By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune and other outlets
November 14, 2023
Currently halfway through their “ALL MY GIRLS” tour of the United States – which includes a Nov. 15 concert at Chicago’s Patio Theater – the K-pop girl group EVERGLOW has a special message for their core group of female fans. “We wanted to convey a message of hope to girls all around the world that they are capable of achieving anything they want,” said group leader SIHYEON. Her bandmate E:U added, “With [our single] ‘SLAY,’ we wanted to send an encouraging message for all girls who are stuck in their own boundaries to step forward with confidence.”
This interview was conducted in Korean and translated into English. It has been edited for clarity. Fans may follow EVERGLOW on Instagram and X.
Q: It has been a while since you last toured the United States. What do you hope to experience on this tour that may be a little different from last time?
MIA: Rather than looking for a new experience, I wish to have fun while performing in front of more fans.
ONDA: We’re planning to visit even more cities compared to our previous tour. With that in mind, I hope to feel a better sense of each city’s unique vibe and go to famous sights in cities we visit.
Q: What do you hope to get to see this time around?
E:U: We’re on quite a tight schedule, so I’m not sure we’ll have enough to go sightseeing. But if our schedule allows, I’d love to visit Disneyland and make good memories with my members. Also, I remember going to Millennium Park in Chicago with members during our last U.S. tour, so I hope to visit the park again to reminisce about our memories together.
SIHYEON: I’d love to visit Disneyland if we have any time to go sightseeing! I want to take a lot of pictures, eat delicious food and relax with our members. I’d also like to revisit The Bean – Cloud Gate – in Chicago.
Q: Everglow debuted in 2019. And like many groups that debuted around then, your plans may have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic shortly thereafter. How did you stay creative during that period when the whole world was on lockdown?
AISHA: We tried our best to stay positive and we held the belief that our music might bring even the slightest positive energy to people.
Q: Can you share with your fans about some of the things that you did on your hiatus?
MIA: Of course, we spent a lot of time practicing during our hiatus. I thought a lot about EVERGLOW. Those thoughts included: How can we build even better teamwork? How can we stay happy as a team? What are some things that our fans want from us?
Q: Do you work out in hotel gyms to ensure that you won’t hurt yourself during your concerts?
AISHA: I try to use gyms as much as possible when traveling, but it’s not always easy. One thing I always try to do is to thoroughly stretch my body and relax before a concert.
YIREN: I go to a hotel swimming pool more than a gym. After every performance, I always like to give a massage to myself and apply pain-relief patches.
Q: If you had the time to go anywhere right now to see your favorite artist in concert, who would it be and where?
E:U: I would love to go to Anne-Marie’s concert. I don’t really mind where it happens, because I’m willing to travel wherever I can to see her show.
SIHYEON: I want to go to Abel Tesfaye’s [The Weeknd] concert in Manhattan, if possible, because I love “Gossip Girl.”
Q: What cities or countries have had some of the best food you’ve ever eaten?
ONDA: Something I just cannot forget is eating steak in London. I guess it tasted extra delicious since it was my first time in Europe then. I loved the city’s atmosphere in general.
Q: If your fans said they wanted to travel to Korea, what would you advise them to do there?
AISHA: I recommend visiting a hanok village with traditional Korean houses. It presents both Korea’s traditions and modern [cuisine]. I hope you enjoy walking around the village.
YIREN: You can find so many good places to eat inside Korean open markets, so I’d recommend visiting there!
Q: What was your experience like this summer at [the Korean culture convention] KCON?
E:U: Our KCON L.A. performance was truly an unforgettable experience. Not only was the stage grand but also the L.A. audience and [our fandom] FOREVER cheered us with great passion, which became a very happy memory for us. We didn’t get to explore the city due to tight schedules, but if we have an opportunity in the future, I’d love to see more around the city and have a good time.
SIHYEON: It was very exciting to meet the fans there and perform in front of them. It was quite unfortunate that we couldn’t enjoy the city enough after the performance due to lack of time, but hopefully, we can truly feel the sense of being in the States and in L.A. when we visit for our U.S. tour and walk around.
Q: Are any of you souvenir collectors?
MIA: I love anything cute. Sometimes staff members would tell me to buy something practical rather than something cute. One example of my cute collection would be a magnet that I bought in Japan.
ONDA: Personally, I like to collect Starbucks mugs that are unique to a city or country I visit. If they don’t have bigger mugs, I’d pick up a mini mug and if no mugs are available, I end up buying a magnet.
Q: How have your travels impacted the growth of your music?
AISHA: Meeting FOREVERs in different countries always remains a new and exciting experience for me because I can truly learn what fans in each country like [regarding] various styles and genres of music. After learning that, we sometimes prepare our set list with our songs, or even a cover song, that fits more to the mood of different countries.
Q: What is left on your travel bucket list?
E:U: I’d love to visit Latin America and explore the region since I haven’t had a chance to visit there yet.
SIHYEON: I wish to visit Switzerland in the future. I heard there are beautiful snowy mountains and I’d love to go hiking.
© 2023 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
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