Music / Idols
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SB Exchange #3: Super Junior

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Written by On January 3, 2012

Happy New Year, everyone! To kick off this year’s SB Exchange, we have Super Junior.

Super Junior is one of the few groups whose discovery for me did not involve SHINee — it did involve YouTube, though, with me randomly stumbling upon Super Junior-M‘s “Perfection“. This led to the discovery of “Bonamana” (to this day my favourite SJ era), and, finally, after a long time, “Sorry, Sorry”  (heck, I’d even already heard “Twins (Knockout)” by then). But what really got me stanning the boys was ELF.

A lot of the online K-pop bloggers (and friends) I keep tabs on are ELF, and their sharing of videos, fan accounts, music and other trivia mean that I know more about SJ than I do any other K-pop group, bar SHINee. It was like osmosis, I was surrounded by so much sapphire blue that I couldn’t help but absorb some of it. Also, Super Junior’s 5th album promotions were my first experience of the whole process- from watching freshly released teasers to livestreaming goodbye stages, they were my guide to what is a significant part of the machinations of K-pop.

This week, I’ve roped in Subi, Nabeela and Gil to discuss “the last man standing”:


There has been much talk (mostly by SM) of the ‘SJ Funky’ ‘genre’ ever since “Sorry, Sorry”; if you could, what other genre would you like to see them sing?

Subi: Honestly, they’ve been doing the same thing for such a long time now it’s hard to see them doing anything different. Sometimes I find myself wondering if they’re even capable of doing anything differently. They’re stuck in Super Junior circa 2009 and at this point, I’m so desperate, I’d be willing to see, or should I say hear, them do anything different.

That being said, I think musical style that they should return to but more importantly, continue to nurture, synthesize, and ultimately develop, is the Super Junior take on contemporary R&B a la “Sorry, Sorry” and “Sorry, Sorry Answer”.  While Super Junior may not have gotten any better than 2009, that was a fantastic year for these boys. With their evergreen hit “Sorry, Sorry,” Super Junior gave us a polished song that included tones of urban minimalism and contemporary funk. It was catchy, addictive, and now, a staple of Korean culture.

What have these boys done since then? They have just continuously and repeatedly given us the same thing over and over again. While asking them to return to the times of “Sorry, Sorry” might seem eyebrow raising after I just gave them a whole lot of schtick about doing the same thing as “Sorry, Sorry”, all I want for them to do is return to the days where they were able to maintain a signature style but continue to give us something else, something different, and something new at the same time. This time just happens to be exemplified the best for me by the dialogue created between “Sorry, Sorry” and “Sorry, Sorry Answer.”

Nabeela: I don’t necessarily think its about singing another genre of music — Super Junior was born and raised on the pop scene, that’s where they are bound to be most successful, and that’s where they will live out their glory until other groups begin to outshine them.

Aside from pop, though, I will say it would be nice to see Super Junior differentiate as they get older. They keep talking about ‘mature’ concept this and ‘different side of us’ that, but we all know what it comes down to — fast beats, serious choreography, and a catchy chorus, or in other words, pop music. I think some jazz or even R&B influences in their music would be a refreshing change for them from time to time, just because I think they have the talent to do it. Their R&B version of “Sorry, Sorry” came out beautifully, so I think a genre like that could be promising for the boys.

And hell, with so many of them, they should do acapella. They could seriously blow my socks off if they had the talent to acapella because of the variety of voices within the group itself.

Gil: Funky? ’cause I’m thinking about old school funk and “Sorry, Sorry” v 2.0 and 3.0 are not funk. But anything without auto-tune. I’m not sure why they keep auto-tuning members like Sungmin, who have perfectly fine vocals, and end up ruining a song. If their next song is another of the same pop song,  I’ll throw a hissy fit for two days and write an angry worded letter to the composer (whoever they may be) filled with a plethora of exclamation points and profanities.

But after I heard “Sorry Sorry Answer”, I would say with R&B. I feel that Kyuhyun and Yesung would definitely fit in with the genre. Or just a slower song, one of their best songs was “It’s You” and it was a pop ballad so something that isn’t an outright ballad but has a nice beat to it would work. I mean KRY has the vocal prowess and members like Eunhyuk, Donghae, and Sungmin can sing.  Songs like “Andante” and “Blue Tomorrow” fit these boys well but instead we get shitfests like “Mr. Simple” and “A-Cha“.

SuJu is well known for having a variety of sub-units… a fairly LARGE variety . But, if you could create your own subgroup, what would the concept be and who would you have in it?

Subi: This may not be a sub-unit by I demand the following with every fiber of being: give Wookie (Ryeowook) a solo career. Ever since I saw that boy’s solo performance of “Moves Like Jagger,” I want more and more. When the group first debuted, he was my least favorite member, but over the years, he’s really grown on me. From the judo chop he incorporates into his dancing to the permanent look of confusion on his face, and of course, that flawless, crystal like voice, he has become one of my favorites. And his cover of “Moves Like Jagger”: I say, move over Super Junior—its Wookie’s time to shine. He would grow one of those curly, opera mustaches, walk around without a shirt, spritzer to keep his abs ever so nice and shiny, drop an album called “Moves Like Wookie,” where the concept would be geek sexy. Or I would just settle for sub-unit of Kyuhyun, Donghae, Eunhyuk, Siwon, and Ryeowook and the concept would be, drum roll, talent.

Nabeela: If I were to make subgroup, it would be Ryeowook, Sungmin, Kangin, Eunhyuk, and Siwon. Ryeo and Sungmin handle the serious vocals, Eunhyuk raps, Kangin sings the deeper notes, and Siwon is there for publicity. Concept would be a hard one, but I’ll pull the wild card and make them have some bad ass, bad boy swag. They can have guns and leather and Siwon can ride a Harley, and they can be players or a gang. No more playing safe. I’m talking some bad ass fighting and blood and sexy bods. I know Sungmin has a dirty side to him — I saw it once on Star Golden Bell. As for Ryeo, we may actually have to beat the bad ass into him. But he’ll learn. He’s got the jawline to be hunk and a villain. Dont ask me how I know. I just know.

Gil: If I were to create a group I would want Kyuhyun, Yesung, Ryewook, Donghae, Eunhyuk,and Sungmin to do a sexy R&B concept. Pretty much a continuation of “Sorry Sorry Answer” but instead sexier where their voices will make me melt. And like Nabeela said, Sungmin can get his freak on (his ss3 solo anyone?) but I’m a bit worried about Kyuhyun — he seems so awkward around the ladies. But I also want more of Eunhyuk and Donghae, they work well together and I found them to be entertaining. “Oppa Has Risen” was definitely weird but I still enjoyed it and I loved “I Wanna Love You.”

The number of members has been fluctuating a fair bit over the years. What is the magic number, and which members would make up that number? 

Subi: This is a hard question to answer because the entire concept behind Super Junior is the large number. And honestly, if I were to create a group just based on talent, then they wouldn’t be charismatic. If I were to create a group based on personality, then they wouldn’t have talent. Super Junior is filled with members that are severely lacking in several departments but together, I can’t believe I’m saying this, it kind of works.

That being said, there are members they can stand to lose and still maintain their concept, persona, or whatever it is ELFs like to cram down my throat. Vote Kibum, Sungmin, Kangin, and yes, even Yesung, off the island and they’ll be just the same as they are now. I’m not saying that these boys are without talent, personality, or whatever, but I just don’t think they add anything to the group.

Nabeela: It’s hard for me to say because I’ve been a lover of SJ since before any lawsuits came to light and when there wasn’t much sub-unit work going on. Though losing Hankyung and Kibum weren’t major losses to the group, they were among the first members that made me fall in love with Super Junior, so it was hard to see them leave, or disappear to the drama scene in Kibum’s case. Also, Kangin was one of my favorites, and I was truly sorry he had to go on military leave on such bad terms with the public. This question is a sentimental one for me. I have always believed the magic number for Super Junior was and is 13.

I personally didn’t believe SJ was going to last as long as they have, considering the enormity of the group. But during the beginning, they built a strong name for themselves and proved their worth not just as singers, but as all around entertainers. They were an established name before the number chaos went down, so I think their talent as entertainers is always going to prevail no matter how many members are present or how many members are not.

As far as Zhou Mi and Henry go, I feel bad for them. They were really just add ons that shared in the limelight only during SJ-M activities and then got shafted when the main members returned to group work. I don’t hate them whatsoever (I will never understand how some fans and ELFs can hate Zhou Mi and Henry) but for me they’re not really the Super Junior I grew up with, so they’re not relevant to me. 13+2 was a nice sentiment, but I still prefer 13.

Gil: It’s hard, like Subi said one of their main attraction points was the fact that they had 13 members. But personally I think Leeteuk and Shindong aren’t necessary to the group. Leeteuk dances and sings, as does every other kpop idol so I don’t feel like he’s necessary, he can go MC and do TV shows. Shindong, oh Shindong, you’re a good dancer but I just ain’t feeling you; I know he’s one of the main dancers but he just turned out to be a backup dancer without that many lines and his raps suck. But then again I didn’t really feel different when Heechul left, or Hangeng; it is a pity to see members leave but I got over it after moping for five minutes.

Henry and Zhou Mi seem to be included more and more in ‘main’ SJ activities, like in SM Town and SS4- they’re even featured in SJ’s song for the SM winter album ‘The Warmest Wish’. While I guess it may feel like that they’re just there to make up the numbers now that The Great Military Duty Relay has begun, do you think it’s possible for these two to cement a permanent position in the main SJ lineup? Or is the only13 movement still going strong enough for it to be an impediment?

Subi: Let me answer your question with a question: Can Pokémon 151 and onwards be considered Pokémon? Can the second generation of Power Rangers onward be considered Power Rangers? Can New Moon and Twilight be considered the same movie? While the last example may throw a monkey in my answer, the answer is yes and no. Yes, in the sense that they are part of the SM family, they are part of Super Junior. But they’re not part of the original Super Junior line up and that will always be something that will prevent them from fully integrating. In the same way, that Eunhyuk and Sungmin are “WTF?!” in Super Junior-M, Henry and Zhou Mi would be “WTF?!” in Super Junior. But I do see a difference between the two aforementioned line up changes. Eunhyuk and Sungmin have been much better received than I’m sure Henry and Zhou Mi would ever. Insert an assortment of statements regarding Korea’s ethnocentrisms and psychotic fandom right here.

Nabeela: No. I don’t think they will ever be permanent members in the main lineup, more so since EXO Planet has a whole Chinese sub-unit. It’s great that Zhou Mi and Henry are getting involved in SM Town and the Super Show, but honestly, those boys deserve to entertainers in their own right and not Super Junior table scraps. I don’t know if they feel the same way, but I definitely think they should be pursuing other entertainment careers separate from SJ because honestly, Only13 movement or not, SM would never substitute them into the main line up. If that really was the intention of having Henry and Zhou Mi in the SM family and SJ family, when Kangin and Kibum peaced out, they should’ve immediately been brought in, however, they were not. It’s a sad reality for them, but I don’t think Papa SM has any other plans for them other than SJ-M.

