[INTERVIEW] Yong Junhyung, Kim Jaejoong, and Zico - Idol? Artist? We don't need to make the difference
Interview with idol representatives of âcomposer-idolsâ⌠âthe salary is a secretâŚshall we compose together?âÂ
âMy stylist dressed me younger-looking today. In case I looked older than these guysâŚ.â(Kim Jaejoong)
JYJâs Kim Jaejoong (28) casually walked into the photo shoot complaining. Younger BEASTâs Yong Junhyung and Block Bâs Zico smiled awkwardly saying, âWe donât have young looking face thoughâŚâ
The image of the three of them standing together made them look like a team for sure.
âSince we have one vocal singer and two rappers, we can make a team. Jaejoong, Yong Junhyung, Jiho (Zicoâs real name) initials together make JYJ. Hahaha."Â
The similarity between them is the fact that they are âidol singers with composing abilities.â They donât get their name placed in the album credits just by muttering the melody, but they are Korean music industryâs âcopyright idolsâ who can easily compose-write-edit music for their own albums and even give songs to other artists.
According to the Korea Music Copyright Association, Kim Jaejoong composed/wrote 37 songs, Yong Junhyung 60 songs, and Zico 46 songs.
Recently, at the interview in one recording studio located in Samsungdong, the three of them looked very close. Yong Junhyung had a rap featuring in Kim Jaejoongâs song âDonât Walk Awayâ last year and Zico had worked with Yong Junhyung on an album before his debut in Block B. Maybe it was because they were all music composers, but they were all happy saying, âitâs fun because we get to be together.â
Zico stated, âItâs crazy that Iâm here right now. I remember being in a talent show during grade school with the song âThe Way You Areâ and during my second year in middle school with the song âRising Sunâ. When I was studying abroad in China, DBSK popularity was so big.âÂ
âRecently I was feeling down so was drinking alone around 3~4AM, but then I got a call from Jaejoong hyung. Hyung told me that he was drinking alone too and came to join me. He is someone who will understand all of me when I donât say a word, so I think we feel the same things.â (Yong Junhyung)
Kim Jaejoong said, âThere are times when Junhyungie will look sad. So when I met him I told him that he looked good when he smiles.â Zico added along, âI think hyungs are people who enjoy sad emotions.â
â âThe reason why I stated composingâŚâ
Each one of them had a different reason for composing.
Kim Jaejoong had been writing song before JYJ, during his DBSK days. He would secretly share his own compositions on his MP3 in the waiting rooms. His first composition to be on an album was âLove Donât Cryâ which was placed on DBSKâs 4th album in 2008.Â
âSince I was a singer, I wanted to sing a song that had my own message. In the beginning, it was half out of curiosity and the other half was enjoyment. I was first interested in arrangement. It was because the song changes into a different song based on how you arrange it." (Kim Jaejoong)
Yong Junhyung started making songs during his trainee days to escape the suffocating dorm life and repetitive days. âI would ask to for permission to visit Shinsadong Tigerâs studio and leave.â
He explained, âWatching composer hyungs work looked as if they were enjoying a game. When I told them that I wanted to try too they told me to start writing first. After I started writing a bit, I wanted to make melodies and then I moved on to full tracks.âÂ
Zico wanted to be âhigh technicianâ as a rapper. He didnât even dream of being a composer. However, because his past company didnât have a producer available, he decided that he would have to take charge.
âBack then I couldnât handle MIDI programs and I got tracks from other people. I went to classes with my own money and learned programs like Logic and Cubase. I realized that I had to learn it in order to talk to composers who were making the tracks for me. And then I got greedy and then make the track for Block Bâs first album, âNilriri Mamboâ. (Zico)Â
Composing songs ranging from dance, ballad, pop, hip hop, rock, and more, they each had their way of composing.
For Kim Jaejoong who composes alone at home, when he puts his mind to it, he would just make songs with a notebook and a piano. He formulates the style of the song by making the melody and adds in the lyrics at the end.
When Yong Junhyung doesnât have schedules, he would head to his studio to talk with his friends and when he gets an idea, he would start writing. He would always choose the song title first.
Yong Junhyung explained, âBecause you need the publicâs approval, you need to be able to compromise to some extent. The basic sound might be electronic, but you might have to replace with piano or guitar for that melodic acoustic sound. Or if the track is pop genre, then you need to find the right melody for that.
For Zico, who got his own studio 3 months ago in Seochodong, he makes a track with rhythm and loop. Then he adds in the melody and last writes his lyrics.
