TRANS [INTERVIEW] Want to be your Star, Group Astro
[Reporter Park Seunghyun]
Astro, the group made of six members, handsome and warm, all gathered into one light. A refreshing feeling you can't make up, and a group full of Youth's bluness; they know that every moment that passes as singers is being created into a precious time.
Through their debut album 'Spring Up, Astro showed us an energy full of unvaried charms.The image they give on stage of each members overflowing vitality created a variety of anticipation for this interview.
Through the respective stories of the six boys who are full of freshness and loveliness, we spoke about their dreams of being a singer, and how now and forever their hearts will flutter and they will be thankful as they go down that hoped for road. Astro, a group who shows the most shining image in the place with their dreams.
As time goes by, there is a reasoning that, eventually everything in the world builds up together, but as we see six members, there are also some individual anticipations. With an innocent heart that won't change, they will shine like a star forever.
Q. How was the pictorial shoot?
JINJIN: I think it was an interesting pictorial, so I think it was good. I don't know whether it will come out well, but we worked hard so I feel good.
EUNWOO: When they said we would be shooting a BNT pictorial I searched a lot, and a lot. I don't know if we were able to do well, but even so, they were taken well so it was good and very interesting.
Q. Please introduce Astro.
JINJIN: Astro means 'Star' and 'Universe' in Spanish. It's a name that represents our desire to light up the inside of everyone's hearts. Our first album activities have finished, but 'Spring Up' had an image of springs overflowing vitality, we wanted to show an image full of strength, so we worked hard.
Q. It was around Februrary that you debuted as a new group, it must have been a busy time.
MOONBIN: Now we have finished our schedules with our last fan sign. Since we are rookies there are many things we could still learn, right? I think the busier we are, the times when we re busy, it's good. It's hard, but we were able to learn a lot while doing activities, and I think we were able to help each other and become even closer with each other.
Q. At fansigns, there was a high touch every day; wasn't it busy?
MOONBIN: A lot of fans came to our fan signs. Yesterday was our last fan sign, even at the end people still came to see us. I hope during our 2 album we are able to meet and speak with each other more frequently. We were able to show our stage in the form of a showcase too, so we had a really good time.
Q. I wonder how you each came to wanting to become a singer.
ROCKY: I have been dancing since I was five years old, so naturally my dream was to become a singer. While watching singers I used to try copying them, and that brought me up until now.
JINJIN: When I was in elementary school, Rain-Sunbaenim was always on TV and his stages were always really cool. I think that in a young heart, a person who is on TV is a really cool person, so I told my mother I wanted to show a good image and be on TV, so I think that's how it started.
SANHA: My fathers dream was to be a singer, but because of a personal things he was unable to achieve it. Instead he always used to sing and play guitar at home, so while I was in elementary school I watched that image of him and I felt like I wanted to become a singer.
MJ: When I was in middle school I would watch TV and watch performance videos and I would always be moved by the sound of the audience cheering and applauding when the stage was over, so I started to feel like I wanted to experience that feeling too, so the dream of wanting to be a singer began to raise in my mind. When I hear those sounds, I get goose bumps.
MOONBIN: When I was little I did a lot as a child actor. One time I was in TVXQ Sunbaenim's  'Balloons' music video, it was the first time I had seen them and I thought they were really cool, so I felt like I too wanted to be like them.
EUNWOO: I don't know if I wanted to be a singer or a celebrity but I was lucky and I received casting calls so I became a trainee. Â As I practiced and while dancing and learning various other things, it was really interesting. So because of those things, I ended up here right now.
Q. The members had a long trainee time, so ther must have been many difficulties even before debut.
JINJIN: Eunwoo, Sanha and I were together for almost 3 or 4 years. Rocky 6 years and Bin was 7 years. The eldest, MJ had the shortest of just three years. Among us he came latest, but as soon as he arrived he was able to fill the spot of main vocal (laughs).
ROCKY: It was the first time an adult had come into the company, but I didn't know he was an adult at first. Hyung has always been like this. Haha.
JINJIN: MJ is an amusing Hyung too, he used to fool Rocky by calling him hyung, but I always used to think Rocky was the eldest too, so I greeted him [MJ] last.
MOONBIN: Before Astro's team was formed, there was something like a survival project. Every week for eight weeks we had to prepare a new stage to show. We had to prepare about two or three songs and dances per week. So we had to compete against each other, but also had to cooperate with each other. It was really difficult, right? Mentally at least. Because they were missions that would pick the final fixed members we all worked really hard.
The group changed every week so as the group was being made we didn't get any confirmation or any scope of what was going on as we performed on stage. It was similar to Produce 101 right (laughs). 'If this member and this member are together what kind of image will it bring out' were things we experienced a lot.
