In K-pop, there are plenty of idol girls who are nothing short of gorgeous and pretty. Some are more beautiful than handmade dolls and others are just simply hot and sexy. Very few, however, are naturally described as 'cool.' The exception, possibly the one and only female artist to garner such a description, is 2NE1's CL. She is a cool girl.

CL, who debuted as a solo artist last week with her first solo song, "The Baddest Female", loves the word 'bad.' To be a bad girl, in the best positive way possible, is her aspiration as an artist and a woman. "I want to let the world know that there are lots of stylish girls in Asia, whether it be fashion, music and everything else," CL states.

Here is a Q&A session with CL.

Q: How do you feel about your solo debut and what did you want to show?

CL : I have always wanted to showcase a solo performance sometime and I am glad to have come out with a song I dearly loved. The baddest female is not about being bad but more about being cool. It describes who I strive to be.

Q: How did "THE BADDEST FEMALE" come to be?

CL: It all started from banter with producer Teddy which then turned into a song. We didn't set out to make a song but rather it is a collection of cool things we attempted here and there. I took part in every detail of the song, from outfits to music video. Teddy, my stylist, the music video director and I all liked similar things so we created everything together.

Q: It was surprising that you released only one song, not a mini album.

CL: This single serves as an announcement that 2NE1 is back, much like Bom's "Don't Cry" came before 2NE1's upcoming album.

Q: Some have said that "THE BADDEST FEMALE" is a bit hard to understand.

CL: My fans have similar music taste as I do. Even just yesterday at 'Inkigayo,' my fans were chanting off-beat on purpose. They know how to enjoy music.

Q: You took first place right off the bat.

CL: I was surprised that so many fans showed their support even though it was just me. Not that I did not consider familiarity and potential popularity of the song, but I was so focused on making a song that I love that I was a bit shocked when I took the trophy home.

Q: In comparison to Lee Hyori's "Bad Girl," what is your strength?

CL: Even from the start of 2NE1, I have always wanted to represent a strong, independent woman. That has been at the heart of 2NE1's music and I think that is why I have a lot of female fans.

Q: So you want to send a message to all the women out there?

CL: Because I attended an international school and lived overseas, I learned that the general perception of Asian guys and girls is that they are shy and passive. Growing up under that attitude, I wanted to break the stereotype one day. When Jeremy Scoot commented, "There are Asian girls who dress like you!" I was surprised. Many are still unaware that there are lots of stylish men and women in Asia.

Q: You might be the only one who gets described as 'cool' among all idol artists.

CL: It is probably because I strive to be a strong woman. I like cool more than pretty.

Q: What's the difference between CL and Lee Chae Rin (CL's legal name)?

CL: I try to keep the two separate When I am alone or meeting with old friends, I am Lee Chae Rin. But I am CL on stage.