BNT interview: Dreamcatcher “Latin American tour is in preparations, concerts planned in 5 Latin American countries”

The first girl group in our country with a rock/metal genre, Dreamcatcher is securing a large fanbase. When you think of girl groups, they usually have lovely and girly images. They have thrown that away and, with dreamlike mysteriousness and dark concept as the key – this is what the public have to say about them: “Even if there are people who have never heard their music, there is no one who listened only once’.

A curiosity started by an ‘unfamiliarity’ that you cannot see with existing girl groups, the addictive melody of their music will make you fall for them when you listen just once.

Without being greedy and with the firm goal of a steady growth with every album, according to member Sua, they possess both strong charisma and had even done unprecedented stages. This enabled them to achieve their place with success as a charismatic girl group with their own unrivaled domain.

They have concluded their latest album promotion for ‘YOU AND I”  successfully and will subsequently be busy with overseas concerts scheduled in Vietnam, Japan, Latin America and more. We have managed to meet them and listen to their current situation despite their busy schedules ahead. From leader Jiu to maknae Gahyeon, the story of Dreamcatcher told by seven girls overflowing with charms.

Q. Let’s start by hearing about your current situation. How have you been doing lately?

Jiu: We have concluded promotions for “YOU AND I” and have safely returned after finishing our solo concert in Taiwan. For now, we will soon leave for Vietnam to participate in the “Bingo Music World Festival” and after that we have our Japan concert as well as our Latin America tour up ahead. We are working hard practicing our performances

Yoohyeon: These days, it is the world cup season. Unfortunately, even though our country could not rise to round 16, we enjoyed cheering for them.

Q. There was an episode before the Taiwan concert right? Handong was unable to participate because of her visa problems

Gahyeon: With Handong unnie’s visa cancelled so suddenly, it was really a pity that we had to go up on stage with only six people. We missed her a lot. Even though we went there, we still constantly contacted unnie while saying we miss her and she said the same as well. However, when we returned to Korea and went to the dorm, it was empty and unnie was not there. (laughter)

Handong: I was alone at the dorm, so I got hungry and went out to eat (laughter).

Q. How was the Taiwan concert?

Sua: The fans in Taiwan are really passionate. There were many events (support) organized by them but this time especially, receiving food support to this extent is a first. I was touched.

Some time ago at a fansign we were asked a list of Taiwanese food we would like to eat, so we answered without thinking about it. They prepared all of them for us. They prepared mango bingsu and bubble tea, and a lot of other things, especially the beef noodle soup. It tasted really good. It was really a pity that we could not be together with Handong.

Q. For the person concerned [Handong], it must be the hardest.

Handong: I heard it during a rehearsal, and my mind went blank. This situation has not happened before. Even though I could not be together with the members, they did very well and I cheered for them a lot in my heart.

Q. You had concerts in various countries. What is the country where you got the best reception?

Yoohyeon: Everyone was really welcoming. I think that since every country has different culture, the way they cheer also differs a little bit. In one country, they memorized the lyrics completely and sang along and in the case of Poland they stamped their feet hard. Stamping the feet when excited seems to be a habit in poland. It’s fascinating. Even though everyone cheers differently, the excitement was equally high.

Q. Your Latin America tour is up ahead. Did you prepare anything special?

Sua: We can’t say any spoilers. (laughter) Whenever we do a foreign concert, we prepare a special stage for that country. This time, we plan to newly cover a pop song in a style only we can show.

Q. Dreamcatcher is really different from other groups. Is it not a bit of a pity that you don’t have the lovely or girly images of usual female idols?

Dami: Of course, even though we mostly show a charismatic, strong, dark or expressionless image for our own stages, we also do a lot of song covers. In our covers, we can smile while joking around and show our lovely image. When we do it, it seems like we are able to release ourselves for once. (laughter) In reality, our image are a bit far off from being dark. We are all mischievous.

