[INTERVIEW] 10Asia June 2015 – Teen Top, “We believe we can do better than we are now”
English translation: @oursupaluv source: http://tenasia.hankyung.com/archives/573161
Please do not take out without permission.
The energiser on stage, Teen Top is back. Natural Born Teen Top; implies the concept that these mysterious boys have been Teen Top since they were born. It is their first comeback in 9 months after last year’s ‘Missing’. With a new sound and new performance, they are determined to put on a performance that only Teen Top can pull off. The title track ‘AH-AH’ is a song written by hit producer Black Eyed Pilseung specially made for Teen Top to showcase their diverse charms. The emotional vocals stand out in this pop dance track and it expresses wittily a man’s desire to spend morning to morning with his beloved lady. Teen Top’s biggest weapon is their performance, and indeed, it is fanciful. It topped their ‘free step’ in ‘Rocking and the dance contrasts the song. As with all Teen Top’s performance, it is very enjoyable. To top it off, Teen Top’s musical growth is evident in the album with the inclusion of Niel and Changjo’s self-composed songs. When asked what their greatest wish for the year was, the boys replied without any hesitation - “for the album to do well” . It has been a while since we last caught up with Teen Top. They’ve become manly, a little more calm but the brotherhood among the 6 members remain the same.
Q. You have all become men. You guys have matured a lot since the last time we met.
Niel: I think it’s because we grew taller and broader. Haha
Changjo: We… ah! We were filming our dance at the set with metal grilles. I remember that (Q. That was late 2013.) Really? You mean that was 2 years ago?
Everyone: Wow….
Niel: I was 20 years old then. I’m suddenly depressed. (Looks at C.A.P) He’s in his mid-20s.
Changjo: Just 6 more months and C.A.P hyung will be at the halfway mark to 50.
Q. Why, shouldn’t this be the best time of your life.
C.A.P: Somehow being 24 years old still seem young, but not 25.
Changjo: Wa, if you’re 25… It’s just 5 more years to 30!
C.A.P: What, why are you thinking of my 30s already. That’s too quick. Euhehe
Ricky: Now to think of it, we’re all only 1 year apart (laughs)
Q. How have you been spending your time these days?
Changjo: We’re focused on recording our album since we’re making a comeback real soon.
Q. It’s your comeback after a 9-month hiatus. What concept does this album have?
Changjo: We’ll be releasing a new album titled ‘NATURAL BORN TEEN TOP’. The title track is ‘AH-AH’ and it is written by Black Eyed Pilseung who has also worked with us for ‘Missing’ and ‘I’m Sorry’. We are working hard to show you a new side of us.
L.Joe: Songs written by Niel and Changjo are included too. You’ll be able to witness Teen Top’s musical growth in this album. Their songs turned out a lot better than we expected.
Q. Please tell us more about the title track ‘AH-AH’
C.A.P: It speaks of the desire to spend the entire day with your loved one; of course, the lyrics aren’t as explicit as I describe. It’s written wittily so you’ll have fun listening to it.
Ricky: The choreography is really tough this time. We wanted to showcase a performance that surpasses that of ‘Rocking’ so we’ve been gritting our teeth and practising hard. It’s a performance that gives off a different vibe from the song.
Q. We heard that songs from Niel and Changjo are included in the album. I believe most of the members have a passion towards writing your own songs.
Niel: Yes. But our styles are really different. For me, I’ve been writing the types of songs which I want to sing. (laughs)
Changjo: I’m not trying to focus on only one style; I want to keep trying out different concepts.
C.A.P: I like deep emotions so the songs I’ve written cannot be included in our albums. Instead, I sell it to other companies. Haha. Of course, I’ve kept some songs which we can perform at our concerts. About 3 songs. (Niel: Who says they’re letting you perform those? Keke) I will strongly put up a request. (everyone laughs) I usually enter the recording studio at 10pm and leave the studio at 6 in the morning.
L.Joe: I’ve always been writing songs for the rookies from our company. You know the stuff that guys say when they’re drunk. I’ve been trying to replicate those emotions in my songs. The honest truth that guys say, I guess.
Niel: Reallly? I’ve never heard the songs…
Changjo: Actually, I was in my room yesterday and I heard the voice guide version of L.Joe’s song.
L.Joe: You heard it?
Changjo: Of course I did~ The song sounds really good.
