#style:article

[STARCAST] Let’s meet SHINee: Manly man in both love and performance 'Taemin' 

[STARCAST] Let’s meet SHINee – Story of sentimental lyricist Jong-hyun

[STARCAST] Let’s meet SHINee – Byword of gentle leadership 'Onew'

SHINee Introduce Themselves!

Onew: “I like fun things and I always like to sing merrily.”

Jonghyun: “I’m Jonghyun. Out of SHINee, I’d say Minho is the most competitive and Onew is a massive sleepyhead!”

Minho: “Jonghyun’s right, I do get very competitive…I love sports, such as football. I’m happy to meet UK fans. I hope to see you all as often as possible.”

Key: “I’m a kind person with various colours.”

Taemin: “I’m happy to be here, meeting UK fans!”

SIXTY SECONDS IS all it took for servers to crash and general hysteria to spread nationwide amongst SHINee’s solid following.

Tickets for the Korean boyband’s first UK show (their first that the citizens of the country were allowed to attend, anyway) had just gone on sale – and had come off again almost as quickly.

When SHINee’s Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho and Taemin touched down in the UK for the first time, a few months prior to this, it was to mark the K-pop unit’s debut in Japan in the summer of 2011 – why they chose London still remains a mystery to us, but they celebrated there none the less, and took an audience of lucky Japanese so-and-sos with them for a special live set at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Suffice to say, British K-pop fans were more than a little envious about the whole affair – and when it was announced that the boys would be returning to the UK as special guests at the London Korean Film Festival 2011, at London’s Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, those fans were going to make sure they were a part of the action this time round. Unfortunately for the Odeon’s website engineers, they didn’t take into consideration just how big of a following K-pop has in the UK.

As a result, their site was forced offline within a minute – and remained down for a further five hours!

Security also underestimated the fans. When the band arrived at Heathrow, masses had already formed, eager to welcome SHINee with grabby hands – and grab is precisely what they did! The quintet was, quite literally, mobbed. The experience didn’t seem to faze the lads. Onew, the leader of the group, comments, “I always appreciate this kind of welcome. Sometimes there are large crowds of fans waiting for us, cheering, and when one rushes forward, many follow! I just worry that they’ll hurt themselves…” Main vocalist Jonghyun agrees. “The airport is the first point of call, it’s the first place fans get the chance to meet us. So I understand why they’re enthusiastic – I’m always happy and grateful when they welcome us in such a way.”

Nihongo Benkyou Shimasu

SHINee (pronounced ‘shiny’, “like a rainbow!” according to Jonghyun – more like a special Pokémon card if you ask us) burst onto the Korean music scene in 2008 with their EP Replay. It gained a top ten chart position and led to the unit claiming the ‘Hot New Star’ award at Mnet’s 20′s Choice Award 2008. Two full-length albums later, and as many EPs, and the boys live up to the Mnet award and more; they’re one of the hottest groups not only in their country, but in Japan too.

On 22 June 2011, they made their debut into Japan with a Japanese remake of their original single from the Replay EP, ‘Noona Neomu Yeppeo’, now renamed to ‘Kimi wa Boku no Everything’ for the Japanese market. Sales figures blew the original Korean release out of the water, reaching over 100k, the highest ranking sales of a debut from a Korean male group. Of course, the young men had to learn Japanese in order to record it – luckily, anime and J-pop were on hand to help them through!

Trend Setting

As is the way with idol culture, SHINee have also had a massive impact in the world of fashion – even sparking their own style craze. Referred to by the media and fans as the ‘SHINee trend’, the style is defined by big, baggy shirts, bright colours and high-top trainers – it’s Jedward, but cool. It’s not a look for everyone, though. We asked the guys if they had any fashion tips for people wanting to follow in their footsteps, and three out of the five members stated that it was best to find something that suits the individual’s style rather than imitating someone else’s. Onew offers some additional advice, “Following trends is important, but it’s best to keep an eye on what’s available – you show avoid narrowing down to one particular style or brand.” Jonghyun also recommends clothing that brings out the strength of a person’s body.

