[INTERVIEW] Project group M&D - Part 2

Project group M&D members Jungmo (TRAX) and Heechul (Super Junior) [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

<#10LOGO#> You probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to write such lyrics if it wasn't for M&D.
Heechul: I tried writing lyrics as a member of Super Junior as well but of course they never got the green light because this is the stuff I write. (laugh) I mean, we were new and idols but I was saying I'll date another woman since I've broken up with you. (laugh) That's why I became less interested in music as Super Junior. But Mr. Lee said it's great that I'm doing M&D and that the agency is very thankful that I discovered new talent within myself so when I told him I want to do this again next year, he said Jungmo and I should join forces.

<#10LOGO#> Jungmo, I think you too would have a different attitude from when you did music as a member of TRAX.
Jungmo: TRAX really thinks of a lot of things when we make our music. Things like the season or trends. But as M&D, I really make whatever I want to. I actually uneasy as TRAX even when we ranked 12th or 13th on music charts. "Why can't we enter the top ten..." But as M&D, we send each other text messages every morning saying things like, "We're No. 400."
Heechul: We're seeing no profits. Our song... is a failure. (laugh)

<#10LOGO#> It must feel like you're a venture or indie band within SM.
Heechul: We're going to keep this group together. It's a lot of fun, even if we're not successful.Jungmo: Singers are supposed to have a hard time if they release an album and they're 400th on the chart but that's not the case at all for us.
Heechul: If we have weaknesses, we don't speak of them. Instead we say, who cares if we're No. 400! We'll do well with something else! (laugh) I don't know how people on the outside view us but our agency actually gives us a lot of freedom. We've mentioned of things that SM doesn't let us do but that was just for fun since we were on an entertainment show. Things only go as far as them recommending what everyone should depending on what they might do best.

<#10LOGO#> Is that why "Close Ur Mouth" in such a format? You mixed a lot of metal and electronica for the sound while the melody itself is very simple. In a way it seems like you figured out how far you want to go in terms of doing music that you want versus doing music that the public wants.
Jungmo: Because what the public pays the most attention to is the melody and I too think the melody is important. I think songs like "Close Ur Mouth" is of my style instead of it being calculated.
Heechul: It has to be easy for me to sing. (laugh)

<#10LOGO#> What are you like when you're recording Heechul? It seems like your voice is originally a bit coarse, it sounded so on "20's Choice" as well but your voice sounded extremely thin on the recorded album.
Jungmo: Heechul actually gets recording fright. That's why he can't show even half of his singing capabilties. He's actually better when we go to a karaoke bar.
Jungmo: Heechul's voice turns into that of an ant the moment he goes into the recording studio. I usually can't speak half as much as I do when I go on entertainment shows but become very confident when I walk into a recording studio. But when Heechul steps into a recording studio, [shoulders shrink together and in small voice] "Shall we give it a shot?"
Heechul: It's the time I'll be on my best behavior. (laugh) I actually have little confidence when it comes to singing.
Jungmo: When I call him after a recording, the first thing he says is, "Yes? Why why, is something wrong?" But Heechul is more confident than anyone on stage so I too would like to show us perform live more.

<#10LOGO#> Well it seems like you're the one who knows best of the advantage to Heechul's voice.
Heechul: He'll do the best in bringing it out. Honestly, we made a good match. We're both not that greedy either.
Jungmo: I became close with Heechul because of music and I love watching him sing. It's not affected. He just does what he wants to and that is what looks natural. I'd been a guitarist since I was in middle school so I like watching vocalists because I'd change depending on what sort of vocalist I meet. I have fun because Heechul shows a side to him that's different from how he is as a member of Super Junior. It feels like I discovered that side to him. I mean, to start with, the look his eyes give off changes.

Project group M&D member Jungmo [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

<#10LOGO#> What difference is there for you Heechul between going on stage as a member of M&D and as a member of Super Junior?
Heechul: I once said this -- that I'd given up on any dreams I had in regards to music while a member of Super Junior. I love Super Junior. But I didn't really like going on stage as Super Junior. It's impossible to make music that each member of our group, exceeding ten members, all like and the songs were all difficult for me to sing. I was also given parts through which I wouldn't be able to prove anything musically. And I gave up on any desires I had regarding music after I sang out of tune for "U" a long time ago. But we'd just sing away when Jungmo appeared out of nowhere with an acoustic guitar. And I came to want things in regards to music as a member of M&D because there was a lot I could do. I love acting and appearing on entertainment shows. Now I love doing music as well.

<#10LOGO#> I think M&D shows your personalities very well too. And at the "20's Choice," you were black Heechul although you're the idol star and you Jungmo were white although you're the rocker.
Heechul: I think that the effort I had put in to make a debut is finally paying off, six years after my debut. I was criticized a lot when I first appeared on shows such as "X Men." But I think people gradually came to accept who I am. That I'm who I am but that I don't make any big mistakes or anything.

