Apeace Fans

Thanks for catching that - the videos have been taken down due to copyright (the only official place to watch them was a podcast that has been taken down).

I reuploaded the videos on Dailymotion and replaced the links. The password for each is Apeace.

These videos are nice artifacts for Apeace fans because they were fresh in Japan, could barely speak Japanese, and nervous as heck. Only Sehyun, Seunghyuk, Sungho, and Duhwan are still members.

Yuchang & Seunghwan

Sehyun & Dongho

Seunghyuk & Sungho

Taewoo & Duhwan

Changwoo Instagram update with J.D:

151121 Haru*Hana interview with 4 Apeace members: Youngwon, Wonsik, Wanchul, and Youngwook:

――The dance for “Just Once Again” is highly synchronized, so you must have had to practice substantially.

Youngwook: As the title suggests, the members have turned around and stood up hand-in-hand. And because we’re striving to succeed and put so much feeling into the song, we put our lives into preparing and encouraged each other during practice. We constantly monitored and practiced until our breathing was in sync.

Youngwon: The dance is in a new style that incorporated quick movement, which was a challenge, but once we tried, it seemed to suit us.

Wonsik: We were really into this song.

Youngwook: Youngwon had a year full of activities since he is leaving for military service. After he leaves, we will protect Apeace with our lives.

Youngwon: You’d die for me? (laughs)

Youngwook: I wouldn’t lay down my life (laughs) but the feeling is strong that it’s no use if it is not successful. This feeling has compelled us to strive for success.

――The song “Love at First Sight” [title in English] is about love at first sight [in Japanese], right?

Youngwon: It’s a drama-like story about a woman seen at a train station who is the ideal type. Like Densha Otoko [a movie/drama] (laughs). Listen and imagine that a cool guy is waiting at the station. I hope it becomes a song that you love (laughs).

Wanchul: It’s a type of song that we haven’t done until now, so like “Just Once Again,” the members really liked it.

Wonsik: Please also note that we incorporate sign language into the choreography.

――Released ahead of this single, your best album “Pray for…” had a new song “Carry On” where the back reflex dance was the highlight.

Youngwook: That was pretty difficult (laughs). At first there were some members who couldn’t do it. Sungho had too big of a stomach (laughs) and Sehyun had too much muscle, so it was difficult for them to make that pose. But after repeated practice, everyone could do it.

Youngwon: Wonsik has a flexible body so he is really good at it. Stretching really helped everyone.

―― “Just Once Again” is the theme song for your first starring movie “Once Again.” What was your first impression when the movie was decided?

Youngwon: I was a bit surprised: “Why a movie?” (laughs). Actually, we learned a bit about professional acting before since there were some members who were beginning to have an interest in acting, so that was just the timing of the movie. At first I thought it was something the company staff just wanted to show to the fans (laughs). But because we were making it with great co-stars and production team, it made us happy and I think we were able to really develop it.

Youngwook: I was surprised. But the members were able to experience a once-in-a-lifetime challenge, plus it was a story about Youngwon, so it has given us lots of good memories.

Wonsik: Since it was my first time acting, I thought I should try to imitate. So I looked earnestly into my favorite actor Fukushi Sota’s works, but my ability to imitate eventually failed (laughs).

Youngwon: But you were good at your character (laughs), at least I had that sense.

Wanchul: I really had no interest in acting…

Wonsik: Wanchul was the most dangerous (laughs), you can see it when you see the movie!

Wanchul: If you look at the script, the only scenes I’m in I get hit. I barely have any lines and when I do, I am angry.

――This is Wanchul’s usual character, huh (laughs).

Youngwon: Right. Before shooting, the members all met with the director and playwright. It was about an hour long chat and they got to know our personalities, and it seemed to reflect in the characters. It was awesome!

Wonsik: When we are playing our own roles, the characters feel the same as us, and if fans see the movie, I’m sure they will feel like it is our own story. That way I think you can concentrate on the story. Wanchul was simply a corrupt character (laughs).

――Wanchul, you were slapped by a woman – was it painful?

Wanchul: I was slapped many times…

Wonsik: We kept saying “That was an NG, right?” so it was done many times (laughs).

Youngwon: Also, I wonder if it caused even greater damage because from now on, if he’s ever hit, he’ll be unmoved (laughs).

Wanchul: But it was entertaining so I thought it was fun.

――Have any of you ever been slapped by a woman?

Youngwon: I think it is common to get slapped at least once as a Korean man.

Wonsik, Youngwook: I haven’t.

Youngwon: You may in the future, so be careful (laughs).

Wanchul: I was slapped by a woman who really hated me. Back then, I was certain that I was hit for no reason. I pointed out that it was wrong, and then 4 combo!