Niel: But why are you keeping it a secret from us~
L.Joe: I’m not, I’m just embarrassed.
C.A.P: (L.Joe’s room) is a secret room, full of secrets.
Chunji: But his bedroom is our living room?
Everyone: (laughs)
Q. What are you most worried about as you prepare for this comeback.
Changjo: We feel a little burdened to have to present a different concept from that of ‘Missing’. Be it the performance or the music, we’ve many dilemmas to face.
Q. It seems that you’ve been working hard to improve your appearances. I read an interview where Ricky said that he was going to lose weight for the comeback. I think he has lost quite a bit of weight here.
Ricky: I’ve lost a lot of weight since then. Of course, I’ve to continue! I’ve been eating only one meal a day.
L.Joe: Oh really? Then are you not going to have lunch today? You had breakfast just now.
Ricky: (In a cute tone) On days like this when we’ve to wake up early… (everyone: Hahaha) I don’t eat that much, just two meals a day or I’ll eat some bread or drink some milk, if not I’ll fill my tummy with water.
C.A.P: But you had stir-fry Kimchi rice for breakfast.
Ricky: No, it was tasteless so I didn’t finish it!
Changjo: Hahahaha
Q. What about the other members.
Niel: No matter how I think about, I think Chunji hyung is most concerned right now. C.A.P hyung too.
Chunji: (he suddenly raises his tone) I ! Enjoy dieting… Haha. You see, I haven’t been eating my favourite instant noodles these days.
C.A.P: Now that I’m getting older, my belly is starting to appear, so I’ve been trying to work on my abs exercises.
Q. What do you want to hear most from the people with this comeback?
Niel: We want to hear from people that Teen Top has their unique style which would make them go “That’s definitely Teen Top”
Changjo: Because we are going to be as energetic and fun-loving like we were before!
Q. You guys spoke about Teen Top’s unique style. I believe Niel showcased his own style with his solo activities as well.
Niel: Be it singing or dancing, I had put in a lot of effort for it. I’m thankful for the good results.
Q. Niel won first with his solo track ‘Love Killer’, of course, Teen Top has won many times too. Do you believe that success will always follow after each successful experience?
Niel: That’s not true. Of course there will be times where we succeed, and times where we do not. We cannot predict the future.
C.A.P: (in a deep whisper) Just say that you think we’ll do well. We have yet to even start. (laughs)
Niel, Changjo: This album will be a hit! Haha.
Niel: Don’t you think that the results will reflect the efforts we’ve put in? Our hard work will show.
Chunji: Don’t you think there’s an element of luck too?
Q. I know you hear this all the time when you guys make a comeback, but what are you betting on when you win first place this time. I’m talking about a public promise when you win.
Chunji: We still have lots of time left to the comeback…
Changjo: It’s summer.
Ricky: Let’s have fun at the water theme park with the fans! Hehe
Niel: Wear a winter coat and jog around the Han River. (He’s surprised at his own words) Wow….
Chunji: Don’t say that, talk about a promise we can keep.
Niel: Ah… that’s true. It would have been too hot.
Q. I think it’s best you guys think about your public promise another time. (laughs) Besides promoting as Teen Top, like Niel’s solo album, I believe the rest of you have been working hard individually. Do you keep track of one another’s promotional activities?
Everyone: We always do.
Chunji: We all know one another’s schedule and we keep track.
Changjo: Because we’ve a group Kakao chat and our schedules are uploaded there.
Q. When you guys were promoting individually, what do you hear most from the other members.
Niel: ‘Kekekekeke’? (laughs) or we look for hateful comments and show it to them?
Ricky: As compared to heart-warming words, that is much more effective…
Changjo: We diss one another.
Niel: One can only grow when times are hard. Haha
Q. Do you read all the comments on your news articles?
Chunji: We read all of them.
Niel: I don’t read comments on new articles but I read comments on YouTube for our performances.
Changjo: I find hateful comments amusing.
Niel: Because there’ll definitely be people who hate us. Those people live in their own worlds so I don’t think there’s need to brood over it.
Changjo: At least they know of us. Haha
Q. Is that important?
Changjo: Of course it is.
Q. What do the people around you say of your individual promotions?
Changjo: My friend is very interested in the entertainment industry so when Niel hyung’s solo album was released, he told me he loved the songs and kept streaming it on music sites. However, that friend of mine is a fan of L.Joe hyung. Ah, my friend is a guy, not a girl. Haha He said that he liked L.Joe hyung because he’s good looking and cool.
