Question: You’ve mentioned about your personality being one that is rather impatient. However, it seems that you do tend to dedicate time and patience to specific areas of your interest. People who are impatient tend to give up rather easily.
Chanyeol: Having an impatient personality allows me to stay focused on the task on hand and time seemingly passes by quickly. For instance, i wanted to master the Japanese language as quickly as possible. Therefore it spurred me on to study diligently on a daily basis. Whenever the time permits, i find myself reading up on Japanese vocabulary. During my plane rides to Japan for our conducted tours, i would take the opportunity to read up on Japanese vocabulary books to further expand my knowledge.
Question: What have you been diligently working hard on recently?
Chanyeol: During the month of January, we had a window period where we were free with no schedules. I picked up snowboarding as a result. I spent my time looking up various video clips featuring people performing a variety of stunts and jumps while riding on it, which prompted me to want to do the same. I kept having to replay the video. The following day i attempted it and fell close to a hundred times. I don’t usually fall as much, but for this particular stunt i was intending to learn, i ended up falling a hundreds of times. However i managed to succeed at the end. Throughout the 5 days of my practice, 3 of which i even found myself having difficulty trying to walk (laughs). Given my type of impatient personality, iI wanted to pick up the skill as quickly as possible. I poured in all my time and effort into doing so. I also tend to have a personality whereby, i would get frustrated if i wasn’t able to accomplish goals that i had initially set out for.
Question: From your acting debut in the movie “Salut D'Amour” to the present drama “Missing Nine”, you’ve certainly learnt many acting skills cumulatively as a result right?
Chanyeol: Of course. Especially during the filming of the drama “Missing Nine”, i’ve learnt a lot just by looking at the way my seniors act. Initially, when we had to appear as a group, i was deeply intimidated. As every single word in the script, if not executed properly, could cause devastating differences. I found myself constantly working on how to convey my feelings of exasperation on set back at home. I also began thinking about ways to help better convey my tone and voice. I consulted the director about this issue many times. Especially with the help of a senior whom i’m particularly close with, Kim Sang Ho, i’ve learnt many things.
Question: The adult persona of Chanyeol must have been well adored isn’t it?
Chanyeol: Well I guess so, it seems. (laughs) During our breaks, besides the usual conversation about acting, i do converse about social issues, politics etc with my seniors. I realized that i could benefit from having conversations like these as well, as it gave me more insight about the adult life. It was fortunate that i was being casted for this drama.
Question: Upon reading up about the character “Lee Yeol” that you potrayed in the drama, i felt like it had a striking resemblance to your character off screen. Didn’t that provide you with a better advantage?
Chanyeol: I did notice that the character I potrayed in the drama bore similar resemblance to the way i behave in my daily life. However, after having to act it out, i realized that it was in fact actually pretty contrasting. Although the people around me are familiar with my own personality in real life, i worked hard in trying to potray the character of Lee Yeol well.
Question: During the drama it’s been known that the 9 members had suffered from a plane crash incident. To put the film into the real life perspective, given that the conditions aren’t so severe, what would you have done during the times in which you’ve experienced exasperation and feeling exhausted?
Chanyeol: During the early days of my debut, i remembered feeling extremely dreary and constantly being exhausted. However i was always there to lighten the mood for my fellow members. These days, after having familiarized ourselves around each other after so long, this practice slowly died down, we find ourselves keeping to each other more. I guess it’s due to the fact that people generally get sensitive when they’re tired. I can also say the same for myself as well. I tend to feel really guilty about it before bed, so i’m really trying to keep my emotions in check. This is something i would like to work on this year.
Question: Whilst filming in Jeju, what did you do during your free time?
Chanyeol: There wasn’t much free time in general. When it happened to rain during filming, i would spend the time bonding with my seniors as we sat around during a meal and play games together. This really allowed me to bond with my seniors. During our actual breaks, we hardly went on our separate ways. Instead, we would gather together and chat continuously on end. Those times were very much enjoyable for me and everyone else, as it was also a time for us to heal through our conversations.
Question: You were the one that started the band ‘Heavy Noise’. Ideally you tend to stick to one you set of to do, but do you have times where you tend to just give up half way through the process?
