[Magazine] 2PM Oricon Style Magazine: Interview #01

#01 Weekly 2PM
They've won many awards in Korea!! "Beastly Idols" shining with gorgeous physique make their first appearance in Oricon Style

Nice to meet you!! We're 2PM
Their interview series begins today!!

• In the midst of Korean artistes expanding into Japan one after another, our next guest is 2PM, who swept up the No. 1 spots in their home country.
• They've already become a hot topic through TV and other media, but what kind of group are they!?
• We shall dig deep for the answer through this series of interviews until their Japan debut in May!!
• For the first round, let's begin with a group interview and self-introductions.
• "We've never quarreled before! Because we believe a compromise can be reached as long as we talk about it."
• Incidents that occurred at their first live performance in Japan
• Baffled by the difference between Japan and Korea!?

--I watched your live performance at Ryogoku Kokugikan on 8 December last year. It was very powerful, and I was shocked by how you became one with the audience. What did you think of your first performance in Japan?
TAEC: It was fun, of course, but the members were quite nervous. There was a point when Junsu's leg actually started to hurt midway, so he couldn't move backstage.
JUNSU: What, do we have to talk about that? (wry smile)
TAEC: We covered for him on stage, so we managed to overcome that problem, but then Chansung's teeth started hurting. (laughs) Quite a few unexpected things happened.

--How was the Japanese audience?
JUNHO: Although it was our first performance in Japan, everyone brought the same penlights and waved them around. I was really touched that they unified to show their support for us.

--They all moved in sync too.
WOO: I was surprised, too.

--Including the live performance, are there any differences between Korean and Japanese fans?
CHAN: In Korea, fans would freely raise their voices, like screaming "Kya-" when the intro of their favourite song plays, or yelling the name of their favourite member when it's his turn to sing.
TAEC: With the Japanese audience, it felt like they were warmly watching over us. Like they're listening carefully, ears pricked and wondering, "What song will they sing next?" I thought it might be because, for many of them, it was the first time watching our performance live.

--After your debut in Japan was confirmed, what kind of preparations have you been making?
WOO: After our debut was confirmed, we immediately started studying Japanese in order to master the language as quickly as possible. Also, we figured it would be a good idea to learn about the culture too, so we're watching a lot of Japanese dramas.
TAEC: We've always appealed to people with our masculinity and manliness in Korea, but I think we'll show a completely different side of us in Japan.

--What, specifically, do you want to show us?
TAEC: In addition to our strong and powerful image on stage, we'd like to add a sense of closeness and familiarity to it. So that boys will watch our performances and think, "I want to be like them."

--But for your Ryogoku Kokugikan performance, you looked like superheroes who appeared at the end of the world, like a strong presence that came to rescue all the unhappy women in a devastated world.
ALL: (excitedly) Ohhh-! Thank you very much. (laughs)
KHUN: What extravagant praise!

Passion and energy describe 2PM
From now on they'll be dainty, sensitive beasts!?

--In Japan, it's said that the number of quiet, kind and somewhat gender-neutral "Soshokukei Danshi" (dainty, sensitive boys) are increasing. I wonder if that will cause a backlash and make a tough presence like yours unnecessary?
ALL: Hmmm.

--Manly physique aside, do you also have masculine thoughts, such as the wish to protect women?
ALL: (strongly) Of course!

--On the other hand, you also have the charming contrast of being shy and innocent when you speak, right?
KHUN: Thank you very much!
WOO: We're glad to hear you say that.

--Are you, perhaps, trying for that contrast instead? (laughs)
TAEC: Not at all! (laughs) Because it's very difficult to do that consciously.
KHUN: When we stand on stage, all of us are extremely focused, and giving a performance that matches the song is a basic stage requirement, so we'll always aim for a strong, powerful image, no matter what. But normally, our natural state is just like this.

