Girls’ Generation has embarked on their first world tour. Disappointed at being told that “they have become older,” they are determined to stay as “girls” forever. The 2013 Girls’ Generation World Tour—Girls & Peace will take place in Seoul at the Olympic Stadium on June 9. Girls’ Generation started the tour in Kobe in February this year, and put on 20 concerts in seven cities in Japan, attracting a total of 200,000 fans.

Members Taeyeon, Yuri, Tiffany, Jessica, Hyoyeon, Sunny, Suyeong, Yuna, and Seohyeon attended a press conference and revealed what went on during the preparation stage. Having debuted in their teens, they are now in their mid twenties. All nine members looked disappointed when asked whether they have problems keeping up with the rigorous schedule.

“We are still young,” they laughed. “It’s true that we get a little tired when the schedule builds up, but we now know how to stay in shape. We don’t get tired at concerts because all our fans who support us are there.”

When asked which prefix they like to be attached to their name, they answered that they are happiest when called “girls.”
“We are going to be girls even when we get older. We hope people continue to call us girls,” they said. A day before the concert, they held a special stage twice for 20,000 fans. The official concert will run for two hours and 30 minutes, playing 28 songs that the group has released in Korea and Japan.
  
After the concert in Seoul, Girls’ Generation will start the world tour abroad in Taipei on July 20 and 21 and move on to major cities in North America and South America.