Double Trouble

I heard there are a lot of activities you're preparing these days? I pour energy into her acting and singing careers, including group activities and activities in Japan. As a result, at least four characters are created inside me. I'm grateful, and at the same time, I want to do my best with every single one.

Is there no human Jung Yoon-ho in it? Yeah! There are more than you think. I'm actually pretty solid in my stance. (laughs) Oh, I want to mention this. People call me a 'passionate character,' but only my really close friends know. More than being a 'passionate character,' I'm the type to go 'all in!' on something I've decided to do. If I decide not to do something, I just don't do it at all.

How do you choose what to do and what not to do? I have a lot on my mind before I make any definite decisions. I even worry about things when I'm lying down. But having a lot on my mind also means, 'I guess I'm still worth living?' So these days, the thing I say to myself the most is, 'Aren't you just being dramatic right now?' I ask myself, 'Aren't you the one putting limits on yourself?' I'm still working on projects, preparing for performances, and handling planning as well as being a player. The energy I spend is pretty huge, and that's what I'm worried about.

Speaking of your acting career, last year you received praise for <Fine: Country Bumpkin> (hereafter <Fine>). Your new film <Tokyo Burst: The Outlaws> is also set to premiere in Korea. It's a Japanese remake of the <The Outlaws> series, which attracted tens of millions of viewers. < Fine > is a show made with great people, and it made me realize that 'acting is fun.' Director Kang Yoon-sung is now a 'Brother', but I got scolded during my first reading. I asked the director for just two weeks. I gained confidence that all the seniors would accept me, and I developed a competitive spirit that was fun. In a way, that was an audition.

In an interview, Ryu Seung-ryong said you were very determined. Senior Ryu Seung-ryong sent me a DM. "This is no joke right now. Prepare well so you don't get cut by the knife." I said I would prepare somehow before leaving. I kept that promise. The director was surprised when he got the character back in just two weeks. "You have become a 'Beolgu'," he said. The director said something different from the original would come out, and I found my own answer to the 'Beolgu'. Also, the seniors helped me stay focused, so it was a really good experience for me.

What did you gain along the way? You could say I've become a bit more flexible than before. But it's still far off. I was lucky to work on my first work in Japan with Director Uchida, and my chemistry with Koshi Mizukami was amazing—I think I filled almost everything with ad-libs. Camera director Hideo Yamamoto is also very famous. While filming < Fine >, I asked Director Kang Yoon-sung, "Should I do this project?" but the director told me, 'Do it no matter what.' "I think it would be good to work with Director Uchida, and there will be great synergy for you too," he said.

Beolgu is a neighborhood thug, and this time Choi Si-woo is a detective. How did you make it happen? Usually, the image of elite detectives comes to mind, and I wanted to add more depth to that. I thought it would be better to try using a dialect to sound like a junior to senior Ma Dong-seok, but if I tried speaking in dialect, it would feel even rougher. The Japanese I speak sounds like pretty Seoul dialect. I created the tone for every line, and the director liked it because it looked like 'Choi Si-woo.'

The movie has already been released in Japan—are you satisfied? Does he fit well as an action actor? (Laughs) I heard that a lot. I was known in Japan for a somewhat upright image, but I'm satisfied that it shows a different side.

The longer you work, the further you get from public praise. But do you still feel your heart beat when you receive good reviews? Being praised for acting was truly different. When one senior said, "You finally won the Rookie of the Year award for acting, and it feels even more meaningful to you at your age," I got a bit emotional. Because it was my weakest Achilles heel. I felt that this opportunity came because I didn't give up, and I felt very proud that I had endured well. I enjoyed the experience of growing through encountering the works and characters. Idols are naturally protected environments. But it seems that actors have to lead themselves. Because the environment is so different, the experience of meeting and studying characters and growing is new and precious to me.

How does that growth affect your music activities? Since you actually play the role of a planner, that can influence your planning. I really dislike things that are 'without reason' when I perform. I just don't do it. I need a reason and a story. When I perform, if I say, 'I'm not feeling well today, should I take it easy?' the audience just knows. You have your own story from buying a ticket to coming to the venue. I have to do my best to match that.

Not long ago, TVXQ's 20th anniversary concert in Japan was held at Nissan Stadium, attracting 130,000 spectators. What was the story of that time? 'See you on the far side of the moon.' The far side of the moon is something we can't see, right? So it carries the meaning of going together to a world we haven't seen. After spending 20 years as TVXQ, it was a setlist that sort of summarized how we got here and what we've done. Performing at Nissan for the third time is also a record for us, but it also reminded us of how nervous we were the very first time we performed there. The staff suggested that, according to each period, we should show on our 20th anniversary, 'We've come this far.' After a long time, all the dancers from the first to the fifth generation gathered.

I sometimes watch old TVXQ videos too. There are a lot of people like that. Oh, what are you looking at?

'Purple Line,' 'Keep Your Head Down,' and 'The Way U Are' were all very new songs. Just like the lyric, 'The earring on your ear weighed your weight.' Oh! I like those songs. It's definitely not an easy song. I think fashion played a part too. The old Y2K vibe has returned. I believe you can't win the classics. (Laughs) I was actually twenty-six back then, and I thought I had grown up.

That's how more than 20 years of Yunho have accumulated each time. There are so many memes that started with Yunho too. I became a 'congratulations guy.' Wherever I go, even strangers ask me to give a congratulatory message once. But the thing is, I really mean it when I do it. Giving my all every time, my voice gets tired after about eight times (laughs). Even so, my principle is to do it when I can. There are so many moments when you want to do it but just can't.

Also, your first solo concert tour, <U-KNOW PROJECT 26: SCENE#1> is just one month away. What kind of story do you plan to include this time? I thought about why I’m doing this now. I wanted my storytelling to be included. I even made a mini album with that. Twenty years is the time it takes for a child to grow into an adult. I’m only now trying to tell my story. That’s why ‘Young Yunho’ appears. We cast a 4th-grade kid, and he’s an amazing kid with real star quality. I danced at a school festival when I was in 4th grade. That kid is also in the music video, and I wonder if, as time passes, it will become a great memory for him too. I, too, participated as a rapper in Dana’s song during my trainee days, and that moment still stays vivid in my mind.

It's the moment when my future self meets my past self. It captures those moments. The time I've spent living as U-Know Yunho has surpassed Jung Yunho. In my twenties, I was obsessed with work and friends, and in my thirties, I was obsessed with building teams.

If you could meet him, would you meet either the 'future Yunho or the past Yunhoo'? I usually don't think about the past. I do want to see the future version of Yoonho, though. But the future will be determined by how well I handle the present.

What do you hope the future will look like? I admire Michael Jackson and used to think, 'How can I surpass him?' At the very least, I could work a little longer. Watching seniors like Jo Yong-pil and many others, I keep thinking, 'What should I do to become an artist who lasts that long?'

All those times converge into 2026. Why this year? Things that I've planned for a while have kind of piled up this year. I met the right timing and the right people, so I'm working hard on them now. The thing I'm focusing on the most is performances. VCRs, music videos… I'm even studying fire safety for this performance. Every day, I'm thinking about what kind of service we can give to fans and how to bring out the musical elements.