10: Taecyeon couldn’t appear in the photoshoot. If he was there, I think he would have bragged about his artistic senses. (*laughs*)
Taecyeon: While I was watching, everyone except Wooyoung made my heart ache. Didn’t Wooyoung get lots of attention as ‘Toshio’ after the episode aired? (*laughs*) And if it were up to me, I would have expressed a traffic light. With a colourful background.
“If we do other programs like we do , there is the hazard of making a huge mistake”
Junsu “The photoshoot was the hardest moment”
10: What about the members who participated? The photos became a hot topic.
Jaebum: To be honest I liked the concept for best. Because we could do whatever we liked, however we liked.
Junsu: For me, it was the opposite as it was difficult and heart-wrenching. I planned the wrong concept.
10: Didn’t you choose Joker yourself?
Junsu: Yeah, but if it’s to be featured in an editorial it must be at least to some standard. I think that was my biggest mistake. In the second concept I coloured my eyes, but it was the same colour as the lighting so it didn’t show up.
10: But when you watch Wooyoung’s the one that does his best.
Junho: That’s his true self.
Junsu: He’s like that originally.
Wooyoung: I don’t lie.
Chansung: This kiddo is a bit… yeah.
10: Can the magnae say stuff like that?
Wooyoung: It’s magnae power.
Junsu: Sometimes he doesn’t say anything. But once he starts talking, you can’t stop him.
10: Wooyoung does a lot in cable shows like or where the members are free to do whatever, but becomes quiet in KBS or SBS .
Wooyoung: I’m comfortable when it’s just us, but in shows like that, there are sunbae-nims which makes things difficult. Sunbae-nims tell me to relax, but it’s not so easy.
10: I think you could if you treat it like ..
Wooyoung: ………. There is a major risk of making a giant mistake.
10: Apart from , Mnet also became a hot topic. Wasn’t Taecyeon worried?
Taecyeon: The response wasn’t as vicious as I thought. I know because I monitor frequently on the internet. (*laugh*) But it was quite scary when someone cut out the lady and only left photos of me. Hahaha. I filmed with a business mind, to be honest. The reason that idol stars can’t have a girlfriend is because the fans might get upset, but it’s also because of the risk that some extreme fans might hurt her as well. I don’t think I did everything I would want to do for a real girlfriend.
10: Nichkhun appeared in Mnet as well.
Nichkhun: When the teaser was first released I was spoken badly about. “Why are you like this, why are you doing this?” But once the episode aired I think everyone was okay with it.
10: I think you treated the other person with manners.
Nichkhun: That is me. What you saw. If I get a girlfriend I want to be like that.
“In Thailand, we’re known as ‘Nichkhun’s 2PM’”
Nichkhun “1st place is just a start, I want to try harder to get even bigger awards.”
10: Nichkhun’s Korean has improved tremendously. And I think you’re getting used to variety programs too.
Nichkhun: In SBS there were a lot of things I wanted to do, but I couldn’t. I still remember those times. So now, I am quick to seize every opportunity. Because I missed them before. Now I am more fluent in Korean, and have a better idea of what’s going on.
10: What do you think is the similarity between Korean show programs?
Nichkhun: I don’t know about Thailand, but I think in Korea showing how hard you try is the best. Even if it means wrecking a perfect image, I think the point is to be as natural as you can without thinking about looking cool.
10: Before, you were a man that would laugh at everything, but now I think other elements have been added.
Nichkhun: Of course! Back then in talk shows, my only expression was smiling. But now there’s things I can show, and many more expressions. And we don’t care much about our image. If you think about it, you get stressed at how you might be captured. But I think that if you have fun, viewers will have fun too.
10: 2PM went to Thailand, Nichkhun’s home country. What are your thoughts?
Jaebum: The feedback in Thailand was extremely hot. We released a special album, and 8000 copies were sold in a week, so we even got a Golden Disc award. We also met the prime minister. I heard we were the first foreign singers to meet the PM. I was very happy.
Taecyeon: So the media in Thailand was quite surprised, and the Prime Minister was very good-looking. Of course Khun hyung is better looking still. (*laughs*)
10: What did the Prime Minister say?
Junho: He only talked to Khun hyung… It was really Khun & 2PM.
Junsu: Even the press headlined it: Nichkhun’s 2PM.
10: Is Nichkhun really that popular?
Chansung: The best.
Jaebum: He really seemed like a Thai prince.
Junsu: He’s a prince in Korea too.
Jaebum: In Korea, he’s loved-by-everybody Khun, and in Thailand he’s just really a prince.
10: How did you feel, Nichkhun?
Nichkhun: I was nervous. It had been a long time since I spoke for so long in Thai.
10: You even appeared in a Thai talk show.
Nichkhun: There, the people asked me unusual questions. Was I gay, did I get plastic surgery… Truthfully I liked those questions. They weren’t the same-old same-old.
10: You went over it naturally without faltering.
Nichkhun: I’m usually honest, and try to make sure nothing bad happens. So there was nothing to hide. I can answer straightforwardly if a question is asked.
10: You even played the piano and sung there, I think you are better at expressing emotions than before. How do you get vocal training, being so busy and all?
Nichkhun: There’s no time to get lessons so I sing while moving to and from places. I practise when I have time. I might need to sing someday.
10: I suppose that’s the only way to do it, because of your schedule. Do you have any problems lately?
Nichkhun: I want to practise lots, and get better at everything. Because I don’t want to hear from others that I’m not very good. But it is a bit hard lately because we have so much to do.
“The dance for ’My Ear Candy’ was easier said than done”
Junho “I think my wits are best left offscreen.”
10: But hey, I think Junho doesn’t participate in the conversation much, unless talked to.