Chanyeol: Nope. None of that sort. In fact i was even more optimistic during my middle and high school days. I would always gather amongst my friends as we had fun joking with each other and exploring new instruments and such. I still have vivid memories about us spending time in the ensemble room and going out for spicy rice cakes thereafter. It was an enjoyable time for me. During the days where my band was active it gained much popularity and attention from others. I remembered surprising everyone with my musical instrument abilities albeit being a transferred student. (laughs)
Question: As such, you must have been a tall and attractive student back then.
Chanyeol: I think my golden/prime days were back when I was in 3rd grade during High School. (laughs) I was constantly fooling around with my classmates and we would always keep silent whenever a female student passed by out of basic respect. However afterwards, we would basically just resume with our antics. When lunch break approached, others would make a dash for the cafeteria, while i would just take my time strolling towards it. During soccer matches, i would also be at the sideline having fun and laughing along as well.
Question: You make school hallways seem as though they are fashion runways instead. It seems like you are pretty self loving, but you do find yourself wanting to be acknowledged by others around you for your efforts as well right?
Chanyeol:You’re right. However having said that, apart from wanting the love and attention from others, i don’t wish to be pretentious. It feels good to be acknowledged, but i’ll prefer to set a limit to it and not go overboard. When i feel like i have made someone feel uncomfortable in any way, i would go back and think about it and reflect upon it.
Question: Often times, people with good lucks have found themselves in a situation where their attributes are overshadowed by their outer appearances. You can be good at everything, but it’ll all be overshadowed by your looks isn’t it?
Chanyeol: Frankly speaking, it isn’t the outer appearance that distracts the public from my talents. But rather, it encourages people to pay closer attention to my outer appearance as opposed to my talents. It gives me the motivation to perform at my personal best at all times, to basically constantly showcase what my capabilities are. If i’m at the 100th level right now, it makes me aim for 10000. Similar to music, i always find myself aspiring for greater heights in life. Although i constantly receive praises from the people around me, i still find myself doubting my abilities at times and even losing my confidence as a result. Hence whenever i have my free time, i work hard at the practice studio to try and further improve myself.
Question: Would there ever be a day whereby, after looking at yourself in the mirror, you think “I’ve accomplished more musically, as compared to working on my outer appearance”?
Chanyeol: No doubt, i have thoughts like that as well. I’ve always been asking my fellow seniors in the industries about what they think about me. And they’ve always replied that i show perseverance and tenacity in my musical composition. Of course it feels good to receive great compliments like this, but it also spurs me on to further improve on my skills for the better as i feel like i’m still lacking in many aspects as an individual. Eventually, it’s the enthusiasm that i have to learn more about music that’s behind it all.
Question: You’ve previously mentioned that “One’s imagination surpasses the abundance of all imaginations”. I find that rather quirky and adorable. Has anything changed ever since?
Chanyeol: Yes, definitely! I’m all about exceeding my own imagination. Before i hit the hay every night, i usually picture a scene in my head during filming. Not long ago, i pictured myself earning a quadrillion bucks.
Question: If that (earning a quadrillion) was true, what would you do with all that fortune?
Chanyeol: I would build a 20-storey high building. The first 3 levels would be converted into a practice space. This year as part of my resolutions, i decided to work on my dancing. During the past year, i’ve observed myself through the monitors and realized that i had loads to work on with regards to my dancing abilities. Besides attending more dance lessons, i would commit myself towards my fitness as well. Those facilities would be found at the upper levels. Then comes a study area where i would learn what’s basically necessary, and my studio, where i receive coaching on my lyrical compositions as well. It’s basically all about working towards self-enhancement and establishing a greater me.
Question: It’s been a good 5 years since your debut with EXO. Are you aspirations currently what you had hoped for prior to your debut?
Chanyeol: I feel like i’m drawing closer to my childhood dream of being a composer, a producer. Although i thoroughly enjoy my time working as a singer, i do hope to expand my outlook towards lyrical compositions as well as producing music. Given my spare time apart from my daily commitments, i hope to gain more insights with regards to music. Although i do feel satisfied being an EXO member, i’m always greedy for more. Albeit the old saying that everyone has a point where they reach their personal limits, i feel that although this may be true to a certain extent or so, we all still have a long way to go. Once you reached a milestone, it would only serve to drive you further into reaching your fullest potential.
Question: In conclusion, do you have anything that you would like to say for Ceci?
Chanyeol: Let’s Love! ( laughs)
Translation by Soojung @ fyeah-chanyeol
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