Niel: Kya~ L.Joe is the whole package.
Q. Haha. Niel says that L.Joe is the whole package, but L.Joe, do you think there are areas in which you lack in?
L.Joe: Me? Plenty. My height too.
Changjo: (jokingly) That’s the truth (laughs)
L.Joe: My friends are all really tall so I’ve been thinking about my height these days. My friends in this industry are all over 180cm… But instead, I’m trying to build a muscular body.
Changjo: You’ve great proportions. You look really tall when you’re alone!
Q. That’s true. L.Joe, we saw your cameo appearance on OCN ‘Missing Noir M’ and we think that you’ve the looks of an actor.
L.Joe: Haha… Thank.. you. I acted as the leader amongst the youngsters who ran away from their homes. My appearance was only a minute long so I’m pretty embarrassed to explain it in details. (Haha)
Niel: He acted well! Changjo said that it was a role he really wanted to portray so he tried to imitate L.Joe.
L.Joe: My character in the drama was desperate to keep his friends alive that he even committed murder.
Niel: And on top of that, he pulled off great acting skills as a dead person! (following which Niel whispers to C.A.P to explain, “he died”)
C.A.P: Oh, really?
Q. C.A.P, did you not watch what L.Joe was on?
Niel: He practically lives in the recording studio so he doesn’t watch TV.
C.A.P: There’s no TV in the recording studio.
Niel: He doesn’t even know what programmes are showing on TV these days. You know how the ‘American Dance’ was popular ages ago, he recently started dancing it in front of us. Even for twerking.
Everyone: (laughs)
Q. Didn’t Changjo have a hand at acting in MBC Dramanet ‘Sweden Laundry’ as Yong Soochul. And your movie ‘Makgirls’ had recently premiere.
Changjo: I think I received better response from the drama. For the movie, since it was my first time acting, I didn’t get good reviews but it was interesting nonetheless. I want to try out other roles too.
Q. Chunji performed in musical ‘On Air – Night Flight’ and Ricky performed in ‘Bachelor Vegetable Store’
Chunji: Because we have to do it all alone, there was some pressure on us. But thankfully there were many characters in the musically and we were able to have fun and pull it off well together.
Ricky: It was an opportunity for me to learn many new things.
Q. You had to act and sing at the same time, your singing skills must have improved too.
Chunji: I’ve been practising singing these days as well. Interestingly, I haven’t been listening to any songs these days. Because we don’t need to listen to others’ songs to practise singing. I’ve been receiving vocal lessons to highlight my strengths and find the concept that suits me best.
Q. You guys performed a lot overseas as Teen Top last year. Of course including Korea; you guys performed in 20 over countries for your world tour - 5 concerts at Japan’s Arenas; held even more in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. What was most memorable about it?
Chunji: To be honest, we were in our hotel rooms most of the time…
L.Joe: It was either the concert venue or the hotel…
Changjo: I only remembered our concerts. The South American fans were really passionate. They kept cheering us on and we became so excited during the concerts.
Niel: On a whole, our overseas concerts were successful last year. Maybe that’s why we were able to showcase more of ourselves in ‘Missing’ We learnt more on how to have fun and enjoy on stage. (Interviewer: Our reports went for your arena concert in Fuokoka and told us you guys did really well.) I believe we can do even better now. Please look forward to our 5th Anniversary concert in Korea. It will be held at the Olympic Hall on 1st and 2nd August.
Q. Do you have your own rooms when you go overseas for concerts?
Ricky: Nope. The youngest members will share a room, the members of the same age will share another, and these two (referring to Niel and C.A.P) will share one too.
Niel: But we don’t really talk when we’re in our rooms.
Chunji: Because we spend all our energy at the concert so we’re quiet when we’re back in our hotel rooms and we do our own things.
Niel: We only talk when we’re eating. Haha
Q. When you’re not performing or promoting individually, what do you in your own free time.
Chunji: I do puzzles, 2000 pieces and sometimes 5000 pieces too.
Changjo: It’s all over the floor! (laughs)
Chunji: Comics puzzles are easier to put together so I mainly do One Piece. Time flies while I’m doing puzzles and it helps me to focus. Of course, it’s fun too.
Changjo: I would turn on the computer at home and watch videos and listen to music on YouTube. I like doing that. Other times I would be writing lyrics.
