[TRANS] TEEN TOP on Odina (Japan) Vol. 7 December 2011!

Read the translations of their part on the said Japanese magazine!

Odina magazine vol. 7 December 2011

TEEN TOP

They love their girlfriend, but they’re also in love with a noona…

Are older fans powerless against the special cuteness of these younger boys?

Teen Top

Debuted in July 2010 with the single album “Come Into the World.” At that time, their average age was 16.3. For noona fans, “falling for them is like (committing) a crime,” so they’re called “handcuff-dols.” With the producer of Justin Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl,” Shin Hyuk, producing their single “Supa Luv” which was released in January of this year, not only their looks but also the high level of their musicianship has gotten notice.

Official Japanese fan club: http://teentop.jp

NIEL

Born August 16, 1994. 177cm, Leo, blood type A

With the looks of somebody from another country and the real name of “Ahn Daniel,” he’s often been mistaken for a foreigner, but he says flat-out “I’m Korean!” His distinctive feature is that he talks the most in the group and despite the other members’ annoyance, speaks rapidly and all at once. “But even though I talk a lot, I surprisingly don’t have much aegyo.” He likes the scent of soap or flowers more than perfume. “I want fans to definitely use shampoo with those kind of scents!”

RICKY

Born February 27, 1995. 172cm, Pisces, blood type AB

Worthy of being called his stage name “Lovely Ricky,” he’s always brimming with aegyo. He shares a room with Niel at the dorm. He’s concerned because due to Niel’s influence, he’s recently become a blabbermouth too. The older members say that “whenever he has any trouble, he does aegyo at us and in the end everything goes the way he wants. he’s secretly the leader (laughs).” He can make rejoinders, too. He’s currently 16 in Japanese age. When he says “I hate all green vegetables,” it’s too cute to comment on.

C.A.P.

Born November 4, 1992. 178cm, Scorpio, blood type O

The group leader. He’s the charisma rapper, but when he comes off stage he never gets mad even when the younger members make fun of him, he’s a gentle and smiling big brother. In the dorm, he has the only single room, because he’s the leader(?). He has a delicate side: “my personality is that I can’t sleep when there’s somebody next to me.” When we asked what kind of scent he likes girls to wear, he said “I have a scent that I like but I can’t explain it. When I pass a girl on the street and that scent comes to me, without thinking I start wondering if I should say something.”

CHANGJO

Born November 16, 1995. 177cm, Scorpio, blood type B

He’s the group’s maknae, but his height and how clearly he says what he thinks are things where you can’t see him as the youngest. As well as dance, he’s loved physical exercise since he was little, saying “if I hadn’t become an idol, I wanted to become a bodyguard.” He often uses perfume, saying “for the one I use, I like a slightly sweet scent. I’d like a girl to use a fresh scent. But I bet that even if girls don’t use perfume, somehow they smell good” (laughs)

CHUNJI

Born October 5, 1993. 173cm, Libra, blood type B

He looks cool at first glance, but he’s the most sociable and has a cheerful personality, able to make friends with anybody quickly. According to the other members, “his cheerfulness goes overboard, he’s almost always fussing about something. but because he’s always smiling brightly, when you see that smile you can’t hate him.” From the fact that “he loves himself a lot” and combining his real name Chanhee and the word narcissism, they call it “Chanhee-sism”** He likes fresh and sweet smells. “Not too much, I like a gently wafting scent.”

(**translator’s comment: not sure how this might be combined in Korean, in Japanese they wrote it チャルシズム charusism, because ナルシズム [narushizumu] is narcissism in Japanese…)

L.JOE

Born November 23, 1993. 171cm, Sagittarius, blood type A

His real name is actually Lee Byunghun. The other members say “just by his name, he’s a Hallyuu star.” He studied abroad in America for five years beginning when he was 12, returning to Korea to undertake an audition. After passing on the first try, he became a member of the group. He has a calm personality and doesn’t talk much, but surprisingly, he is a skinship devil. During the shoot we witnessed scenes of him cuddling up with Ricky again and again. “I don’t have any particular preference for girls’ scent. But when I say that I don’t mean I’m some kind of pervert who likes the smell of sweat” (laughs)

Debuting in July of last year, the six-member group Teen Top. Their average age is 17.3. With “No More Perfume on You,” which went on sale in July of this year, they got a great response by singing about the feelings of a guy who’s enjoying a thrilling love affair with both a girlfriend and a “noona.” Saying “don’t put on perfume, we can’t let my girlfriend find out,” they transformed themselves not into “bad guys” but into “bad little brothers,” stirring up the hearts of their noona fans. Let’s catch the real nature of these 6 boys who are truly “one step away from adulthood”!

» What was your impression of “No More Perfume on You” the first time you listened to it?

