To the TOP of the TEENZ!
Waiting for the December concerts in Japan, closing in on Teen Top’s appeal
Debuting in July 2010 with “Clap,” the six-member boys group TEEN TOP are all teenagers, but the masculine charisma of their performances has catapulted them to fame. The fact that they were produced by Shinhwa’s Andy was also a hot topic. Released at the end of July this year, “No More Perfume on You” was a complete contrast to previous songs, taking full advantage of their younger-boys’ appeal without any restraint, and the number of their noona fans has shot up! Prior to their concerts at Shibuya AX on December 19th and 20th, we wanted to take a peek at their real selves through this interview.
Mini-Interview: C.A.P.
» On September 19th of last year, you performed “Soul Mate” with Song Seung-heon on the music talk show “Kim Jung-eun’s Chocolate.” How was it?
C.A.P.: I was really nervous and made some mistakes, but it was a great experience. If we could do a concert together, I think I could show a cooler performance than before.
» As the sole member of the group who’s in his 20’s (in Korean age), what about you is cuter than the other members?
C.A.P.: When I’m doing aegyo at the other members (laughs)
» Say one thing to the other members as the leader!
C.A.P.: Everybody is working quite hard now, so let’s continue to do our best from here on, let’s all “fight” together!
Mini-Interview: NIEL
» Your real name is “Ahn Daniel,” so there must be many times that people have thought you might be a foreigner.
Niel: That’s true. There are people who’ve thought I was a foreigner because of my name, but even more than that, I’ve been mistaken for a foreigner many times because of my looks (laughs)
» You’re active now as the main vocalist (in the group), but if you were to put out a solo album, what style of album would you want to do?
Niel: A song like Taeyang sunbae’s “Wedding Dress” would be nice.
» You were a child actor in the past, so do you have any plans to do acting again in the future?
Niel: I really wanted to do both acting and singing, but right now I want to show a better form as part of Teen Top. If there’s an opportunity, I definitely plan to try acting again as well.
Mini-Interview: L.JOE
» We’ve heard that you’re the member who talks in their sleep the most. Do you have any other stories related to your restless sleeping that were surprising even to you?
L.Joe: My secret’s out, huh. There was one time that I fell asleep in my room, but when I woke up, I was in the living room (laughs)
» You were sent to study overseas in California for five years from age 12, and I think there are cultural differences between America and Korea. What was difficult for you about studying overseas?
L.Joe: The most difficult thing was adjusting to the food. Being unable to eat kimchi with my meals made being in America feel more awful to me.
» In the Idol Track and Field event broadcast on September 13th, lots of fans were watching over you and your resolve to do your best in competition was really impressive. Is there a competition you’d like to try again?
L.Joe: The long jump. I tried my hardest, but I ended up falling in a kind of comical way. I want to try it again and this time I’ll definitely redeem myself!
Mini-Interview: RICKY
» Ricky, you performed as a younger Song Seung-heon in his PV for “Love Song,” and we heard that your special skill is acting. What area would you like to try in the future, musicals, dramas, movies?
Ricky: I feel like the emotional impact you get from a movie is greater than other genres, so I’d like to try acting in movies.
» Are you the type who exercises a lot? Are there sports you like?
Ricky: I like working up a sweat, so I exercise a lot. I like sports where a lot of people can play together, like soccer.
» Unlike your charismatic appearance on stage, your cute smile is really memorable. Which is your real personality?
Ricky: I’m always cheerful and positive. If you just laugh, good things will come to you! ^^
Mini-Interview: CHANGJO
» Is there anything difficult about being the youngest member?
Changjo: If anything, I’m like a hyung~ Among the members, rather than hyung and dongsaeng, it feels like friends, so there’s nothing particularly difficult about being the maknae.
» We heard you give a lot of fan service, so what kind of fan service are you going to do for people at the December events in Japan?
Changjo: I often make heart-shapes with my hands, but please wait and look forward to the December events when we can meet~
» We heard that you love dancing and you also plan out choreography yourself. We’re curious which Teen Top songs you’ve done choreography for.
Changjo: I arranged all the choreography for the song “Let’s Dance” which is on our first single. As our schedule was busy, I wasn’t able to finish it up to my satisfaction, but I’ve adjusted it little by little and now it’s complete. I definitely want to perform it at a concert some day.