Ricky: Ah, I like riding on the subways these days.
C.A.P: Hahaha, that’s interesting.
Ricky: I’ve collected quite a few one-time subway passes.
Niel: Ya, I didn’t know you did that.
Ricky: Really? When I’m going home or going out, instead of spending so much money on cabs, I take the subway. I will exchange the subways passes to get all my deposit back at one shot~ (Changjo: Hahaha, where did you keep all those?) Of course I’ve hidden it! Can I actually collect it all?
Changjo: Isn’t there an expiry date where you could keep the passes till? Come, I’ll help you exchange them, give it to me. Haha
Q. Haha it seems like Ricky likes to collect things. But I’m sure people would recognise you on the subway though.
Ricky: I’ve been thinking that I should spend my money wisely so I thought maybe I could start collecting those. Instead of saving it in the bank. (laughs) Ah, there aren’t students during the times I take the subway. It’s always almost empty.
L.Joe: I like watching movies alone. I’ve watched almost all the movies that are showing in the theatres. Besides, I don’t have other hobbies.
Niel: I’ve been writing songs and meeting friends. I like to drink coffee so I’ve been going to many cafes. “The café I’ve always gone to~♬’ (laughs)
C.A.P: I’ve been working hard trying to multi-task.
Q: Multi-task?
C.A.P: I would be playing one game on my laptop and then I would download to play another game on my mobile phone. I do that all at once. Hehe. You just need to click a few buttons and the game continues so it’s possible to multi-task. I like to play ‘Star 2’ and ‘League of Legends’, and several other mobile phone games. (Q. You’ve been living your life busily, haven’t you) I would do housework, wash my clothes and dishes, I would make my own food too. Sometimes I cook too. There was once we all went to Jeju island and I grilled the fish at our lodging. They said it was delicious.
Q.I think you need to appear on ‘I Live Alone’ (laughs) Men who cook are really popular among people these days, have you not cooked for your members?
C.A.P: The thing is, would the members eat what I cook? Haha. There was once I cooked during the recording for Niel’s ‘4 Things Show’
Niel: And no one ate it.
C.A.P: But it was delicious wasn’t it~ I think everyone was too tired then to eat it.
Niel: To be honest, it is most tiring to wash up after cooking, that’s why we don’t cook in our dormitory.
Ricky: There are a lot of cooking programmes that I’ve been watching but it doesn’t make me want to cook.
Q. What is the one thing you want to do before the year ends?
Niel: Travel!
Changjo: After the end of this promotion, about 15 days… (everyone: hahaha) About a month of holidays so we can spend time on our own! (laughs)
Q. Is there a particular place you want to go?
Chunji: Not any in particular but I want to go to a place where the water is clear.
Niel: I want to go Cancun in Mexico! I really want to go.
L.Joe: I suddenly can’t remember the name of the place. It has 4 syallbus…
Q: Boracay?
L.Joe: Oh oh! That’s the place!
Chunji: But that’s a place where lovers go!
L.Joe: Oh, really? I wanted to go with the guys…
Chunji: It’s really hard to get there. You need to take a plane and a bus to get to the island.
L.Joe: Hongkong then! It’s nearby. I went with a friend the other time and it’s really nice over there.
Q. Then what’s the one thing you want to accomplish this year?
Changjo: For the album to do well! Teen Top’s the most important so we hope we can do this well. The album needs to do well so that everything else can follow.
Chunji: I totally agree with what he said.
Niel: Everyone thinks the same way.
Q. We hope the album will do well, please share with us some words ahead of the comeback.
Niel: All the members worked really hard. We’re excited because our comeback is approaching. We will always work hard to show you how cool we are.
Chunji: We will show you new sides of Teen Top. We may be idols but we want to show you that we can sing well and performances are our strength. The goal for this album is to show that we’ve grown.
Changjo: I hope it will be an album that we can look back and say “we worked really hard and we’re proud of it”
C.A.P: What I want to say is for all the members to take care of their health and bodies. The dance this time is really tough. Be it the dongsaengs and myself or the fans, I hope they’ll be healthy.
L.Joe: I’m not nervous but excited. I want to show a comeback where our Angels can proudly say that they love Teen Top.
Ricky: You guys are so good with your words. (laughs) Me too! I hope the fans and everyone else know that I’ve working hard. Teen Top Fighting!