Sua: On the contrary, the fans seem to like the gap between our image on stage and in real life.

Jiu: When the group was first made, in order to differentiate us from other groups, our company had gone to great pains before deciding to create a rock metal bass concept. Being able to show a charismatic image through our performances to be competitive with other girl groups. However, like what Dami and Sua said, in reality, we are all bright and cheerful. I think that it is more fun and satisfying to able to show a completely different image on stage.

Q. Then how are your personalities normally? Is there a role for everyone in the group?

Handong: I am pretty shy. People who do not know me might find me cold and hard to get close to?

Gahyeon: However, in actual fact, Handong unnie has a lot of greed for gags and being funny. (laughter)

Siyeon: Honestly, for me, when I first saw Handong, I thought that we wouldn’t match well. So in the beginning, it was really awkward and there was a distance. As we spent more time together, we really do match well. Like what Gahyeon said, she is a bit greedy for gags, but the important thing is that she is not really funny. (laughter)

Sua: Handong is a very thoughtful person and does not express her dissatisfaction well. She has experienced difficult times herself but there was never a case where she would whine about it.

Q. What about leader Jiu?

Jiu: For me … well. I don’t know myself well. (laughter)

Sua: Jiu has a carefree style. Also, at our dorm she never skips a meal. When we eat together, Jiu is the one who holds a spoon until the very end. (laughter)

Jiu: That’s because I cannot see any leftover food! (laughter) Also, because I like to eat healthy, I have a compartment of vegetables to myself in the fridge in which I restock frequently.

Siyeon: Jiu unnie is someone who you can learn a lot from. Even though she is only one year older than me, when I come to her with my worries, I feel relieved. I am always thankful for the straight/definite answers and good advice.

Gahyeon: Also, unnie likes to move. She likes to work out. If there is a day where she cannot do that, she will feel frustrated. The gym where we frequent is currently undergoing remodelling so we are unable to go there. Unnie suggested going to Han River, so we went together. Usually, Jiu unnie, Dami unnie and I are workout mates.

Q. Are there perhaps also some alcohol mates?

All: Jiu, Sua and Siyeon?

Jiu: The kids can’t drink alcohol well. Although I feel reassured that there is rising star Gahyeon. (laughter)

Q. We are curious about Siyeon’s personality too

Siyeon: I am pretty lazy. I really like staying at home. When we get back to the dorm after work, I wont leave my room. Ah no, I won’t leave my bed. (laughter)

Dami: But she puts in a lot of effort into self-management. If she thinks that she has gained weight, even though it is a little, she wouldn’t make plans with anyone because if she goes out, she will end up eating. She is also a friend who takes care of her skin really diligently. She is a friend who is incredibly disciplined.

Siyeon: But there is a reason for it. I really don’t like working out. Because I don’t like working out, I rather don’t eat.

Q. Dami seems to have more of a quiet personality

Dami: Even though it seems like so to many people, it is not like that. Since I like making friends, I will talk to people well even if it is my first time meeting them. (laughter) I approached almost all of my celebrity colleagues first saying, “I am a fan of yours. I would like to be friends with you, could you give me your phone number?” to most of my friends.

Siyeon: She is probably the most sociable person I’ve met in my life.

All: That’s right.

Q. Who did you get close to then?

Dami: There are a lot. GFRIEND’s Yuju, Euna Kim unnie, JOO unnie – I was their fan at first and then approached them. Besides them, there are a lot (laughter). There is something like a gathering of female idols born in ‘97 among the friends I spend time with closely. There is Yuju, Oh My Girl’s Binnie, MOMOLAND’s Jane, PRISTIN’s Roa, UNI-T’s Yebin. We would meet up occasionally to have a meal and chat.

Sua: Sometimes, you can see who she is getting close with on the ending stages of a music broadcast. It’s very fascinating to us. (laughter) I am sometimes envious of her sociability.

