falling-box

I heard today is Takada Kenta 1st Interview. How do you feel?

Kenta: I’m really nervous. I’ve did it (Interviews) several times in Japan but this is really the 1st time in Korea. I also saw other friends (P101S2 Trainees) interviews with TenAsia. So I wanted to come out too.(laughs)

It’s an honor. (laughs) Shall we talk about it now? Last weekend (July 1-2) you attended Produce 101 Season 2 Finale Concert.

Kenta: Yes. Before I went to Produce 101 Season 2, I was aiming to get a rank inside the 35th place. I ended up in the 24th place and able to go to the concert, It was really fun than I thought. And for the firts time in the big stage, I was really thankful to the national producers who let me go to the concert. The concert was really fun. I’m not nervous. (laughs) And I did a lot of different stages. ‘Be Mine’ (Group Battle Evaluation), 'Spring Day’ (Position Battle Evaluation), 'Open Up’ (Concept Evaluation) and I wanted to do 'Shape of You’(Position Battle Evaluation, Kenta joined as a special member at this concert) too so I was really happy I did it.

Shape of You was not the song you did in Produce 101 Season 2 so you have to learn new choreography.

Kenta: I didn’t have much time (preparation) so I was worried, the reaction was really good than I thought. It was a relief too, I did it it with Donghan and Taehyun hyung so it was fun.

You are busy after 'Produce 101’ Season 2 aren’t you? Recently you participated in MBC drama 'Lookout’ OST. You are the first one who did it after the program ended.

Kenta: Yes! Yes! It was a really great honor too, Actually I thought 'Can I do it?’. I also did the rap part but I was worried of the pronunciation because I’m a foreigner. I was so thankful that people took good care of me.

The pronunciation  is really good, fans can’t find Kenta parts.

Kenta: Thank you!(laughs) It was a short time but I prepared it hard. After the recording of ‘Produce 101’ Season 2 ‘Open Up’ this was my first time doing a formal recording so it was fun.

You worked in a dance team called 'GaraGaraHebi’ in Japan. It was popular in the local area.

Kenta: That’s right. Actually we had a CD too. We didn’t sold it at the record shop, but we sold it live through the show. During that time I keep thinking that I wanted to work in Korea. That feeling got bigger…Challenge! I thought I should challenge myself.

Then I wonder what are Kenta thoughts about the difference between Jpop Idol and Kpop Idol. Kenta is a foreigner who came to Korea because of Kpop Idol charms too.

Kenta: Actually Jpop Idol is something, rather than showing a perfect figure we received love from fans by showing our growth more. On the other hand I think lots of Kpop Idol teams coming out with perfect appearance since their debut. I was shocked when I saw it. I thought ‘Oh, I want to be like this too’.

OST ‘Wanna Be With You’ has officialy released, you have an artist page with your name ‘Takada Kenta’ on music site. Also when it was released you were 1st on Melon Real Time search. Did you know?

Kenta: I know. Haha. It was my goal (singer), so I was really happy to see the artist page. At first ‘Is this really mine’ I didn’t realize it. Real time search too, I was a foreigner so it was hard to be 1st. Even so I feel so grateful fans made it. I received more interest through ‘Produce 101’ Season 2 than I though, I think the days progressing really fast I can’t seem to feel it.

I wonder what is the reason you want to become a singer. Also the reason why Kenta who is a Japanese wants to become a Kpop singer.

Kenta: I liked music since I was a kid. I actually thought I would be active in Japan, but the 1st time I saw Kpop in my 2nd year in High School. Through the stage of Teen Top sunbaenim, sunbaenim are actually the same age as me (The youngest Teen Top member Ricky and Kenta are the same age, both of them were born on 1995. Kenta was a famous Teen Top Ricky fan from Japan. His Japanese activity name 'Rikimu’ was named after Ricky.) I was the same age as them so when I saw them shine on stage I suddenly thought 'I want to be like that too’. I wanted to be a singer since then.

So you became a Teen Top fan. Among Teen Top fans Kenta was originally famous?

Kenta: Around 6 years ago there were not a lot of men in Japan who liked Kpop. When I went to Teen Top sunbaenim concert I was the only man out there. Fans will asked 'Who is it?’ they even talked directly to me. I took lots of pictures too. (laughs)

You’re a successful Teen Top fan now. When 'Produce 101’ Season 2 was about to start Teen Top Ricky said he knew Kenta in the comeback showcase.

Kenta: Fans called me 'successful fan’ too. It was an honor. It was an honor for Ricky sunbaenim to remember me, it was an honor that he mentioned me too I was really happy. I will work hard so I can stand on the same stage, I’ve been thinking a lot about that.

So how long have you been in Korea? You don’t have to worry about yourself, actually your pronunciation and vocabulary are good.

Kenta: uwah~ thank you! I’ve been in Korea for about 1year and 10months? In 'Produce 101’ Season 2, I was interviewed a lot by the writer and PD but there were so many words I didn’t know, I couldn’t expressed 100% of what I wanted to say, It was frustating. In my head I keep thinking in Japanese 'I want to say this’ but I can only said similar words It was really regretful I think I got frustrated.

How did you study Korean?

Kenta: For the first two months I came to Korea I went to an academy. And then, now in the company (Star Road) I learned to talk with people and friends.

When you came to Korea you had a cafe part time job too.

Kenta: Ah~ That’s right. I had a lot of cafe part time jobs too. I talked with the people who came to the cafe too. Also I originally liked coffee so I did cafe part time jobs in Japan too.

When you came to Korea, How was your family reaction?

Kenta: Actually at first it was opposed. I might not be able to go abroad and make my dream come true. My mom spesifically against it but I talked a lot about it. My mom and both my father and sister against it too but I think they were convinced after communicating a lot to each other. I said “It’s not dangerous”. I talked a lot about the reason why I want to be a singer in Korea, so please support me from now.

When you said you will appear on 'Produce 101’ Season 2, What did your parents say?

Kenta: My parents didn’t know the program (laughs) so I explained it once. I said there was a vote, It was a program where we did this and that. At first “Is it alright?” they were worried, but my mom was happy because I got loved by more and more people through the program.

How did you decided to appear on 'Produce 101’ Season 2?

Kenta: When I came to Korea Season 1 just started and I saw it myself. As soon as I came to Korea, I felt the feeling and the words of season 1 trainees a lot. So I thought I wanted to go on this show too. And when I heard about 'Produce 101’ season 2 coming out in November of last year, I told the company that I really wanted to go out so that’s how I appear on the show!

As a fan of Season 1, Who was Kenta 1pick at that time?

Kenta: Ah… Of course Kim Sejeong sunbaenim. (laughs) She looked so hard-working, I liked it a lot when I saw her with Kim Sohye sunbaenim.

Trans : falling-box 📦

may contain inaccuracies