Mini-Interview: CHUNJI
» You performed with Park Si-yeon in the PV for “No More Perfume on You” and acted as somebody who’s cheating with an older woman, do you have any stories which you remember from when you were filming?
Chunji: I was so shy I couldn’t make eye contact with Park Si-yeon sunbae and the whole time I was acting I was looking at some other place, so I think it was a little awkward. If I have another opportunity to try again I think I could do better!
» You’ll be taking the university entrance exams this year, what’s your goal for university life?
Chunji: I want to study more about singing, which is what I’m most confident in, so I am applying to the music faculty.
Main Interview
» Looking back on when you debuted, are there any incidents you remember?
L.Joe: Recently we mostly eat out, but before we debuted, sometimes we made food to eat at the dorm. But nobody knew how to or had really done any cooking before, so when somebody made something for the first time in ages, it tasted so bad we couldn’t eat it (laughs)
» What was most difficult for you when you were a trainee?
C.A.P.: At first it was hard because we were practising for the whole day, but as we members worked together side by side we got used to it and I think we had fun practising.
Niel: There were times that I worried and was troubled because in comparison to how much I was training, I wasn’t really improving.
Ricky: It was difficult to attend school while training.
L.Joe: When I was first learning how to dance, I couldn’t dance well, which was difficult.
Chunji: Like L.Joe, when I became a trainee was when I began learning dance, so when I couldn’t dance as well as the other members it was hard on me.
Changjo: Because my family lives in Chuncheon, when I was living in the dorm in Seoul there were times when I missed my family and friends.
» What was your first impression of the other members?
C.A.P.: When we first met in the practise room it was kind of clumsy, but after spending more than 10 hours together working up a sweat practising and then also being around the same age, we quickly became friends. Now we’re such good friends, to me we feel even closer than family.
» What’s the current rooming arrangement in the dorm?
Changjo: The way we do it is that C.A.P. hyung uses a room by himself, then Niel and Ricky have one room and Chunji, L.Joe and I have another room. The dorm is really boisterous (laughs)
» Who do you want to share a room with in the dorm?
C.A.P.: If there’s somebody next to me, I can’t sleep well. I have a room to myself now, and I’d like to keep it that way (laughs)
Niel: Everybody gets along, so anybody would be okay with me.
Ricky: I think it would be nice if all 6 of us were in the same room. We could mess around with each other more!
L.Joe: C.A.P. hyung. Since C.A.P. hyung likes being by himself, I could bother him (laughs)
Chunji: Since we spend the entire day together, I think it would be nice if we could at least be alone when we’re sleeping.
Changjo: Niel hyung. I’m a wimp, but if he were at my side I feel like I’d never get bored.
» On July 10 it was one year since your debut. You did music programs and events while promoting over this year, but what was the most memorable moment?
Niel: Of course the first day we appeared on TV and our first comeback stage were memorable, but the memory of having made a mistake really stays with me. When we were promoting “Supa Luv,” I made a mistake in the dance on a live TV broadcast and froze up for an instant. Even now, if I think about what happened then my face turns red.
» Is there a mistake you made in the past which you can laugh about now?
Ricky: I can’t quite laugh about it yet but… ^^; On August 20th, while we were performing at the “K-Pop All Star Live” in Niigata, my pants ripped. Despite that, I continued to give my all to the performance as though nothing had happened, but I think the audience who were up front must have been pretty shocked (laughs) After that I thought that I’d better check over my clothing thoroughly before I go up on stage.
» What do you think is the biggest draw of Teen Top which you alone, out of all the other Korean artists, possess?
C.A.P.: We have various charms we can highlight and we can perform different kinds of music.
Niel: All of the members have unique personalities as well as being capable!
Ricky: Though we’re still young, we’re like pros on stage, but also, because we’re still young I think we have a lot of potential.
Changjo: I think it’s our charisma on stage.
L.Joe: I think it’s that we’re a group of six people with different kinds of appeal, plus our ability despite our young age.
Chunji: We’re charismatic when we’re on stage, but at the same time, off-stage we’re approachable.
» You debuted at the same time as Infinite, so don’t you think of them as a rival idol group? It’s well-known that the two groups usually get along well, so what do you talk about when you meet up with Infinite members?