Gil: No. The Only13 movement was pretty hardcore, fans bought shares of SM so that they could prevent the inclusion of Henry and Zhou Mi. I thought that was the dumbest thing since both actually brought something to the group. SM already said for sure they would not bring them into the main SJ. Although it has gotten better for Henry and Zhou Mi, I still don’t think they will be part of the original Super Junior. Though I would be ecstatic if they did join Super Junior (these two are my favorite) the reality is it won’t happen, but I feel like Henry will turn into a composer for SM seeing as that he has created a lot of songs for the group. But I guess we’ll see.

SJ seem to be the only group that is able to counter claims of SM artists looking too rehearsed and over-choreographed when performing… but this could also be seen as sloppiness on the members’ part, and negligence on SM’s — especially when you have members disappearing for almost half of the performance. How do you see it?

Subi: Super Junior is like an old person who farts in public — they’re just set in their ways. And considering that half this group should be getting married and having kids, that is probably truer than we can imagine. SM knows how to train their artists. They boast some of the greatest talents in Korean Entertainment. But something I’ve noticed with big groups vs. small groups, is that in a big group, lack of talent sticks out like a sore thumb so maybe it’s SM’s fault for not training some of these boys properly or not disciplining them properly but hey, isn’t SM at fault for everything? In all seriousness, Super Junior likes to act like the K-Pop equivalent of a bunch of frat boys around a keg on stage. Polished? No and while I wish it was, it’s their thing and is bizarre as it might be for some to contemplate, it’s how their fans like them.

Nabeela: This is a very interesting question. I think it all goes back to the size of the group. For cohesive and appealing choreography, some of the members need to be out of focus at some point. Watching 13 or 10 or 9 boys dance the same choreo all at the same time can be nauseating, especially considering the speed and intensity of some of the SJ choreography. I think SJ is able to look more natural and not over-rehearsed because there are many moments when pairs or individuals have a chance to break up the uniform flow with a little of their personal attitude. Those tiny moments go a long way in creating a more naturally flowing choreography for a group as large as Super Junior. I have never seen any sort of sloppiness of laziness when the boys are on stage, except for maybe when Heechul’s attitude gets in the way. But overall, I think Super Junior has some of the best dance moves on the pop scene to date, older groups and younger groups included.

Gil: I never really thought of them as sloppy per se, their choreography is pretty intact and doesn’t get all over the place. I can see where the impression comes from, with that large of a group it’s hard to sync perfectly. I dance Bharathanatyam (which has intense choreography) so I personally know how hard it is to be in sync with that many people and execute the moves perfectly. And the thing is not all of the SJ members have the natural ability to dance (like Kyuhyun) so they stick out. But the only time I’ve seen half-assed choreography is with Heechul. I don’t know if it’s the metal in his leg, his attitude or both but I remember the first time I watched their performance I was surprised by his I-couldn’t-care-less attitude.

I absolutely love “Sorry Sorry Answer”- the Yoo Young-Jin version is my second-most played song on iTunes and “It’s You” was definitely their best dance. It does feel like their 3rd album was their peak that have not been able (or allowed) to surpass. Going off Subi’s suggestion, I guess the solution is to time travel back to 2009/10 and knock out whoever’s bright idea it was to continue the “SJ Funky”  thing which resulted in “Bonamana” and “Mr. Simple”.

I don’t know if it’s because I was introduced to Super Junior through SJ-M, or because I came to the fandom way after when the whole Only13 movement was at its largest, but I’ve always considered Henry and Zhou Mi to be  Super Junior members. Because I was a relatively new fan, at the time I discovered SJ, I didn’t have the chance to really connect with Kibum, Kangin or Hangeng. Sure, there’s a plethora of old videos and stuff available, but it’s just not the same. They’re not here, while Henry and Zhou Mi are (some of the time), ergo, I’m more familiar with the latter two than I am with the former three. So hearing people say that the two are not really part of Super Junior does throw me off a bit —  they’re not wrong, of course; but there is a noticeable gap between our views on the subject.

So readers, what are your thoughts on Super Junior?

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  • anonbuggy

    So I read Subi’s answer and saw ‘Siwon’ and talent in the same sentence, and then read the whole article waiting for the punchline.

    It never came. This is a joke right? Subi is just trolling really badly right? I kid, it’s your opinion, and you’re more than entitled to it. But I strongly disagree with you. As in, with every fibre of my body.There is almost no justification as to why Siwon adds something to Super Junior, when Yesung and even Sungmin don’t. Siwon is a mediocre singer and dancer, very mediocre. He adds nothing for the group sans his face and publicity, he doesn’t even have an intriguing personality when he’s not in China. If he’s there for the publicity and face, then you might as well have added Heechul, at least the latter has a personality and can get some good laughs every once in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I love Siwon, but to say he’s more useful than Yesung, and Sungmin is ludicrous. Heck, actually, Kang-In too is more talented Siwon, at least Kang-In could sing and hold a melody consistently. ”Or I would just settle for sub-unit of Kyuhyun, Donghae, Eunhyuk, Siwon,and Ryeowook and the concept would be, drum roll, talent.”this entire sentence was made irrelevant once you included Siwon in the lineup to be honest. Why, why, WHY would you have a group with the concept of ‘talent’, add in Siwon, and totally forego Yesung. You can argue that Yesung is overrated, that Kyu and Wook are better than him, but he’s a great singer, you can’t deny that. Plus he has more personality than Siwon on variety shows anyway. And in the case you wanted to go with the two main vocalists, two sub vocalists, rapper direction — then Sungmin would be a superior choice over Siwon. IMO, Sungmin is the strongest singer after KRY, and he can actually dance unlike Siwon. I’m sorry, but I really don’t want to say this, but I’m coming close to saying your opinion is wrong. Which I don’t want to say, but SIWON?! 

    I bet somewhere in South Korea Yesung, Sungmin, and heck even Kangin just got cold chills. 

    • Black_rose45000

      “I bet somewhere in South Korea Yesung, Sungmin, and heck even Kangin just got cold chills.”
      This made me lmao. 
      Also, thank you for this “Heck, actually, Kang-In too is more talented Siwon, at least Kang-In could sing and hold a melody consistently” ♥. It sorta felt like ppl even forgot about him, now that he’s out >.> 

    • ebolajez

      THANK YOU! Siwon’s appeal and reputation is baffling to me.

  • MoreThanWords

    No offense, but Subi’s answers totally set me on edge. She doesn’t give SuJu enough credit AT ALL. :/ 

    Why did you have to pick Subi for this section? I’m not saying she doesn’t know anything about SJ, she says she’s known them since debut, so I’m sure she does. But I think she was a really bad pick. Her answers made me defensive and left a lot to be desired.

    Why weren’t Patricia or Ree chosen instead? At least those two are critical whilst still maintaining class and fairness towards SJ. They’ve both written more in depth articles about Super Junior way more than Subi has. They’re both actual fans of Super Junior. Actually, I don’t even need the person who answers the questions to be fans, but I’d at least want them to think favorably of the group at least somewhat enough to like them. 

    Sorry, but Subi totally ruined the mood of the whole article for me. Nabeela and Gil were great and interesting to read, they could have been more critical at times, but on a whole they were good. 

    And before some Seoulbeats readers start attacking me for being butthurt, I’m not. I can take criticism — I know SJ aren’t the most talented group, I know they’re vocally very weak, I know there’s an unbalance of talent, I know their choreo can be all over the place. But seeing it said in a tone like this does bother me. 

    And I’m not attacking Subi, she’s a fine writer, but she should have just gotten chosen for the exchange for DBSK or something. 

    • kip

      haters gonna hate~

      • MoreThanWords

        I’m not a hater, I’m not ‘hating’ on Subi. I said I think she’s a fine writer, but I don’t like how she answered the questions here. 

        The writers on this site aren’t above criticism. And whilst I don’t think it’s fair to attack them for having an opinion, I don’t think it’s fair commenters get dissed for thinking an article is sub-par either.

        But, I will say, reading my comment again. I do think I was too harsh. Sorry Subi~

  • shalalala

    Just wondering, am I the only one who thinks Sungmin >>>> Donghae in terms of vocals?Actually, not even. Sungmin > Kangin ≥ Donghae. 

    I like Donghae’s voice A LOT more than the other two, but I’m sick of him screwing over all of Super Junior’s lives. It’s so bad, I’m beginning to think Sungmin is the only good singer outside of KRY at the moment. I’d take him over Donghae’s nasal croaking any day of the week. I just wish they’d give SJ more songs like It’s You where he can sing without being processed to congestion. He sounds so pretty when he’s singing on acoustic/pop ballad tracks, but it doesn’t show at all in their promotional singles ;_; 

    • Serenipity

      Aaw, Sungmin. My bias is Donghae, but I have to agree with you on that. I’ve followed SJ since 2006, and I’ve never had any doubts that Sungmin was the stronger singer. But what Donghae lacks in live vocals, he makes up for by being a good performer. He’s really good on stage, and very charismatic, and I’m not saying this out of bias (well, not completely).

      Subi’s answers, although a bit too snarky and kind of ‘incorrect’ (Siwon? Talent? Say what?) for my liking, did get me thinking. Sungmin is probably the strongest singer outside of KRY, and you aren’t the first person who thinks he’s the only ‘good singer’ outside of the trio in the band (most of the time it’s Super Junior’s own fans who feel that way ;_;). He’s a decent dancer, a bit too low-key sometimes, but he’s arguably the best dancer in the group after the ‘main dancers’. But he doesn’t feel like a ‘necessity’ to the group the way Donghae is — even though they’re on almost equal grounds. Sungmin’s a better singer, Donghae’s a better dancer, they both to dancing and singing decently respectively. And personality wise they’re both kind of… boring :x 

      Though, I guess Donghae’s general vanilla flavour leans more towards being precious and adorable and amazing, whilst Sungmin leans towards being boring. Donghae is also more traditionally handsome, whilst Sungmin looks like a girl group member sometimes. As well as the fact, although Sungmin is the better singer, Donghae has the more aesthetically appealing voice. 

      • allthethings

        I think Sungmin was branded with the ‘cute’ image and milked with it far too early, and for far too long :/ Whilst Donghae never got that on him. He’s seen as ‘cute’ before anything else, even though he tries really hard to get rid of it nowadays. Cute doesn’t reflect well when you just turned 26 three days ago. He isn’t seen as anything else but nauseating, creepy, and ‘cute’. 

        And in turn it makes him seem expendable. Along with his really low key and reserved personality on shows/interviews/life/everything, it doesn’t help his cause. And I think he knows this more than anyone else. 

