'Too soft'? Girl's Generation star Taeyeon's name in Chinese characters has even fans surprised

As it turns out, Taeyeon's soft demeanour is so intrinsic that it's even in her name.

Her recent video interview with Harper's Bazaar Korea has led to netizens discovering the Girl's Generation star's real name in Chinese characters, surprising even fans and causing some to find humour in it.

The 33-year-old's stage name in Chinese is Taiyan, but in the video interview, it was revealed that her birth name in hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean writing) is Tairuan, which directly translates to "too soft".

According to reports, Taeyeon's parents had named her with the intention that she would be softhearted and broadminded.

"I can't believe my own eyes," said one netizen.

Another said: "It's the first time I've ever heard of her being 'too soft'!"

Said one fan: "Although I'm a fan, I can't help laughing!"

Other fans felt that the name was really fitting for her: "She's really cute and soft!"

Being an 'ending fairy'

And when it comes to being cute in front of the camera, Taeyeon knows what she's doing.

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In her interview with Harper's Bazaar Korea, a question prompted her to give her best impression of what an 'ending fairy' is like.

An 'ending fairy' refers to the artiste that the camera focuses on for a closeup at the end of a performance where all members stop and pose.

"Who made this question?" She first jokingly asked in exaggerated exasperation.

She then obliged: "Eye contact, confidence. Don't be embarrassed — you've got to be out of breath."

Showing off her skills, she flips her hair as she turns towards the camera, simulating breathlessness, all while maintaining eye contact with a confident smile.

After a moment of immersion, she suddenly bursts into giggles.

"The reality check suddenly came in," she explained.

'Thanks for being with me for almost my entire life'

Taeyeon also shared a heartfelt message to her fans as she reflected on her career thus far.

"I started training in my teens, now I'm in my mid-30s," she began. "Thanks for being with me for almost my entire life!

"There are a lot of things I want to say — we have many [more chances] to meet in the future, so I hope you look forward to new aspects of myself."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYLFYpqSYUs[/embed]

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khooyihang@asiaone.com