Niel: This song is really a guy’s “romance”! I think no matter who, any guy has dreamed at least once about wavering between two girls. I sang it taking on board the lyrics by imagining that it was truly myself who was cheating.

C.A.P.: I thought “these lyrics were childish, aren’t they.”

Ricky: Me too!

» Which part did you think was childish?

Ricky: The part in the lyrics where it says “don’t put on glitter” - that’s particularly childish (laughs)

C.A.P.: “Don’t put on glitter, I can’t get it on my clothes” - when you say that, it seems like a childish guy, doesn’t it.

Changjo: I also thought it was childish, but after listening to it again and again, the lyrics became fun and I was able to laugh at them. On stage, it’ll be good if we can appeal not only with cuteness, but also with masculinity.

» Your facial expressions when singing on stage are really cool!

C.A.P.: We focused on facial expressions this time around. In order to portray a loose guy, we stood in front of a mirror for more than two hours a day every day working on our facial expressions.

Niel: While nothing but “No More Perfume on You” was playing on repeat in the practise room, all of us practised intoxicating facial expressions.

C.A.P.: L.Joe played (the role) the best.

L.Joe: I modelled myself on my Big Bang sunbaes. They have this just slightly arrogant facial expression when they’re singing, do you know what I mean?

Ricky: Please demonstrate what this expression is right here and now (laughs)

L.Joe: If you watch us on stage, you’ll understand (laughs)

» What was the reaction around you from those who saw “No More Perfume on You” on stage?

Chunji: (while looking at Changjo) We were asked “is there a new member?” over and over again (laughs)

Changjo: I always wore sunglasses for our previous song, “Supa Luv.” This time when I took off the sunglasses, nobody was aware that it was me…. When they said “Huh? Where did Changjo go?”, I cried (laughs)

» Have you had the experience of getting flustered by a noona in real life?

Niel: During the filming of our music video, when I saw the actress Park Siyeon, my heart was pounding.

C.A.P.: Really? Unlike Niel, I was was working so hard on immersing myself in the shoot, I didn’t get flustered at all (laughs)

Niel: Hey, I was working hard too!!

Chunji: I feel my heart beating when our stylist noonas and agency noonas do so many things to look after us. But more than a feeling of my heart racing, it’s like a thankful feeling.

Changjo: When we see our sunbaes perform on stage, they’re so cool that my heart starts pounding.

L.Joe: When you say sunbaes, for example, who?

Changjo: Uhm… that’s a pretty hard question. For example, perhaps Insooni sunbae (laughs)

»What’s the difference between a “noona” and an “ajumma”?

L.Joe: If you can see grey hairs, they’re an ajumma (laughs)

Niel: I think if you’re married, you’re an ajumma, and if you ought to get married, you’re a noona. It has nothing to do with age!

Changjo: The older you get, the stronger the smell of perfume gets. Don’t you think?

Niel: Eh? Is that true? I don’t know about that kind of stuff (laughs)

Changjo: No, I don’t mean like you try to smell it, it just that it naturally comes to your nose. You could say that the scent of perfume is the point but…

Chunji: Wow, Changjo, you’re amazing! Why do you know this? (laughs)

On stage, they may be completely in “bad little brother” mode, but the six we met at the studio that day were shyly cute young boys. At first they seemed nervous, not really making any eye contact and not touching the snacks which were lined up in front of them, but after the first one took a snack, the other members looked relieved and began to eat as well, and at once they switched over to carefree mode. Making little rejoinders to each other’s answers, it was a cute and enjoyable interview.

» When you guys are together, what kind of things do you usually talk about?

C.A.P.: “I miss my mom,” that kind of stuff (laughs)

L.Joe: We do a postmortem on the stage performance (laughs)

» You don’t talk about girls?

Changjo: Rather than talking about girls, we’re a group who hits each other a lot

Ricky: He means that instead of conversation, we communicate via physical contact (laughs)

Changjo: Because we’re guys, we battle on game consoles, we wrestle, do rock-paper-scissors and penalty games, we have fun doing that kind of stuff

Ricky: We do rock-paper-scissors a lot, don’t we.

CAP: The order for who takes a shower at the dorm, who’s in charge of cleaning what, things that have to be done on that particular day, every day every day we decide by rock-paper-scissors.

Niel: Ah, but when he says it that way, it doesn’t mean that we clean every day (laughs)

C.A.P.: Various things are left to our own conscience, like we keep our own rooms clean, and then once a week we do major cleaning, and then we do rock-paper-scissors to decide who’ll take out the trash, who’ll wash the dishes and so on.

» If you were to say “this kind of girl would suit this member”, what would you say?

C.A.P.: For Chunji, somebody lively! Somebody on the short side would be good. And with eyes like shoe-buttons!