Thankfully though, we were able to interact a lot with the audience. I think that was our selling point and our advantage; but when we do broadcasts we have to look at the camera, so because we were used to interacting with the audience, it was somewhat difficult. It was really hard at first to get used to it.
EUNWOO: We went around the country with 'Meet You Project'. At that tme we performed in a lot of places, and there were lots of times we could just breathe with the audience. When we debuted, since we had to look at a camera for the first time when performing, it was a little awkward and difficult right?
MOONBIN: So when we're at schedules we learnt a lot, and we got used to it quickly.
Q. It seems like Rookie groups always find things like stages somewhat awkward.
EUNWOO: Of course it's awkward. Before debut we had experience on stage, so we tried watching videos of our rehearsals and matching it. It was still awkward, but a bit better than at first.
ROCKY: Even though we practiced our Title all day every day, it wasn't hard like that. While doing all the broadcasts we had a few rehearsals each time, we would be too conscious of the cameras and use too much energy needlessly, so that was really difficult. But now, compared to them, without using as much strength it's a bit less hard.
Q. What moment has left the strongest memory, predebut or after debuting?
JINJIN: Our debut showcase left the strongest memory for me. Our first stage 'Innocent Love' is our b-side, and the moment the cheers were really loud. About 1,500 people came, that moment felt really thrilling. It's still vivid to me, even now.
MOONBIN: The song is really serious, but I couldn't help but smile. I was just really happy, so...
EUNWOO: My strongest memory is also from that time that we debuted. In between songs when we had a talk, we were preparing for the next stage and fans held up placards that said 'Congratulations on your debut'. I got so many goosebumps when I saw that from now nice it was.
Q. Cha Eunwoo, Â you went on 'Challenge Goldenbell' and '1vs100' before; how do you feel about the nickname of being called 'intelligent man'?
EUNWOO: I'm a little shy over it. There are people who are a lot more intelligent than I am, so I am really thankful people call me like that. I think I should try hard to match well with being called 'intelligent man'.
ROCKY: Eunwoo is really shy about a lot of things. Naturally he's a person who would study a lot, even in between schedules he would study. Even in the car he studies Chinese.
EUNWOO: There's nothing to do during those times, so I should make the most by preparing myself during those times.
Q. Moonbin, you acted as So YiJeong as a child actor in 'Boys over Flowers' so you must receive a lot of attention for your appearence
MOONBIN: A that time I was just in elementary school, so I understood my role, but I didn't really know it in detail. Because I had no interest in being a celebrity or a singer while I was a child actor, I just learnt slowly.
At first I was a model for uniforms. I ended up getting casted for a music video, and I got an audition for 'Boys over Flowers'. At first it wasn't really burdensome. I didn't really like receiving attention as a child, so I was a little scared. My mother gave me some advice that I should be more interested in getting into showbuisness. After that I got more interested in it, and started to enjoy it a lore more.
Q. MJ, I heard your nickname is 'The Maknae like eldest hyung', and also 'Happy Virus'
MJ: In the team the atmosphere can become down or dropped right. I really don't like that type of atmosphere, so I like to play pranks on the kids to cheer them up. I don't get tired easily, the secret to that is red ginseng. If i eat that, I never get tired. Haha.
MOONBIN: Hyung is really excitable, but there are times we can't handle him. Because we get tired (Laughs).
Q. Rocky, you've had a lot of interest in dancing ever since you were little. You went on 'Korea's Got Talent', right?
ROCKY: My mom watched me caring about exercise when I was younger, and told me I should try dance. Jazz dance, ballet, tap dance, etc. I learnt them all. When I first went to the hagwon there were many girls so I couldn't adapt to it. However later on I ended up being able to do well (laughs). I adapted well right? While I was learning, I would watch Rain-sunbaenim, and becoming a singer took over my heart. So I ended up going onto Korea's got talent'.
Q. Yoon Sanha, you were born in the year 2000 so you're still a chid youngest, do the hyungs take care of you well?
SANHA: The hyung's all take care of me a lot better than I thought. Haha. Naturally the youngest should be doing everything first, but the hyung's all do it first for me, so I was really thankful. Since When I was in puberty I was rebellious JinJin hyung or even the others would give me a lot of advice, like a guide.
JINJIN: Sanha and MJ hyung have what we call 'Eldest-Youngest chemistry'. The maknae and the eldest go really well together, so they became each others strength.
Q. JinJin, as leader there must be problems
JINJIN: Rather than problems in being a leader, there are things I don't want to hear, so I don't really like it. I'm the style to try and be kind first rather than saying things that I don't want to hear. So no matter who it is, I don't like to give or receive pain. In the end it's better to try and talk to the members even though they can't do well, right?. Sometimes when I explode my mood is also really not good, those times are the hardest. I can't do well, so I get angry and it's unavoidable I would say bad things; at those times my heart doesn't feel good.