        And it’s sort of sad on his part, because he’s always trying to prove himself. Singing big ballads during solos to show that he can, instead of guitar songs when the latter suits him better and he seems to enjoy performing them more. Going on about how ‘manly’ he is. Completely going into ‘emo’ mode when he thought he didn’t do a good job of filling in for Kyuhyun (which I admit, he didn’t do it perfectly. But compared to the tragedy that was Donghae… come on people. Cut him some slack). 

        It makes me feel really bad for him, I’m never going to love him the way I do Kyuhyun, but I have a big soft spot for him. And it’s sad he had to become a victim to the gimmicky marketing tactics of K-Pop. Because maybe I’m overestimating him, but personally, I think he could have been known for being the talented, VERY hard-working, disciplined and well-rounded guy he is, over just being ‘cute’. 

        • Black_rose45000

          I have a question, ”
          Completely going into ‘emo’ mode when he thought he didn’t do a good job of filling in for Kyuhyun” << is this about Bonamana filling in? What do you mean about going into emo mode and all? :) 

          "Singing big ballads during solos to show that he can, instead of guitar songs when the latter suits him better and he seems to enjoy performing them more."
          Tbh, I don't see how he enjoyed those more. Are you talking about Muldeuro when you say big ballads? Because frankly I thought he sang it very passionately. In fact, he's pretty passionate and expressive when he sings, he *seems* to be putting a lot of feeling into his performances, that I don't really see the difference you mention O.o

          :)

          • allthethings

            Yes, I was talking about him filling in for Kyu in Bonamana. And he messed up the line a bit, and after that he spent a week writing depressing UFO replies like “I’m not a good singer’ “Why won’t Kyuhyun come back”. and he just looked super depressed on stage. Actually, 2010 was a generally very emo year for him. 

            I was talking about Muldora and Baby Baby, yes. I’m not saying he didn’t sing them well, but I can’t explain it. He seems to enjoy rocking out on the guitar more. Also, he just sounds better singing gentle songs on a guitar over huge ballads. The former suits his voice more. 

          • Black_rose45000

            Ooooh interesting. That sounds really sad : I’m a new fan (since a few months ago) so I had no idea about it. Do you happen to have a link to UFO replies and stuff? I mean, to follow them too in the future :)
            And why would 2010 be an emo year? Did something else happen? As for the second part, I won’t argue because we clearly think differently :)))))Thanks a lot for replying! :)

          • allthethings

            Ah, okay! Welcome to the fandom then!

            I can’t find the UFO replies at the moment, but I swear I did not make them up >.< But they were basically along the lines of/

            Fan: Sungmin, you did well for todays' performance.
            Sungmin: No, I didn't. Kyuhyun needs to come back.

            Fan: My boyfriends is cute, likes pink, and is a good singer. Guess who? ^^Sungmin: Good singer? Aah, definitely not me.

            as for 2010 being a emo year in general, well I can't say for sure, but he was just really quiet and looked depressed as during music shows. I think it climaxed when he gave away his cats (lol). During radio broadcasts he would never talk, and I think Heechul was saying how 50000000 copies of Bonamana were sold, and Sungmin was all like "I probably only contributed 50". I'm not sure what caused it, but most people think it's because 2010 just… was not his year. Back in 2009 he got a lot of exposure, and there was a contrast. Like, he lost a good chunk of his lines, was non-existent during the Bonamana MV and general promos, who knows. :/

          • Ilovemandoo

            That’s terrible. :( I never even knew about that.. Thanks for informing us about it. 

            I really do hope that Sungmin gets more of the spotlight, but in a group of 13, it really is easy to get lost.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LL4QDJLVFDT2RDIZYBALSE75JE angel29

      Sungmin is very talented no doubt.  The thing with Sungmin is that despite the fact that he is perhaps the most well-rounded member of SuJu, in just about everything he does performance-wise, someone else does better.  Vocally, he can sing well… but KRY sing better.  He’s a very good dancer… but Shindong, Eunhyuk are better.  He acts… but he is overshadowed by Siwon. 

      In terms of talents outside the usual performances, Sungmin stands out though.  He plays the guitar and the piano with a lot of skill.  You know music is a part of his persona when you see how passionate he is in mastering these instruments.  I hope that he goes to composing and producing, and I mean full time.  I think he has it in him.

      Sure there is nothing unique that Sungmin brings when it comes to their actual performances but losing him would cripple Super Junior because he can compensate for any absence of the main players and he does the tasks just as well.  I guess, that being said, his contribution is his flexibility given he is a well rounded performer.

      • http://colourmesplendid.wordpress.com Ree

        I don’t think he’s as talented as you think he is (or maybe it’s just how you worded it), but I agree he has talent, and is generally a solid player and does things well in his own right. And I do think he may actually be into K-Pop for the music (le gasp!). 

        “but losing him would cripple Super Junior because he can compensate for any absence of the main players”

        On paper, I would agree. But the thing is I’m not sure it’d be a cripple, because the main players aren’t absent to often and if they are they can be taken over by other main players. 

        I love Sungmin dearly, he’s tied as my favourite member of SuJu. But in a group as big as Super Junior he just… he does become irrelevant amongst everything else. And it’s the first time I’ve actually thought someone with actual talent is irrelevant in a group, but there’s no way around it, and it’s not really his fault. He reminds me of Seungri from Big Bang (another bias of mine, goody >.<), he's a talented kid, and his mini-album was great stuff, and he isn't dead weight in his group, but most people (not me) believe if you take him away the world won't tilt on it's axis. But I think Sungmin is a much worse case since, idk, SJ has 1238703 members and it's the kind of group where you're either 'the best/loud/stick out' or you're moot. There's no room for just being well-rounded. If we were talking talent purely, yes he's one of the stronger and relevant members, but there's a lot more than that at play here. 

        "I am hoping that he is given time to shine by their company. I actually feel that he can do more for them, but they have to stop putting him at the back."

        But this, yes, I agree. Bring back 2009 Sungmin, he was hot stuff back then.

        • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LL4QDJLVFDT2RDIZYBALSE75JE angel29

          I guess I will have to agree. Number plays a factor in a lot of arguments related to Super Junior.  Of course some of the other 1238701 members can also take over.

    • Anima

      I actually think Kangin is a slightly better singer than Sungmin tbh and he has great range and stability… he just lacks confidence when he has to sing with others. When he sings by himself or trot, he is really good. Him and Heechul (imo, only because Heechul is insecure and likes to let people think he’s incapable and doesn’t care so he doesn’t get bashed) are the most underrated singers musically I think. They were going to be in a group with Yunho and Jaejoong after all.

      I like Donghae and the sound of his voice is SO lovely but he struggles. I used to be like  that before I got proper training.

      • shalalala

        I would think Kangin is a better singer than Sungmin, but, I don’t know. He has the potential to be a lot better, given how Sungmin doesn’t have the best voice. But something about Kang-In’s singing seems so… basic. Sungmin has a more expressive range/technique. And just seems a lot more polished where Kangin is kind of rough around the edges. I wish SM did train Kangin more. 

        And, sorry, but I don’t agree about Heechul at all. I feel bad for him, but I can’t sympathise completely. He may have a very nice voice, but I can’t give him credit if he won’t work with it :/

        Donghae has the voice of a freaking angel. But you can’t deny he screws up SJ’s songs like no other. Just saying, there’s a reason he gets the least lines in their promotional tracks despite being part of the ‘vocal line’, but gets a whole truckload of lines on ther B-side tracks. That way SM gets to use his beautiful voice, whilst making sure he isn’t exposed too much live. Smart move. 

        • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

          I have to defend Heechul.

          He is insecure and it did affect him for a time…now he sings the lines he has but goes outside the group to sing.  Heechul even went on Immortal Song with Hongki and did the M&D project with Jungmo and sang perfectly fine live. He always used to sing on YoungStreet and he even sang live on Golden Fishery (the old format before Ho Dong) to show his vocal ability.

          Heck I remember when he sang on X-Man in a rock format and sang on Inki with JGS.  He’d probably be better off with the rock thing.

          To be honest I think his problem is more with Super Junior songs and Elf specifically  because they used to bash the hell out of him over their biases. I remember that Intimate Note when he talked about it.

        • Anima

          Kangin is very emotional and convicing but his lack of confidence and stage awkwardness affects his delivery imo. Agree 100% about Donghae though.

          As for Heechul, I also agree about sympathy… he needs to lose the defeated attitude! But his technique is actually really good (which is surprising because people trained solely in SM are usually TERRIBLE in this regard tbh.).

  • guest24

    Shisus is definitely a nice handsome guy…but putting him and talent together is a bit errr…
    Well, he “tried” to play instruments like guitar and drum, but I still think that Yesung and Sungmin are much more talented than him
    It is just that they are quite lacking in the “entertainer personality” thingy

    Yesung definitely add something to SJ, his voice is really strong, don’t forget that he is in charge for most of the adlibs
    In separate note, he admitted that he take too much rest in 2011…so I am expecting him to have more personal activities in 2012

    Sungmin, well, he is improving and I do agree that he is better than Donghae (I keep remembering Donghae’s voice crack while singing In My Dream in SS3 Japan) ><
    I think it's a good move for Sungmin and Wookie taking over Sukira, at least they get more exposure

    Zhoumi and Henry, I dont have any personal grudge over them
    I do appreciate Henry's effort to be more active, his involvement in SM Orchestra is definitely a plus! 
    While Zhoumi…well, I pity him because it seems that SM only remember him during SJ-M promotion =(

    As for Kyuhyun (just cant ignore him since he is my bias), I think he is definitely improving
    You cant just ignore his involvement in some of the dance break, him playing harmonica during SS4 and SM Orchestra, become MC in Radio Star, also not forgetting his role in musical.

  • Anonymous

    You want to kick out Yesung? O__O
    This is the only suju related song i can listen to on repeat.

    You know what. i agree with you,he should totally leave
    not because he doesnt add anything to the group but because he’s too good for suju and should go solo
    Same goes for Henry

    • Anonymous

      that’s indeed a beautiful song, a classic already, but that’s not a SJ’s song, that’s Yesung’s song
      and he is full conscious he could go solo and be successful, Yesung himself said it; but he has also said, many many and many times, that he likes being in Super Junior

      • Anonymous

        i said suju related song

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LL4QDJLVFDT2RDIZYBALSE75JE angel29

    There’s talent in Super Junior, more than there is in SNSD.  Way more.  And the boys really work hard and they obviously have a lot of say in their performances. 

    I think that their problem is that they are stuck in that era when they were most popular.  Wanting to duplicate that Sorry Sorry success ain’t bad at all, but it can be done using another formula… and that is where Super Junior failed.  They tried to find success in the same formula.  Fans bought the everything that followed Sorry Sorry, and will.  Non-fans will just wait until they come up with something really good.

    To be fair, they weren’t totally unsuccessful in terms of materials. “No Other”  “Bonamana” and “SS Answer” for me were good follow ups to Sorry Sorry.    