L.Joe: Since our promotion periods are similar, we often meet in the dressing rooms at TV stations, so we ask about how they’ve been doing lately and joke around together.
» Who is your role model as a singer?
C.A.P.: I look up to Eminem and Ludacris.
Niel: I want to be like Michael Jackson and meet many people around the world through my songs.
Ricky: Omarion.
L.Joe: I like rappers who gesture in a cool way and I look up to them.
Chunji: Chris Brown.
Changjo: Usher. Each of his hand motions are cool.
» For each of you, what is the one area in which you won’t let the other members beat you?
C.A.P.: I work hard so that the other members absolutely can’t top me in rap. L.Joe also has a different style.
Niel: Smiling. I can always smile. I’m a “smile man”~
Ricky: Determination!
L.Joe: Song-writing.
Chunji: Hmm. Being the power voice.
Changjo: Dance. I really love dancing.
» As you’re walking down the street, you see your ideal type. But suddenly you’re unable to talk! How can you appeal to the girl?
C.A.P.: I’d write her a message on a piece of paper and pass it to her.
Niel: I’d make a heart with my hands and get my feelings across that way.
Ricky: I’d use body language.
L.Joe: I’d silently hold out my cell phone to her.
Chunji: I’d wave at her.
Changjo: I’d write a message and show her.
» Not including your title songs you’ve performed, please tell us which of the songs you’ve done so far you like best and have grown fond of.
C.A.P.: “First Kiss.” It’s a rap song and I really like its mood.
Niel: I also like “First Kiss.” I like the lyrics and melody a lot.
Ricky: I like “The Backs of Our Hands Brush Together.” It’s the first time we performed a ballad song on a TV stage and the feeling was really nice.
L.Joe: As it’s Teen Top’s first rap song, I’ve grown really fond of “First Kiss.”
Chunji: “Brushing.” The lyrics are really nice.
Changjo: I also like “Brushing.” I like the sweet melody.
» What Japanese have you learned lately?
C.A.P.: I learned “愛してる” (ai shiteru - I love you). Since the members say it a lot, I learned it naturally.
Niel: For me it’s “一緒に踊りましょう” (issho ni odorimashou - let’s dance together) I learned it because I want to enjoy our performances with Japanese fans more.
Ricky: “デパートの横に郵便局があります？” (depaato no yoko ni yuubinkyoku ga arimasu? - is there a post office next to the department store?) I’m studying hard (laughs)
L.Joe: It’s “ai shiteru,” but fans often say it to us.
Chunji: “綺麗です!!” (kirei desu - [you’re] beautiful!!) I learned it because I want to say it to fans.
Changjo: “Ai shiteru.” While it’s simple, it’s a really wonderful phrase.
» Please introduce some Korean culture to Japanese fans (sight-seeing locale, traditional culture, food, etc.)
C.A.P.: I think it would be fun to sight-see by walking around looking for a delicious place to eat.
Niel: I recommend the Hangang boardwalk and the COEX aquarium.
Ricky: Namsan Tower, you can walk but you can also take a cable car up which has a great view.
L.Joe: Hangang! It’s a famous place because of the movie “Goemool, the Han River Monster” and it’s very pretty. Of course, there aren’t actually any monsters (laughs)
Chunji: The Japan Sea (East Sea). I want to go too, so let’s go together~
Changjo: The view is beautiful at Namsan Tower and it’s a place I like too.
» On December 19th and 20th, the “Talk and Live” event will be held in Japan.
C.A.P.: I’m really looking forward to being able to meet fans close-up and do a high-five with them. We want to meet fans at various other events after this too.
Niel: Thinking about meeting our fans makes my heart start pounding, but I want to give a cooler performance than we did last time at our previous (Japan) fan meeting.
» Please give a message to the readers of Kan Style.
C.A.P.: To all of the Japanese fans! We’re coming to see you soon, so please look forward to it.
Ricky: We’ll bring you a performance better than anything Teen Top has done before! I love you all~
Teen Top will hold concerts in Japan on December 19th and 20th at Shibuya AX. People who come on those days will be able to high-five all the members, so if there are any fans who’ve gotten into Teen Top thanks to this interview, be sure to check it out!
