still gets surprised at the sounds of pyrotechnics! Poor Sunny!

Quotable: If you look past that first impression of Sunny’s aegyo and cuteness, she is probably wiser than most of us. She said a lot of quotable things in recent times such as “It’s most rewarding when I hear that fans gained strength from watching Girls’ Generation. Girls’ Generation will put on more performances to give you strength so you can say those things for a long long time.”

Radio host: Sunny was a DJ for the radio show ‘Chunji’ until July 2008.

Slam Dunk: She once mentioned that her favourite manga is the sports-themed manga ‘Slam Dunk’. She also said that she enjoyed reading ‘One Piece’.

Talented: She is one of main vocals of the group, she dances, she acts, she models, she hosts events, tv programmes and radio shows plus she excels in variety shows. Need I say more?

Uncle: It’s a widely-known fact that SM Entertainment’s founder Lee Soo Man is Sunny’s uncle.

Variety shows: Sunny is well-known for being a variety-dol (an idol who excels and is entertaining in variety shows) and she has taken part in various variety shows such as ‘Invincible Youth’ with fellow member Yuri, ‘Invincible Youth 2’ with Hyoyeon and ‘Star Golden Bell’ in earlier days.

Witty: One of the factors of Sunny’s success in variety shows is probably her wit and humour, bringing the shows to life with laughter!

Xantrochroic: Initially, Sunny gave everyone a huge surprise when she appeared with short, blonde hair during ‘The Boys’ but I think it is safe to say that most of us fell in love with that cool and chic transformation!

Youthful: Ever since Girls’ Generation’s debut, Sunny has been given the nickname ‘fake maknae’ because she was often thought as the group’s youngest member!

Zealous: Sunny may have been the last to join the company and the group but she was by no means lacking. She had previously diligently trained for many years at another entertainment company before auditioning for SM Entertainment, nailing it and debuting as the last member of Girls’ Generation!

So, the A to Z of Sunny are just the tip of the iceberg for this lovable person that you have to get to know over time! Words and facts aren’t enough to show you how wonderful she truly is. And for now, while still on the never-ending path of getting to know her and loving her, we shall conclude this with a sincere birthday.

From all of us at Fanwonder.com, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNNY! We love you!

Credit: Helianthus (leesoongyu.com), usnthem.dothome.co.kr, YuriKwonBlkPearl3@youtube.com, cho09@youtube.com, ctimtiyaz@youtube.com

Today is April 18th! It’s the time of the year again, the time when we celebrate the birth of our princess who rules our Sone World, the one who was also the one who placed fifth in the list of world’s most beautiful woman in 2012, Jessica Jung.

Jessica is exactly how a typical princess should be like – she whines, she demands for things and she loves to sleep in her chamber.

When she throws something, it will always fall not far from her feet no matter how far she aimed them at, and when she draws something, it will not resemble the original object or person.

But she’s just being Jessica and that’s her charms.

And we love this imperfect little princess.

She may not be an excellent ball pitcher, and she’s not really into head banging like her friends, but she’s not lazy. Yes, she’s not. Everything you believed was a lie. They even brainwashed us into believing that she was lazy with a subliminal song ‘Lazy Girl’. Sneaky, isn’t it?

Since late last year until mid-March this year, Jessica had been giving her all for her musical ‘Legally Blonde’. It was her second time reprising the role of the beloved blonde girl that made fellow group mate Tiffany jealous. And she did an amazing job yet again.

Amidst her musical practice was the preparation for Girls’ Generation comeback, and this princess managed to juggle them both even if it meant cutting down on her sleeping time. She still fulfilled her commitment to the musical even though she had to fly back and forth to Japan for Girls’ Generation second arena tour. Even when she was tired, she stood on the stage and stayed strong until the curtain call for the sake of the waiting audience and her hardworking cast mates. It was said that she even passed out after ending of one of the plays but she came back to fulfill her schedule the night after with a brighter Elle Woods.

“I need to become emphatic on my own. I need to do it because I’m Elle Woods, and that’s why I’m able to do it.”

That was a professionalism of a true star.

There was another misconception about Jessica – that she was a cold person. Don’t let her old nickname, Ice Princess fool you. She was the one who personally asked to meet the fan in the wheelchair who came to her musical. She asked for him and met him just to say thank you and to take photos together.

“A lot has changed. People call me ‘Ice Princess’ because I look cold at first glance, but I’m not. I may be shy, but I won’t be cold towards people I know.”

Whenever Jessica was with her baby sister Krystal, not a trace of her cold image can be seen. They have a close relationship that becomes the envy of others. The way they always look after each other made you wish you have an older or younger sister like them.

“She’s a friend that I can talk to about everyday life and give advice to. I want to protect her and be able to lead her in the right direction.”