    • Anonymous

      “There’s talent in Super Junior, more than there is in SNSD.  Way more”Diasagree 
      Both SNSD and Suju have a lot of dead weight
      Yoona/sooyoung/yuri=donghae/siwon/kibum/kangin/Leeteuk/Heechul/
      Hyoyeon=Eunhyuk
      Taeyeon/Tiffany/Jessica/Seohyun/=KRYS

      Suju and SNSD are two groups that were built from the same blueprint just like TVXQ and CSJH 

      I would consider shindong a liability more than an asset 
      i dont know where to put Sunny

      I think Suju’s vocal line is a bit stronger than SNSD’s (even though SNSD has Taeyeon, i cant stand Jessica’s vocals)
      but i think the groups are quite similar (way more similar than either ELF or SONES would admit)

      Since the majority of SNSD’s songs dont require rapping i am not taking Eunhyuks rapping abilities into account
      but ofc Eunhyuk can rap and SNSD cannot.

      • Serendipity

        Disagree. Donghae adds more than Soo/Yuri. He’s a good singer, terrible live, but vocally I’d say his equivalent is Sunny, but loosely. But dance wise I’d say he’s a Yuri. And he’s also a good face, like Yoona. He’s one of the most useful members of SJ, not dead weight. I don’t think his singing is as good as people say it is, but he still adds a lot to the group. 

        • Anonymous

          for me singing=being able to sing live 
          personally donghae/siwon=yoona for me

          • Serendpitiy

            But, making him the equivalent of Yoona is not giving him nearly enough credit. Yes, his stamina isn’t the best. But let him sit down and he can sound amazing. He has a beautiful voice, and that itself is a talent.

            That’s why I said he’s loosely the vocal equivalent of Sunny, both have good voices, but can’t sing live very well. Plus, Donghae is a good performer/dancer. The whole ‘equivalent’ thing isn’t as black and white as it seems :/ There’s so many things to factor in, like voice colour, stage presence, performance prowess, ect. 

          • kurdoodle

            Personally, I love Donghae’s voice. I could listen to it all day. It has this certain smoothness, freshness, and omg his accent is just so endearing <3 Even though I wince whenever he goes off-key during lives, his voice is really unique.

          • Moi

            NO. 
            Don’t even compare them. Donghae is one of the most well-rounded members from SuJu. He is not only one of the faces of the group like yoona is, nope. Yeah, he is not usually that good at singing live since he is one of the main dancers. Eunhyuk and him are always the ones on the front doing the special steps and carrying the choreography, which makes it more difficult… BUT he has a beautiful voice, there is a reason you know, why he and sungmin are usually invited to KRY’s concerts and performances.. and he is considered SuJu’s best voice after KRYS.

      • Asdf

        Taeyeon/Tiffany/Jessica/Seohyun/=KRYS? 
        WTF? math diploma fail?

        Taeyeon may cancel out one of the K.R.Y’s but the rest isn’t even relevant. 

        • Blab

          Kind of agree, I like SNSD more than SJ. But aside from Taeyeon, none of the other three are close to KRY. I don’t even think Sica is a good singer tbh :/ I’d put TIffany and Sungmin at par, but Seohyun floats between KRY and Sungmin.

          • Green Pig

            For me,

            1. Taeyeon, KRY
            2. Sica, Sungmin (Sica’s tone may be unpleasant, but i think she’s the 2nd best technical singer in SNSD)
            3. Seohyun
            4. Tiffany
            5. Sunny, Donghae

    • anon

      “There’s talent in Super Junior, more than there is in SNSD.  Way more.”

      I don’t necessarily disagree [I think just the presence of KRY brings them up several notches, and they have the better vocal line (KRYSD > Taeyeon, Seohyun, Tiffany, Jessica, and Sunny) as well as better dancers, though I don't they're more cohesive than SNSD]. 

      But I don’t think it’s such a good idea to bring SNSD into this :/ It’s almost asking for fan wars.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LL4QDJLVFDT2RDIZYBALSE75JE angel29

        Sorry about the comparison in that case.  Of course, that’s just me stating my opinion. :)

  • Anon

    I agree with Gil on KRYSD + Eunhyuk being a subgroup. Actually it should have been what they debuted with. If it was, SJ would be one of the most vocally talented groups in the K-Pop. Terrifying. But three phenomenal lead vocalst, two sub-vocalists who are actually decent singers and not deadweight (provided Donghae lip synchs every performance from now until forever), and Eunhyuk won’t add much vocally, but he’s good to watch on stage and I actually like his rapping. Don’t need the rest of SuJu to be honest (yeah, I said it). Kang-In was a alright singer, very consistent, but he has some awkward-as stage presence. 

    And I’d want them with a waaaay more low-key version of Nabeela’s concept (sorry, Nabeela. Your concept reminds me of Don’t Don 2.0 I don’t ever want to go back to that). Maybe suits and mafia concept? Not really RnB, but pop ballad?

  • Windchaser72

    I beg to differ at Gil’s comment about Kyuhyun not having natural ability to dance. Its true Kyuhyun was not the frontrunner in the dancing wagon but I believe that was due to the ‘overcrowding’ factor along with his maknae status. In SJ’s earlier days there were too many of them that SM seemed to be confused over which member should they emphasize on. In addition to that, personality-wise Kyuhyun is a reserved man so he doesn’t stand out when he has Leeteuk, Eunhyuk, Donghae and even Siwon on his side. But if you follow SJ performances closely, especially starting from Bonamana onwards, our boy Kyu has been given dancing positions – loosely translated into he is now dancing in front of the others, including during the dance breaks.

    As you can see i’m Kyuhyun bias…

    But compared to the mighty Siwon, uber-cool Heechul, variety king Leeteuk, i believe the maknae Kyuhyun does fare better in the all-round talent scale. With Yesung being second…. but i don’t want to start on that…

    • babybaby

      But Kyuhyun DOESN’T have the natural ability to dance. He’s a good learnt dancer, like Sungmin and Leeteuk, but not a natural one like Donghae and Eunhyuk. You can just… tell from the way he moves. He sticks out. Even when it was just Shindong and Sungmin he stuck out. 

      Don’t get me wrong, he’s good, but dancing isn’t a natural ability to him. He had to work and practice hard to get it right, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s really admirable that he managed to improve so fast in a short amount of time, and it says volumes about him as a worker. And I do think he’s fast the most talented in the group. 

      Though to be honest, I was a bit peeved he got the Bonamana dance break over Sungmin. Come on man, Sungmin is the better dancer, and he already got the short end of the stick when it came to that song in general. But that’s just me.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LL4QDJLVFDT2RDIZYBALSE75JE angel29

        Why did you strike it out? I second the comment about Sungmin getting the short end of the stick.  His part is Bonamana is so short and the funny thing is, IMO, of all the songs they’ve released post SS, I think Bonamana is most suited to his voice.

        • babybaby

          I striked it out because… idk, I thought it sounded petty. And whenever I say it people presume I’m jealous of Kyuhyun, or think he’s overrated, or refuse to accept he’s improved. I don’t, I think he deserves his hype and love. I just think Sungmin’s a better dancer and should have gotten the dance break over Kyu. Kyuhyun could’ve joined Leeteuk as semi-back up or something. 

          Seriously though, Sungmin was non-entity in Bonamana. And it’s a shame because he had really good hair and looked particularly squishy during that era. I wanted to see more of him in the MV.

      • Black_rose45000

        I completely agree with your striked out paragraph. But tbh, I thought him or Leeteuk should’ve been the fourth dancer (I’m sungmin biased so as personal taste I would’ve preferred him), and during Boom Boom, again, instead of Kyu, Leeteuk should’ve been one of the 5 dancers. That’s how they’ve pretty much been since old times. Idk why they decided to promote Kyu so much, I have nothing against him, and he did do the choreos well, but I just think that whereas some should stick to dancing, others to singing. He’s always been awkward when asked to dance and he’s not even the type to like dancing much, I think. Sungmin and Leeteuk as well don’t raise to Eunhae’s levels ofc, but they do like to dance and move along the rhythm and they do it well. Idk, seeing Kyu as a main dancer one too many times felt a bit weird and out of place. 
        As for Sungmin getting too few lines in Bonamana, to be frank, I didn’t notice, and I’m not sure I would agree ^^;;;  I think it followed the same pattern as Sorry Sorry, with his alternate verses with Ryeouk :) But recently I do feel like he’s being a bit wronged. His featurings~~~ with KRY where he never gets equal parts as them, that make me think what’s even the point of including him there. And the most recent case, Andante, where he barely had less than 2 lines (and Leeteuk too, who’s the *co-writer* of the song) – imo, they shouldn’t even sing if all they’re going to sing is 1-2 lines. It’s not like I’d miss Sungmin’s voice, there are plenty of other moments to hear him sing, but the inequality just rubs me the wrong way. 

        Sorry for making this long and turning it to a rant x.x

  • Showmepositivity

    Sorry Subi. Yesung and Sungmin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Siwon all day, any day, every day. I’d take a great lead singer and a presh well-rounder over a deadweight actor any day of the week.

    But that’s my opinion. I don’t know, I sort of value musical talent over a nice face who belongs in a Calvin Klein’s ad, not a music group. I think Siwon talented, just not at anything remotely useful musically. 

  • http://colourmesplendid.wordpress.com Ree

    Sorry Subi, I totally disagree with Yesung and Sungmin not adding anything to the group. Yesung is a great singer (even though I don’t think he’s the best in the band, despite being my bias), and he’s amusing in a kicked-puppy kind of way on variety shows, and he’s a good talker when he wants to be. He embodies the stupidity of Super Junior along with actual raw talent. And at least he adds tons more than Leeteuk, Siwon, and the likes. And Sungmin’s a better singer and dancer than more than half of the band, and he does both well and decently. Not as good as KRY or the main dancers, but he’s solid. 

    Totally agree on Ryeowook being fabulous though, he’s my favourite vocalist in SJ, and one of my favourites in K-Pop as a whole. I love his voice. And I totally loved him before he became mainstream.

    As for Zhoumi and Henry… my thoughts are the same as Gil’s basically ._.

    • http://twitter.com/Chouchou103 Michele

      ‘He embodies the stupidity of Super Junior along with actual raw talent. ’
      I just had theses images pop up in my head that had me laughing so hard :

      http://timelesswonder.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/yesung.jpg 

      and from the same episode: http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7716/mostfunniestfacegx0pc4.png

  • Alwaysh

    I’m not complaining, because I like the kid. But whoa, reading the comments below, when did Sungmin get so popular around SB? o.O Did I miss a memo?

    Anyway, Super Junior I think, has the ability to become a boyband equivalent to their size. They can pull off good songs, they’re disciplined performers, they have some of the best voices in K-Pop, you can’t deny that. They also have some good singers and some… not so good ones. But as a whole they kind of gel well, and it’s not like tehy’re limited to just sing songs like Sorry Sorry. They can pull off great things (i.e: Superman). But waht can you do when your own company doesn’t have faith in you.
    Also, can we all agree Kyuhyun, Yesung, Ryeowook, Donghae, Sungmin, and Eunhyuk, is the one and only subgroup that should happen? 

