Rescene Minami: "No to 'Gal' Retirement! I'll First Show My Charm as a 'Pretty Girl' Singer!" [Interview Part 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

You never know when, where, or how a hit will explode!

In the first half of this year, a casual remark by Japanese member Minami in RESCENE's (Won-i, Lee-bee, Minami, Mei, Jena) original content—"Geoje, Yaho~!"—sparked an unexpected viral sensation that shook South Korea. The phrase has become one of the most iconic "2026 Catchphrases of the Year," reflecting the explosive surge in public interest in the group RESCENE.

How did "Geoje" and "Yaho" suddenly merge? It all began on March 6, when a video titled "Learning Japanese from a Former Gal" was uploaded to Won-i's personal YouTube channel, "Hello, I'm Won-i, Please Take Care of Me," which is not even the official RESCENE channel. From that moment, RESCENE's fate changed. In the video, Minami, in full "gal mode," taught Won-i Japanese but went overboard, creating a hilarious skit. The positive reaction led to a follow-up video titled "I Learned About Gal Posture" being released on March 20.

In that episode, Minami transformed her entire appearance into a gal look, prompting Won-i to exclaim, "If you go to Geoje looking like this now, the citizens will scold you!" However, Minami cheerfully replied with a bright "Geoje, Yaho~!" (Hello, Geoje!), sparking laughter and driving word-of-mouth buzz for the content.

Viewers who enjoyed the content naturally turned their attention to RESCENE's members. The agency Gamdassal (meaning "full of life") seized the opportunity, sequentially releasing content showcasing each member's charm. Videos featuring Won-i from Geoje and Jena from Gyeongju speaking in dialects at Seongsu-dong, as well as Lee-bee and Mei acting like a duo reminiscent of "Pat and Mat" while envying Won-i and Minami, all went viral. As of the 2nd, the YouTube channel "Hello, I'm Won-i, Please Take Care of Me" surpassed 1.2 million subscribers, with videos averaging 4–5 million views and reaching a peak of 8 million views.

Interest in RESCENE extended beyond content to their core profession: music. As the saying goes, "Opportunity favors the prepared," and RESCENE's existing songs perfectly matched public taste. Their 2024 track "Love Attack" achieved a remarkable chart reverse run, climbing to third place on Melon's daily chart as of the 2nd. Cities representing each member—Geoje (Won-i), Suwon (Lee-bee), Gyeongju (Jena), and Goyang (Mei)—appointed RESCENE as promotional ambassadors, while major brands like convenience store chain CU began selecting them as models.

Riding this momentum, RESCENE is set to release a single titled "Pretty Girl" on the 8th at 6 p.m., a remake of KARA's hit song "Pretty Girl." This marks their first new release since debuting as popular idols with the digital single "Runaway" in April, drawing significant attention.

Recently, RESCENE sat down with StarNews to discuss their unexpected surge in popularity just two years after debut and shared insights on their new song "Pretty Girl."

-Continuing from Interview Part 1

-How would you introduce your new song "Pretty Girl"? Why did you decide to remake KARA's senior group's track at this time?

▶Won-i: After trying out the gal concept, we felt it suited us well and chose a song that fits the era.

▶Mei: The company selected the song for us. It was incredibly fun to prepare, and since this is our first remake, we feel both nervous and excited.

-What are your goals for the "Pretty Girl" promotions?

▶Won-i: Many people still don't know us, so I believe we need to spread awareness further. If we could dream, our goal is to win first place on music shows this time!

▶Mei: We're known for our entertaining content, so we hope audiences will also pay more attention to our stage performances through this promotion.

-Minami recently mentioned she wants to show her true self and temporarily stepped back from the gal character transformation. This decision by "Gamdassal" at the right timing has even earned praise.

▶Minami: Many people interpreted it as a "gal retirement," but that's a misunderstanding. While I'm grateful for being recognized through my gal persona, I wanted to show more of my true inner self rather than just the gal image. However, I was surprised when articles framed it as "graduating from gal" or "no longer doing gal." If given the chance, I can always return to the gal role.

-Continuing to Interview Part 3

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*This content was translated by AI.