Even though Jessica won’t be in Korea to celebrate her birthday with her family and baby sister, I am sure the lovely sisters will find a way to spend time together on the special day, be it a sweet phone call, a string of loving messages or selcas!

Happy birthday to Jessica Jung!!!

You are an amazing and beautiful woman with a warm heart, a great singer, a hardworking actress, a loving sister, a fashionista and one of the best idols we’ve ever seen.

We love you, your highness!

Written by: aienbest@twitter
Photo/video credits: Woorissica, RGB, geegee9.tistory.com, cosnian.tistory.com, Krystal’s me2day (http://me2day.net/fx_krystal), hereaftersone@youtube.com
Special thanks: foreversoshi@twitter for picking out the photos

With time, things are always changing. Kim Taeyeon changes too. Even our ‘greatest leader in the universe’ is unable to stop the unstoppable; things like time, age, and popularity. From Kim Family’s Kim Taeyeon, to Girls’ Generation’s Kim Taeyeon, Korea’s Kim Taeyeon, Asia’s Kim Taeyeon, and now the world’s Kim Taeyeon. No one can change the fact that the group’s virus is spreading. Their beauty is no longer a patent of the fans; it’s now for the world to admire.

Yet we are not afraid. Separated by distance and time, overwhelmed by the changes, all we can feel is pride, never fear. This is because as fans who know our idols and our leader well, we know that time changes, age changes, popularity changes, but Kim Taeyeon never changes.

Some things about Kim Taeyeon never change. Looking at her, we get a sense of assurance, assuring us that no matter how high she goes and how far she gets away from us, she is still our Kim Taeyeon. SONEs’ Kim Taeyeon.

Taeyeon never changes.
In 2007, she was that dorky leader with a weird ahjumma laughter; in 2012, we see the same leader appearing in front of us. Each time we try to compare the past and present photos of her and sigh, “I see no difference!”, perhaps we should be grateful, that we have a leader who creates miracles – racing against time to keep the image her fans are fond of.

“A charismatic adult on the stage, a childish kid offstage.” – That’s how her fans comment about her.

A charismatic adult on the stage, never changes -
On stage, she’s a singer who puts all of her emotions into the song, those emotions that she fails to express in words.
Feburary 2008, a 20 year-old girl stood alone on the stage, facing the world that was watching her and the people she loves, proved herself with her strong vocal, and finally made an unprecedented splash.

June 2011, despite already getting used to her powerful voice, we were again amazed by a short intro to the song ‘Run Devil Run’ and Kim Taeyeon’s unlimited potential.

From 2008 to 2011, she might have changed from a girl singing love songs on the stage to one who roars like a devil with a black eagle outfit, but over the years, what never changed, is the true Kim Taeyeon we see.

A singer who brings energy and tears,
A singer who enjoys every performance,
A singer who influence fans with her charms and charisma.

When asked for the reason why she’s able to support Taeyeon with unchanging love, @tangpa (TAIJui) from twitter, as a fan of Taeyeon since debut, replied, “Besides being able to sing perfectly, beautifully and cutely, she also dances well. She is attractive in many ways, but above anything else, she possesses the most important charm of a singer – talent. Taeyeon’s voice is really great.. She looks beautiful when she sings on the stage, so lovely that I can have everlasting love for her! Never want to let go of her.” @tangpa’s comment simply summarises Taeyeon’s unchanging charms on stage over the years.

Taeyeon told us, “Performing for you is something enjoyable and fun. Whenever there is music programmes, I work to the best of my ability. I have found the way to enjoy it, because it’s something I have most confidence in. That’s when I close my eyes to enjoy without realising it.”

A childish kid offstage, never changes -

Yoona once commented on Taeyeon’s characters, “Extremely free and easy-going.” That explains ‘Kim Taeyeon offstage’. Bright, cute and potentially a gagwoman – that makes Taeyeon a ‘genius in entertainment’ in fans’ eyes. She might not be Sooyoung who displays professionalism on variety shows, but she is definitely a natural entertainer in real life.

“Taeyeon ssi, what is your weakness?”
“Unable to take down things from high places.”

‘Unintentionally sacrificing’ her image as an idol;
Shouting for ice-cream as the oldest members in the group;
Jumping around on the concert stage like a child;
Displaying an incomprehensible kind of love for a soft toy that no one would have noticed;
Capable of doing anything a child can do, convincing non-fans that Kim Taeyeon is the maknae of the group.

One simply cannot put up an act to resemble a child so much, for all these come from the natural character of Kim Taeyeon – cheerful, bright, easy-going, accompanied by milky skin, and forever unchanging baby face.