  • Anonymous

    Nabeela, have you watch their Lovely Day (Acapella Ver) on their SS4?it’s pretty decent and beautiful imo,and yesung’s & ryeowook’s voice blew me away.. here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihaPiejJ3hM just wanna share if you haven’t watch it :)

    To me,sungmin has better control on his voice. Donghae is somehow more lacking in voice control since the 3-4th album. Maybe he just concentrate on dancing too much?But Donghae’s voice is really nice to hear (esp when he’s singing without dancing) when it comes to low notes. Take example his solo song (feat henry) on Skip Beat’s ending song.

    My dream team of SJ would be Eunhyuk,Donghae,Siwon,Ryeowook,and a hard decision between Kyuhyun and Yesung. Though I like Kyuhyun’s voice more, his lack of emotions when he’s singing make some of his performance gone bland. While Yesung can pull off any songs and performance perfectly, he still lacks of dancing skills (Kyuhyun got problems with that too,but he handle it better than Yesung). And it will be a major problem because we already got Ryeowook and mediocre dancer Siwon there..

    But,I can replace Siwon with Henry (this boy is too talented that I pity him along with CSJH and Zhang LiYin) anytime,then put Kyuhyun instead of Yesung. Or put Sungmin instead of Siwon/Henry and put Yesung instead of Kyuhyun. I know I’m indecisive,please spare me T.T

    I’m just hoping SM still have a heart for them to even promote decently (and by I mean decently is giving them an album and promotion that show people their talents) even in subgroups after SS4 is over :’( because seriously,there’s so much talent there that I believe will make some of them,if not majority,still exists in kpop even after their era with SM (or still under them,but not as Super Junior).

  • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

    Okay…Siwon has vocal talent? Since when? I’m going to have to defend Heechul and Kangin here and point out they are more vocally talented than Siwon and have proved it singing live on shows and on the radio.  Kangin made some poor decisions so his army time was an escape. My poor Heechul has given up shaking that bad rep for singing and just goes on singing anyway.  I thought that Immortal Song appearance or M&D would have changed some folks minds but to no avail.

    Sungmin also over Siwon.

    Yesung is necessary. I’m not even a fan and I acknowledge him, Kyu, and Wookie as the vocal line and very necessary. HOWEVER…the purpose of Super Junior seems to be sub groups so everyone is not absolutely needed at all times. 

    Siwon is called the Yoona of Super Junior for a reason.

    Henry is going to become a producer for SM. Poor Henry and Zhou Mi have such a hard time in China since Han Geng left. You know what I never understood about the Only 13 movement…where was that uproar when Kyu joined? Where were the Only 12 signs?

    • Anonymous

      super junior wasn’t that popular before kyuhyun joined, but their fans at the time didn’t like him until he got into a car crash where he almost died. then they appreciated him more i guess. :|

  • http://twitter.com/missyu8shi Yushi Wang

    I actually grown to really love Super Junior (though I’m not a hardcore ELF), I do have a certain, let’s say respect? for the group. 

    I think all 13 of them do bring something to the table, and that together is what is able to make them the ultimate boy group in Asia. I have cousins in China that don’t know K-Pop or follow K-Pop yet they know Super Junior, they know Sorry Sorry.
    I think that the catchy stuff just works with the public and that is why SM is able to make songs like Bonamana and Mr Simple. There were so many other songs on the Mr Simple album that could’ve been title songs, but SM chose Mr Simple because it’s catchy, and the public does catchy. The public is able to dance to the main chorus, and people are able to enjoy it. 

    Members wise, I feel like all of them add a little bit something to the group. Even Siwon, because that boy works hard. He may not have as much talent, but he works hard. He works hard in everything he does, and I feel like he’s one of the most serious members that is part of Super Junior.I do feel like Heechul, Shindong, and Leeteuk are just personalities of the group, but without them I feel like promotions won’t be as smooth going, and Suju wouldn’t be as famous. Heechul does sometimes half ass his dancing…but I guess that’s just how he is. Yesung and Sungmin are amazing vocalists and they deserve to be in the group, though I would rather Yesung go solo, same as Ryeowook. Kyunhyun does the get the most vocal lines, and I really do like his voice as well I think he fits the pop group even if he isn’t as a smooth dancer as others. 
    I would always leave Donghae and Eunhyuk. I think Donghae can totally work as the face of the group as well, and he’s a rapper with Eunhyuk. 
    I think, Suju has Hankyung to thank for their success in China. A lot of my friends in China know Hankyung before Super Junior, you can say that Hankyung really introduced Chinese people to Super Junior.

    Super Junior, will be 13 for me, because I feel like I don’t see Zhou Mi and Henry (I love them!) enough in Super Junior, and this is not their fault. It’s just that fans I don’t think are used to seeing 15 Suju instead of 13. Even though Kibum “left” and Kangin is away, and Hankyung “left” they’re to be the original super junior, and the one that I feel rings true. Changes after are just very hard for people to get used to. 

    I hope Super Junior gets a great 2012 year, because they really deserve it after what they did for SM and how hard they worked. 
    This post is wayy too long, and I hope I don’t get yelled at. O:

    • ebolajez

      I understand that part of Heechul’s appeal is his ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude when it comes to performing, but on the other hand, he is a professional and half-assing his performances lets the whole group down. Barely mouthing along to the song or dancing poorly reflects badly on him.

      Don’t take this as yelling at you! I just don’t know why people make excuses for Heechul. It genuinely confuses me.

      • http://twitter.com/missyu8shi Yushi Wang

        I actually agree to an extent. Just because him acting like that doesn’t make it any better for the group as a whole. Yea, I understand, I shouldn’t give him a break LOL. 

  • Limpy Limpious

    The thing that magic number for Suju is 13 is pointless. Now that there is 9 (or whatever that number is, I stopped counting long ago) of them left, it would mean that they’re not Suju anymore. Sad truth is that they are slowly falling apart, and SM are debuting new group that will take their place.

    And saying that members like Heechul and Leeteuk were deadweight for the group is also pointless. Main strength of Suju has always been their entertainment value, not some kind of deep artistic one. So all members contributed to the group’s popularity whether it be singing, dancing, crossdressing, being funny, being good-looking etc. I’m not saying that being only entertaining is a bad thing, because to be able to entertain is an art itself. I have always admired Suju’s charisma on stage, courage to do fanservice never before seen in kpop, Heechul’s ability to do whatever he wants despite SM’s firm hold on group. They left impact on kpop that is distinctly their own.

    What bothers me is that they are becoming boring. They are losing their entertainment value:
    constantly releasing new versions of ‘Sorry, Sorry’ songs, boring MVs, boring live performances that are all looking the same, loosing Heechul (most entertaing member of Suju, in my opinion), lousy concepts, loosing Henry and Zhou Mi…
    I could go on and on explaining why they are becoming boring to me.

    But I have one last hope for them, before most of the members leave for army, acting careers or whatever. I hope that they do something big and leave with a bang, and show all these rookies what is the real definition of a great performer that Suju really is.

  • http://twitter.com/mizzmyzderee Viole

    Suju’s becoming irrelevant. Everyone knows this. Fans know this, SM knows this, the members themselves know this. Until they’re under SM I don’t see them doing anything other than what they’ve been doing all this while. 

    • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

      I do think the variety/actor/radio members (cough*Heechul*cough*) were key to building their base and getting their name out there as a group.

      • maldita

        THIS. If Heechul, Kibum, and Siwon didn’t appear on all those variety shows and CF’s back in their debut days, Super Junior would’ve stayed in their nugu status for much, much longer. Heechul and Siwon are still the most popular Super Juniors members to the Korean public.

    • Anon

      Sorry man, I see Eunhyuk SO overrated, I do not see the ‘talent’ people are saying. Okay, yeah, he’s a good dancer, with good stage presence. But his rapping isn’t a ‘talent’ on his part. He’s an okay singer, but not so much that it brings him up there talent wise. I’d take Sungmin in a five member SJ group over him any day.

      • lmfao

        I disagree, Eunhyuk is a pillar of the group.

        • anon

          No, I agree with you. He is a pillar of the group, I can’t imagine SJ without him. But talent-wise, aside from his dancing he isn’t anything to brag about. He’s funny and charismatic — but his singing isn’t great, sure it’s not bad, but nothing that I can give him props for it. I just… do not see the reason he should be an essential talent-wise because he’s a good dancer. His rapping? You don’t need it, at all. How many of SJ’s title tracks really NEEDED rap? Sometimes I feel like it’s stuck in just so he’d have something to do. Super Junior’s best songs are Sorry Sorry and It’s You, NEITHER required a semblance of rap. 

          As I said, he has epic stage presence, and that makes it look like he adds a lot to the group in the musical-sense, but when in real life… he doesn’t at all. I’d prefer having someone like Sungmin, or even Kangin, who have actual talent in singing. Though I’d prefer Sungmin, only because as someone said before, Kangin is hella awkward on stage. That being said, I still want him in, he’s a great performer and I have a soft spot for him. But since ‘Viole’ is talking about ‘talent’, I don’t think he’s that great. But hey, what’s wrong with a few faux-raps here and there and some awkward dance intermissions, even if he doesn’t add much to the group vocally? If we’re talking about all-round talent, here’s how I think the pecking list works.KRY > Donghae > Sungmin > Kang-In and Eunhyuk floats around. 

          But if we were talking about who leaves the most IMPRESSION of being talented.

          KRY > Donghae > Eunhyuk >>>> Sungmin

      • Anima

        THIS! I also find Eunhyuk painfully overrated tbh. I don’t dislike him at all, but if he weren’t Lee Hyukjae from SM I don’t think he’d be as recognized or promoted for his talent as much tbh. Eunhyuk IS a good dancer, but imo he is not a great one and there are a few idols who are better dancers than him (he was quite good with SO much potential in his early days though… what happened Eunhyuk?!?).

        Rapping wise I respect his passion but SM in general just doesn’t have great rappers and he’s not much better than Minho (imo). I actually think Heechul is the best rapper in suju but Eunhyuk’s charisma speaks volumes so I can understand why he’s the designated rapper.

        His singing is terrible and sounds worse live though. Rather him rap than sing. Not a hater, just saying.

        • TW013

          I actually find Eunhyuk’s singing pretty decent (Not amazing like KRY+Sungmin standards but not horrible like many think it is). I don’t know about his technique/skills-wise but I do like the tone of his voice.

          Here’s a clip of him singing in KTR with Leeteuk (It starts around 0:17): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ypJWJ4HK8s

          ^ He started out nice but I think he started losing control towards the middle when the notes got higher. I think Eunhyuk fits better with songs in the ‘low’ range.

          He kinds of reminds me of Kangin, Heechul and SHINee’s Taemin. They all feel uncomfortable/nervous singing and it really shows when they sing and the way they hold the microphone.

