[INTERVIEW] Ballad group 2AM - Pt. 2

<#10LOGO#> You went on a vacation in over three years before releasing this album. Did you have a good time?
Jo Kwon: Before going on a vacation, I had planned to think about my future and write about different things, but I had a blank sheet of paper when I landed there. But I liked it that way. I felt like I was able to completely forget about everything that I had bothered me. It's important to have a time like this.
Seulong: The latest hiatus was really valuable to me too. It was a period for me to go through my thoughts. I think I was able to express just the right emotions that I wanted to show while singing this album's tracks: Emotions that you try to hold back in respect for your loved ones. As you get older, it's harder to make a big deal about things. cry over it and be sad. Year by year, I get to think more, give up certain things and become more patient. I feel that I'm able to express all those things better now.

<#10LOGO#> What are some things that you had to give up or sacrifice?
Seulong: I think I gave away all the bad qualities I had. Being approved by other people means everything about me, including my personalities, needs to be accepted by those people. I have to be in a proper state of mind when I'm singing or saying something on TV, to make the audience see that I'm a good person. That is why I want to be more mature.

"I want to pursue my career step by step."

2AM's Seulong [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Seulong, " I want to be more mature."

<#10LOGO#> Speaking of becoming mature, Changmin, you released a song you wrote, "I Love You, I Love You." What was like when the other members sang it?
Seulong: It's such a 'Changmin' song. It also looks like Changmin (laugh). The lines in the ad-lib and the beat is just like him.
Changmin: "I Love You, I Love You" is a song that is meant to be sung by 2AM. I had divided the parts in my head, thinking who gets to sing which parts, who sings the climax and chorus. When people who don't know us direct our recordings, they have to check the members' style and the vocal range but we didn't have to worry about any of that. I just said, "Go inside and you sing this part and sing it this way." And I was also able to figure out the highest point where the members were able to sing their best.

<#10LOGO#> Changmin, I felt that as a vocalist you were able to control the volume for your voice. You were able to adjust your voice in that the listener could get this dramatic feeling in the parts where you climb up the scales.
Changmin: I feel that I was able to show a lot of techniques that I've practiced, because the song "I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me" is not a song where you have to restrain yourself. And no matter how much difficult the song is, I have the ability to show that I'm not having a difficult time (laugh) It has a way of helping to express the sadness.

<#10LOGO#> Changmin, what are some of the things that you felt from starting out as a vocalist to writing songs?
Changmin: I want to pursue my career step by step. For me, composing songs is something that I started late in my age. (laugh) It is because I'm just learning about harmony and piano while other people begin studying when they're teenagers. I feel it is something to see in a long term, because to those people, I'm just a person who can't play the piano and I just started working on it. While in the process of learning, I just want to be liked for a long time with my music.

<#10LOGO#> At a certain point, members in an idol group figure out their paths while pursuing solo activities. At the same time, it gives them a lot more time to think about their lives.
Jo Kwon: I just get a headache whenever I think about releasing a solo album. It is something that I can't ignore because I have received a favorable response from the public with a perky character. It will be weird for someone cheerful to come out in a cool manner or appear even brighter all of a sudden. And I don't think it's right to pursue a solo career with a sad ballad song just because I'm from the ballad group, 2AM. What am I supposed to do? (laugh) I just plan on doing it naturally. I feel that I don't have to erase my prior images and it's no use in trying to pull off a cool image. I will just have to find that balance point.

<#10LOGO#> So, how do you see yourself ten years from now?
Jo Kwon: I think that from my funny image, in 10 years (laugh) I will be a lot cooler and maybe I will be working in both music and acting, just like Uhm Jung-hwa. I had so much fun working on a sitcom. I think it was fun because there were many different areas where I felt that I was doing a good job. I also became greedy in acting.

"Instead of thinking about what I will be doing 10 years from now, I just wish that I can always have a peace of mind."

2AM's Jinwoon [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Jinwoon, "I want to be the legend in music history."

<#10LOGO#> Jinwoon, you mentioned on a program that you wanted to become a legend? (laugh)
Jinwoon: I want to do music till the day I die. I'll still be working in this business even after ten years from now (laugh). And I hope I could be the legend in K-pop's history, with my singing becoming the bible of all ballad songs. I want to be that artist that people recommend their friends to listen to. That is how my name will stay with them.
Changmin: I think the kind of legend that he wants to be is not like The Beatles but just like Will Smith in the movie "I am Legend." (laugh)
Jinwoon: I don't think that will be too bad either. (laugh)
Seulong: I know that Jinwoon will be a legend, either it's done legal or illegal (laugh). He's really proud because the color of his music is so clear. I just thought he was immature like a little kid but he is able to express what he wants to do.
Jo Kwon: I never thought of Jinwoon as someone who had those kind of emotions. I felt like overwhelming lonely feeling when I heard his song "Walking Towards Me" and I think he succeed in being able to deliver that feeling through the song.
Jinwoon: Thank you. (laugh)
Seulong: Jinwoon's head has gotten too big to the point where I can talk to him (laugh) It's good that way.
Changmin: It's all your doing. (laugh)
Jinwoon: Look who's blaming who. I was the one who shared a room with for three years. (laugh)
Changmin: I brought him up for four years since he was 18. (laugh)

<#10LOGO#> Changmin, how do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Changmin: I wanted to become like singer Kim Gun-mo and I still want to follow in his footstep in the music aspect. However, nowadays, I feel like I want to be more like singer Yoon Jong-shin. It's because Yoon has this comfortable presence with the public while producing music at the same time. He has this image like an older brother, who is always around and he doesn't cause big problems. He's does a great job on variety programs and he's very homely too.

<#10LOGO#> I think that is the hardest path. (laugh)
Changmin: It is very hard. I don't have to be on entertainment programs, I just want to solidify my position in music and live my life managing my career as a regular musician. Instead of all the fuss, I just want to live comfortably just writing songs and have a family.
Seulong: I'm sure I will continue working in music as well. I also want to act. Instead of thinking about what I will be doing now, I just wish for some time to relax. Because if you had that time, it wouldn't matter if you succeed, fail or falter. It's not the kind of time that you get by resting it's the kind where you have time to reorganize your thoughts. It is when you become your own man.

<#10LOGO#> Do you feel that you have that kind of time?
Seulong: I can say that I feel somewhat secure right now. (laugh) I don't think that we can be completely honest because we are people that perform in front of the audience. In that sense, we are faced with some limitation and on the other hand we can have a different kind of freedom compared to other people. I think I'm doing a pretty good job in that aspect. I don't think I will be hurt even if I face problems later. That's the confidence I have, I guess.
Changmin: If you have the confidence that Seulong has, you'll be able to put down everything that is not necessarily needed in life. I won't be nervous about the evaluations about the album or thoughts like if I'd be a barrier in the group's career. But when I'm confident about things I do, I won't be thinking about such things. I hope I could have the confidence that he has.

<#10LOGO#> Do you think you're near there? Having that confidence?
Changmin: I think it's like that right now. (laugh) Till now, we just kept moving forward. Right now is the point where we could decide to go on with 2AM's traditional image, or jump into a different style of music that could disappoint people and lose everything we've gained over the years. I think that is why we have that peace of mind with us. The biggest thing that we need now is our peace of mind rather than the response from other people. That is my thought. Just like how it is now. I'm satisfied with the love that we're getting from our fans (laugh).

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10 아시아 Editor in Chief : Kang Myeong-Seok two@
10 아시아 Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@
10 아시아 Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@
10 아시아 Editor : Jang Kyung-Jin three@