As a fan of Girls’ Generation for many years, @soshibrows (Cedge) from twitter talked about the reasons of supporting Taeyeon with unchanging love. He said, “My love is unchanging because Taeyeon is still the same adorable person. After all these years, she’s still more or less the same dorky, adorable, slightly 4D kid leader. The person who worked and works hard to fulfill her dreams. The girl who once stood on a bridge and yelled to the river, ‘나는 할수 있다 (I can do it)!’ The leader who tells her members to be careful of their image, yet lets loose with giant ahjumma laughs. Taeyeon may have gone through many styles and concepts (and haircuts…) through the years, but all of that is just garnishing, because what I love the most about her is her personality.”

“Taeyeon is still the same adorable person…. what I love the most about her is her personality.” A simple comment from a fan explains Kim Taeyeon’s attractiveness off the stage. Just like how she remains the same even a long time passes, our love for her stays unchanged.

“Keeping our love unchanging for you”, this precious line from the song ‘Into the New World’ has been a promise between us since 2007. We are able to keep this promise, because our precious leader enabled us to do so. Our kid leader, the unchanging kid leader.

The relationship between Kim Taeyeon and her members never changes.

Being the eldest member, the heavy responsibility of supporting the group was placed onto her shoulder almost automatically. A leader is supposed to guide, control and perhaps, command. But Kim Taeyeon never does so. Being mild and gentle in nature yet having the obligation to lead, she adopted an unique approach to establish an unique relationship with her members -

“A friend-like leader”, that’s how the members described her.

When she was asked, “To Taeyeon, what does Girls’ Generation mean to you?”, she said, “My family, the last people left for me.” She never appears as the leader of the group, but instead, the head of the family. The head of the family who loves her family members unconditionally. She respects their choices, comments, gives them care. She said, “I’m said to be the leader, yet it seems that I’m not doing anything that resembles a leader. At one point of time, all our 9 members became leaders. That’s why I do not like it when people say, ‘It’s Taeyeon the leader’. I hope that we can lead the group together, because in sad or difficult times, we have no one (to rely on) but 9 of us.”

Since when did Kim Taeyeon stop introducing herself as ‘Kid leader Taeyeon’? It seems that the word ‘leader’ has disappeared from her mouth for years. All we see right now, is a family head showing care and concern for her family members silently, everywhere she goes.

Fixing hair for members, helping with their image management, hugging them whenever in need, holding back her tears so that she can comfort her crying members. When these little yet heartwarming moments never fail to make a third party like us to think that “Sure enough, I am loving the right person”, we can already respect how members feel towards her.

Sooyoung told her, “Thank you so much for becoming a leader with the aura of leadership . Because you are the balance in the group, we can maintain our relationship as good friends. This is why I feel grateful that you are a friend-like leader to us.”

Kim Taeyeon – a friend-like leader for the members indeed.

Taeyeon never wanted to declare herself as a leader, yet she is born to be one. Perhaps because she is the oldest member, perhaps because her small yet firm shoulders look reliable, if you observe carefully, members tend to find her the best support in times of need.

Careful and observant, Taeyeon seems to understand the troubles each and every members faces. Being someone who does not know how to express herself, she tends to neglect her own feelings and instead, puts all of her attention on her members. Baby face and dorky behaviours cannot change the fact that Kim Taeyeon is the eldest, and perhaps most experienced member in the group. 2008 was the year that made her grow up – solo activities in the darkest time the group ever faced, working alone to fight against their fate. When she worked so hard that she lost weight naturally and almost fainted, a young girl was in the process of becoming a sensible and mature adult. Since then, she has always been the pillar of the team, never changed.

Yoona said, “Whenever I have troubles, I will always consult Taeyeon unnie.”
Sunny told her, “I rely on you the most, you are my closest friend who knows all my secrets. I’m always thankful, because I trust you and I have been relying on you.”

Kim Taeyeon – a leader-like friend for the members indeed.

And this defines the ‘unique relationship’ that never changes between Taeyeon and the members.

The relationship between Kim Taeyeon and her fans never changes.

Taeyeon has never made any detailed explanation on her relationship with the fans. Perhaps the only time she tried to define it, she said, “We have established a relationship where there is no need for words, we know everything just through eye-contact.”

That was back in 2008, and she has always been right about it.
“A relationship where there is no need for words.” At least to Taeyeon, the word ‘love’ is way not enough to express how she feels towards us. So, what can more accurately define this feeling? Like what she has said, we can try to understand her through eye-contact. Whenever she stares into the fans’ eyes, we are able to feel something more than love, something beyond love. No one can obtain a definite answer from it, but through years of observation, we can in fact figure it out — ‘Gratitude’.

To Taeyeon, ‘thank you’ is definitely a more valuable and meaningful word than ‘I love you’. To put it straight, an idol is never able to fall in love with each and every of her fans, although ‘I love you’ is commonly used on the fandom as a whole. Yet an idol can sincerely feel grateful towards every single one of us. If we put into context, ‘because I love them’ is how Girls’ Generation members drive Taeyeon to work, ‘because I’m grateful to them’ is how fans motivate her.

