MOMO

Momo is a member of the global girl’s band TWICE. I interviewed her just as the band now enters its 9th year since its formation. She greeted me with an innocent smile; her look changed into a cool and gallant demeanor once standing in front of the lens, and she charmed those around her with her lovely posing. She exudes the dignity of one who has been active at the top of third generation K-pop. Her wish to place importance on the now can be felt. To discover the true her, I asked her about her fashion sense, her work as a group, her work as an individual and her personal life.

Look 1 was a soft and comfortable knit dress and boots, all-in-black. She particularly liked this look as she mostly wears black herself.

“I like shopping, but I always end up choosing black. I like wearing a monotone wardrobe. The knit dress I wear for this look exudes an adult sensibility. It is made of a warm and fuzzy material, and the sweater has a low-cut neckline but has an elastic hem to stabilize the silhouette, and it is comfortable. The boots I wore for a performance once before and I love the silhouette! They appear to be heavy, but once you put them on they are actually quite light and comfortable.”

Momo is in the habit of wearing Onitsuka Tiger shoes for dance practice. What is appealing about them?

“Onitsuka Tiger shoes are different from others because they allow you to move about easily and are light. In addition, they have a high degree of fashion sense and can be adjusted to the dress. Apart from their shoes, I also am an avid fan of Onitsuka Tiger track wear. I dress up for stage shows, but usually enjoy stylish yet comfortable wear. I have a lot of sporty yet stylish garb in my wardrobe, so Onitsuka Tiger sports wear suits me well!”

The TWICE 5th world tour “READY TO BE” began in April and she has been flying around the world from South Korea, Australia, the USA, to Japan. I asked her when she was happiest while touring, and she told me about her fans.

“Concerts are the best opportunity to meet the fans who cheer you on. This is the source of our energy. We sometimes have our fans surprise us, and they always make me glad to have dropped by on tour. The response of our fans differs according to the country where we perform, and it is always a pleasure. The Japanese enjoy the show in earnest as the crowd claps in unison and the girls are crying. Koreans shout out in perfect harmony. Europeans and Americans film us on their smartphones while singing and dancing with us. The flavor of the crowd is different depending on where you go, so it is always a delight.”

It has been a tour which has allowed her to appreciate anew the joy of performing with the band which has worked so hard together.

“When we first debuted, it was often the case that someone would get injured or we would fall out of sync. With this tour, we have been able to make it to the stage as one. This is all the more reason for us to treat each moment preciously. Everyone in the band feels this way so that during rehearsals and practice everyone’s intentions fall naturally into sync. Still today, our fans love all nine of us. This is why we wish to requite the favor.”

Look 2 is a puffy down jacket with leggings. It is just right for her as she visits different locations.

“This down jacket is warm no matter where you go and it is like covering yourself with a blanket. On top of this, it is light and stylish. I want to wear this all winter.”

This year as TWICE turns nine, I asked her about her career caught a glimpse of her larger than life soul.

“I feel that I have grown up in the sense that I can work on my own. It is not like I have worked on my own thus far, and I hope to gain experience in various areas which includes my relationship with Onitsuka Tiger. What hasn’t changed is my character. It hasn’t changed at all (laughs.) If I look objectively at my own personality, I feel that among the band I am not that reliable. I am forgetful and I always have the sense that I am being supported by our roadies and everyone around us (laughing.) While there are aspects of myself that I feel should change, I do not want to forget how I felt when we first debuted, no matter how famous or popular we become. I wish to keep this in mind as I continue on the road. You know how there are times when people change for the worse? I want us to be together as one without changing the good parts about me.”

Momo who is a fierce dancer impressed me with her simple naivete and kind words. During the interview, I didn’t feel like she put up a wall and responded frankly. I was impressed by her candid attitude to not dress things up, which is also a strength. This aspiration is contained in her future goals and dreams.

“As a member of TWICE, my hope is that we can remain healthy and become grandmothers together as pals. What is most important is that we are happy. It is not a question of what I want to be in the future; I simply want to take care of our fans, and remain healthy and happy. While I also want the public to get to know us more, I wish the band to be happy and our fans to be happy. That is best.”

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Direction : Shinsuke Nozaka
Photo, Movie : Yoshiaki Sekine (SIGNO)
Text : Saki Shibata