          • Alexis

            Yeah, but that bit where he started losing control wasn’t that hard to sing… I mean, these guys are trained to sound ‘decent’, he in particular has been training for how many years? Taemin, Kangin, and heck, MAYBE Heechul could sing that with minimum effort :/

          • TW013

            But Eunhyuk seems like the type of person to focus more on dancing/rapping rather than singing. Whenever I see him in gayo daejuns/award ceremonies, he only seems to have fun during fast paced songs or when rapping’s involved, not so much ballads.

            I think we all can agree that he’s not that good of a singer (he debuted as a dancer/rapper for a reason) but I just wouldn’t call him “terrible”. When I think of terrible, I think of KARA’s Hara. And I think Eunhyuk is much better. He’s kind of like Taemin, they both have a nice tone/voice, they just need the skills/techniques to back it up. (Though Taemin has improved a lot so it’s more like Taemin > Eunhyuk in terms of singing)

    • kurdoodle

      I also agree that KRY + Eunhyuk + Donghae are the best ones out there that’s the core of the group. Not to mention that they’re all my top biases. Although maybe I would throw in a little Sungmin~ he’s cute, lol.

  • Black_rose45000

    Thank you Gaya, for doing this interview! It was a great read :) I agree that Subi sounded a bit like she was an anti-fan – I read a couple of Ree’s more SJ-criticizing articles before and loved them – but in the end it was her opinion (after all, I also tend to get way harsh even on bands I like) and you had a good reason for choosing her.

    Btw, ”
    I know Sungmin has a dirty side to him — I saw it once on Star Golden Bell. ” <.> But I find that hilarious more than anything. (and unprofessional, ofc, but that’s another issue)

    Cheers! :)

  • polaris

    Super Junior will probably always be 13+2 to those who followed them from the start or, at least, before Kibum, Kangin, and Hangeng weren’t around. I totally understand your (Gaya) sentiments about feeling as if Zhoumi and Henry being more SJ to you than the missing members, and I think it IS due the era you’re exposed to now. I love Zhoumi and Henry (and especially Henry. I mean, have you seen that boy?)

    I have this unconditional love for Super Junior, and I think it just goes with them being my bias. I’ve always thought that they’re true performers. I’ve never seen them give a bad show; they don’t disappoint, and I like to stand by that. I have no problem with admitting that the A-CHA MVs were just messes (shoddy camera work and just terrible on the eyes), but they work with whatever they’re given and I don’t think they do a bad job.

    Yes, their music is not top quality material, but Super Junior has never been about that. They’re entertainers, performers, actors, dancers, DJs, radio hosts, singers .. but they’re not musical artists, collectively. Their future isn’t necessarily breaking away from SM and going the JYJ route, you know? I do believe some of them do have that potential (and I do like the idea of KRYSDE subunit, but I don’t have the faith in SM to treat them properly).

    I’ve never seen any members as dead weights; they all add to the Super Junior appeal. Am I the only one that actually likes Heechul’s ego? (I think he’s funny and his loyalties are in the right place. His love-hate with Anya on SJ Full house has me every time.) I could never do without Yesung. He’s this oddball I’ve come to love, and he truly has a passion for singing. (Although I still dream of the day Kibum returns to the stage.) I can’t do without any of them. This mesh of thirteen guys just works so well; you don’t see this with bigger groups after them. Their variety shows and talk shows before their Sorry, Sorry era really show their group bond and what unique people they are. And to you, Gaya, I recommend checking out Super Junior Exploration of the Human Body (if you haven’t already) and this talk show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep4BP9NdhkE – this is only to part one). Has me in stitches all the time.
     
    The sad fact is that they are growing up and they do have military activities looming. I hate to seem them so criticized on here (tough love, I suppose). As a long time fan, I just wish that I could see the original 13 on stage again, and then some (like Henry working his musical abilities). I hope they shine wherever they go, in whatever they do, and stay in the business for a long time. I do believe they have much to offer.

    • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

      I love Heechul too…he was key to bringing people into their fanbase

      • http://twitter.com/JM7228JW J-MayTan©

        missing Heenim very much! but hey Kangin is coming back in April! woohoo!

      • Lilkiki3413

        I’m not going to lie Heechul was the one that sparked my interest into knowing more about Super Junior.

    • xs

      Yup!  It was Heechul and his unabashed ego that drew me into the Super Junior fandom (although I have to admit to cringing through the awkward first eps of Full House years back).

  • tiffany

    While the loss of Hankyung may not have been that major to Super Junior as a whole, I think it did hurt SJM a lot. I used to like SJM a lot (equal to if not more than actual Super Junior). Super Girl is an awesome song of course, but I thought the variety shows that they were on were also so much funnier and more interesting when Hankyung was still there. Back in 2009, I cared enough to watch every single show they were on. Now, they’re really dull, and even excluding the fact that Eunhyuk and Sungmin are new members, they’re Chinese just sounds awkward and not really funny (and I feel them trying to hard to be, which is uncomfortable). I like Henry, but without him, I would not care about the subgroup at all. 

    If I had to make a subgroup based on talent, I would definitely include him if I could (even though I know he’s never going to come back, since he doesn’t even want to be associated with them anymore). His dancing is awesome, and I’m not that great of a judge, but I think it was on par with Eunhyuk’s and Donghae’s. He was one of the best looking members. His singing is probably decent since he’s been having a successful solo career (although I haven’t actually listened to his songs). I’d probably also include Kyuhyun, Henry, Heechul (This is such a weird group though, hmm)…

    I equate Hankyung’s departure with the start of the decline of Super Junior, (and yes, he was my bias), because it seems that after he left, I just really didn’t enjoy Super Junior as much anymore. I know there’s no exact correlation between the two, but somehow it just feels like the turning point for me

  • Boo

    More songs like It’s You. Srsly. THAT IS THE SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS SUJU. I remember discovering SJ in 09 and falling in love with them in 2010 right before Bonamana. What reels you in is their variety shows. They’re so natural and I love how they’ve eschewed whatever image they’re supposed to uphold. Next that reeled me in was the fandom. People talk of cray cray ELFs all the time but I’ve met a lot of awesome people in the fandom.

    With that said, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for SJ. It says a lot for a group as large as them, with as many personalities as them (IDGAF Heenim diva, Gentle Wookie, Kangin the bully, 4D yesung, Shisus, etc) to have stuck together for so long.

    And Kim Heechul.

  • http://twitter.com/Quberluv Cygnet

    i think age should be considered as well. as much as i would like to add heechul for publicity purposes, he’s nearing 30 already. on that note, i’d replace him with siwon (for the face value) AND eunhyuk (for the variety appearances). then kyuhyun and ryeowook (excluding yesung for the age reason as well) for the vocals. then donghae and henry for backup dance. i believe odd number in a group is also more appealing so i’ll add sungmin (just cause he’s well rounded).

    • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

      Well, I think age has nothing to do with it. Also, considering Heechul looks WAY younger than Siwon I think he still has plently to do has an idol. Just wait till he returns. Plus, there are plenty of Petals like myself who cringe everytime we see SJ without Kim Heechul :) He is just too awesome~

  • kurdoodle

    Definitely, Kyuhyun + Ryeowook + Yesung + Sungmin + Donghae + Eunhyuk are the main necessities for Super Junior. But I agree that everyone brings something to the group, and their chemistry & charisma is amazing, despite their mismatched appearances and the wide range of people that are a part of it. Like many other people here, I flinched when you chose to have Siwon instead of Yesung or Sungmin. That’s utter blasphemy.
    Personally, the Sorry Sorry era was the best, and they shined the most during that period. It’s You was a phenomenal song, and I was dearly hoping for something similar to that for this comeback. I guess not. While members are going off to the military, I hope that SM will make subgroups (direct your attention to the awesome line-up above) to let them shine for all they’re worth. I hope that they’ll get more of a say in the music that they are producing because Donghae and Henry are seriously the bomb when it comes to composing.It’s kind of surprising how much Super Junior has succeeded, provided that at first glance, you would never think much about them besides the huge number of members. But this is why I admire them so much. They all worked very hard to be noticed (they are hands down the variety kings among idols), and it worked. On stage, their performances are good (charismatic) and bad (messy) at the same time, but it has this raw charm to it. I love the way that they interact with the audience and their fans.

    There will never be a group quite like Super Junior.

  • Anonymous

    i like how nabeela didn’t forget to mention kangin. people seems to forget him and only remember him as “a d.u.i accident boy who went to military to shape himself”. i remember that in earlier days he got many solo lines and for me, he’s the fifth best singer (him and donghae battling it out, lol), or even fourth (sometimes i don’t understand sungmin vocal’s appeal, but he sounded good at some other songs). maybe he practiced less so he sounded off in some sorry sorry perfs, but i think he’s overall a good stage performer. he came out strong and stable in live performances. his vocal is deep and smooth, and i especially like his vocal in “a man in love” and “miracle”. and when i watched his audition video, i’m convinced at how good kangin can be if he took his singing skill seriously. he sometimes sounded rude in variety, but i found him more hilarious and witty than those teuk academy boys or even heechul. he is also handsome. and i held trust towards military abs-shapping. look how lee dongwook can be. lol.

    but i don’t know how kangin would do after his military service end. i’m afraid he’ll just “disappear” like kibum or some csjh girls. such a loss imo. :’(

    • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

      Heechul and Kangin were the best duo on shows. I remember that YSMM episode they appeared on with Hong Ji Min when they were promoting their reality show and the Xanadu musical…CLASSIC! Ah…Band of Brothers with Jay and Jungmo was a great time.  Even back in the X-Men days those two stood out when they were together.

  • jilyn199519

    Yesung not adding to the group? I seriously question that.
    He is the main vocal, but even if we put that aside, he actually has a pretty strong fanbase.
    I used to think he has really little fans, but over the course of last year, alot of them are emerging and they seem to be really dedicated.
    Besides, no one can really NOT like him, seems he is like dorky and stuff..

    To me, SM stop trying hard on Super Junior after Sorry Sorry, since they know that Super Junior now is powerful and even if they give them crap material, elfs will just swallow it up and make sure that their idols are at the top.

    And Super Junior has stage charisma. I mean, their stages doesn’t seem robotic.
    Every performance is different.
    Though the performances are not perfect, but hell, aren’t those silly blunders fun to watch?

    Oh, and Super Junior KRY should be releasing an album in January or Febuary.
    I dont know on what scale, but I just know I’m happy.
    Really happy.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DVKMGXH5V2QVTQNC2MUU4S2WVE Chocoholic

    LOL I love the “Moves Like Wookie” comment. xD That’s hilarious.

