[XP Star Shot ①] ASTRO "Debuting with a Bright Concept? We Couldn't Have Imagined It"
It’s coming close to a year since you’ve debuted.
Moonbin: We really enjoyed ourselves putting out three albums throughout last year and learnt a lot of things. Meeting the fans who cheered us on was a great joy. ASTRO’s 4th album will be coming out soon so I hope that everything works out well. I want to try winning no.1 on a music show too.
Rocky: I think of this one year since our debut as having been a phase for us to learn about a lot of things. With our improved selves, it feels like we’re able to do better now. As much as we’ve come this far in a year, we have to do better in the future.
After debuting, was there anything different from your expectations?
Rocky: Looking into the camera. We’d only set up one camera when we were practicing in the practice room so all was good if you could look into that just one camera well. But after having debuted, there are six cameras. Seeking out the (right) camera was really difficult.
MJ: I didn’t know there was such a thing as pre-recordings. When I watched music shows, the groups would come out one after another so I wondered, “How could they pull that off?” but turns out that several teams would do pre-recordings.
Cha Eunwoo: I learnt how amazing the senior singers really were. Being good at just dancing and singing isn’t all of it. The senior seniors worked their way up after having experienced this difficult period both mentally and physically. I realised the importance of mind control and a solid teamwork. I’ve given thought to wanting to become a senior who can be set as an example to the juniors who will one day debut after us. That’s why I really want to go all out this year.
Compliments-bot vs. Teasing-bot, how is ASTRO’s team atmosphere?
JinJin: Kind and overflowing with mischief. We enjoy ourselves even when we’re alone talking randomly without any set topic. But we get serious when we’re making our choreography or when we’re talking about things related to work. We barely ever argue privately. There’s a child-like side to us.
(in unison)(angrily): You’re saying that we’re like children?
Cha Eunwoo: It’s definitely the latter more than the former. We’re artisans when it comes to making fun of one another.
Rocky: By the way, Moonbin’s face today is honestly so bloated. It’s as if he’s a dumpling.
Moonbin: Fans gave me pumpkin juice because of my bloating but I forgot to drink it today.
Cha Eunwoo: MJ hyung seems like chocolate milk especially today.
MJ: I matched the color of my skin to my hair.
JinJin: Eunwoo-yah, I think you resemble a catfish today.
Cha Eunwoo: Yeah, and you resemble a yellowtail.
ASTRO are clearly small in number as compared to huge groups. Are there good points to being a sextet?
Rocky: We can never leave one person out. Each of us have a definite role that we’re in charge of and all that is clear to the eye.
MJ: It’s an even number so it’s not lonely. We always have a buddy.
Moonbin: When we go overseas, there’s no member who’s left alone in the hotel or on the plane. When it comes to sharing rooms, it’s usually divided between Eunwoo and I, the eldest line MJ and JinJin and the youngest line Yoon Sanha and Rocky.
JinJin: But leaving the youngest members alone when we’re overseas is worrying so there are times when the pairs are broken into the rapper line Rocky and I and the eldest-youngest line MJ and Yoon Sanha. Eunwoo and Moonbin are in the middle so they’re the middle line. They’re the jungjungmori jangdan*.
Let’s now speak truthfully. Did you think that you were gonna be debuting this zesty?
Moonbin: Before debuting, I couldn’t imagine that we’d be coming out with this kind of image. Big Bang, BTS, etc., we covered a lot songs with a strong concept when we were trainees. We never really tried soft and cute so at the beginning when they played the song for us at the company saying, “You guys will be debuting with this kind of song,” I was really shocked. Since it was of a completely different feel. I remember how hard conveying ourselves and making (the right) facial expressions was.
Rocky: But we’re young so I think the music compliments us well. With these concepts, it doesn’t work out if you just practice to your death. It somehow seemed liked the songs were really “ours”. When we debuted, I did anticipate something strong but as we continue to promote, I think that we match well with our current songs.
What are the kinds of song styles that you really want to do someday?
JinJin: A song that has the vibe of us playing amongst ourselves. Rather than having a grand choreography, it’s like we’re naturally communicating with each other on stage and it just all clicks. I want to try a long like Big Bang’s We Like to Party.
(in unison): When we reach our 10th year anniversary since debut like Big Bang sunbae-nims, we can probably do it too, right?
Reporter: Firstly, do you have to re-contract once in order to be able to do that (kind of) song?
(in unison)(singing Big Bang’s song): Re-contract party~ Yeah yeah yeah yeah~
What are the words or evaluations from the people around you that made you feel good?
Rocky: My friend who does music watched our stage and said, “It seemed like you were enjoying the stage when you were performing,” “You were cool even though it’s a cute and bright concept.” I felt really good then.
MJ: Fans’ words that say, “I was having it tough today but I could smile watching you.” Saying that they gain strength and can smile by watching us, it comes back to us as a great source of strength.
Cha Eunwoo: Fans would leave us comments when we upload posts on the fancafe. I’d then forget my loneliness and it feels like we’re talking to each other so I become happy. Also, I went back home last 1st of January and my younger brother who’s studying abroad said, “I gained strength watching you.” I felt proud and he also said that he felt comforted as he came to understood me who left home alone and became a trainee and experienced the dorm lifestyle.
JinJin: So he said he cried.
Cha Eunwoo: No. My younger brother cried, not me. I didn’t cry (jeering in unison).
Reporter: Tell us really truthfully. Did you cry or did you not cry?
Cha Eunwoo: Yes? Heuheuheu.
Shall we continue talking?
JinJin: I really like the words, ‘Thank you for being born.’ They are words our fans said to me when it hadn’t been long since we opened our fancafe, I felt an extreme sense of pride then. When I hear words saying that watching me becomes a source of strength, it makes me want to write one more post on the fancafe.
Yoon Sanha: After making my debut as a singer, I was really thankful when the people around me would send me texts like, “Oh, I saw you on TV.” I still can’t believe that I’ve debuted either.
Moonbin: Seems like I’ll have to text Sanha often.
Rocky: I’ll also send you texts like, “You were on TV, good job.”
So in contrast, is there a dark history that you’d like to erase?
Rocky: The webdrama, ‘To Be Continued’. Our acting in general was lacking a lot. Though if you tell me to do it again, I think I can do well.
Cha Eunwoo: Still and all, I don’t want to erase (that part of) my dark history. Rather, I’ve developed the desire to want to do it again. So I can compare the before and after.
Yoon Sanha: I’ve a dark history I want to erase. I couldn’t properly do the song introduction during the waiting room interview at ‘Music Bank’. We had to originally shout, ‘Fighting!’ together with the group who did the interview with us but I made a mistake and was too taken aback that I shouted it by myself. I want to erase that moment.
Moonbin: No, you were still cute back then.
What is ASTRO’s ultimate goal?
JinJin: Right now we’re at the level where we make our choreography and write the rap lyrics but I want for us to become a group who someday makes their own music as well and who perfectly pulls off even their stage performance. If we happen to hold a concert then I want for it to be conceived with performances that reflects all our opinions.
Cha Eunwoo: I want for us to become a team you can trust to watch and listen to. I want to make them anticipate our stages. When we’ve become a team who’s worth watching and listening to, I want to hear other singers say backstage, “That team’s really cool. I want to watch that team’s stage.”
*It’s got to do with how music is played in the traditional rhythm. Putting it simply, the sounds harmonize to become one.
Source: http://m.entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0000697793
Translations by @99pmh
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