“It was like a dream come true when we came to the UK for the first time.” – Onew

Girls, Girls, Girls

Did we mention that the boys are also reality TV stars? Around the time of their debut, the baby-faced popstars featured in a dating show where they wined and dined older ladies. We were curious to see if the little wannabe gigolos really had a taste for the more mature lady, so we quizzed them on their ideal type of girls. Here are the results:

It turns out Onew isn’t that fussy, “I like someone who likes me” – any takes out there? Jonghyun and Minho, on the other hand, like their ladies feminine, with the former adding, “I like it when they act naive and a little bit jealous”. Key isn’t quite so evasive of naming any names, and spurted out his celebrity crush without any protest; Kaya Scoldelario, probably best known for her role as Effy in Skins. The Brit connection continues with Taemin, “Emma Watson!” – bet he’s right jealous of Harry Potter’s Ron Weasley!

“I couldn’t speak Japanese at all before I joined SHINee.” states Onew. “Though, I used to listen to a lot of J-pop when I was young.” Jonghyun told us that he practised Japanese using anime and music, while one of the main rapper of the unit, Minho, took a more hands-on approach and picked up the language by constantly harassing the staff at EMI Japan to talk to him in Japanese.

Their language skills were put to the test, as following their Japanese debut single, was their first Japanese album, suitably titled The First, released in December 2011. The release has yet to materialise on iTunes UK but some of the group’s prior releases, including their Japanese singles, are available for download from the service, which means there’s always a chance for the group to enjoy chart success if enough people get behind them.

Back Soon?

So what does the future hold for SHINee? 2012 began with the news that Seoul University’s Professor Kim Nando is penning a song for the group’s comeback this year. And, it turns out there’s a very real chance for the boys to return to the UK for a third time. “It was like a dream come true when we came to the UK for the first time,” says Onew “Playing at Abbey Road Studios was something that none of us expected. And as for this show at the Korean Film Festival, thank you everyone for surprising us with many things and making us happy. We’d like to come and visit you more often in the future.”

Minho was also excited by both of his experiences in London and can’t wait to return. “Coming to London made me realise that I have a responsibility,” comments Minho “I have to try my best as a singer and let people know about SHINee and Korea. If there’s an opportunity to perform in London again, we will come. Until our new release continue to give us your love.”

SHINee’s albums The SHINee World, Amigo and The First, their EPs Replay, Romeo and 2009, Year of Us; and their singles Replay: Kimi wa Boku no Everything, Juliette and Lucifer are all available now from iTunes UK.

We’d like to say a big thank you to Sara Amroussi-Gilissen for supplying the live photos of SHINee from their London performance.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the K-popsphere…

Unless you’ve been living the hikikomori lifestyle from beneath a soundproof rock, you may have noticed that while SHINee managed to be the first mainstream Korean act to play an independent show in the UK, rival CUBE Entertainment managed to go one step further and gain mainstream press coverage in the process. On 5 December the label’s 4Minute, G.NA and BEAST pulled off K-pop’s very first full-blown extravaganza to a squealing crowd of 2000+, and us!

Some of the highlights included BEAST’s Yoseob donning the Union Jack as a cape, G.NA covering Rihanna’s 'Take A Bow’, and double helpings of 4Minute’s hypnotically leggy HyunA. The former Wonder Girl also teamed up with BEAST’s Hyunseung to form Trouble Maker – a brand new unit revealed to the world only four days prior to the show!

Cute. (But) not just that! The five’s radiance that are making this era. To quote Jonghyun, “A man’s sexiness, that’s the nuance I wanted to give”. Standing in front of the camera while letting loose with the sex appeal of their natural stances, their cool mature expressions are bewitching. Known for their trendsetting, ability to dress well is also gains them a perfect score. But, the second they hear “The shoot is OK”, they start singing and dancing and playing around to the background music, watching each other’s photos on the monitor and shouting… this cute gap is also their charm.