All these years, Kim Taeyeon has always been trying to convey this message to her fans, she takes every opportunity to express this, though being someone inexpressive.

Thank you fans, thank you SONE.
Thank you for always being there since we met;
Thank you for being the only support for us in the darkest moments;
Thank you for being the only group of people who understand us when there were misunderstandings;
Thank you for always giving us all your love through the years;
Thank you for being my energy, my hope, my vitamin.

‘Thank you’ is a phrase that follows her everywhere. When she gets to speak, she says it; When she stands on the stage without a mic, she mouths it; When she can’t be seen, she conveys the message through UFOs; When she can’t be heard, she writes it on iPad or uses eye-contact.

She told us, “The friends whom I feel most grateful for, people who share my feelings with me – SONE, thank you very very much. As you all share happiness and grief together with me, I feel grateful and sorry at the same time.”

“SONEs are the best, always grateful, my energy!!”

“I’m always thinking about you all, feeling thankful, please be careful of flu.”

She said to her overseas fans, “People who can share and feel my emotions exist even far away across the oceans.. so I wish to only give you more happiness.”

‘Gratitude’ is not something she feels only at certain moments. This word, together with SONE, are always in her heart. After so many years, thanking her fans has become a habit for her, and this will go on forever, never changes.

They sang to us, “Although as time passes, we may change.”

This is when we are reminded that although some things in them never change, they will still grow up and become mature ladies. Although Taeyeon remains as cute, it may surprise you sometimes when you see the change in her image. Losing the baby fat on her cheeks, becoming thinner, the use of heavier make-up, all these are signs of her maturity. Yet this does not contradict to what we have discussed earlier on, because what stays in Taeyeon’s heart did not change.

All we have to do, is to watch her grow up, and walk on together with this precious leader who stays unchanged for her loved ones.

They sing, “Although as time passes, we may change”, but they added, “Let’s not let go of our hands, just for love, let’s let this be our last love forever.” This is a promise assuring us that our relationship will go on forever without change.

Taeyeon grows up, but we will grow up with her. Taeyeon becomes mature, and we will become mature with her. Taeyeon will go onto a higher stage, we will walk on together with her as her support. Some things in Taeyeon never change. Those things in us will never change too.

“Even after a long time passes, I want to dream with you forever.”
We are her fans, we are together, forever.

With this, we wish Taeyeon a happy 25th birthday!

Now, please take some time and watch this MUST-WATCH video (which is a part of this tribute):

Written by: imwhywhy@twitter
Photo Credits: flying_petals@twitter, crisis309com@twitter, cottoncandy309@twitter, kimtaeyeonbar.com, taeyeon0309com@twitter, hereaftersone@youtube.com

After the successful release and promotions of the fourth album ‘I Got A Boy’ in January, we are greeted by a brand new start in February with more milestones coming our way.

First up, February 10th. February 10th is a special day, a doubly special day this year, because it is not only the second concert of the kickoff of Girls’ Generation’s second Japan tour ‘Girls & Peace’ as well as the start of the Lunar New Year, but it is also a very important day that SONEs celebrate every year.

February 10th is the birthday of a member of Girls’ Generation, a member as kind as she is tall, as witty as she is sensible and yet, as fun-loving and dorky as the girls can be. She is Choi Sooyoung, resident average height booster and a food connoisseur (a.k.a shikshin).

It is not an exaggeration if we proclaim the past year as a witness of the growth and showcase of Sooyoung’s talents and skills. In 2012, Sooyoung’s acting skills were first seen in a cameo appearance in ‘A Gentleman’s Dignity’. The short appearance was just a teaser and a prelude to prepare us for the heartwrenching role of Eui Jin, a violinist in the medical drama ‘The 3rd Hospital’, where she worked with famous actors Kim Seungwoo, Oh Jiho and Kim Minjung. Her acting in the drama impressed not only her fans and viewers but also her co-stars.

Even in a group of nine girls, it was obvious that Sooyoung has a knack for talking well in interviews and other such occasions with her wits and sensibility. Therefore, it was a very pleasant surprise when it was announced in May 2012 that Sooyoung will be hosting SBS’s ‘Midnight TV Entertainment’ along with Yoon Dohyun. MC Sooyoung with her wits and charms brought a fresh breath of air to the weekly entertainment show and her efforts were also recognized with a nomination in the SBS Entertainment Awards, which was also hosted by her back on December 30th.

Time and time again, Sooyoung showed that she wasn’t only a tall and pretty member of a girl group. A couple of years back, she had another identity added to her name; she became a lyricist with her beautiful lyrics for ‘How Great is Your Love’, which was included in Girls’ Generation’s 3rd Korean album ‘The Boys’ back in 2011. In 2013, she took up the role of a lyricist yet again when she collaborated with fellow members Yuri and Seohyun for the sweet song ‘Baby Maybe’ in their fourth album ‘I Got A Boy’.