ROCKY: So when JinJin hyung was a trainee he didn't really nag. But at the time when the team had to make a leader he did it often.
MOONBIN: When hyung would speak he would realise 'I was really wrong'. He scolds us really kindly, so we realise what we did wrong ourselves. He listens to us as a group, but he also speaks to us individually when he needs to scold us.
ROCKY: Even before he was our leader he would listen to us a lot, and listen to our problems a lot, so he became a leader naturally.
Q. Is there a reality program you want to film?
EUNWOO: I really want to go on 'Real Men'. When you do it, it's hard but afterwards it's fulfilling right. The exercise is hard too, and you'll sweat a lot, so it'll feel fulfilling. I really want to feel the fulfillment of working hard like that. Men have to go to the military at some time(laughs).
MOONBIN: I really want to go on 'Laws of the Jungle'. I like things like working with my body or going on expeditions. Things like cooperating and working together in a dangerous situation. I think 'Can I also do that?', so I want to test myself just once.
MJ: I want to try 'I live alone'. Haha. I want to show the image of living alone after leaving the dorm. I want to show you can live happily even alone.
SANHA: For me, 'Running Man'. I want to try ripping the name tag once.
MOONBIN: Sanha is frequently detailed and has times when he can be cold hearted and keep level hearted, so I think he can do well(laughs).
Q. What episode do you remember most in your every day dorm life?
MJ: Rocky is a specialist at going to the convenience store. When we finish practice late at night, he will go to the convenience store wearing his pajama pants, a hair band, a face pack and slippers. No matter how much I see it, I'm usually shocked; the firs time people see him they get so surprised.
ROCKY: They don't know who I am anyway (laughs).
MOONBIN: When I wear a hair band and a facepack I guess I also can't tell who I am.
ROCKY: Let me explain, I regret that I stay still after showering and using a facepack because my complexion was really clear, so I decided to go to the convenience store (laughs). I didn't think it was strange at first. I usually wear the character facepacks that fans give us and go.
MOONBIN: You should try and abstain from doing it a little these days.
Q. In the boy group 'cross fire', what is the strength or charm that only Astro have?
MOONBIN: I think it's that we're close to each other and fans. Before we debtued, through 'Meet You Project' we were able to go and find fans, and we had a lot of events; we don't want to be the type of group, who when reaching for fans hands look to see how far it is, but instead become singers who are able to reach them. Our closeness is our strength, I think. As long as there is no resistance, we can easily get closer.
Q. Explain what you think the others charm points are.
SANHA -> JINJIN: On stage when he raps it's really cool but ordinarily he acts very slow. Like a turtle. It's a reversal charm. He has a tranquil charm.
JINJIN -> ROCKY: He's a practice bug. He has a lot of patience too, so when we practice he's always the last one left. If you want confidence you should do it unconditionally, that’s his style. He always wants to show that image. He's a reliable rock like friend.
ROCKY -> EUNWOO: He looks after us without it feeling like he's looking after us. He's kind of cold outside but warm inside (t/n: the word he used is Tsundere). He's handsome and a good hyung, but he always looks after us from behind, so it's really nice. But he's also the person who looks perfect but is actually quite sloppy. He's like a rash fool, but it's cute. He's not always cool. Haha. He's often humane too, so it's cute. But he nags us like a mom a lot.
EUNWOO -> MOONBIN: I think he's the coolest on stage. He's always the first one I spot when we're doing monitoring, he has many things that you notice. On stage he has his own feeling and power that I think he shows well. He has a charm that belongs only to him on stage.
MOONBIN -> MJ: Happy virus. When we have hard times, or when we are down he is the biggest boost to our courage. If hyung wasn't here when we were down it would have a huge impact on us. The eldest hyung, who also has the image of being like the maknae, but in reverse also shows his image as the eldest a lot. We have times when we go astray, so as the hyung he always points out problems and teaches us. He's like the youngest, but also like the eldest; a very reliable person.
MJ -> SANHA: Sanha has a lot of aegyo and likes to joke a lot and can seem really childish, but when we're practicing his concentration is really good. Sanha plays guitar really well, so when he's left alone he will practice. The more I look at him, he's like a sponge. His sense is really good, and his feeling is full of vitality. He may seem like he only has aegyo, but he's actually the most earnest.
Q. The group Astro aspires to be like?
MOONBIN: For me, it's TVXQ Sunbaenim. When singing, when performing, everything of theirs seems perfect. When I saw the MR version I was so shocked. I got goosebumps. I want us to become a group that is popular overseas, and receives recognition here too.