Key "I’m often told I’m too cheerful" [1] I’m (the type of person who) even if something bad happens I’ll soon switch moods so even if I’m feeling down I don’t slip into a bad mood. I often say “If I sleep for one night I’ll get back on my feet”, but, I totally forget even before I fall asleep. The members often half fed-up say, “You’re too cheerful”. (laugh) I think this about me is charming, I’m a guy who doesn’t make excuses. I think someone who’s a good sport [1]is cool.

[1] 潔い can be interpreted as manly, but, in this case it means gracious.

Minho It’s important for a person to beleive that “I can do it” Doing this work, there are a lot things that are important, but, the one thing I keep in mind is believing that I can do this. At times when standing in public, you can cross over walls if you possess self-confidence. After that, it’s health management. What do I think is attractive for a man? Hmm, I guess someone that’s attentive(/considerate) and then someone that’s good at caring (for other). I want to be able to say I’m this type of person!

Onew The sight of the (fans) singing with us was moving! This year, we accomplished our wish of debuting in Japan, were able to have our first album release as well, it was a full year. Among this was what moved me was SMTOWNLIVE (Joint live show for those attached to the company) at Tokyo Dome. The guests singing our songs together with us brought a lump to my throat. [1] A man that thinks he’s wonderful, that’s not me (laugh). I’m a frank honest person guy.

[1] literally chest became hot.

Jonghyun As a group, I want us to continue to change. "How can we shape the (image)[2] that we’re aiming for?", we’re always thinking about this. What are the trends right now, What sort of aspect can we show that’s fresh? This includes fashion and hairstyles, etc. So that SHINee’s image isn’t fixed, we include everyone’s ideas. We were finally able to cut a start in Japan. We’ll work our hardest so that everyone can knows more about us.

[2] literally it says world-view

Taemin On deciding a goal, it’s straight to it! I think the words I dread hearing [3] each time is “Ah, Thank god” [4]. Because it’s truly heavy hearing the words of people who are worrying about you. If I could be told so much as “When (you) decide on a goal, (you) head to it like a race horse”, I’m think someone who thinks that someone who decides on something and heads straight to it is cool, so I’d be really happy if someone told me that. I long to be a man who carries out his words.

[3] Lit. “ears hurt.” [4] Not as in “You should be thankful” but more in a “thank goodness I thought you had died in that plane crash” sort of way.

SHINee, who kept twinkling during the photo and interview sessions, is a boy group of miracle born out of the times. They shine more on stage to captivate women in Japan as well as in Korea with their unique aura. We want to find the source of the light in what they show frankly.

World-level “blowout new artists” to debut

“Blowout new artists” are to debut. Their first solo live concert in Yoyogi Stadium before their debut received about 100,000 applications. Examples for the view counts of their music videos on Youtube are 19 million for Lucifer and 22 million for Ring Ding Dong (June 1st). They will have a Japan debut premium reception in Abbey Road Studios, a sacred place for Beatles in London. This is a “blowout” for new artists. These new artists with world-level potential are SHINee, Korea’s contemporary band of five members—Onew, Jonghyun, Taemin, Minho, and Key.

Contemporary is not a familiar word, but Onew explains, “It means a group that always presents newest trends, future-oriented in pursuit of the newest in everything from music and dance to fashion and culture.”

SHINee is a new-generation group from SM Entertainment, a company that manages BoA, DBSK, Super Junior, and SNSD. They debuted with Noona Is So Pretty (Replay), a song that expresses love for an older woman, in May, 2008, and swept all the new artist awards of the year with absolute support for “the cute younger men.” They are also expanding their fanbase as “DBSK’s younger brothers” with their upcoming debut.