While some skills and talents can be honed throughout one’s life, certain qualities are not; kindness is something one is born with and Sooyoung is definitely a good example of such person. Throughout the years, we have witnessed Sooyoung’s acts of kindness and it was no different in the past year. Even as recent as the start of 2013, Sooyoung initiated a charity campaign to help patients with retinitis pigmentosa and in one of the events Girls’ Generation members donated their treasured items to put up for auction. Throughout the years, Sooyoung also kept up her visits of Park Seungil, a former basketball coach who is suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Although there were many memorable moments that involves Girls’ Generation and Sooyoung, one particular moment stuck out at the top of my head. Back in 2011, Sooyoung was injured in an accident and SONEs were very worried for her well-being. Being the thoughtful person that she was, she made a video for the fans to thank everyone for their concerns and wishes. To me, it was an extremely sweet and heartwarming gesture, from an idol to her fans.

With that, all of us here at Fanwonder.com would sincerely like to wish Sooyoung a very happy 24th birthday! May all your dreams and wishes come true, but remember to always stay true to yourself (smart, kind, loving, dorky and more), smile and may the world smile with you! Happy Birthday!!

Video credit: smtown@youtube.com + bug fany@youtube.com
Photo credit: Onlysosi, NINE ANGELS

On December 5th 23 years ago, a baby girl was born.

Her name is Kwon Yuri, and 23 years later, she is not just a tanned-skin baby but she is also a sparkling black pearl. She grew up to be a young girl with big dreams; she was accepted into SM Entertainment through a contest in 2001 and trained for almost 6 years to finally debut in a now globally successful girl group, Girls’ Generation.

If there is one word I could pick to describe her it would be, sexyabs determination. Even though she has heavily-packed schedules as a hallyu star, she managed to find time to enroll into university. It wasn’t just enrolling though – she actually went to classes and sat for her exams just like others without any special treatment whenever she can between schedules. She brought her notes with her to revise at any spare time through her busy schedule. The word ‘excuse’ does not exist in Yuri’s dictionary.

“Always hold on to your dream and do your best. Find out what you like to do and want to do and make an effort.” – Yuri

Sexy is a four letter word: Y-U-R-I. I just couldn’t write an article without mentioning this important quality about her. Her solo performance ‘If’ during the second tour was a solid evidence of it. The way she danced to the song, filled with confidence and oozing with charisma, she created a new definition of sexy, which is Yuri.

Her drool-worthy body served as motivation for everyone (like pasting it on the wall in front of their treadmills) but it is not just a perfectly-curved body.

It is also the symbol of hard work, a lot of it.

“Sooyoung’s body looks natural, while Yuri’s body looks like she put a lot of work and effort into making it.” – Sean Lee, trainer

She diets, she does yoga, she goes to gym late at night or early in the morning and she does 600 sit-ups to earn her chiseled abs and toned legs. It takes an amazing level of discipline for one to do such thing. Discipline level: Yuri.

Whenever she strolls through airport, regardless whether it is in summer, winter or rainy days, all she has to do is to put on her shades and all the fans will die a little inside. She emits her own aura and vibe, whether it is with her handsome boyish look in leather jacket and plaid shirts, or her girl-next-door look in simple white tee, cardigan, and skirt, she always manages to look cool somehow.

But don’t let what you see fool you because beneath it all is a dorky young lady. She was not ashamed to embarrass herself if it makes other people laugh like when she did her infamous lion pose in ‘Invincible Youth’. She knew that it will make her look less pretty but she did it anyway.

If we could capture happiness and put it in a shape or form, it would be Kwon Yuri. She is indeed a happy pill. During concerts, you can see her bouncing happily around the stage as if she never runs out of energy. She does everything she could to make her fans happy, even if it means that she has to learn multiple languages to greet them. She will try to speak the language even if it means she has to bring colorful small notes on stage and pronounce them wrongly despite her best tries. So it’s no wonder that she is the most multilingual out of the group. (LOL)

Yuri referring to her notes on stage during the SMTown concert in Bangkok a few weeks ago.

One of the instances when she showed off her flawless language skills was through her drama, ‘Fashion King’.

“I want to become a genuine and pure person who has no false images built up around her. I think that if I can become that kind of a person, I will naturally become a genuine and pure actress as well.” – Yuri

‘Fashion King’ is her first drama where she played one of the main characters – the cold and arrogant Choi Anna. Yuri successfully showcased her professionalism through the character. Even though it was a bit stiff initially, she managed to portray more emotions as the drama progressed and even wowed the audience with her real kiss scene with actor Lee Jae Hoon. The producers and the public had nothing but praises for her, “Yuri did well for her first time. She exceeded our expectations, there’s a lot of fire in her.”