--In that case, how would you describe 2PM?
JUNSU: First, passion. It'd be great if people could watch our energetic performances and have fun with us.
TAEC: I'd be most pleased if we can convey our energy to people.

--Just now, you said that you wanted to attract people with a sense of closeness and familiarity, but does that mean that in Japan, you will change the way you express yourselves in Korea?
TAEC: That won't happen. We are who we are.
JUNHO: Ah, Chansung says he has something. (laughs)
CHAN: Huh? (bewildered) Me? With regards to expression, I think it'll ultimately depend on the song. The image we want to show will differ according to the song. It's not that we're changing our Korean image; rather, we're doing a song that's different from the image we had before.

--Do you discuss what direction to take next amongst the 6 members?
WOO: The first important thing is to find out what our Japanese fans want. For example, we'd use the nicknames created by fans who've taken a liking to us. Right now, we want to listen to the opinions of people around us.

From a sexy role to the role of a fool
2PM's individual characters are also part of their charm

--Could each of you please tell us what you're good at musically and on stage?
KHUN: It's instruments for me. I like singing while playing the guitar. I want to show a different side of myself for my solo performance.
TAEC: I'm in charge of the rap, so I'm good at that. When I perform solo, I also play the piano, but I'm not very good at it. I want to become a little better, so I'll work hard. (laughs)
JUNSU: I do the vocals, so of course, I like songs. I've also done rap, as well as write and remix songs, so I hope people will watch these solo activities, too.
WOO: For me, it's not that I'm good at dancing, but more like I enjoy it. That's all. (laughs)
ALL: (laughs)
WOO: Ah, but I practised break dancing super hard, so I think I've gotten pretty good.
JUNHO: Acrobatic dance. I've always liked sports, so I practised really tough dances. There was a period when Taecyeon and Chansung gradually grew bigger and more toned by eating and exercising, while I threw myself into dance practices. I'll practise more, so I can perform fine, sharp acrobatics for everyone in Japan.
CHAN: Umm, for me, it's my concert performances.
JUNSU: He plays the sexy role. (laughs)
CHAN: (laughs) I also play the role of a fool in Taecyeon's place when he's absent.
JUNSU: Chansung's the youngest, so he's shy.

--Are there any stories of the 6 of you coming together to overcome something?
JUNSU: Stories! We'll never finish talking about those no matter how much time we've got!

--Then how about the times you supported each other when someone felt lonely in the dormitories?
WOO: Ahh, everyone would gather together to talk about various things during those times.

--I think all of you are on great terms, but what would happen if 6 of you get into a fight? Who do you think will win?
TAEC: The person who wants to win most will probably win. The person who strongly wishes for victory at that moment.
WOO: I think we're all strong in our own way.
JUNSU: But I don't want to imagine us fighting. (wry smile)

--Then who will win a verbal argument?
JUNHO: Basically, we've never quarreled before, because we believe a compromise can be reached as long as we talk about it. If there's something we have in mind, we'll make sure to speak up and convey it, so we've never had a fight before.
KHUN: The toughest period we had to go through since becoming 2PM was at the end of last year. For 3 weeks straight, we had recordings, shootings, and we could only sleep for 2 hours a day. Taecyeon and Wooyoung also appeared in a drama at the time.
WOO: That's right. We had to memorize lines too, so that was tough. (wry smile)
TAEC: But we overcame that period and things wound down. Then a busy period hit again - that's the cycle we go through.
CHAN: In any case, the toughest day was 2 years ago, on 31 December. The day we had to record the song "Tiktok" after the MBC programme ended, I think? I remember being really busy.
JUNHO: I intended to sleep in the studio basement, but somehow ended up in the dorms when I woke up. I don't even remember how I moved. (laughs)
JUNSU: Yeah, now that you mention it! (laughs uproariously)
CHAN: It felt like we really helped each other to overcome that period. And I remember being really happy when that song got no. 1 in the Korean rankings.

Source: Oricon Style Magazine
Translated by fantaisie @ Wild2Day.org