“We received advice from DBSK sunbaes after our debut was set.” (Minho)

In the Korean pop world where most groups are “carnivorous” with strong dance beat and manly performances, it is understandable that people are attracted to their fresh “herbivorous” cuteness. However, with their singing ability and powerful performance, they are in complete control of songs of “Western music taste” based on dance music. The gap is the point of their attraction. Now, their popularity goes beyond Asia to reach the U.S., South America, and Europe, to the extent even Le Monde made a report on them.

“We have fans all over the world, but fans in different countries have different characters. Japanese fans are rather pure… they are like girls whose hearts are pounding at the sight of us?” (Jonghyun) “Right, right. The beating heart, we can feel it.” (Key)

Debuting with the same song Replay in Korea and Japan

They are in the third year since their debut. Their album Lucifer released last year made a big hit. Their album sales show their growth into top artists to follow Super Junior and SNSD. They grabbed the K-pop fans’ hearts with this hit, and their popularity soared up. And this June they are finally debuting in Japan. Their Japanese debut song is the same one for their Korean debut: Replay – You Are My Everything.

“When we debuted 3 years ago in Korea, maknae Taemin was 14 years old, and I was 18. Noona Is So Pretty was a song a boy gets broken-hearted by an older girl. It expresses a teenage boy’s frank and pure feelings and weakness, dilemma and sadness over his inability to show his feelings. The Japanese version Replay-You Are My Everything after 4 years have passed expresses love for a girl the same age or younger as well as an older woman. It has expanded to include more generations from the longing for an older woman 3 years ago. We have also grown up more (laugh).” (Onew)

“Don’t you think we have quite grown up from 3 years ago when we looked very young? The choreography is the same with Noona Is So Pretty, but you will see our moves are more confident.” (Taemin)

“I think it’s meaningful to debut in both Korea and Japan with the same song. But I feel like it’s a new song, not the same song. This song is a turning point for us SHINee.” (Key)

“People ask us what our goal is. I think it is more important to make our own stage with the audience than to acquire titles. So our goal is to show our performances on as many stages in Japan. Because our duty is singing!” (Jonghyun)

“We have visited Japan several times before, but after our debut was set, I feel differently about Japan. We will make a new start. And I want to continue to make new challenges.” (Minho)

Now the industry is paying attention to Korean boy groups and fans are enthusiastic about them more than any time, all Japanese women are wondering how much shiny shining SHINee will be!

Minho – Exotic looks and athletic physique “His face is so small! His style is good!,” all the staff said with one voice. He looks like a prince when he poses before a camera with his perfect well-proportioned body and big twinkling eyes. He says he likes “simple basic monotone and jeans with a t-shirt” for his private fashion. He is not talkative, but speaks what he thinks clearly when he talks. During a break, he showed his good relationship with members. The handsome store clerk in the Japanese music video for SNSD’s hit song Gee was him. He starred in Pianist, a Korean drama, last year.

Key – Sharp sense in fashion and music “Hello, nice to meet you!” He greeted us in Japanese as he entered the studio. His Japanese is the best in the group. His composed Japanese is cute. He is very interested in fashion, and was wearing pretty street style clothes for the day as SHINee’s fashionista. He said thoughtfully “I know Pia” to make us happy. When the photo and interview sessions started, he twinkled more and captivated people. His favorite food is tonkatsu ramen and jaru soba.

Taemin – excellent dance skill and beautiful looks He was a 14 year old middle schooler when SHINee debuted. He was called the maknae of idol world at that time, but three years having passed (but still a high school student!), he is on the stair from a boy to an adult. He looks gentle, but doesn’t like losing. In charge of dance in SHINee. His recent growth as a vocalist is so splendid many noonas wept deeply moved when he sang Romeo+Juliette for his solo part in the concert. “DBSK’s Changmin hyung told me, ‘old gags work well in a variety program.’ I should memorize something!”