“There’s nothing more to do than to work hard to fill what I lack.” – Yuri

Kwon Yuri is a singer, a talented dancer, a learning actress and a hardworking student. Seeing her makes us feel like we can achieve anything as long as we put our heart and soul into it.

“I feel like my strength is always thinking positively regardless of the situations I am in and I can always prepare my body and mind to give out positive energy.” – Yuri

Happy birthday to our dearest sexy and dorky Kwon Yuri! She turned a year older today so everyone, let’s celebrate it with a toast of Ma juice and 50 sit-ups! No cheating!

Written by: aienbest@twitter
Credit: SMTown FB, processic@twitter, foreversoshi@twitter, cosnian.tistory.com, kwonyuri125.com, Sosirang, 2007805.com, hi7093.blog.me, ilovep10subs@youtube.com

Scores of new groups debut every year, their members becoming increasingly young and often thrust into the judgmental, volatile and deeply exhausting world of the entertainment industry with as little as a year of formal training. Kim Hyoyeon – dancer, singer, mood-maker, mother and member of Girls’ Generation pushed herself through 6 years of training after being casted by SM in 2000 before debuting together with her 8 other members who first became her friends, and then the closest family she would have after her own in Incheon, South Korea. For 6 years Hyoyeon trained while juggling school work, driven by her passion for dance and the sincere hope that at the very least, she’d be able to debut.

“It doesn’t matter where I stand; whether at the front or at the back, in the middle or at the side. As long as I can get on stage and do what I love, that’s enough for me.”

Those were the words of a woman who would later become part of one of the biggest driving forces behind the Hallyu wave; who would later dazzle and mesmerize with solo performances of her own during Girls’ Generation’s solo concerts across Asia – right in the middle of her own special stage. And when she’s on it, she shines with pure joy; her excitement transmitted to the audience through eyes filled with a deep sense of belonging. Did she think she would’ve gotten this far? Perhaps not, but the present reality is too powerful to deny: she is part of a Korean icon, whose stellar success can only be called unprecedented.

Despite all her success as a member of Girls’ Generation, Hyoyeon remains humble at heart, aspiring to marry early and placing priority upon starting a family, into which she could place the same passion, devotion and love she has unceasingly dedicated to her work. And when her kids question her about her past, she would tell them with utmost pride:

“I wouldn’t feel embarrassed about being a Girls’ Generation member. For me, I think I would feel proud thinking ‘I was in Girls’ Generation’. These days too I always think, when I have kids, I’ll show them my videos proudly and say, ‘This was your mom! The person with her bangs waving around prettily, that’s your mom!’”

Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon: Aspiring mother

Behind Hyoyeon’s charming smile and witty jokes burns a passionate desire and love for dancing. There are many things that define Kim Hyoyeon, but her love for dancing is what truly sets her apart from the rest, and is the language she speaks when she steps on a stage to perform. Between the lines of her earth-shattering popping, fluid waving and precise locking, we catch glimpses into who Kim Hyoyeon really is – what defines her as a person and as a professional entertainer, and what gives her the strength and resolve to push harder in achieving her dreams.

Recently, Hyoyeon was given the opportunity to participate in the second season of ‘Dancing With The Stars’, where she and her partner Hyungseok dazzled the judges and audience week after week with their stunningly precise and breathtaking synchronized routines to the tunes of the rhythmic Cha-cha and the flamboyant Paso Doble. Hyoyeon has a reputation for being underappreciated and underrated, with the rest of the members usually being preferred for opportunities such as DJing, emceeing and acting. DTWS2 was her chance to shine; to show that she truly had what it took to accomplish something extraordinary on her own, without the fans’ and critics’ biases toward other members to carry her through.

But this opportunity was also her biggest challenge yet. Despite her inexperience with ballroom dancing, which was in great contrast to her Hip-Hop background, Hyoyeon worked extra hard with the help of her partner, practicing through the night to prepare for the show despite having endured tiring, day-long schedules just before. That Hyoyeon was able to beam with such energy and smile so brightly for the cameras despite having survived upon little to no sleep was really nothing new – it was just another day as a member of Girls’ Generation; proof of their professionalism and sheer determination.

A day before the finals, Hyoyeon proceeded straight to practice after returning from an overseas concert at 2am, pushing through to 5am before allowing herself to rest. That the duo was able to produce such rich and impressive routines and be on par with professional dancers who have had extensive experience in ballroom dancing is testament to Hyoyeon’s unwavering passion, fighting spirit and dedication to her work, and humility in accepting that she was striving to master something new to her, and the only way she could do that was to work hard and depend on the help of her partner, Hyungseok. Through it all, through the few hours of sleep and punishing practice schedules on top of those she’d had to attend with Girls’ Generation, Kim Hyoyeon had truly made a name for herself in the industry as not only a talented dancer, but as someone with impeccable work ethic and who repeatedly pushed herself beyond her physical limits in pursuit of the greater dream. She hadn’t participated in DWTS2 as an idol – but as a dancer.