Chunji: Isn’t that just describing me (laughs)

C.A.P.: Somebody with a similar character is good, isn’t it. Then you’ll understand what we have to put up with with you (laughs)

Chunji: Because I talk a lot, I prefer somebody quiet. My dream is to go to an amusement park together. I recommend a noona about 5 years older for Ricky. Because he doesn’t have good judgment, he needs a kind noona who’ll take good care of him.

C.A.P.: While you’re at it, it would be nice if you could change his diapers too (laughs)

Ricky: Even if it’s a noona, I’d like a noona who looks cute with an “apple” hairstyle! I want to go to a cafe together and hold hands. I always dream about just that thing alone.

Chunji: That’s enough talk about your dream, Ricky; please think about what girlfriend you’d recommend for Changjo (laughs)

Ricky: Changjo also doesn’t have good judgment, so a noona is good. Somebody older but the type who’s like a friend and comfortable to be with would suit him, I think.

Changjo: Perfect answer! I want to be taken care of by a noona with aegyo. Okay, let me think about a girlfriend I can recommend for Niel hyung. I definitely want Niel hyung to go out with a blabbermouth who talks all the time.

Niel: Eh? Why?

L.Joe: Because then you’ll definitely come to understand how tiring it is for the other members when they have to be with you.

Chunji: You’ll say “ah, it’s really rough being with somebody who talks all the time like I do” (laughs)

Niel: I talk a lot with the other members, but I can’t talk easily with girls. Somebody who can understand a person who’s as clumsy as I am and who has aegyo would be good. For L.Joe hyung, hmm… a manipulative type?

L.Joe: For me, a girl who seems cute when you see her is good. I don’t have a clearly defined ideal type, but I like girls who are full of cuteness when they’re just in their everyday casual mode. For C.A.P. hyung, first and foremost, their skin has to be dark! And a cat type! (**I think he means independent) C.A.P. hyung likes unique people, right?

C.A.P.: That’s right. In both looks and personality, I’m really attracted to people who have their own unique qualities.

L.Joe: For example, would you say something like Niel’s really full lips are a unique quality?

C.A.P.: A unique quality, sure. But I hate Niel (laughs)

» November 21st marked the 500th day since your debut. When you compare yourselves now to when you debuted, what do you think has changed?

Niel: Previously I gave my all just to the dance, but now I look into the camera and I’m able to respond to the fans’ cheers.

Changjo: People around have said that we’ve become more relaxed on the stage.

C.A.P.: Our teamwork has gotten better as well as our individual skills improving.

Changjo: Personally, I think my singing ability has improved, but what do you guys think?

Ricky: I’m still not satisfied with myself, but I’ve gotten more confident.

Chunji: In the past, I would be nervous while performing, thinking “what move comes next?”, but now I think I’m able to enjoy myself while on stage.

Niel: My facial expression has changed a lot. Up to our second release, I danced without any expression, but for “No More Perfume on You” I smile a lot.

L.Joe: I’ve learned how to make my face look its best on camera; this is the proof of my progress (laughs)

» Among you, who has become the most like a star?

Niel: That’s definitely me (laughs)

Everybody: There’s no mistake (laughs)

» What’s become star-like about Niel?

Ricky: When we were trainees, he seemed just like a neighbourhood kid, but how he looks on camera has improved.

Niel: Because I was younger then than I am now, my facial structure wasn’t as defined yet!

L.Joe: You’re still pretty young now (laughs)

Niel: When I grow up more, I’ll look better so please look forward to it. After me, the most changed is L.Joe hyung.

Ricky: L.Joe hyung really didn’t look so good when he had black hair. He was just so-so (laughs). But now that his hair is dyed he really looks like a star.

Changjo: He’s gotten really good-looking lately, huh. When we’re doing activities together, there are times when you inadvertently get this look on your face like “wow-! he’s so cool!”

» Next, among the members, who do you think has improved the most?

Niel: Ricky. He originally studied acting, so when we debuted he wasn’t so good at dance or singing (laughs). At first I thought “although this kid has a cute face, he’s not any good at singing or dancing,” but now he’s really improved! Though Changjo is Teen Top’s dance leader, (Ricky)’s gotten so skilled he can’t be beaten.

Ricky: This is something I wouldn’t be able to hear if it wasn’t a situation like this. I’m so happy!

Changjo: Speaking as the dance leader, I want to do even more captivating performances together with Ricky.

Chunji: Even as each of us develops our own skills, we also have to improve as a group.

C.A.P.: I want us to keep challenging ourselves with new genres of music. I want to become a Teen Top that is continually transforming, so our fans don’t get tired of us.

Following the Good Friends Charity Premium Concert 2011 held on November 20th at Yokohama Arena, where Teen Top performed alongside F.T.Island and BEAST,

the Teen Top Talk & Live will be held at Shibuya AX on December 19th and 20th. As their Japan activities will become more frequent, don’t forget to check out the latest news!

Translated by spacedollies@6teensontop - babyspaceangels@tumblr