Did Yang Hyunsuk said he created BLACKPINK to be "pretty 2NE1"?
Notes: No. He did not, at least not in those exact words.
SO HOW DID THIS START?
Mistranslation from The Korea Times titled “YG presents new four-girl band BLACKPINK”.
“I tried to make the YG version of a girl group like I did with 2NE1. But this time I wanted the girls to look pretty too, with skills." - MISTRANSLATION
The media and public were already formed from BLACKPINK pre-debut teasers and BLACKPINK’s debut wasn’t expected looked upon positively by some like this article titled “ Wrong from the start, YG's new girl group Blackpink”.
FIRST. JISOO GAVE A VERY GOOD REPLY WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE COMPARISON.
JISOO said, “We’ve been compared to 2NE1 a lot because we’re on the same label. But, they are seniors to us, and we want to be like them. We shouldn’t be compared, BLACKPINK just need to follow in the footsteps of 2NE1.”
WHAT DID YANG HYUNSUK ACTUALLY SAID?
“I didn’t really try to create something different. This was also the case when I made 2NE1. YG has its unique style. I think that the way to make the best girl group is to make one that is most YG-style. I didn’t really try to create another 2NE1 either. Just as the same jacket look different on another person, BLACKPINK members have different faces and voices from those of 2NE1 members. So, I thought to myself ‘Why not make the most YG-style girl group’. I tried to come up with the best.”
“YG has always tried to reverse the trend. But, with BLACKPINK, I wanted to reverse YG’s trend. I wanted to go in a direction that we’ve never tried before. Looks are in fact quite important.”
He went on to say, “I’ve always thought of talent as the no.1 priority and looks are just something extra. But because we’ve done this for the past 20 years, I started to think that I wanted to make a girl group that is talented and pretty a few years ago. In the case of BLACKPINK, they are not just pretty. Of course, it’s hard to find a whole package. There are few who can sing, dance and are gorgeous at the same time. I had this in mind from the get go, and so it took time. It was different when I made 2NE1 or BIG MAMA. I just wanted to do something that I haven’t done before. But, I don’t want their music too be cute and pretty as well. I want them to be a team that does YG-style music but pretty.”