<#10LOGO#> There may be controversy over what you do but I think you do a good job of making sure its something that won't get criticized for.
Heechul: Yes. Even if it may be the smallest things, I think I'm as good as anyone else at obiding by the law and having basic manners.

<#10LOGO#> I remember you saying that you'll do what you want to do yet make sure it won't bother others. That would usually apply to someone who's a model student or someone who couldn't care less about how he lives his life. (laugh)
Heechul: I really don't listen to what others tell me to do. I used to surf the web a lot before I made a debut and because I'm only human, my perception got lopsided. When a fan compliments me for something on our fan site, I'd think, "So should I do this?" and when someone critized me for something on an anti-cafe site, I'd cower thinking, "Did I really make this mistake?" So I decided it's better that I don't look at the Internet at all. Even if I listened to one fan, another fan might be unhappy about something else so if that's going to be the case, I think it's best that I do what I want to do as long as I don't do anything wrong.

<#10LOGO#> Do you think that's why your agency has been easier on you than on other idols? You were free to use your mini-hompy [of social networking service Cyworld] even before you made your debut.
Heechul: I didn't start out as an idol singer at our agency. I used to listen to a lot of Skid Row because I liked rock music. But my trainers recommended I sing ballads because they thought it would be nice if I sing pretty songs to which I said no, saying I like rock music and stopped going to our agency. And other agencies would've said, "Why won't he listen to us. Fire him" but Mr. Lee Soo-man said, "That's his personality and his individuality. You need to give kids like him freedom and then they'll find the way they want to go. If you're going to cage him in, do so with a very big cage."

<#10LOGO#> He had insight. (laugh)
Heechul: That's why I'm the same person from before and after I made my debut. I had always thought of my group being the idol group, not myself as the idol singer. But of course, I shouldn't harm my team's reputation in any way. There may be times that I talk rough on Twitter and of those things I've written, I may be at fault with some if you consider the fact that I'm a celebrity. But if you asked if what I've done is so wrong that I should be shunned for it, I would say no, which is why I say the things I do.

<#10LOGO#> Hence although your nickname may be 'the universe's big star' (laugh) I don't think you necessarily really want to become such a huge star. It rather sounds like you saying that you'll do what you want to do but give you agency part of what you make. (laugh)
Heechul: That's exactly what it is. That nickname is really just for show and if I really wanted to become my nickname, then I would've told my agency that I want to expand my career overseas or make a movie. But that's not the case. I guess you could say that I'm an imperfect being. It's not like I've managed to stand out with my acting career.

<#10LOGO#> It's strange how you nor your company doesn't try harder to make yourself do something more actively. I can't figure out what it is that you want from each other. (laugh)
Heechul: That's the reason I've decided to stay at this agency for a long time (laugh) -- they don't force you excessively to do something. If I shot several dozens of comercials and made billions off of it, it would be good for the company and make my wallet fat. But I think I need to do what I want to do. Having a lot of money is important to being happy but if you've made a certain amount of money, I think living with freedom within that limit will make you happier. You don't have to become more successful than others. If someone works hard and makes more money than I do, I would applaud that person, not wonder why I can't make more. I don't feel inferior nor superior to others. I've been Kim Heechul since I was born so rather than becoming a global star, I'd like to become the best me.

<#10LOGO#> Your goal for when you are in your twenties must've been to live life the way you want to.
Heechul: It was. My fans might want to see me as an actor by working hard on my acting and see me as a singer on stage. But I'll never be able to do that. I'll work when I have to but I'll also play when I have to. That's why I'm both grateful and sorry to my fans. I can't do everytihng they ask me to but they still like me.

<#10LOGO#> Jungmo, you're probably doing what you want to as well by pursuing your activities as M&D but I think you must be on a path that's different from Heechul's.
Jungmo: One of my mottos is for me to become the best sub before becoming the main. I think it's better to become the best sub that'll help a team become No. 1 rather than be the core to the team that'll be No. 2. I had never been No. 1 with my studies in school nor had I ever thought I want to be.

<#10LOGO#> Is that why you try to play the keyboard, guitar and drums all by yourself? (laugh)
Jungmo: Well it's possible for people to see me as someone who is Heechul's chorus because he does all the singing and I'm standing in the back. But I think I've done my part if I fulfil my role as sub to make M&D seem better. It's the same with the guitar. I'm the main guitar man in TRAX so I could always get a bit more greedy and make my guitar sound louder than the others. But I'll only think that's the right thing to do if after research, I find out that it'll bring out the song's melody more because people don't listen to music just to listen to the sound of my guitar.

<#10LOGO#> I think that shows in "Close Ur Mouth" -- the melody is very simple and easy yet you packed all sorts of sounds into the tune.
Jung: It's the song of a greedy man because it contains everything I want it to be.

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Editor in Chief : Kang Myeong-Seok two@
Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Lee Ji-Hye seven@