They all agreed, âThe order might be different, but the process we go through is the same. Even though it might be really good song written by a different person, we donât get tempted to just simply work off it. We have an open mind.â
Lyrics are usually based off experiences. When Yong Junhyung said that he pushed for having âCaffeineâ as BEASTâs Yang Yoseobâs solo title song, Zico and Jaejoong joked, âisnât it because you put in your own break up experience in the song?â
âItâs experience mixed with imagination. Haha.â (Yong Junhyung)
âNow you mention that, the lyrics to your solo song âFlowerâ seems more like your real life than âCaffeineââŚ.â(Kim Jaejoong, Zico)
â âFirst copyright pay was few hundredsâŚit should be fun if we all compose togetherâÂ
They each evaluated each others musical strengths.
âZico is someone who can rap really well and his idea for the hook part of the song is amazing to the point I get jealous of it." (Yong Junhyung)Â
âMy music might be stimulating, but it has a lot of flaws. But for Jaejoong hyung his arrangement melody is succinct and distinct that it paves a road for perfect singing. Also, writing is just as important as composing, and the fact that all the lyrics appear in Junhyung hyungâs mind is amazing." (Zico)Â
Kim Jaejoong added, âIâm not the only fan of them but even close friends of mine are fans of Junhyung and Zico. Itâs because their skill and intuition is like no other.â
There was also an idea that it would be fun if they collaborated all together.
Kim Jaejoong said, âI am totally honored and welcoming of this.â
âOne person can make the track and then the three of us can make the melody and rap. Or we can all just meet to work on the track. I think it will be really fun.â (Yong Junhyung)Â
Their copyright salary increased with the fact they were popular idol singers and that they started making their own hit songs. They looked at each other with the expression that it was uncomfortable to talk about how much they made.
Zico smiled saying. âBefore debuting in Block B and when I used to be active in the indie music industry at the age of 18, the first amount I made was 150 dollars. Compared to that, now I make much more thankfully.â
Yong Junhyung started to say, âWhen I first used to compose for BEASTâs debut album, I made about 100-200 dollars. Back then I didnât even know about things like copyright money.â Kim Jaejoong added, âI think I made more than thatâŚâ
Even though they make different amounts, they all have to watch out for plagiarism. Last year, the music industry suffered a lot from this issue.
Yong Junhyung commented honestly, âYou can easily add another melody to your song without knowing so not having any thought is really scary. By monitoring other songs, I inspect my own songs. However, I think about how the melody I made could have been made many years ago on the opposite side of the world and realize if itâs really possible to make a whole new song.â
Kim Jaejoong said, âI donât think about plagiarism and just make songs according to the inspirations I get. However, if you have the same melody, rhythm, and loop, that is questionable. Itâs really hard to get the same beat in all three of those.â
â Line between artist and idolâŚâthe prejudice is disappointingâ
After 2 hours into the interview, the topic turned to the reality of idol singers.
In Korea, idols are often admired and at the same time they are easily the subject of criticism. Especially, when you get the idol title in your name, you have the tendency to be looked down upon by other musicians. Because of this, management companies emphasize the fact that the members participated in composing and writing in order to add the artist and musician image.
If that is the case, these guys are on the line between idol and artists.
Zico explained, âI feel like the words like idol and artist are completely removed of their definitions and we use it to fit our language. I think itâs a disappointment to see that by being an idol or wearing sunglasses, you are judged even more. Members who are good at singing or rapping tend to outshine others who compose well in different conditions.â
Yong Junhyung who was nodding his head at Zicoâs words joined.
âIâm grateful that people see me as an artist or an idol, but I donât want to be defined by that. I will continue to work hard until people realized my music abilities and this is something that I canât infuse on to the public.â (Yong Junhyung)
The oldest hyung, Kim Jaejoong, who passed his 10 years since debut last year said a transparent answer.
He said, âManagement companies debut idol singers in order to make them stars and thatâs what we wanted. But, if you wanted to become successful by being called a musician, this is not the way to debut and you should have chosen a different path. So in the end, you shouldnât be feeling too disappointed about it.âÂ
Now that some of them had experiences in producing, would they ever dream about being Yang Hyunseok (YG) or Park Jinyoung (JYP) in the future?
Yong Junhyung said, âI think I can see my future in a producer who makes music and assign concepts, not a producer who owns a company.âÂ
Zico said, âI agreeâ and Kim Jaejoong laughed saying, âI will have to see once I get older.â
After the interview, the three of them headed to a samgeupsal (Korean pork BBQ) restaurant. When the youngest Zico started cooking the meat, he took a picture with his phone saying that he was cute.
âI really like cooking the meat, but I guess Zico took my utensil today. Haha.â (Kim Jaejoong)
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE WITHOUT CREDITS. CREDITS: Naver (SOURCE); YONGISM@tumblr/twitter (TRANSLATION)Â
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