ROCKY: For me, Big Bang sunbaenim. They all have individual personalities, but when they're collected into one they're able to show a beautiful image. I want us to also be able to show that type of image well. We all have individual personalities, but if we gather together, I wish us to become a big energy.
ROCKY: I like cute and kind type. A person who is considerate of others, and looks after other people well. A considerate and cute person is good.
MOONBIN: I like a person who smiles well. Someone who matches well with my humor style and usually smiles well. I often put things away hastily, so someone who can look after me meticulously is my ideal type (laughs).
MJ: A person with a pretty smile and a bright personality. Someone with a similar personality to me. Someone who can take a joke well, and whose humour matches well with mine, a 'female MJ' like person. Haha.
JINJIN: I like someone who is self assertive. Because my mother is like that, and my father has a similar personality to me. My mother holds onto my father, but outside my father looks after her so it's really cool.
SANHA: I like a person who thinks of me a lot. A person who asks me a lot of questions and shows me a lot of interest.
EUNWOO: My ideal type is a wise woman. And also the girl I like, or the girl I love will become my ideal type.(laughs)
Q. Which member puts the most thought their individual clothing style?
EVERYONE: Rocky and JinJin
MJ: Everyone has a lot of interest in it, but doesn't really dress well (laughs). I once went with JinJin to buy a fashion book, but we really didn't know anything. We had no clue what to buy. (laughs).
MOONBIN: Right now the hyung who is speaking is the hardest. Whenever I ask the stylist who is the worst at dressing themselves, they always answer MJ hyung. JinJin hyung is really good at wearing clothes that match him. If you ask him he knows all the fashion brands.
ROCKY: For me, I just look at our photos taken when we're leaving from a schedule.
MOONBIN: In my case I just ask JinJin hyung a lot.
Q. What's Astro's point when watching you on stage?
ROCKY: Our title is called 'Hide&Seek' so there are a lot of turns if you see the choreography. I think those turns are really interesting.
EUNWOO: We practice the choreography a lot until we get it correct, but we also put importance on facial expressions and gestures, since you don't just since with your face. We wanted to make a story line. We change our gestures and facial expressions a lot while dancing. We match the surprise, and the sadness and laughing.
MOONBIN: Our image is fresh and lively, right, so we all wanted our choreography to be on the dynamic side. I think it's good because you can see our image and our reversal charm.
JINJIN: Our dance is really dynamic; it's difficult so when we rehearse it we end up sweating a lot.
EUNWOO: There's one anecdote about that; when we finished rehearsing once, because we were swearing a lot our makeup got really ruined. (laughs)
Q. What kind of qualities do you want Astro to have?
SANHA: As we prepare with each album I hope we can come back showing a more advanced image.
MOONBIN: I think the most important thing is to come back with a more developed image each time.
ROCKY: We are still young so are at a time where there are many things that we can only show now, I'd like to be able to show an image that shows our growth a lot.
EUNWOO: Our greeting words are 'Wanna be your stare'. We will become a star in the publics hearts, but we also have the desire to face the stars orselves, so I want us to become a group that has a lot of
Q. Please say something to fans
JINJIN: Because of our Aroha's, during the 1st album's promotions we received a lot of help, a lot of support and so much strength. Because of the words fans give us we were able to become strong, so thank yo for being born. Thanks to you all we received strength. We are working hard to become an Astro who can match your expectations and desires.
MOONBIN: Aroha's came to our activities a lot and always came to support us at broadcasts. When it was hard for us you always became strength to us, and even though you couldn't come to broadcasts you left us letters on the fancafe while supporting us through other ways. We are so thankful that you're with us through the schedules even though it was probably hard, we will work hard to repay you all.
EUNWOO: They even came to today's radio schedule. So thank you for coming today. You worked hard up until the last fansign of our first album promotions, so I'd like to tell all the fans they worked really hard. Thank you for saying you love us, I love you too.
ROCKY: Through preparing for debut, and even after debut day there are people who like us and we received a lot of interested and love. Even now. So I'm really thankful. Through our way of expressing is awkward, and our image was our of order, thank you so much for liking us so much.
MJ: Overseas fans and some native fans are unable to come and see us, so it's always sad. Even though you're far away, you still support us and we received much love from you all.
JINJIN: I really liked being able to go and meet native fans, we had a really good time.
SANHA: Fans came to today's radio broadcast made it really enjoyable. Thank you so much for always taking pretty pictures whenever we have a schedule. We always see them when the performances are done and we head home, so we are thankful. Thank you so much forever.
Translation by Yuna, do not take without credits. Do not repost anywhere!