Yoon Sanha for The Star (2019 January issue)
You’re 20 now. Congratulations!
Thank you. But it still hasn’t hit me yet (haha).
Today was your first ever pictorial by yourself instead of with your group. How was it?
I was really worried honestly. Since I only shot for them as a group during promotions and this is my first time alone. Even when I was about to sleep yesterday I wondered a lot about what I could do.
I’m curious how you feel having turned 20.
I went around broadcasting that I’d be turning 20 a few months later. But now that I’m actually turning 20, it feels somewhat empty.
You had your shoot with <The Star> today but you also attended school, right? It must feel bittersweet.
It’s somewhere I go everyday but not being able to go there anymore in the future makes me feel a little unsettled.
It hasn’t been long but what has changed the most since turning 20?
My vibe has changed. Previously it was a teenage refreshingness but now you can sense an adult maturity (haha). I felt that something has changed when I was taking pictures.
What was it that you most wanted to to when you turned 20?
I wanted to try driving but I got my license right after turning 19 at the suggestion of my dad. Ah! We’d eat out with the staffs after wrapping up our concerts but I couldn’t enjoy them since I was underage. I’m definitely eating out with them this time.
There’re a lot of labels when it comes to ASTRO’s Yoon Sanha. self-radiating-dol, first love-dol, refreshing-dol, etc.. I think it’s because of your tall height topped off with nice visuals. Are you satisfied with your looks?
I’m thankful to my parents. Also we were the ones who came up with the labels (haha).
Which part of your looks do you have the most confidence in?
Nose. My mum has a pretty nose. I guess that’s why I like my nose the most whenever I look at my pictures.
Do you have any of your own secret methods to maintaining beauty?
I make sure to put on a facial mask before sleeping on days where I had my make-up done. I never touch my face. I had a lot of pimples when I was 18. I went to the dermatologist’s and received treatment but I think whatever it is, time’s medicine. It’ll get better when time passes, right? (haha)
You’re at an age where you’d have a lot of interest in your fashion style. What kind of style do you usually enjoy wearing?
Casual yet street, I like hip styles.
If you had to pick one best fashion item?
Coat! I think it compliments me.
Stamina is everything to an idol. Do have your own secret methods to maintaining health that you make time for and do?
I don’t do anything special. I make sure to eat what my parents give me, like vitamins and red ginseng (laughs).
You started your trainee life when you were little. It must’ve been hard so is there anything that you realised or learnt?
Being a trainee at a young age, loneliness was the hardest. And seeing the trainees who shared their start with me quit and leave made me really determined that I have to do well and overcome this period.
Promoting as an idol ever since you were young, is there anything you think you did a good job at or that you regret?
Joining fantagio and debuting as part of the group ASTRO is the best thing I’ve done.
Is there an instrument that you have confidence in playing? If there is then have you ever played it for anyone before?
Guitar! I often played for my family.
I’m curious who your role model is.
Paul Kim sunbae-nim. I really like his song compositions and self-written lyrics.
If there comes an opportunity for you to nurture another dream, what kind of job do you think you would choose?
All my family members do something related to music so I’ve had a lot of encounters with music ever since I was young. I probably would’ve pursued something in music even if I hadn’t become a singer.
If you could jump through time however you wish then what age from your past or future would you like to visit?
There’re too many painful memories from the past so not there. I want to go 10~15 years into the future, wouldn’t ASTRO have become a group that lasted through the times?
I’m curious what music style you like.
I like the acoustic genre. Calming music that can relay your feelings.
There must’ve been plenty of fun episodes amongst the ASTRO members whenever you work on your music, is there any that you remember?
We’re given guides before recording. The title for our 4th album was 'Baby'. I really liked it as soon as I listened to it but the range was high. I wondered if I could do well but I remember my range getting unconsciously higher as we recorded. I grew a lot during the promotions for that album.
Is there anything that you have to do before going on stage?
I check my gestures. Every performance I’d ponder over what gestures I can show. I try to show fans how I’ve changed.
Who’s the person you get along the best with amongst the members?
I get along with everyone but the hyung amongst them who’s comfortable is leader JinJin hyung. He was the leader since our trainee days so I’ve confided in him a lot and maybe that’s why he’s more comfortable.
If you had to point out any advantages and disadvantages as ASTRO’s youngest member?
I don’t think there’re disadvantages. The advantages are plenty! There are instances where they’d let my trivial mistakes slide since I’m the youngest and they also often give me snacks for me to eat, there’re a lot of good aspects (haha).
What is ASTRO to you?
A real family. It’s conventional but they’re really my family.
Are ASTRO’s Yoon Sanha and civilian Yoon Sanha usually the same person? Is there anything different?
Rather than different, I often show a more ostentatious and cute side of me when I’m promoting but I don’t really do those kind of actions in my daily life. I do aegyo to the hyungs but I don’t go "bbuing bbuing" on the regular (haha).
You seem bright and lively but I heard you’re unexpectedly cautious. What’s your usual personality like?
I’m bright but sometimes I’d space out and be still so I guess that’s why (haha).
If you had to pick pros and cons of living together as a group?
We’re always together so I’m never bored and it’s always fun. But the dorm gets messy quickly since we live together (haha).
Is there anything you’d like to try when you get to live alone?
There’re two things. The first is raising a cat. The second is cooking, I’d like to later on make food for the people around me.
Do you have any special habits or is there anything that even you think is peculiar?
Apparently when I was a baby, I slept particularly well if I was embraced in a baby blanket. So even now that I’m older, if I rub my feet against that blanket and sleep then I’d have a good night’s rest. I had it with me till I was 17 but lost it during or move (sobs). So I bought another blanket with the same texture (smiles).
Do you have a motto in life?
To keep to the promised time.
What’s your ideal type?
Someone who laughs a lot and has a beautiful smile.
What kind of person do you want to be remembered as?
I hope to become someone who’s acknowledged and remembered for his skills. I want to be remembered as Sanha who gives his best effort at whatever it is he does.
It’s 2019. Are there any goals you’d like to achieve this year both individually and as a group?
Firstly, I want to win no. 1. I want to enter top 10 of the music charts. Individually I’d like to explore a variety of experiences.
What are the words you’d like to say to your future self?
Always be like how you were at the start and don’t change!
Translations by @99pmh
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