Jonghyun – a wide range of vocal and smart thinking It’s not an exaggeration to say his husky voice unique for an Asian colors  SHINee’s music. His excellent singing is exceptional among Korean young singers. During the interview session, he actively answered questions and showed a positive attitude to brighten up the mood. Because he had a surgery for his ankle injury last year, he couldn’t dance in the first solo concert in Tokyo and Seoul. Many fans nearly died with their heart pounding at his pure aspect when he cried apologizing for it. “I cried, but Key-goon cried in every round (laugh). I want to be frank on stage.”

Onew – Leader with gentle looks and sweet voice He is an ultimate healer with his gentle voice and smiling face. A blood type O leader leading the free men with blood types AB and B. “It’s our new challenge. We will enjoy it! This is what expresses my feeling best,” he says regarding their Japanese debut. He cuddled Japanese senbei from the gift set the Pia editors brought, and liked it very much saying “It’s delicious!” Asked “What do you want to eat?”, he answers “Chicken!” right away. His favorite Japanese food is “Unagi-dong, hitsumabushi, and katsu-don.”

Why SHINee shines in Japan

The hot responses they are receiving in Japan are nothing less than their popularity in Korea. We asked EMI Japan about their plan for SHINee.

Betraying expectations and going beyond imagination When and through which record company will SHINee debut? There had been rumors within the industry, but their Japanese debut was announced in their first solo concert held on 26 Dec last year.

“It was a meaningful moment since we announced the happy news of our Japanese debut to fans in our first solo concert. I was moved into tears…,” Jonghyun said.

 “It was a deeply moving moment like the girl I confessed my love finally said yes…,” said Suzuki-san who is in charge of SHINee in EMI Music Japan (EMI).

“It was love at first sight,” continued Suzuki-san about his meeting with SHINee.

“I fell for their overwhelming singing ability, absolute performance, distinct character, and stylish look itself. I thought their fresh and transparent feel different from other Kpop artists would appeal to Japanese people. The fact they have already captivated lots of Japanese people before their debut proves it true. When even a man like me thinks they are cute, how much more will they be to girls? People want a star through all ages. SHINee is the very star.”

EMI has not released any Korean artist’s albums, but they even created an S-Project team for SHINee’s album release. What does EMI think of the possibility of Kpop and its direction?

“The reason Kpop is loved by many fans is the high level of performance such as music, singing, and dance which makes star quality. When a star is born to form a boom, new trends and culture are made out of it according to the necessity of market economy. Right now Kpop is at the center of a boom. However, a boom always dies out. What remains after a boom is over, I think that is something real. SHINee is now a star in this boom, but I think they will continue to stay as artists regardless of the boom. A star that can make it possible for Japan hand in hand with Korea to conquer Asia and stand shoulder to shoulder with the world, I think that is SHINee.”

One of SHINee’s charms is counted as their “Western taste” music distinct from Kpop dance music. Why did they choose Replay, a “Western music style” song, not their best hit song Lucifer, for their Japanese debut?

“It’s because the theme of Replay fits well with the fresh start of their debut (in Japan), and I think you never get tired of the unique song.” 

They will perform live as a debut reception in Abbey Road Studios, London, the symbol of EMI and Beatles.

“There is a SHINee’s song whose music video on Youtube has more than 20 million view counts. This means their fans are all over the world. The SM Town Live they participate in will have a concert in Europe this June after making a success in the U.S. as well as in Asia. These records moved EMI headquarters and the Abbey Road staff to realize the live reception. Since it is held in London, we are planning to broadcast it as real time video service. With a flood of inquiries from SHINee fans in London, we are rushing to prepare for it.”

Lastly, we asked how SHINee’s music will change after their Japanese debut.

“It is said there is no borderline in music, but I think it is great for Kpop artists to sing songs composed by Westerners in Japanese. For that reason, I would like to try different songs that can make the most of their strong points. Of course, we are considering Japanese original songs. Entertainment should present what betrays the expectations of listeners and goes beyond imagination in a good sense. I look forward to more advanced chemical reactions between Japan and Korea in the future.”

