Before K-pop quartet SECRET arrives in town for their 2015 SECRET Fan Meeting in Singapore at Resorts World Theatre (Resorts World Sentosa) on June 27, Toggle caught up with the girls in an email interview.
Six years since their debut, SECRET has tried various concepts with their music releases – ‘Magic’ and ‘Madonna’ portrayed the girls as powerful divas while ‘Starlight Moonlight’ and ‘Shy Boy’ showed their cute and bubbly personalities. With an average age of 25, the group now prefers to present a more mature side on stage.
“For our next album, I wish we will have a sexy concept that would better suit our members’ age – something stronger than ‘I’m in Love’ (SECRET’s comeback track last year). I also think it would be a great idea to create a charismatic concept that is unique to SECRET,” added Sunhwa.
SECRET Time (official fanclub name) was recently distressed by rumours of discord between Sunhwa and Hana, after a recent episode of Mnet variety programme Yaman TV was aired. In the show, Hana dished on Sunhwa by saying that the latter has “a lot of complaints against the world when she drinks”.
Afterwards, Sunhwa, who has made a name for herself as an idol-turned-actress following her praiseworthy performances in Rosy Lovers and God's Gift - 14 Days, took to Twitter to explain her case. Attaching a screenshot of Hana on Yaman TV, the 24-year-old shared that she had confided in her members about her problems in regard to her “airhead image” during a drinking session three years ago.
Sunhwa later posted in a fan café to clarify that she was not offended by Hana’s comment and that she simply wanted to prevent any misunderstandings. Some fans, however, felt that it was normal for Hana to stir up reactions on a variety show and that Sunhwa’s public response was unnecessary, leading to speculations about SECRET’s internal conflict.
Their agency TS Entertainment quickly denied the reports and stated: “Sunhwa and Hana don’t have any problems with each other. That is why we didn’t think this was serious. We read what she had posted. If it was a problematic post, we would have asked her to delete it.”
Rumours aside, read on to find out more about SECRET’s solo plans, relationship status and message for Singapore fans.
Toggle: Jieun and Hyo Seong have had their solo debuts. Have the other members also thought about debuting as a solo artiste or sub-unit?
Hana: Personally, I have continually been composing [music]. There are no formal plans, but I would like to debut as a solo artiste one day.
Sunhwa: If the opportunity arises, I would love to debut as a solo [artiste] but for now there are no formal plans. I am contented to stand on stage as a member of Secret and I would like to focus on my acting career.
Are there plans for a SECRET comeback?
Hyo Seong: I do not know of any detailed plan yet. We have discussed about various basic components of an album, such as its theme. I would love to see SECRET come together [from our respective fields] once again.
Who are the artistes that you would like to work with? Why?
Hyo Seong: Personally, I would like to remake songs by Korean legends such as Kim Geon Mo and Cho Yong Pil. Cho Yong Pil’s song ‘Bounce’ was very well-received in the country, and I feel that its bouncy rhythm would go well with our refreshing image. In addition, Kim Geon Mo’s songs often consist of fast beats which would create a fantastic stage when coupled with our energetic dance moves.
Hana: These days, I am really impressed by our very own Korean artistes when I watch music shows. In terms of stage direction, costumes and vocal skills, everything is perfect. But if I were to choose only one artiste [to collaborate with], it would be RAINBOW. We debuted during the same period so we are great friends. We also complement one another in areas that we lack in.
Is there a dating ban for SECRET? What are your thoughts on such bans?
Hyo Seong: I believe that relationships provide good opportunities for us to experience various emotions. We never had any form of bans since our debut, but none of us has dated anyone. Is it too cringe worthy if I say that we are dating SECRET Time? (laughs)
Hana: Our management company does not have any dating bans. I don’t think dating is necessarily a bad thing for an artiste. Perhaps it might be less of a priority for an artist who has just debuted. However, emotions between people is not something that can be controlled.
It has been two years since your last visit to Singapore. Are there any particular reasons why we must attend the fan meeting?
Jieun: I would love to meet our Singapore fans once again! We have a deep impression of Singapore fans as they always leave many supportive messages on our SNS. Singapore is an awesome country, wouldn’t Singapore fans be awesome too? We would love to make wonderful memories with everyone at the fan meeting.
2015 SECRET Fan Meeting in Singapore
Date: June 27, 2015 (Sat)
Venue: Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa
Time: 8PM
Ticket Prices: S$188 (CAT 1 VIP), $168 (CAT 2), $128 (CAT 3), $88 (CAT 4) *Excludes booking fee
Tickets are now available on SISTIC.