Gahyeon: Sua unnie’s likes and dislikes can be seen exactly on her face, since she has a strong personality. However, I am more comfortable with that. When you look at her face, you know exactly how she feels.

Sua: I seem to be the one that nags the most in our team. I clean and I monitor our stages very meticulously, observing the members one by one. I have a tendency for perfectionism.

Ah and I am a bit of a mood-maker. Siyeon too.

Q. Let’s also listen to what Yoohyeon has to say.

Yoohyeon: I like it when I have some time alone. I enjoy having quiet times when I can let my imagination go wild.

Gahyeon: For unnie, wherever she goes and whatever she does, she always has her earphones on. At first I misunderstood her a lot: “Is it because she does not want to talk to me?”.

Yoohyeon: Ah that is really a misunderstanding. It is because I feel uncomfortable without music. I need to have music in the background whenever I do something.

Q. With seven girls spending so much time together, trouble can arise. How do you solve it?

Yoohyeon: In our relationship, we have a silent rule. The concerned people should solve it. If trouble comes up between two people, then these two people will have to solve it. The remaining people do not interfere. So, there are many times where a quarrel happened but the rest of us do not know about.

Gahyeon: When they don’t want to solve it, that is when leader unnie or another older unnie will help solve it as a third party. After that, we delete it from our heads as if nothing happened. It is most important that no grudges remain.

Q. You have been cheering wildly for the world cup. It must have been fun.

Sua: It was fun. Other than street cheering, whenever there is a game, we would all watch it together at home. Only our house made a ruckus. Because everyone was excited, our voices were gone when we shouted really loud (laugh). Our dorm is in a really quiet neighbourhood but it was not our intention to cause a nuisance.

Q. It seems like we found out about all seven people’s personalities. Are there points that you are envious of in another member?

Handong: I am envious of Dami’s sociability. I can’t speak well to people who I want to get close to.

Jiu: For me, it’s Siyeon’s personality. She is very carefree and can voice her complaints to others in a way that does not destroy the mood, I like how she does that.

Siyeon: If there is something among the members that I want to resemble, it is Handong’s face shape. Because Handong’s face shape is pretty, any hairstyle would fit her well regardless if she has it hair pulled back or anything else.

Dami: For me, it’s Yoohyeon’s diligence. After we finish a schedule, even if it became night, she will always do something before sleeping. Whether it is studying a foreign language or copying a song. Even on days when we practice until dawn, she does not skip it. Looking at her from the side, it is fascinating and motivates me to do the same together.

Sua: Siyeon mentioned Handong’s face shape, for me it is Dami’s shoulders. Even though her shoulders are broad, they are perfect and her line is really pretty. Especially the line that falls from her shoulder to her upper arm. It is an art. Lately, I have fallen for off shoulder tops, so if I had shoulders like Dami, I would wear them every day. (laughter)

Gahyeon: For me, it is a thing I talk about every day. I am really, really envious of Yoohyeon unnie’s body type that let’s her not gain weight. With my body type, I gain weight as I eat.

Q. Do you manage your earnings individually?

All: We have not been paid yet.

Q. So you will not be able to make any investments?

Gahyeon: I opened a housing subscription depot account in my first year of highschool. From a young age, I have been continuously saving the pocket money I received from my parents and I investigated that the interest rate is rising. So since that time I have been putting money in it monthly, but it has been my parents’ pocket money or my parents’ money, so I want to put in my own money soon. (laughter)

Jiu: It is the maknae’s uprising. After hearing this story, we all went out to put our money into savings accounts.

Q. Unfortunately, you got off “MIXNINE” which was broadcasted from the end of last year to earlier of this year.

Jiu: Even so, It was a really valuable experience. I like covering songs. While covering songs of other sunbaenims and using them to compete, I was able to gather new experiences. More than that, I deeply realized again that our members are very very precious.

Yoohyeon: I have always promoted in a group, so I thought that I would be a bit weak if I came out alone, but I have overcome some of these fears because of “MIXNINE”. Personally, it seems like my skills have improved a bit and I have learned in various aspects.

