SHINee Magazine Excerpt: Hanako - Group
You’re releasing an original album in Japan for the first time, how does this feel?
J: Entirely nervous. For this (album), there are Japan only original songs on it, I hope lots of people listen to it, I’m also anxious about the opportunity to show SHINee’s new colours. Songs released in Korea were re-interpreted in Japanese and also recorded for this album. Compared to before, our sensitivity has changed, we’ve grown a little bit so we able to have new experiences and able to do new interpretations. I think we completed the songs with new colours.
K: The way of expressing things in Korean songs is different, so this took some time to grasp.
J: Minho’s rap was difficult, you had a hard time right?
O: (In Japanese:) How was it? Minho-kun?
M: Talking in Japanese is hard, rapping (in it) was even more difficult. The result, as we were able to do it well, I was incredibly glad!
This album is packed with the growth from your Japanese debut until this album appears. What sort of growth is this?
T: It still hasn’t been long since our Japan debut so, rather than “We’ve grown like this”, I think we were able to transmit our music while we had our commemorative RECEPTION LIVE concerts at places around Japan. I think there are so many people that don’t know us as yet so I hope that they will get to know our colours, I’d be happy if we could meet the fans at various places again.
O: We kept running along running continuously for these three months and showed a soft colour in SHINee’s softness. For the 3rd single, we gave our utmost effort into showing a powerful and manly side. I want to grow in this way of showing new sides.
K: I think my listening skills in Japanese have gotten better, it feels like I’ve improved a lot in Japanese. I’ve gotten use to the TV show system too. Since it’s only been a few months since our debut, instead of looking back, we should look forward to the many things we still have to learn after this.
M: I think the side we show on stage has changed nicely. Speaking of which
J: I think Taemin looks more mature when he’s next to me.
T: (In Japanese:) Thank you (laugh)
Up to now, what things did you enjoy in Japan?
J: It’s the live shows. Because you get to meet fans and being on tour, you get to eat delicious tasty food. There’s a lot of tasty food in Japan.
T: What I’ve enjoyed the most about Japan is the fans. The fans are kind and have a cute feel.
Because you’ve been to many different countries, does each country have differing charms?
J: They do, don’t they? I think they’re each influenced by their culture. Each country has its culture and national character. You can feel this in the fans. I think Japanese fans have quietness, when we’re on stage you can kinda feel their respect.
O: But no matter what country we’re in, the love we receive is the same. (laugh)
When you’re on stage, what sticks with you?
K: The times when (they) sing in Korean for us. They remember the entire recorded Korean album and sing it together with us.
J: That’s true. It’s really meaningful when fans sing the same words (although) it’s a different country. Because that’s Korean culture that has been learned through our music.
M: I’m also happy when I see placards written in Korean. It feels like persons that didn’t know Korean are sincerely learning it.
In what way, do you want SHINee to grow from here on?
K: I hope we don’t have any limits, I want to be able to show more sides to us, the way we have up to now.
M: I guess it’s more important to be able to show what we have before, than to completely change.
Translation by http://crissan.tumblr.com/