2007–2008: Debut and Girls' Generation

In July 2007, Girls' Generation had their unofficial first stage performance on Mnet School of Rock where the group performed their first single, titled "Into the New World" Dasi Mannan Segye). A documentary recording the story of the group's debut titled Mnet Girls' Generation Goes to School was filmed during this time, showing the members as they moved into an apartment together and prepared for their performances.

Girls' Generation in February 2008 performing at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The group's first single was physically released soon after, including an instrumental of the group's debut song and two other tracks: "Beginning" and "Perfect for You." The latter's Korean title is "Wish" (SoWon), which later became the name of Girls' Generation's official fan club, S♡NE. The group's debut officially began on August 5, 2007, first performing on SBS Inkigayo, later on MBC Music Core and KBS Music Bank. "Into the New World" achieved No.1 spot on M! Countdown.

The group released their first self-titled full album in late autumn of 2007 with the lead single "Girls' Generation" (Sonyeo Shidae), a remake of Lee Seung-cheol's 1989 song. Promotion for the single started in early November. The album also included the group's first single "Into the New World", "Perfect For You" (re-titled "Honey"), and eight other tracks by the group.

In early 2008, Girls' Generation began promoting their second single from the album, "Kissing You", which won the group their first K-chart win after achieving the number one position on the KBS Music Bank February chart. This song achieved the #1 spot on three major TV music rankings—SBS Inkigayo, M.net M.Countdown! and KBS Music Bank.

In March 2008, the album was repackaged, re-released and re-titled Baby Baby. A third single, "Baby Baby", was released to promote the album. During the group's promotions, members Jessica, Tiffany and Seohyun were featured on a mini-album released by Roommate, a one-man band from Purple Communication. The mini-album was titled Roommate: Emotional Band Aid, and was released on December 1, 2008. The song performed by the three girls, titled "Oppa Nappa" (literally, Bad Brother), was digitally released before the album in April 2008. The song was performed live on SBS Inkigayo, KBS Music Bank, and M! Countdown.

Later in the year, the three members released "Mabinogi" (It's Fantastic!) together as the theme song for the Nexon game Mabinogi, with Tiffany participating in the music video. Mnet reality show Factory Girl chronicled the members working as interns at fashion magazine Elle Girl. The program began airing in early October. In late 2008, the group also participated in the SM Town Live '08 concert along with other SM Town artists.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Pre-debut

After the success of SM Entertainment's boy band, Super Junior, the company planned to debut a new girl group, which would ultimately turn into Girls' Generation, featuring a start-up roster of 11 members. For nearly two years, Korean websites speculated about which of the female SM Entertainment trainees would be placed into the group. The members were professionally trained primarily in singing and dancing, while some members were also selected to be trained in acting and modeling. Many of the members already had made names for themselves in the Korean entertainment industry through their participation in magazine ads, television commercials, and small television appearances. The group witnessed several revisions until the final line-up was decided, including a 12 member line-up in mid-2006, however this number changed to the debuting nine when members were either cut, or left. Prior to their announcement, it was rumored that the group would be named "Super Girls" after their so-called male counterparts, Super Junior. The majority of the group's members were already seasoned performers and trainees prior to the group's debut, including member Sooyoung, who had debuted in the Japanese market in 2002 as part of the pop duo, Route θ. The group soon disbanded, only one year after debuting in Japan.

The first member of the group to join SM Entertainment's training system was Jessica in 2000, after her and her sister, Krystal Jung (now a member of the quinlet girl group f(x)), were scouted in a mall in Korea during a family vacation. Members Sooyoung and Hyoyeon were also cast into SM's training system in 2000. Hyoyeon, an accomplished dancer, danced for her audition. After being taught at "Winners Dance School", a dance school in South Korea famed for its specialization in Hip-Hop. She initially had no intentions of auditioning for the company, but her mother was a fan of SM Entertainment's then-boy band H.O.T., and brought her to the auditions in the hopes of seeing them. Hyoyeon would later be sent to China to study Chinese with fellow SM trainee, Choi Siwon (now a member of Super Junior). Yuri was the next Girls' Generation member to be accepted into SM's training system after finishing second in the 2001 SM Youth Best Dancer competition. Yoona was cast the following year after auditioning singing and dancing to her favorite singers, BoA and Britney Spears. Seohyun, the group's maknae (youngest) member, auditioned in 2003, singing children's songs. The group's leader, Taeyeon, was cast in 2004 after being discovered at SM's 8th Annual Best Contest winning "Best Singer 1st Place & Grand Award". That same year, member Tiffany auditioned at SM's Starlight Casting System in Los Angeles, and joined the company in October 2004. The ninth and final member of the group to be added was Sunny, who entered the system in 1998, training for five years before transferring to another company, Starworld, where she trained to debut in the duo "Sugar", which ultimately never debuted. Then under the recommendation by the singer Ayumi of Iconiq, she re-transferred back to SM Entertainment in 2007. Sunny is also the niece of SM Entertainment's founder, Lee Soo Man.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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