All: 4 combo!! (laughs)

Wanchul:  I was originally just going to give up, and then bam bam – 4 combo. I was ashamed because it was in front of a friend, and it really hurt.

Wonsik: Chul is friendly and doesn’t enrage.

Youngwook: He has gained training like a monk. It may have gone up to 100 combo and he would have endured in silence (laughs).

Wanchul: After all, I didn’t know why I was being hit.

Youngwon: At any rate, violence is useless.

――The fight scene was well done – you were fighting intensely. Do you usually fight?

Youngwon: Of course when you have 12 men, there will be some occasionally, but it’s never violent. Really it’s just gentle. Except Wanchul (laughs). I think a lot about whether as an artist it is possible to be too kind [?]. A little bad is better or else we won’t have appeal. In the movie, I think we were immediately able to do the fistfight when the action called for it.

Wanchul: Duhwan was particularly good at it.

――After a fight, who usually settles it?

Youngwon: I’m usually involved since I’m the oldest. Wonsik as well.

Wonsik: But no one fights much. It becomes a bit awkward after it ends since we’ve been together for 5 years.

Youngwon: More than 5 years if you count the trainee period. Sometimes I get angry when I think that I spent my 20’s with only these guys (laughs).

Wonsik: After 20 years, Youngwon, let’s have your daughter marry my son (laughs).

Youngwon: Don’t just decide that!

――You said everyone except Wanchul was friendly…

Youngwon: Wanchul is the member that doesn’t have much interest – he’s different because he likes to be alone. Mysterious person. But he is friendly. And because he doesn’t say anything, I get worried. He doesn’t get angry.

Wanchul: I get angry.

――In what kind of situation?

Wanchul: I mean…I don’t get angry…that much. If I’m angry I keep it to myself and don’t say anything.

Youngwon: If Wonsik or I scold him, he just says “alright.” So it seems that he has a different way of handling the stress. Or get hit by Sihyuk (laughs). But actually, when Wanchul isn’t well we aren’t satisfied. He has been a trainee the longest and his role in the middle really ties us all together.

――The movie is realistic with its story – centered around Youngwon’s withdrawal.

Wonsik: There is a scene where Youngwon cried, and all the members also started crying.

Youngwon: Since I was trying to act well in my role, I really concentrated and tears came out in 2,3 seconds. I said my lines and the members also started crying, and then I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even remember the story. You might not notice it in the movie, since it was edited well (laughs). Ah, but Wonsik didn’t cry (laughs).

Wonsik: I was going to cry, since Youngwon was talking to us each individually, but when it was my turn it didn’t come. Junsik and Duhwan had been crying.

Youngwon: It’s the first time I saw that.

Wonsik: The fans who have been supporting us for a while will surely cry. Please come prepared and bring tissues. Always have tissues beside you!!

Youngwon: At the beginning of this year, Hyunsung and Jinwoo left, and 10 months have passed as a 12-member group. Finally when we have gotten used to the system, I regrettably have to leave for the military. I will leave it to Wonsik.

Wonsik: The seat as the oldest is heavy, it’s really heavy~

――You’re busy with the single release and the movie, but what about the prospects of future activities?

Youngwon: This movie was a good stimulus and next year there will be hard to achieve better results, and also the next year… I think this group will be able to do activities for a while in Japan. Initially, I was worried whether we could be called a K-pop group if we didn’t do activities in Korea, and there were times when I did want to work in Korea. But, it is Apeace’s style to be able to get along in Japan. You can also see in the lives recently that members have created their own image.

Wonsik: Each has his own specialty. Wanchul’s singing, Youngwook’s dancing. In videos, Duhwan creates a story and Seunghyuk shoots, etc… Like this, as time passes, we will get stronger and we want to get bigger.

Youngwook: When I think of everyone doing the dance choreography, it makes me happy. Apeace wants to continue showing a cool dance with all of our breathing aligned.

――Finally, please give me some highlights from the movie.

Wanchul: My role is a trouble-maker, but it’s a pretty important role. The story progresses because of me causing trouble. Although it’s not a very good role, it helps to look at it like that (laughs). The truth is I’m not a problem child.

Youngwook: Even though we fight, how we resolve the situation and Youngwon’s crying scene are highlights.

Wonsik: The story is basically our story, and if fans are willing to watch Apeace, they might have the illusion that they are watching Wonsik rather than just Wonsik acting. There are also many laughing points.

Youngwon: I’m glad I was able to show my feelings through this movie before I enlist. For fans who have watched ever since the birth of Apeace, this is the story we want you to see.

151121 Jinwoo Twitter update:

軍人ジヌさま.....