They debuted in Korea in 2008. won several new artist awards, topped charts with some hit songs, and entered into the top artist league at a blink with their capability and popularity.

Their first solo concert last year attracted 24,000 people a day (more than 100k applications!). Their unexpected popularity even before their debut surprised those in the music industry.

“We’re surprised because we didn’t even imagine so many fans would come to our concert as we are a new group in Japan!” – Jonghyun

“It was encouraging to see some fans come to both rounds with a placard” – Onew

They are currently studying Japanese to communicate with Japanese fans directly. During filming, they made use of even small bits of time asking the staff about new words and practicing pronunciation.

Their favorite study method is watching animation like One Piece.

“There’s one bad thing about this study method. We learn to use the characters’ over-acting tones!” – Jonghyun

“We get to use 貴様~ (You)! ま、まさか(well, never)! ” – Minho said laughing.

That is their style, enjoying whatever they do, not only Japanese lessons, but also dance and singing practice they have never skipped since their debut.

On the shoot, all the members had fun singing, dancing, or imitating with a Far East Movement’s dance-able song as BGM.

Their Japanese debut single, for which they have worked hard, will be released on June 22. It is the Japanese version of their Korean debut song, Replay.

“The song’s mood and feel are different from those of the original one in our Korean debut. It’s the same song, but the title Replay means we’ll go back to our first intention and make a new start in Japan!” – Taemin said passionately about their new ambitions.

We will post back-stage stories and making later at Elle Girl online.

There will be a special video with the “Pointing Game” that exposes their true colors.

Don’t miss it!

---

Elle Girl Japan Comment on Each SHINee Member

Key: Multi-talented as nicknamed Almighty Key. Good at learning language as well as at dancing and rapping, he repreated “Delicious~”, a new word he learned during the shoot! He is the most fashion-attentive member and excellent at making poses and expressions matching what he’s wearing.

Jonghyun: A vocalist with beautiful voice that will stick to (can’t be taken off!) your ears once you hear it. He looked like he likes singing too much to resist singing along to the BGM during the shoot. He expressed his opinions well during the interview and also let other members talk as a hyung should.

Onew: Gentle-natured like his name, which means “Gentle” in Korean. He’s very good with “service” and responded to the camera man with smile even on his request of comic poses. On the polaroid shooting for readers, he volunteered to take photos as a camera man.

Taemin: The youngest member who is adored by all as maknae. The only member currently attending high school. He seems to be getting fashion advice from Key hyung recently, his modish casual wear of the day was impressive. On a side note, he seems to be learning how to play Winning Eleven from Minho.

Minho: Nicknamed Flaming Charisma. He’s getting endless love calls from those in fashion or TV industry with his well-proportioned model-like body and personable smile. He received a concentrated attack from other members at the Elle Girl online special, “Pointing Game.” Check it out on our website!

Pointing Game: http://shineeinterviews.tumblr.com/post/87851535445/shinee-for-elle-girl-japan-june-2011-pointing-game

Six o’clock as the sun slowly began to set; we awaited Onew on a rooftop as we prepared for the photo shoot. Soon after the preparations ended and the staff exchanged words back and forth, Onew appeared. But my, he seemed more like a curt British gentleman than a young boy walking slowly towards us in his jeans and sky-blue jacket (of course he was still as cute as ever). The café’s guests began to bustle around and take pictures of Onew’s unexpected appearance, and we had to hurry to get the job done. But honestly the crowd’s reaction is nothing to be shocked about. He is after all, SHINee’s leader.