In an interview with Osen, the producer of ‘Dancing with the Stars 2′ revealed, “Hyoyeon is a person who changed my perception of idols. She’s working hard despite her ridiculous schedule. It made me think, ‘They are Girls’ Generation because they work so hard.’ (Translator’s note: the producer is saying that Hyoyeon lives up to Girls’ Generation’s reputation for always working hard.) Not only is she good at dancing, but she really is respectful to her seniors and livens up the atmosphere on the set.”

Ballroom dancer Hyoyeon: a new dimension to her phenomenal Hip-Hop background

Aside from DWTS2, Hyoyeon is also a permanent member of the ‘Invincible Youth 2′ cast, where idols experience the simple, back-breaking life of farming and living away from the city. Despite the tiring work and sometimes less-than-appealing activities, it is clear that Hyoyeon puts her best into everything, right down to smiling for the camera and having fun while her hair soaks up the same mud that the rest of her body is caked in, as she reaches down into the ground to catch octopi.

But beyond the stage and the powerful dance moves, beyond the practiced smiles and careful words as the world watches on, when everything is said and done and the girls retire to their homes or the dorm and remove the glitzy clothes and heavy makeup, Kim Hyoyeon becomes the group’s mother. She cooks and cleans, trying to live what passes for a normal life in relative solitude, before they are once again thrust out into the real world to do what they do best: to win over the hearts and minds of people across the planet with sincere words, pure hard work and love for the very people who claim to hate them – and they’re getting better at it every day.

Despite her success and how far she has come all these years, Hyoyeon remains true to her dream, clutching it close to her heart to remind herself of what is, what was, and what is to come, just like how she did during her trainee days as she wondered if she would ever follow in her seniors’ footsteps and earn the right to debut. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The next time we fall down in the pursuit of the things we love and wonder if getting back up again is worth all the pain and hardship; the time and uncertainty, we need only remember Kim Hyoyeon’s deep-seated passion to fulfill her dreams and her sprightly zest for life, and realize that if we can find it in ourselves to put in the same dedication and determination, we will one day be standing in her position: at the halfway point of the mountain of life, looking down at all the things we once thought were impossible, but have now achieved.

The nickname ‘Hyoraengi’ suits her well – beneath the disarming smiles is a tiger with intense fighting spirit.

Happy birthday, Kim Hyoyeon. You continue to inspire us every day as a fighter and a dreamer who not just sits down and envisions the future you’d love to have, but who never stops chasing after it, reaching out with outstretched arms toward the dreams that with each passing day become part of your reality. Never stop dreaming. Never stop fighting. And most importantly, never stop loving.

Written by: Hurricane_boi@twitter
Photos credit: dd_universe.tistory.com, charmingg.tistory.com, hyoyeon0922.com

In 2007, we were introduced to Seo Ju Hyun, a member of Girls’ Generation, also known as So Nyuh Shi Dae in Korean, the youngest of nine and the apple of everyone’s eye. We met her in ‘Into the New World’, where we saw her release the paper aeroplane that not only signalled the first flight of all nine as Girls’ Generation but also the first chapter of Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun.

“There’s no reason for me to give up, I didn’t quit high school.” – Seo Ju Hyun in ‘Girls Go to School’ (2007)

Bright eyed, baby-faced and bursting with determination, looking back at their debut performance on ‘School of Rock’, like many others who share the same love for them, it still brings tears to my eyes. Amongst the many moments loved from GGTS, the most memorable was from Seohyun. Her tears were those that many would have shed in the industry, the insecurities from being exposed to the idol world at such a young age. From her tears came determination, the quiet perseverance from within her that sought to prove everybody wrong. It was those few words she said, those few tears that she shed that made Seohyun so special in my heart.

Seohyun to sum up in a word is unique. She is confusing, adorable and so endearing at the same time that it is as if she is unlike any other. Her undying love for Keroro, her disdain for anything hazardous to her health and her strict bed-time routines, they are aspects of Seohyun that make her unique; an exclusive bag of surprises that keeps us smiling for more.

