From The Straits Times    |

A whirlwind two-day trip home for a fan meet and concert has left the two Singaporean members of K-pop girl group SKarf feeling more than a little homesick.

At a press conference last Saturday, Seoul-based Ferlyn Wong, 21, told the media: “I wish I had a day to tour Singapore once again because there have been so many changes – suddenly, I have become a foreigner.”

Citing Plaza Singapura in Dhoby Ghaut as an example, she said: “The entire building has changed so much, which came as a shock to me because I used to hang out there often.”

SKarf girls miss Singapore
Natasha Low (centre), a Singaporean and leader of K-pop girl group SKarf.
The other members of the group are (L-R) Jenny, JooA, Singaporean Ferlyn Wong and Hana. PHOTO: ST.com

Fellow Singaporean Natasha Low, 19, who goes by the name Tasha, added: “I miss hanging out the Singapore flag, singing National Day songs and wearing red and white to school.”

It is the local way of life that they miss the most. Said Tasha, who is the group’s leader: “I miss my family, friends and lifestyle here, such as going to the coffee shop to buy food.”

The duo were picked for the South Korean girl group in 2010 and have been based in Seoul since. The group, managed by home-grown agency Alpha Entertainment Group, which has an office in Seoul, also include two Korean members: Jenny, 17, and JooA, 23; and Hana, 17, a Japanese who grew up in Korea.

The girls underwent a year-long, K-pop boot camp involving intensive vocal and dance training as well as language and acting classes.

They released their debut single, a mid-tempo dance track called Oh! Dance, last year. Their followup mini album, Luv Virus, was released in May this year. This week, they start promoting Anymore, a pop-rock anthem from Luv Virus, in Seoul.

The group have garnered more than 10,000 “likes” on Facebook and their concert at the Kallang Theatre last night was “almost sold out”, says a spokesman for Alpha Entertainment Group.

In keeping with their bubblegum pop image, the girls were dressed in fluorescent orange-and-white mini-skirts and shorts at the press conference. To protect their modesty onstage, they covered their exposed thighs with pieces of cloth, which they had decorated with hand-drawn designs.

Tasha’s was especially personal – on it, she had drawn two hearts bearing the Singapore and South Korea flags, as well as the words “In Loving Memory”, a tribute to her father who died in January from cancer.

In spite of having been in the music business for just a year, the girls already have their sights set on bigger things.

On their wishlist: a situation comedy for Hana, a drama for Jenny and a Broadway musical for JooA. The Singaporean pair would like to act in a Korean drama, but “it is still pretty tough to sound like a local”, said Ferlyn.

She and Tasha speak the language fluently and served as translators for their group mates.

The group say their ultimate wish is to work with superstar Psy. “You know the Gangnam Style?” said JooA in halting English, giggling as she attempted the signature horse-riding dance moves.

“We want to create a unique dance together with Psy, just like it.”

This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on August 12, 2013. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.