TaeYeon Of Girls’ Generation Graces #legend’s April Cover

Rising to global fame as a member of all-girl K-pop group Girls’ Generation, Kim Tae-yeon, aka TaeYeon has left an indelible mark on the global music stage.

A successful solo artist and social media star with more than 16 million followers on Instagram, the singing sensation speaks to #legend in this global exclusive cover story about what it means to tell stories through song and how to handle the pressures of fame.

Wearing looks from Dolce&Gabbana and pieces from Qeelin Jewellery, TaeYeon poses with ease against the neutral backgrounds on set, devised for the star’s light to shine all the brighter.

On her most memorable moments: The most memorable moments as a singer have been when we went on tours as Girls’ Generation. They always felt like we were on a field trip. We just hung out and did the performances that we really love, so those are just really happy and memorable moments for me.

On telling stories through song: I’m not someone who acts in movies or on TV, but during those three or four minutes on stage I think of myself as an actress. When I get into the lyrics, even my facial expressions change. So, singing on stage for me is also a form of acting. I always sing in the hope that the audience can empathise with my emotions.

On handling pressure: In the beginning, I couldn’t fully enjoy performing alone. I felt pressure that I had to lead a whole performance alone, but as I got used to it, I learned how to enjoy the stage on my own.

On life off-camera: I don’t really go out much because of my personality and, being a singer, there are some restrictions on what I can do. So naturally I look for things I can do on my own. As for new hobbies, I think I’ve done pretty much everything, but maybe walking Zero, my dog. He spends more time with me than my other family members, so if I had to pick one, walking him and making homemade snacks for him might be one of my new hobbies.

On what’s next: If I get the chance, I would love to do a concert tour with Girls’ Generation again. If we can.