Star casting in the theater world is as powerful a card as ever in attracting attention inside and out. And if it’s a current idol star? Then it can only have an even stronger appeal. News of idol group SHINee’s member Onew’s musical casting spread like wildfire, and tickets quickly sold out. Even if you say he had no choice in the matter, wouldn’t he have hesitated despite wanting to 'do his job properly' because of his busy schedule, lack of practice time, people’s high expectations, etc.? “As soon as I heard the news, I said, ‘Oh, really?’ I’ll do it.’ right away.” He had an interest in musicals since he was younger, and always respected musical actors who could sing, dance, and act all at once. He added that because he knew there was a lack of sufficient practice time, there was no choice but to practice in his free time. I heard he first received the script while on overseas promotions in Cambodia, and I once again felt how globally active today’s idol stars are. It had to have been a burden to be cast in Hey, bro! along with already acknowledged actors, on top of acting in the same role as his sunbae Lee Jihoon. “At first I worried, ‘There’s probably a lot of songs and lots of things to memorize,’ and thought, ‘I really have to do well.’ But the script was fun and the director would praise me with compliments, so I felt good and was able to practice comfortably.” The more interesting part is this. “I liked Lee Jihoon sunbae-nim since I was young, but to meet and act with him like this is completely new. You could even say that we’re 'versing' each other, since we play the same character. So I think it was even more fun.” While Hey, bro! was in its rehearsal stages we met with Lee Jihoon who told us this about Onew. “He’s very passionate and has a strong drive. He would prepare a lot before coming to practice through performance videos and CDs. He’s also progressing much faster than expected. In my case I would dread doing new things but I think kids these days are different in that they can accept differences more quickly.” Onew’s goal as a first-time actor on stage was to ‘understand and play his character who was so different from himself (Onew’s character Jubong is very stubborn and prone to losing his temper).’ It might be a dull answer but this is one’s must truthful desire as an actor. Onew’s biggest obstacle in achieving this goal was ‘fixing’ his speech. “In musicals, line delivery is extremely important, but I had a tendency to garble the ends of my words. So I practiced by talking loudly as if to someone far away. I was told this helps in improving your voice projection.” He said he not only practiced during rehearsals but during any free time he had, but wait, does that mean he practiced with the other SHINee members? “Because there are actors who take on their characters’ identities and act like them in real life, I thought about trying it too. So I (hehe) tried it once with the members (hehe) but they didn’t like it, so I realized, ‘I am me, and my character is my character.’” He thought this was very funny and kept giggling, but held in his laughter as he emphasized each syllable. “But once I actually enter the theater I’m the one who becomes that character, so I definitely. have. to. change.” Because he likes sports, is the type to not get nervous no matter what he does (even on stage he only has stage fright for 5 minutes), and doesn’t concern himself over people around him or even cameras, I stated, “You have a very manly personality.” But Onew responded with a look as if to say, ‘isn’t that obvious?’ “Me? Of course, because I’m a man.” His facial expression was so serious and innocent that I couldn’t laugh. Onew’s ‘manly’ personality also appears in this next part. He made a pretty ‘big’ mistake during the first musical performance of his life. Instead of 28, he said was 38-years-old, making him a dongseng older than his hyung. But do you think because of this he would become daunted and not be able to prove himself? Absolutely not. “I don’t hold on to bad memories for long. As for mistakes, I think about them briefly after the show is over, so when I go home I can just think about sleeping. (Laughter)” (If you watch the fan-taken video ‘Jinki (Onew’s real name) on the way home from school’ you’ll know exactly what he means.) Towards the end of the interview I suddenly wanted to ask this unpredictable and yet serious boy the most basic but most difficult question, ‘What does the stage mean to you?’ To this Onew responded, “The stage is the most comfortable place where I can express myself. I can’t do that well in things like interviews.” If that’s the case, does he ever feel that he was born to perform on stage? (Even though it might be too early to make a conclusion about the fate of such a promising 22-year-old.) “Sometimes I go on stage tired, exhausted, and without strength but when crowds of people cheer me on I work really hard without even realizing it, and at times like that I wonder if this is what I was born to do.” During the time we talked, this was the moment he shined most. And so my interview with Onew ended. He picked up the strawberry smoothie he had neglected because he was so busy telling his story, and now that he was done with this interview ‘work’ he left with a spring in his step to his stage ‘playground.’