“Unhealthy diet and junk food accumulates and eventually you’ll die.” – in Taeyeon & Hyungdon’s ‘We Got Married’ (2008)

Blunt, straightforward and undeniably Seohyun, the youngest member of Girls’ Generation has a voice, one that commands the attention of all eight, one that serenades those who listen to her sing, and also one that brings such unexpected, unanticipated laughter and joy. Who could forget the time during ‘We Got Married’, where she shot down Taeyeon’s ‘husband’ Hyungdon with a single string of words? Or her classic line on ‘Intimate Note’, where she nonchalantly, straightforwardly shifted the blame for her behaviour on the influence of her eight unnies. Blunt and forthright, Seohyun takes no prisoners when it comes to what she thinks. She stays grounded to her beliefs, staying true to who she is, staying steadfast for what she believes. It is what I think makes her strong and makes her so unlike any other.

The perfect maknae. The youngest of them all, the one that everyone dotes on. She receives all the love, but she gives it back tenfold. She gives back all the love, filial to her unnies she adores so dearly. She might be strict, demanding money for lateness but it is all endless love. She holds them up when they’re down; she wipes away the tears they shed when they are sad but most of all she is there for them when they need her most. She is the perfect maknae, one with the biggest heart and the most love to give. She is the warmth we see in Soshi, the bond that fills our hearts and makes us smile.

“If your dream is alive, then one day it will come true.”

From the meek girl in 2007, to the woman she’s grown to in 2012 today; chapter after chapter, we’ve watched her grow, from the bright eyed, baby-faced girl bursting with determination, to a powerful, elegant and beautiful woman at the peak of her career. Her dreams are endless and her determination to work towards them unending. So Nyuh Shi Dae, University, Acting, Modelling, her dreams are big, but so is the amount of effort she puts in to achieve those them. We’ve seen her dreams transform, we’ve seen them grow bigger and we’ve seen them change but not once did she give up. Her unyielding determination spurs her on and for Seohyun, even the sky has no limit.

We continue to be with her on her journey as she turns a year older today. As her beauty grows, so do her dreams. I speak for many when I say she’s an inspiration; she’s an inspiration for us to keep going.

Happy Birthday Seo Ju Hyun, may all your dreams come true.

Written by: LYRCat@ssf
Photo credits: RGB, Woorissica, hankyung.com, asiatoday.co.kr

To SONEs, with nine significant birthdays every year, you would think that birthday tributes become repetitive and boring as the time goes by. However, when you think more about it, with time, everyone grows and things changes; same applies to us and especially the girls.

Growth is evident in the birthday girl Yoona in the past year, be it in acting, singing and more. Yoona became an all-rounded celebrity as we saw her playing the lead role in drama ‘Love Rain’ opposite Jang Geunseuk, singing and showing off her vocals more in Girls’ Generation’s songs, modelling in magazines and photo shoots, as well as hosting several major events in the past year.

Yoona tried her hand in acting since 2007 with ’9 Ends, 2 Outs’ to ‘Woman of Matchless Beauty’ in 2008 before landing her first leading role in ‘You Are My Destiny’ also in the same year and ‘Cinderella Man’ in 2009. Two years later, it was obvious to everyone that her acting matured with her double roles in ‘Love Rain’ with Kim Yoonhee in the 1970s and her daughter Jung Hana in modern days. The ups and downs in the lives and romance of the two women in different ages touched many to tears as Yoona lived out her passion as an actress.

Although she is the second youngest member of Girls’ Generation, Yoona has a mature side to her along with her fun-loving and bright personality. Throughout the years, Yoona had to deal with comments and criticisms for things she did and did not do, just because she was the face and image of Girls’ Generation. She did not falter despite all that and when given a choice in a recent interview, she said she would continue to play the center role in the group.

If you check out interviews of male celebrities in recent years, chances are that a significant number of them named Yoona as their ideal type; Lee Seunggi, G-Dragon, badminton player Lee Yongdae and more picked the doe-eyed beauty as their ideal types. Besides that, her well-loved beauty has clinched her numerous CFs and endorsements, such as cosmetic brand Innisfree and outdoor wear Eider with actor Lee Minho, which are earning her big bucks, making her the highest earner in Girls’ Generation.

With her popularity, looks and earnings, one would expect Yoona to have the airs of a diva but no. Girls’ Generation has always been known as a humble and modest group despite their achievements and it is no different for Yoona. At the end of filming for ‘Love Rain’, she presented gifts and messages to the staff of the drama as a sign of gratitude for their help throughout filming. It wasn’t only ‘Love Rain’ though; in her past drama, it was revealed that she hand wrote letters and cards for the staff and handed them personally, showing her humble and sincere attitude.

With an individual with a heart as pretty as her looks, it is no wonder that fans everywhere around the world are feeling the joy of the special day, even when we are physically far from the birthday girl. With that, it is hoped that Yoona will be able to spend her birthday with loved ones and that she will rest well after the long and hectic filming for ‘Love Rain’. Happy Birthday Yoona! May this day always be a special one to remember! Hope to see you back with your eight sisters soon!

Best wishes,

Fanwonder.com

Photo credits: serendipity-yuri.tistory.com, Eider, KBS