Though still new to the kpop scene, the fresh & popular T-ara is climbing charts, breaking records with their debut song 'Lies' and quickly carving a spot in the battle of the girl groups. In a recent interview, each member gives advice on how to become a successful female idol group. Hyomin: Female idols have to be open-minded and brave. If anyone gets jealous of anyone else, small things can be inflated into problems. You also have to be brave on stage. If you make a mistake on stage, you have to learn to not make another mistake later on. Also to be an idol singer, you have to be straight-forward and clear. There can't be any implications. Q-ri: You have to be able to think like teens. Because there are a lot of teen fans, you have to understand their interests and thoughts to get their attention in return. Whether it's broadcasts or promotions, you have to work hard to understand what sorts of reactions you're getting. You have to think of things like, "Ah, young fans don't see this as a good thing." It's also important to take good care of your skin. Recently we haven't been able to sleep very much, so it's been hard to take care of our faces so we look like a wreck. Soyeon: Female idol groups can't smoke. It's basically the same stuff as Q-ri said. Simply one cigarette could ruin you. You have to really care about your attitude towards life. You have to pay attention to the trends of teens and understand what they consider to be bad. Female idol groups must be strong. Like our name Tiara, we want to create a high-class trend. Things harmful to the health aren't high-class. Jiyeon: You have to do well in school, too. In our group, I'm the only one still in high school. The older ones often tell me how important it is to keep up with school. Our management also thinks school attendance is very important. I often hear of people who, while trainees, miss out on the precious experience at a young age. I want to also make good friends and learn a lot at school. Eunjung: Female idols need to have their own true image. In the past it was okay to be mysterious, but now the ones who are the most honest and can show their own character are the most charming. Many people like that sort of image. In the past it was important for the team as a whole to have a color, but now it's even more important for each member to have their own character and personality. Ah, and female groups have to become close friends with high heels. Whew, it's tough. Boram: To be a female idol group, you have to be young. But I'm the oldest one in T-ara. You can see the idol group's charms grow with age. You see the image on stage and also in their personal lives. In addition, it's such a great thing to be able to grow with your fans as well. Honestly, I think it's a bit early for this group to be dishing out advice when it is barely over two weeks young, even if it's off to a strong start. Regardless, the girls seem to be working hard on creating a strong image and making a name for themselves. After announcements of Sohee, Sunmi & Minji trading their high school education for their jobs, it's great to see Jiyeon concentrating on school life despite her busy schedule. source Thanks to tinggg@diadem5 for the translation!