    Seriously, I want to see Ryeowook solo too. He’ll be some awesome pop and pop ballads and even emotional striking ballads as well. I haven’t seen Moves Like Jagger performance by him, but I love Insomnia. :D

    And if I wanted to make a sub group I can see Shindong, Leetuek, Eunhyuk, Donghae, and Sungmin to be a dance group. Maybe with Shindong, Eunhyuk, and Donghae rapping and Sungmin and Leetuek and Donghae with singing. :)

  • JW

    i actually think it’s better for thier (henry and zhou-mi ) own good to NOT be in the main suju lineup. If you think about it, the twp can actually balance life&career without overworked themsleves like most of the suju members do. They can do school, compose muisc, travel, etc during free times and then come back when there is sj-m activities, or even suju events for crying out loud. well, obviously I don’t know how they like the concept in person, and some hardcore ELFs are giving harsh comments about the +2, but after realizing how popular they are during sjm promotions, I don’t think they ought to “prove” themselves or “include” themselves in the group in order to get the fame and the popularity they deserved. However, the only problem I have with SM is to use the music Henry composed for suju album and not giving him any credits for it, not okay, papaSM.

  • Meh

    IMO, i think eunhyuk > donghae. They may both be the dancers and rappers of the group (and donghae doing some vocals) but eunhyuk’s stage charisma just wins donghae. Never knew he had this in him, but recently im really impressed with Eunhyuk. I’d rather watch him and shindong host, than leeteuk. During oppa oppa’s performance (which btw, only suju can get away with such songs) eunhyuk was sooooooo much better than donghae! He makes these funny expressions and like he’s really enjoying performing the song. Donghae is just.. blah. Not much emotions in dancing, same goes with his voice. Yeah he’s good looking, but i just don’t see the appeal.

    I’m a sungmin fan but i sorta agree that SJ won’t lose much generally if sungmin wasn’t in the group. But he’s just so freaking well-rounded! Whatever SM throws to him, he does it. Singing, dancing. acting, radio, musicals etc. He may not be the best, but he tries. He works hard in whatever that’s given to him and i appreciate him for that. 

    • Cloudedsky

      Lol it’s funny you think that way about Oppa has risen performance’s, since my opinion is the complete opposite. 

      To me Donghae >>> Eunhyuk. I’m sorry but I just couldn’t get the same feeling from Hyuk during their promotions. One thing I love about Donghae is that he has always had his own style when it comes to dancing, like he may be dancing the same thing as everyone else but he just adds his little magic ‘touch’ or ‘thing’ that makes it more appealing and enjoyable. To me, this made his dancing more interesting during their promotions (don’t get me wrong, I know Eunhyuk is SuJu’s main dancer, but that is how I felt), that and his facial expressions lol. And eventhough I do love EunHae, I felt as if the song was more of a Donghae ft Eunhyuk for some reason.. idk, I mean Hyuk was ok, but to me Donghae overshadowed him. 

      And I agree about Sungmin, he is sooo well rounded and works really hard. And eventhough he may not be the best at what he does, he is always one of the top ones. When it comes to singing he is the best after KYR according to SM, when it comes to dancing he is usually set up in the front, when it comes to acting he is one of the best out of the active members of the group, etc etc etc. If a person had to pick the most talented members from SuJu, he would definitely be on the list. 

  • Anonymous

    Super Junior was what got me into Kpop.They are the only group that I have been truly dedicated to as a fan, and the only type of Kpop fan I have ever called myself is an ELF. Sadly, I’m not into Kpop as much as I use to be. Not even close. A lot has happened and changed
    since my first Korean variety show, which was Super Junior’s Full House, and well the Kpop fandom as a whole has just become overwhelming. What really makes
    me remorseful about the whole Kpop situation is the crap Super Junior has
    been given by SME, and how that effects me as fan who suddenly forgets all the great
    things about them and instead sparks thoughts about if they are really worth my
    time anymore. I really started to stir away from Super Junior during the Mr. Simple
    era. I guess I had had enough by that time. I downloaded all their perfs for Mr Simple but I barely watched and finished any of them and as of now, they’ve been
    deleted off of my hard drive because they were simply a waste of space. I just
    couldn’t stand what I was seeing and hearing. The Sorry Sorry
    era was the best by far, and I will ignore any disagreements towards that
    statement especially from people who weren’t “there at the time” (I understand
    how stubborn and close-minded that is of me). Sorry Sorry era was the era that
    SME actually seemed to try and put effort towards the promotion of Super Junior.
    The response that the Sorry Sorry era was probably everything SME wanted and
    more, and it was not without reason. The album was great, the concept was great,
    the repackaged album was great, everything seemed great for Super Junior at the
    time, well it did for me. I remember the first time I listened to Bonamana. I
    thought it was beyond horrible. I still think that way too. The amount of auto-tune
    it contains is ridiculous. I just vividly remembering the huge expectations I had for Bonamana especially after Sorry Sorry, It’s You and Super Girl but oh did they crash and disintegrate. No Other
    was very bad too. And well, basically everything Super Junior has promoted and performed
    after that has been bad. SME has given them the short end of the stick, especially since
    they have EXO now which will take over what Super Junior capitalised over –
    Korea and China. Super Junior are getting old and most of the group has either disappeared
    off the face of the earth, filed a lawsuit or are serving mandatory time in the
    army. I still have so many videos of them that I don’t think I will ever delete
    and good memories that I don’t have any regrets about because they really did give me smiles that made my cheeks hurt and laughs that made me fall to the floor, but I might as well say that I’ve let go
    of them now. God I feel like shedding a tear now….

    • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

      Your comment is so sad! If you call yourself and ELF you should stick to it! I`m happy that you love SuJu so much but why are you giving up on them?!? Do you know how many NEW fans they have gained since the Mr. Simple album came out!? I only became a fan in Oct 2011. And believe me, a lot of new fans are sad that we didn’t get to be there during the Sorry Sorry era and during the times since they have grown- BUT we are here now. Ever since finding out about them they have become my life and even though I do plenty of other stuff I have promised to devote myself to them. Why? Because I have liked plently of other arists before. Heck, I used to be a Big Bang fan. But I have NEVER seen such a fun, hardworking, talented and entertaining FAMILY like Super Junior. They fact that they have struggled so much but have stayed on top for so long makes me want to support them forever~ And to me that is what being an EverLasting Friend is. I actually hate the song Sorry Sorry and prefer Bonamana to it. I also loved their new album. A matter of opinions I guess. About their performances of Mr. Simple. From Sept -Nov you have to go easy on them. They were without 2 members and they opened a new concert so they must have been tired and a little sad right, but they did have some amazing moments. Plus, they are like the most popular boy band in Korea now. Please don’t give up on them and stay an ELF. I know there have been lots of rumor going around about how SJ is on it’s way out and stuff about the hiatus, but stay faithful. It reminds me of what Heechul once said in an interview in 2011. He said that things are going to change, they can’t stay where they are forever because they have to grow, like evrything else. He said that he thanks the fans for being loyal. He also said that he knows in the coming years SuJu will probably have moments where they aren’t in the limelight. That is true. But they will also have future moments where they are in the limelight. What we have to understand is that the limelight will never be the same. 2009 was their first big time in the spotlight. In the future it’ll be exciting to see how they will grow into different artists and they will have more moments in a different kind of spotlight. Just like how the Wondergirls has their famous moments in 2008-ish and now they are having another famous period but in a different way. It’s not a bad thing at all. This change is good. Heechul and Leeteuk and the rest of SuJu have also stated that they will never disband. As an ELF I hold true to all these thing. But please don’t loose faith. Don’t you want to support them and see what they will bring us in the coming years? I know I do and plenty of other ELF do too. SUPER JUNIOR FIGHTING~

      • Meh

        Seems like you gave up being a VIP yourself. 

        • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

          I wouldn’t say gave up – I called myself a VIP but I was never a really serious fan. It was more like they were a nice escape from my side of the world. It feels different with SJ. I’m actually buying their stuff, incorporating them into my daily life and actually loving them in a way I never did with Big Bang. And it’s not like I don;’t like BB anymore. I still listen to their music and watch their performances. I guess it like this: If I had the choice to see a kpop group in concert? Super Junior. If I had to buy an album off of iTunes? Super Junior. There’s just something about them that really makes me want to support them forever. I never felt that with Big Bang. 

    • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

      Your comment is so sad! If you call yourself and ELF you should stick to it! I`m happy that you love SuJu so much but why are you giving up on them?!? Do you know how many NEW fans they have gained since the Mr. Simple album came out!? I only became a fan in Oct 2011. And believe me, a lot of new fans are sad that we didn’t get to be there during the Sorry Sorry era and during the times since they have grown- BUT we are here now. Ever since finding out about them they have become my life and even though I do plenty of other stuff I have promised to devote myself to them. Why? Because I have liked plently of other arists before. Heck, I used to be a Big Bang fan. But I have NEVER seen such a fun, hardworking, talented and entertaining FAMILY like Super Junior. They fact that they have struggled so much but have stayed on top for so long makes me want to support them forever~ And to me that is what being an EverLasting Friend is. I actually hate the song Sorry Sorry and prefer Bonamana to it. I also loved their new album. A matter of opinions I guess. About their performances of Mr. Simple. From Sept -Nov you have to go easy on them. They were without 2 members and they opened a new concert so they must have been tired and a little sad right, but they did have some amazing moments. Plus, they are like the most popular boy band in Korea now. Please don’t give up on them and stay an ELF. I know there have been lots of rumor going around about how SJ is on it’s way out and stuff about the hiatus, but stay faithful. It reminds me of what Heechul once said in an interview in 2011. He said that things are going to change, they can’t stay where they are forever because they have to grow, like evrything else. He said that he thanks the fans for being loyal. He also said that he knows in the coming years SuJu will probably have moments where they aren’t in the limelight. That is true. But they will also have future moments where they are in the limelight. What we have to understand is that the limelight will never be the same. 2009 was their first big time in the spotlight. In the future it’ll be exciting to see how they will grow into different artists and they will have more moments in a different kind of spotlight. Just like how the Wondergirls has their famous moments in 2008-ish and now they are having another famous period but in a different way. It’s not a bad thing at all. This change is good. Heechul and Leeteuk and the rest of SuJu have also stated that they will never disband. As an ELF I hold true to all these thing. But please don’t loose faith. Don’t you want to support them and see what they will bring us in the coming years? I know I do and plenty of other ELF do too. SUPER JUNIOR FIGHTING~ 

    • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

      Your comment is so sad! If you call yourself and ELF you should stick to it! I`m happy that you love SuJu so much but why are you giving up on them?!? Do you know how many NEW fans they have gained since the Mr. Simple album came out!? I only became a fan in Oct 2011. And believe me, a lot of new fans are sad that we didn’t get to be there during the Sorry Sorry era and during the times since they have grown- BUT we are here now. Ever since finding out about them they have become my life and even though I do plenty of other stuff I have promised to devote myself to them. Why? Because I have liked plently of other arists before. Heck, I used to be a Big Bang fan. But I have NEVER seen such a fun, hardworking, talented and entertaining FAMILY like Super Junior. They fact that they have struggled so much but have stayed on top for so long makes me want to support them forever~ And to me that is what being an EverLasting Friend is. I actually hate the song Sorry Sorry and prefer Bonamana to it. I also loved their new album. A matter of opinions I guess. About their performances of Mr. Simple. From Sept -Nov you have to go easy on them. They were without 2 members and they opened a new concert so they must have been tired and a little sad right, but they did have some amazing moments. Plus, they are like the most popular boy band in Korea now. Please don’t give up on them and stay an ELF. I know there have been lots of rumor going around about how SJ is on it’s way out and stuff about the hiatus, but stay faithful. It reminds me of what Heechul once said in an interview in 2011. He said that things are going to change, they can’t stay where they are forever because they have to grow, like evrything else. He said that he thanks the fans for being loyal. He also said that he knows in the coming years SuJu will probably have moments where they aren’t in the limelight. That is true. But they will also have future moments where they are in the limelight. What we have to understand is that the limelight will never be the same. 2009 was their first big time in the spotlight. In the future it’ll be exciting to see how they will grow into different artists and they will have more moments in a different kind of spotlight. Just like how the Wondergirls has their famous moments in 2008-ish and now they are having another famous period but in a different way. It’s not a bad thing at all. This change is good. Heechul and Leeteuk and the rest of SuJu have also stated that they will never disband. As an ELF I hold true to all these thing. But please don’t loose faith. Don’t you want to support them and see what they will bring us in the coming years? I know I do and plenty of other ELF do too. SUPER JUNIOR FIGHTING~ 

  • http://twitter.com/JM7228JW J-MayTan©

    Ppl should just move on from Sorry Sorry era… i personally liked and still like Bonamana… Mr.Simple is just a so-so for me yet it is still in my ipod playlist… I wish ppl should listen to SJ’s music beyond their title tracks.. most of their albums are pretty solid and offer varieties… especially the ones that members composed and written themselves. Do watch their live performances and then you will know how entertaining and charismatic they are on stage. 

    And yesung is vital to the group more than you can imagine. I bet most of you guys don’t know that his voice is the base of every SJ songs even SJ-M songs! and you want SUJU acapella? go to one of SS4!

    • Hi.

      OMG agreed so much. People should start listening to their whole album than just checking out only title track. Take 5jib for example, IMO, Andante, A Day, Opera and Snow White sound better than Mr. Simple and A-Cha.

  • Lilkiki3413

    The variety shows is what reeled me in to liking Super Junior. When I first heard about SJ it was “U” (I heard the song on those DDR dance games) and I thought it was pretty catchy and decide to check them out. Of course I had the “WTF moment” when I saw the number of members in the “U” video. Because of that  I didn’t even bother to learn there names just casually listen to them. But once i randomly stumbled upan ”Full House” I was hooked and see why all the hype about them. There really funny to watch. People won’t understand the enertaining charms of SJ once they decide to explore more of what SJ has to offer.

  • Anima

    How could I miss that about Ryeowook? I hate Suju tbh, but Ryeowook is one of the members I like and once I learned to appreciate his voice I love it sfm.

    Praying that he puts out a dance pop album one day… seriously his voice on dance pop songs has that international appeal, I could see him being huge on the scandinavian scene where eurohouse techno pop is alive and kickin tbh.

    But on a side note, SM has some of the worst actors… especially Siwon lmao. This guy overracts everything.

    • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

      Siwon is pretty…it’s his appeal as an actor. Personally I prefer Heechul’s acting…but I’m basically a Petal rather than an Elf or Undead so I’m biased

  • xs

    I like Super Junior.  They’re watchable and entertaining together and most of them have had their good moments as individuals.   Mr Simple is currently my exercise album – right length, nice variety of pace, I can skip over the title track! – and despite its musical shortcomings I like the fact that we get to hear everyone’s voices, including Heechul adding power to the high notes and Shindong being mellow .  I wouldn’t say that anyone was superfluous to the group.  However, in my heart of heart of hearts, I do think that it’s time for them to move to a different level, whether it’s new music, individual careers, whatever.    I’d hate to see them turn into some form of musical tourism, especially when they’re still so young.

  • rosalyn0625

    Sorry Sorry Answer is pure awesomeness, definitely my most favorite and most played track ever. But I would love that concept for KRY other than SuJu, because although you see all of them sing in the MV, it’s basically a KRY song with Euhyuk and Donghae’s rap. The best concept for SuJu imo is It’s you era. The song itself, the choreography, the MV, the distribution of lines among members (the most equal by far, and twelve is my magic number for SJ btw); everything is perfect. Sorry Sorry is epic but the overuse of “SJ funky” makes me tired… I’d rather see them come back to the Don’t Don/ Twins (Knock Out) image tbh.

    SuJu are not totally talentless like some people love to criticize them, but they’re stuck with crappy music SME give. The company never really took them serious before, but the situation gets worse now; and from what I notice about their 5thjib SM only want to make as much money out of these boys as they can. I don’t think it’s a bad album, but even compared to the lackluster that is 4thjib, I am under-impressed by it. Also, A Cha MV and its two so-called “dance versions” are rubbish. I’d rather they not have been filmed.

    The subgroup I want to create from SJ members? KRE = Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, Eunhyuk. I love KRY to the max, but Yesung’s age is a hindrance; he’ll have to enlist by the end of next year; so I have to leave him out of the picture. So, why those three? First, Ryeowook because he’s my ultimate bias and hadn’t it been for him, I’d never have been involved with SJ or Kpop in general. He’s not necessarily good at dancing (although he shows some improvement in his solos for Super Shows), but no one can EVER deny the fact that he’s a fabulous singer. He has a unique crystal-like voice, but it’s the type that people either love or hate, not pleasant-to-everyone like Kyuhyun’s and Yesung’s; it’s sad the majority hardly give him enough credit for his contribution to Super Junior songs. Do you even know he did the background vocal for KyuSung’s duet “Your eyes” in 4thjib? And he’s never been missing in SJ’s live performances. On stage, he has the best singing technique among KRY, controls his voice better than Yesung most of the time and sometimes expresses his emotions better than Kyuhyun. However, I’d rather see him a smaller group focused on vocals than his solo career; the fact that it took like 5 years for people to properly acknowledge him means a lot. I throw Kyuhyun in because he has a beautiful voice that is loved by everyone, and that blends wonderfully well with Ryeowook’s. I am so insanely obsessed over their harmonization that I don’t think it’s appropriate to express it here; so all I can say is if there is anything I love more than Ryeowook’s voice individually, it must be their voices together. Eunhyuk’s raps would enable the duo to do more charismatic R’nB; I love Hyuk’s rap and on stage he’s on fire, cannot take my eyes off him. Songs like Sorry Sorry Answer, Monsters, Heartquake, or the Haru’s OST Angel would fit them well. But again, with that image they’re a totally NEW group and not another extract from Super Junior.

    I gotta express my disagreement on the Yesung comment, though. In fact, each of them contribute something to Super Junior and for me no one is replaceable, but even if I have to exclude some; Yesung will stay. He’s one of the three lead vocalists, and even though on stage he’s not as stable as the other two, he’s still great. Plus he’s the best in expressing his emotions while singing. Not a fan of his personality, still, lol.

    This comment is way too long OTL.

  • http://twitter.com/XiahJunsubias Junsu Love

    Sorry Sorry Answer and It’s You are my favorite Super Junior songs. Also Gil, I do Bharathanatyam too. Really intense chereography.

  • smilesandtoast

    I think that they’ve grown a long way, members who weren’t apt in areas (and still aren’t the best) have at least shown tremendous amounts of improvements. Kyuhyun outshines as he transitions over to becoming a well-rounder dancer while Eunhyuk is beginning to shine with this ever-improving vocals. For me, I think that there are members that don’t add anything to the group musically: Siwon, Kibum, Kangin, and Heechul. 

    Otherwise, the other members’ musical talent has been passed over because people still hold that perception that SJ is still a bunch of people that were thrown together for entertainment. Leeteuk, Donghae, Henry, Zhoumi, Sungmin, and Ryeowook have all composed and wrote  songs for the group (and frankly, it’s a thousand times better than the crap they’re given). Shindong has begun to emerge with his mixing. Yesung and Kyuhyun, while I have yet to see any composing from them, we forget that singing is an art-form of its own and that there is a lot to teach about it. 

    My absolute favorite song, music video, and dance from them is It’s You – a natural pick. It’s the very first song I’ve heard from them, which is why I’ve probably put more faith in them than the average K-Pop fan. The third album was no joke, give or take just two-three songs, it was their highlight. I don’t think it’s the guys’ fault for not coming out with anything better, their creativity is still very limited under the company.

  • http://sujuelfarahin.blogspot.com/ ELFarahin

    Just knew Super Junior for a year And I Wanna Love Them forever !

  • http://twitter.com/ErikinaDaisy Erika Ward

    Well, they’ve done rock, pop, even alternative — Personally, as someone said, I just want them to try something new. I don’ think Mr. Simple was bad, but it’s more like we’ve seen it before. Mind you A LOT of kpop group use recycled things when they seem to work. Look at SHINee’s Ring Ding Ding and Lucifer — basically the same thing. I wonder if Beast’s next comeback will be a Fiction 2.0 — Only time can tell. 

    As for Sub-Units, personally I want a rock sub-unit- Heechul, although people seem to think that he can’t sing, as an AWESOME vocal and he can do rock songs REALLY well. I think if you took him, Yesung, Sunmin and maybe Siwon and put them into a rock group it would be EPIC~ I love how Sungmin is so versatile~ He can fit in any group LOL

    Personally, I think they should go ahead and make Henry and Zhou Mi a part of SJ. Maybe it’s because I’m an international fan or because I only became a fan in 2011 – but I personally wouldn’t care if they were put in. I mean, they aren’t my bias’ or anything but I don’t see a problem with them becoming part of the main group. A LOT of kpop group add new members all the time. Wonder Girls did it, T-ara did it, After School did it — so why can’t SJ? It’s not like the members who leave won’t have a spot when they comeback. I would love to see it happen. 

    As for choreography – I am an ELF so of course I think that SJ has the best dancing in the business. Personally I would HATE if they all danced in the same manner – I can barely watch a full video of SHINee or Infinite because THEY ALL DANCE THE SAME~ I feel like I’m watching robots. I like versatility and different things. Super Junior’s dancing shows off what they are — a group of VERY different people who fit together like a perfectly set puzzle. As for Heechul, personally, he is the reason I fell in love with Super Junior — his “awkward” dancing as many call it is what caught my attention. I love watching him on stage because of the cute movement he does and I LOVE his laid back attitude – I think it fits perfectly. 

    I think Super Junior is still growing as a group — I’ve seen A LOT of groups and Super Junior reminds me of SHINHWA. I think that they’re one of the few who have a chance to beat the army years and still be popular well into their 30s. It’ll be interesting to see them in 10 years. Super Junior Fighting~ Although I listen to a lot of kpop groups now — I doubt any of them will be relevant in 10 years, yet SJ, I have a funny feeling, will be around for a LONG time.