Junho: Well, the conversation isn’t about me.
2PM: Hahahahahhaaha.
Wooyoung: There are hidden thorns under what he says.
10: Then I’ll ask Junho. (*laugh*) Do you think you’ve got the hang of variety programs now?
Junho: It must be better than when we did for 1st album promotions. I’m human too. (*laugh*)
10: How do you think?
Junho: Before when you said ‘Variety’ I was desperate to be funny, but now I’m more acquainted with timing. I learn from what Wooyoung or Jaebum hyung does.
10: When was the highlight of your variety potential?
Junho: Recently I did Outsider’s rap on radio, but I failed.
Jaebum: That was crackup.
Wooyoung: Usually he’s really funny. But I think I’m the only one that laughs. I don’t think the other members understand.
Chansung: I laugh occasionally.
Junho: ‘Occasionally?!’ I think my jokes are better left offscreen.
10: But Junho became a hot issue because of the highlight part in ‘Again & Again’.
Junho: Really? In the 2nd album I got the highlight so it was cool, but as we changed to ‘I Hate You’, I just dance at the start and disappear so…
10: During activities you even sung ‘Seosi’. The fans’ reaction was good.
Junho: I think I’ve improved, but I think they took it well because it was my first time singing a serious song after watching me dance on TV. (*laugh*)
10: Taecyeon also did a ballad number at the fan meeting.
Taecyeon: Originally I liked rock, and as I came to Korea I fell for black music. But in the last six months I’ve been listening to Kim DongRyul sunbae-nim’s songs so I sung a ballad. Maybe because I’m a rapper, I started wanting to sing more. And I chose a song like that on purpose because I didn’t want everyone to think that I could only do rapping. I practised for about three months.
10: The stage setup was quite simple.
Taecyeon: Actually I was going to wear a Burberry coat and a felt hat, but Junho and Khun already snatched the ‘comic code’ off me. My humorous side failed, so that was a bit disappointing.
10: But lately isn’t Taecyeon more of a beast code than a comic code? There are a lot of fans saying how sexy you are when singing with Baek Jiyoung.
Taecyeon: We’re kids with such distinct personalities and qualities, so when it was just me I wanted to show more of myself. The song’s concept is quite sexy too.
10: The dance moves look more comfortable than something clearly worked out. Like clubbing, I guess?
Taecyeon: Actually it’s not comfortable at all. When I first saw the moves it was quite daunting. Especially what I was gonna do with my pelvis…
10: And putting your hand on her hip?
Taecyeon: I was really surprised because the dance required me to touch her lots. I’m the same Chinese zodiac as Baek Jiyoung noona (12yr age gap), but she treats me well like an older sister.
“The new single is a style that’s never before seen in Korea”
Chansung “Even if we don’t get much practise everyone goes crazy onstage once we start”
10: I think you show different sides of you as you do individual activities. Jaebum mixed acrobatics and B-boying while skipping ropes in KBS . Does your style change when you mix acrobatics with the B-boying you did before?
Jaebum: Before, I didn’t do acrobatics while B-boying. Too dangerous. I just mix it in as we learn it. And truthfully I haven’t had much time to practise my break-dancing so my skills have decreased. A little while ago I went to the States and saw by B-boy friends. I was a bit disappointed that I had to leave after just a week, because I hadn’t seen them in 3 years.
10: Do you ever feel like blaming your boss for the hectic schedule? (*laugh*) Nichkhun even said once that he couldn’t forgive JYP in a talk show.
Wooyoung: Me, I love my boss…
Junsu: I love him. We all love him. Do you think you’re the only one that loves him?
Chansung: If you had a little sister would you pair her up with him?
Junsu: He’s lost his marbles, I say.
Junho: We all respect him. (*laughs*)
10: The boss is currently around Wonder Girls in America. Have you seen the photo of him up a tree?
Junsu: Why was he up a tree?
Junho: Because of the Wonder Girls.
Chansung: I was a ‘Dumb hyung’ character in MBC , and every time I look at that photo I think that character is a bit… There were similar comments as well.
Junsu: And there’s the photo where he eats dduk (Rice cakes).
Chansung: Ssukdduk at that. (Sagebrush?)
10: Does he usually eat that much?
Jaebum: He eats it very well.
Chansung: Usually in the mornings.
Junho: But how did he find it in America?
10: But you must receive songs from the dduk-eating boss you are teasing right now. (*laugh*) How are the preparations for the new single?
Taecyeon: I feel like dying because we keep working on it without a break. (*laugh*) I have to promote with Baek Jiyoung noona as well so personally, I lack practise time compared to the other members. We have to go practise for the next album early in the morning. But Jinyoung hyung has written a monstrous song for us so we’re extremely excited. It’s amazingly new, never seen in Korea before.
10: At the end of the year, there will be important stages; do you want to do anything in particular?
Jaebum: I’m quite greedy. I like performances like on MTV’s . Or remixing one of our songs.
Junsu: I think a joint performance will be fun too.
10: 2PM can grow if you promote more after releasing your next single. What goal have you made for yourselves, bearing in mind the year-long experiences since becoming 2PM?
Taecyeon: I think it’s really good to keep the bigger picture in mind. I like being 2PM, who runs ahead with a big dream. And since we’ve seen the growth process of Rain hyung and the Wonder Girls, I realised it’s not impossible to become an international group. I want to learn from that.
Nichkhun: Firstly I want us to receive the GayoDaesang (A major popular song award). But I think it’s wrong to have that as our only goal. I want to dream of bigger things.
Source: 10 Asia
Translations: Janne@Madam2pmsubs, Sue@Ch’anrakkun
Editor: Tiff@2pm-online
Coordinator: Cassina@2pm-online
credit:
KPOPJJANG
