Undoubtedly one of the strongest Korean rookie groups of 2012, EXO expresses their gratitude towards fans and SMTOWN seniors
Having big names such as TVXQ! and Super Junior as their seniors, 12-member Chinese-South Korean boyband EXO (divided into subgroups EXO-K and EXO-M for different markets) officially debuted in April under watchful eyes of the public.
Besides well-honed dance skills and an impactful title track, all these -- together with the huge debut hype fueled by SM Entertainment -- meant there was no reason for EXO to fail.
And succeed they did, with their debut EP MAMA ranking high on charts in both China and South Korea. According to Korean media, at the end of their two-month promotional period, MAMA has sold a remarkable total of 152,255 units (both EXO-K and EXO-M's versions).
In an exclusive e-mail interview with xinmsn, prior to their first performance in Singapore, EXO-M's Kris shared their gratitude towards fans from all over the world for their enormous support.
"Every time we meet the fans, we have so many things to say, but mostly we want to thank everyone for the support. We hope to work hard and show our appreciation through our wonderful performances."
EXO-K's Kai mentioned that before they debuted, they could only dance and sing by themselves, but now they are able to showcase their dance and singing in front of fans that enjoy the performance, making them really happy and appreciative.
As commoners turned idols, EXO-M's Lu Han cited the presence of fans as the biggest change as well.
"For this reason, all the members started taking care of our appearances more on daily basis," the Chinese lad added.
EXO also thanked their seniors for their advice and care. This is the first year EXO is taking part in the SMTOWN Live World Tour and preparing for the collaborations and performances allowed them to learn and build a closer relationship with their seniors.
Being the leader of EXO-K, Suho received a 'Leadership 101' class from TVXQ!'s leader U-Know Yunho and Super Junior's leader Leeteuk.
Yunho shared with him the importance of having charisma, where the leader should not lose his temper over small matters but enforce proper behavior and discipline on big mistakes. As for Leeteuk, he drove home the point that 'the team is one unit; it's beautiful when it works as one'. The SuJu leader also emphasized the need for a good leader to hold the balance and manage the team by listening and caring.
EXO-K's D.O. received handy advice from Super Junior's Ryeowook when he had to perform a duet with the latter. A bundle of nerves then, Ryeowook advised him to just enjoy the stage and not worry too much.
Having debuted for only seven months, EXO still gets the jitters each time they get on stage. The group boosts their morale by gathering together and shouting 'Saranghaja (to love)' before a performance.
EXO-K's Sehun elaborated, 'When we first debuted, we were focused on doing just a well prepared performance, but now that we further emphasize on going beyond what is expected, it makes it more intense.'
EXO will be making their debut appearance in Singapore for the SMTOWN Live World Tour III concert on November 23, and EXO-K's Baekhyun expressed their excitement over their virgin trip to our sunny island.
He mentioned they were told to visit the Merlion and added, 'Also, our seniors told us that Singapore fans really love and support SMTOWN so it motivated us to prepare a strong performance.'
With striking vocals, impressive dance moves and gorgeous looks, EXO is unarguably one of the strongest rookie groups of 2012. With such an explosive start, we can't wait to see what SM Entertainment has in store for them.
Source: xinmsn