KARA came out victorious last Sunday, on SBS's Inkigayo. All the members were emotional and crying when they accepted their Mutizen Award.

In their tears, there is happiness and joy, but one can see that they contain more than that. It contains the hardships and trials they had to overcome to be in that position. With netizens calling them "The common people's Idol", the members had a lot to deal with in coming this far.

Debuting in 2007, at around the same time with JYP's Wonder Girls and SME's Girls Generation, DSP's KARA spent their first year quietly in their sorrows (?). With the uncertainty of disbanding and complications due to one member leaving the group, the future did not look so bright for them. In order for them not to be forgotten, member Han Seungyeon went on cable programs doing MC jobs, and accepted any kind of guesting to keep the name "KARA" moving, leaving any kind of mysteriousness behind. With their dorms being compared to other luxurious quarters enjoyed by other groups, they were named as the 'Economic Idol'.

However, they finally found a chance to prove themselves. 2008 was a fruitful year for KARA, with the song "Pretty Girl" helping the members (Park Gyuri, Hans Seungyeon, Jung Nicole, Goo Hara, Kang Jiyoung) become household names. The talents of the individual members was finally brought out of the hiding, showing a cute and cheerful image to the delight of many. They quickly followed this with "Honey", a sweet and melodious song that brought them their first number one hit.

With "Pretty Girl" and "Honey", all members were able to participate in the weekly music programs. But this did not end just there. They did not miss the chance for individual activities in the area of variety programs, where they could further show their faces to the familiarity of the viewers. With each program, the members became more comfortable and confident. With their participation in so much TV programs, it seems like they can no longer be called the 'Economic Idols' as their popularity continues to rise.

In the middle of all these TV shows, the member released their second full length album Revolution, joining Girls Generation, Brown Eyed Girls, 2NE1 and T-ara in the girl group war. With songs like "Mister" which showed off their cute and boyish charms, and the butt dance becoming a hot topic, they solidified their stand on the girl groups with their successful comeback.

With their win last August 30, KARA's "Wanna" beat the likes of BEG's "Abracadabra" and T-ara's "Lies". Their first win which came one month after their comeback proved to be an emotional one for the girls, as the tears did not stop to run from the moment they received the trophy until the program ended.

From 'Economic Idols', they are transitioning to the uncle-fan's romance, with a more confident and stylish charm. Now, the future looks bright for the group, as everyone is anticipating their next move in the industry.

source: TVDAILY LINK
thanks to mae@KARAholic
translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic.