Taeyeon's Elle Taiwan Magazine Interview - April 2023

Taeyeon’s past, present, future 「I have discovered ways to enjoy the present and express myself. At the present stage, my satisfaction with my career is the highest!」

 

The Taeyeon of the present understands the need to slow down. In the process of moving forward, she carries a curious and natural attitude, and as if searching for treasure, uncovers her undiscovered but faintly shining aspects of herself.

 

On stage, the moment Taeyeon opens her mouth, her clear and resonant singing seems to penetrate people’s hearts. In that moment, time and the audience’s gaze pause for her. 16 years since debut, Taeyeon’s still lively and unique personal color is akin to an elf, shining through and captivating people.

 

 

While she shines on stage and devotes all her energy to imprinting the best performance in the hearts of the audience, in private, Taeyeon is known for her love of staying at home. She can even stay at home for more than 10 days, hence earning her the nickname of 'house elf'.

 

Due to the impact of the pandemic in recent years, Taeyeon's time spent at home has also increased significantly.

 

"The reason why I'm busy at home is probably because I spend time on skin care, including using sheet facial masks, mud facial masks and cream facial masks. I enjoy the process of applying a facial mask and always follow these daily routines of skin care at home, step by step. I used to do manicures at home, but I stopped recently. That’s because my intensive filming schedule means the nail art will always need to be replaced, so I gave up on doing it myself.”

 

“Recently, I also spent a lot of time watching OTT (over-the-top) video streaming platforms, such as Netflix. I’m a registered member of almost all OTT platforms in South Korea. From daily maintenance to feeding Zero, and then bonding with my new friend Netflix, I may be busier at home than when I’m outside."

 

 

Speaking of her beloved dog, Taeyeon’s eyes exuded infinite warmth and pride when referencing her fur kid.

 

"To me, Zero has a lot of charms. First of all, his appearances when he has long fur and when he is groomed are completely different. I feel that this reverse charm is very cute! Also, he has a calm and cheeky expression, is assertive, and is very good at expressing opinions. When he has something he wants, rather than hurrying around in a flustered manner, he will gently touch me, and his paws are very nimble, like a cat. These small actions are extremely cute in my eyes.”

 

“Moreover, Zero has many similarities with me in terms of personality. At home, he always stays quietly in a place he is familiar with, enjoys the breeze, and has poor physical strength (Laughs). He’s really similar to me."

 

 

INFJ are ‘Planner’ types, and they only feel satisfied when their thoughts are organized and their plans are clear.

 

For many fans, listening to Taeyeon’s songs is good medicine for self-recharging. With her voice, you can feel the gentle and warm murmurs of spring, as well as the coldness of winter that penetrates the skin. With her singing, she soothes broken pieces of a soul that needs healing and reassembles them into a complete individual. However, for Taeyeon, her inner heart needs to be organized, planned in an orderly manner and assembled clearly in her mind before she can give herself the strength of self stability.

 

“My MBTI is INFJ, and the J-type is someone who is accustomed to planning. I like to plan ahead, and I will even make a to-do list to get a sense of security. When I organize my thoughts and plans clearly, I feel satisfied and gain energy. In the process of making various plans, I also feel comfortable and at ease. I am also slowly learning to view myself from a more calm and objective perspective and learning to become familiar with how to express my inner state and emotions.”

 

 

With ‘Amazing Saturday’, Taeyeon got to know her unseen side from a breakthrough.

 

Taeyeon has proved her strength in singing, but she did not stop there, and unexpectedly became a regular member of the variety show ‘Amazing Saturday’, showcasing her unprecedented variety talent. This was an amazing and surprising choice to fans. Gradually, Taeyeon revealed a more relaxed and cheerful appearance. Compared to the past, it was not only a new understanding of herself but also a major breakthrough in her career.

 

"I received a lot of positive influences, especially the fact that my mindset has become more optimistic. Through ‘Amazing Saturday’, my thoughts on entertainment have also undergone many changes. During the process of recording the show, instead of finding myself working with apprehension, I have discovered ways to enjoy the present and express myself. It can be said that at the present stage, my satisfaction with my career is the highest!”

 

 

“Loving Girls’ Generation with all my strength - the secret to the group’s longevity is the trust we have accumulated in each other over the years.”

 

Last year, Girls’ Generation ushered in the 15th anniversary of their debut. The release of their 7th full-length album ‘FOREVER 1’ on their debut day is more than just a celebration or commemoration, but also a return to the past to give thanks, and the thrill of reuniting the group and fans as one. The members of Girls’ Generation have been colleagues and close friends with each other for more than 15 years, and they’re more like family members who can understand each other's thoughts with one glance.

 

"I have spent a long time with members, and I think the secret to the group’s longevity is the trust we have accumulated in each other over the years. There is no need to contact each other frequently every day, probably because we already know each other well. We cherish these friendships and understand each other's differences, so trust can come naturally. Over the last five years, everyone carried out solo activities, until ‘FOREVER 1’ where the members gathered together again, and the reunion after a long absence made me feel very happy. The lively atmosphere reminded me of many memories from Girls’ Generation, which was really nostalgic and interesting.”

 

Over the past 15 years, the girls have shed their youth and childishness, and transformed into calm, independent individuals while exuding a mature beauty.

 

With the unbeatable heart that loves Girls’ Generation, Taeyeon said, “I may feel a bit sad about this answer, but I think forever is something that doesn’t exist. It’s inevitable that people have to part ways at various stages in life. Although I’m always hoping in my heart that the people and things I cherish can keep going on, but thinking realistically, ‘forever’ is something difficult to exist… And we are all just doing our best to maintain the hope of achieving ‘forever’, and use all our strength to hold on to these precious things.”

 

 

To the Taeyeon of the past: Go on a holiday!

 

Because it's been a while since the last magazine shoot, Taeyeon was full of energy on set, showing off different cool outfits and changing facial expressions. She happily said it’s really fun and discovered some new sides she didn't know about during the filming. Thinking of letting fans see her new appearance, Taeyeon excitedly revealed her expectations.

 

“I remember when I did solo concerts in Taipei and SONE had a lot of sense. I’m still impressed by the ‘Taeyeon-nim, what should I do if my heart is melting’ event. I wanted to cherish that moment so much that I uploaded the video on my Instagram. They organized support events during SNSD concerts too. I always remember enjoying performing with a happy mood. The fans must really be sincere about the support events (Laughs).”

 

“Thank you so much for creating so many good memories together. It’s a pity that I couldn’t meet you through my 2020 Asia tour concerts because of the pandemic. This year, I told SONE personally that I will hold concerts, so in order to keep this promise, I will work hard to prepare for it. I will greet you with performances that will leave a longer and deeper impression on you. Please look forward to it!”

 

 

The Taeyeon of the present understands the need to slow down. In the process of moving forward, she carries a curious and natural attitude, and as if searching for treasure, she uncovers her undiscovered but faintly shining aspects of herself.

 

Don’t take hasty steps, instead… "If I go back to the early days of debut, as a senior, I would tell my past self, ‘Go on a holiday!’ Although I was so busy at the beginning of my debut days, and I might not have been able to go somewhere far away, but whenever there’s pockets of time, I should still go out, change my mood, and let myself breathe. I want to tell myself, no matter how busy you are, even if you have to squeeze out time, you still have to find a way to release your stress. This is so that you have more capacity to go for a long time in your career."

 

 

Source: Elle Taiwan

Translated by @309KTYSS
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