Dami: Because we have always been seven people, seeing one another other every day and training together, we did not know much about the outside world. Going there was like being a small fish in a big pond. Even though we did not know, when we were there we saw hundreds of people who were diligently running on the same road as us. It was very astounding. Since there were so many people who put in a lot of effort to walk on this road, I was inspired to work very hard.

Q. Since you all have definite characters, it seems like you will do well on variety shows.

Siyeon: Personally, because there are many sunbaenims I want to collab with, I want to go to “The Call”. If I am able to go there, I will probably be very happy and do well.

Sua: For me, it is “King of the Masked Singers”. It is a stage where you get evaluated solely for your voice. It seems really exciting and fun.

Dami: For me, it is “Secret Sister”. Because I really am a fan of SNSD sunbaenim, if I made an appearance there and got to meet them in the end, I might just faint on the spot.

Jiu: For me as well, I want to go on it with Dami. Since I am the eldest daughter at home, and also the leader of our team, it has always been my dream since young to have an older sister.

Gahyeon: I want to shoot a reality with the seven of us together. Doing anything among ourselves would be a lot of fun.

Q. I am curious about everyone’s ideal types.

Yoohyeon: I don’t really know but the guys that I like all have a slightly long face. I liked Kim Bum sunbaenim in the past. That kind of sharp aura is also nice. (laughter)

Handong: For me, firstly, kind. It would be great if the person has a good personality and is tall.

Jiu: I really do not have an ideal type for the appearance. Just someone who really communicates well with me and has a notion. And also a man who can control me well a little?

Siyeon: For me, a man who has a notion, sense and matches me well. I will share conversations with him but if we cannot click, the good feelings will disappear.

Dami: It is similar for me. Definitely someone I can learn from. Also, I don’t usually talk much and my reactions are few as well. It would be great if he is someone who can talk a lot compared to me. For appearance, among the actors, someone like Cho Jin Woong? Someone who is warm and reliable to moment you look at him is good.

Sua: For me, a man who is sexy (laughter). The sexiness, in my opinion, is from his self-management. Also, it would be great if he likes me a lot. I am attracted to men who like me more than I like him. It would be an icing on the cake if he actively expresses a lot of positivity.

Gahyeon: For me, because I am still young I do not have a definite ideal type. Just someone who smiles prettily and is fun. Ah, if the person has a good voice, it will be good. I like to talk on the phone.

Q. Who is the member that is the most popular among the opposite gender? Do you not receive interest from male idols while working?

All: (Head shaking) Well. (laughter) We would hear things like ‘you are cool’ the most. Our outfits and makeup are strong so we must’ve look scary. (laughter)

Q. So, on the other hand, who is the member that is the least interest in men?

Siyeon: We are all like that. We are not interested in the opposite sex at the moment. Rather than being distracted, everyone is focusing on our work. This is a really boring answer right? (laughter)

Q. Then we shall now end the questions that are difficult to answer. For Dreamcatcher’s bright future, lets hear a little about your activity plans.

Jiu: Firstly, there is an event in Vietnam. After that, Japan and the Latin America tour right ahead. It seems like we will concentrate on overseas promotion for a while. Even so, we will prepare our album as soon as possible so if you could wait a little it would be great. Our goal is to be a Dreamcatcher that ‘can be trusted, listened to and seen’. We wish to grow into a group that will always raise curiosity whenever our album is released, with every one of our side tracks to be listened to and not to be missed out.

Sua: We have been growing little by little, steadily, since our debut. This time we were nominees for the number 1 position on a music broadcast twice. It would be great if we could show more growth next time. Again, for the promotions this time, I have once again deeply realised the preciousness of our fans. I would like to say thank you for always believing and waiting for us. In the future as well, we will be the Dreamcatcher that will repay the fans’ faith without changing ourselves.

original article: BNT international