[Discussion] KARA

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Kara (Hangul: 카라, Japanese: カラ, often stylized as KARA) is a popular South Korean girl group signed with DSP Media(DSP). The band name Kara comes from the Greek Word "chara" (χαρά, lit. "joy"), which the group interpreted to mean "sweet melody."

Kara originally started as a four-member group and made their debut with "Break It" while displaying a strong female image and a mature an R&B sound. Expectations for the group to be as big as their senior labelmates, Fin.K.L were extremely high and the members were promoted as successors to them. They released their first album titled The First Blooming in 2007. However their debut was not well-received by the public and the album was a commercial failure.

In 2008, Kim Sunghee departed the group due to parental pressure, and two new members; Kang Jiyoung and Goo Hara were brought in.

The group eventually made their debut in Japan in 2010. By the end of that year, Kara was dubbed as Japan's #1 Rookie Artist of 2010 by Oricon and also received the New Artist Of The Year Award (International) from the Japan Gold Disc Awards. In April 2011, the group achieved their first #1 single with "Jet Coaster Love", making them the first foreign female group since the creation of the Oricon (43 years ago) to rank #1 in the 1st week of release and the first foreign female group in 30 years to rank #1 in the charts all together. They also hold the title as the first Korean girl group to top the Oricon Weekly Single Chart. Their official fanclub is Kamilia, derived from a combination of the words "KARA" with the word for family, "familia." Kara's official balloon color is pearl peach.

Members
Current Members
Gyuri: May 21, 1988 - Leader, Main Vocalist, Rapper
Seungyeon: July 24, 1988 - Lead Vocalist
Hara: January 13, 1991 - Lead Dancer, Vocalist, Visual
Nicole: October 7, 1991 - Main Rapper, Main Dancer, Vocalist
Jiyoung: January 18, 1994 - Vocalist, Rapper, Maknae

Past Member
Sunghee - May 17, 1989 - Main Vocalist

Discography
Albums
The First Blooming (2007)
Revolution (2009)
Step (2011)

Extended Plays
Rock U (2008)
Pretty Girl (2008)
Honey (2009)
Lupin (2010)
Jumping (2010)

Japanese Discography
Albums
Girl's Talk (2010)
Super Girl (2011)

Compilations
Kara Special Premium Box for Japan
Kara Best 2007-2010 (2010)

Tours
The First Concert - KARASIA
The First Asia Tour - KARASIA
The First Japan Tour - KARASIA

KARA’s Nicole performs at concert despite ankle injury

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KARA‘s Nicole who badly injured her ankle at KARA’s first independent concert, KARASIA stepped on stage the following day with her foot wrapped in a cast.

Nicole had a solo performance at KARA’s independent concert which took place at Olympic Park on February 18th, and injured her foot while exiting the stage. No one was sure whether she would be able to continue with the following performances, but Nicole endured the pain and stood on stage the next day.



KARA’s agency DSP Media stated, “[I]Even after she hurt her foot the first day, Nicole finished the entire performance despite her injury. When it was over, we called in an acupuncturist and took emergency measures. We were told that she would have to wear a half-cast and that she would not be able to partake in the performances to follow.”

“Despite her circumstance, Nicole was determined not to give up, as she did not want to miss KARA’s first ever independent concert,” they continued.

Her determination showed, as Nicole well performed “Beat It“, a song that requires intense choreography.

Source & Image: MyDaily |via: allkpop

KARA’s Jiyoung is a ‘Giant Baby’

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Due to a recent picture, KARA‘s Kang Jiyoung is being dubbed as a ‘giant baby’.

On February 29th, a picture was uploaded onto an online community with the title ‘Kang Ji Young’s lofty height in the practice room’. Along with the picture, the person wrote, “[I]The maknae entertaining her unnis. She stands up straight and gasp! Who’s the maknae and who’s the unni? Ji Young is really tall. I thought she was wearing heels, but she’s wearing sneakers. It might be because the unnies are semi sitting on the chairs, but Kang Ji Young is growing up to be a giant baby.”

The picture displays Ji Young with members Gyuri and Seungyeon in the practice room. At first, it looks as if they are similar in height, but in the second picture we can see the large height difference when Ji Young stands at full height.

Despite being labeled as the baby of the group, seeing her towering over her other members has left netizens nostalgic as they reflected on how much she has grown in many ways since debut.

They responded, “She’s still cute as always“, “Isn’t it good to be tall?“, and “She really is a giant baby“.

Jiyoung is currently part of the G8 team on KBS ‘Invincible Youth’.

Source & Image: TV Report |via: Nate & allkpop

I became a fan of them after STEP was released.