KANG SUNG HOON Says, “We didn’t just come together just because of Infinite Challenge”(interview)
[스포츠투데이=김은애 기자] After they debuted in 1997 with “SCHOOL BYEOLGOK” and “POMSAENG POMSA”, they garnered an incredibly wide fan base. They produced hit songs such as “COUPLE” and “LETTING YOU GO”, but members chose to go their separate ways in 2000 to the dismay of the fans.
Recently, Infinite Challenge’s Saturday Saturday is a Singer 2 on MBC brought SECHS KIES members together. Although 16 years have passed, the six SECHS KIES members surprised the audience with their sharp “right on the beat” moves and powerful live singing at their guerrilla concert.
The reunion of SECHS KIES became the big issue of Korea’s entertainment industry. Their biggest hit song, “COUPLE”, has hit the charts again, and SECHS KIES members got numerous casting calls for TV shows. Then, SECHS KIES was signed to YG Entertainment, and their comeback became official. SECHS KIES’ comeback even left people wondering whether their rival H.O.T would make a comeback too.
SECHS KIES has fueled the retro fad. What made them make such a big decision? KANG SUNG HOON recently came to the Sports Today office and told us about the behind stories of SECHS KIES’ comeback and Infinite Challenge.
– You must have missed being a SECHS KIES.
▲I did, very much. Sometimes, I would look up videos of SECHS KIES’ concerts and so on. I watched the videos a lot when we were preparing for our guerrilla concert on Infinite Challenge. Some of the videos, I couldn’t even remember, and it made me cry. My heart ached with so much emotion.
– What would you say about the group SECHS KIES back then?
▲ Well, self assessment is always hard. I think we had a considerable impact. That impact lasted for a couple of years. I would say that we had our days.
– So many fans wanted SECHS KIES to reunite back when Inifinte Challenge’s Saturday Saturday is a Singer 1 first aired.
▲ When I watched the show, I was sorry we weren’t on it too. So I really wanted to do my best when we came on the show for Saturday Saturday is a Singer 2. We have been positive about reuniting since 2014. We didn’t just come together just because of Infinite Challenge.
– SECHS KIES signed an exclusive contract with YG Entertainment. Was there a particular reason?
▲ First of all, everything just flowed. HYUN SUK hyung is like family to us. Second reason is that all the members have always liked and admired HYUN SUK hyung. We are from the same period. He said to us, “If you have some dreams and goals that you weren’t able to achieve back then, let’s do it together. I really hope you everything will go well for you guys.” He wasn’t just thinking business-wise. He treated us like family, a part of the YG Family.
– It’s very unusual that SECHS KIES’ contract was the same as the contracts of other top YG singers such as BIGBANG.
▲ It just shows how much HYUN SUK hyung respects us. It also shows that he doesn’t expect anything from us moneywise. If he only saw us from a business point of view, then we wouldn’t have signed the contract. He genuinely cares about artists and is really nice as a person. We wanted him to see us as nice people too.
– When SECHS KIES was disbanded, there were rumors that things weren’t great between members.
▲ That’s not true. It’s just a rumor. We got along great, more so than any other groups. After SECHS KIES disbanded, we grew apart, but when we were a group we were really close.
– How did you feel when all the members gathered for the first time in 16 years?
▲ I thought it would be awkward, but I felt as if I’ve been seeing them every day. We had been together all the time for three years. We would sometimes get sick of it, but nevertheless I think we are like family to each other.
– The original plan for your guerrilla concert on Infinite Challenge was cancelled. How did you feel?
▲ I was really worried. I didn’t feel sad, but I wondered “What will happen now?” and my mind went blank. I even suggested disbanding again although I didn’t really mean it.
– The plan got changed to putting on small performances. You must have been embarrassed when you arrived at the expressway rest area.
▲ I was. I’ve gone to rest areas often, but never to perform as a singer. But I was happy even in such an embarrassing situation. I was happy that our members could be together.
– Fortunately, you were able to hold a guerrilla concert. Did you expect that to happen?
▲ I really didn’t know. The staff members took our cell phones in the morning of that day. We couldn’t make any calls or search on the internet.
– All the members cried a lot.
▲ I tried to hold back the tears. I am the main vocalist, and I had to sing a lot on that day. I wanted to show the audience a great performance as it was the first stage in 16 years. When I started to tear up, I was worried because I had to sing later. When you cry, your voice turns weird and you are not in your best state to sing. If I start crying, I knew I wouldn’t be able to control myself. What I really wanted to do was to run to the audience and cry. (laughter) I’ve been waiting for that moment for such a long time.
– It must have felt weird to see the fans, who were once girls, turn up with babies in their arms.
▲ It did feel a bit weird seeing them become mothers. I just didn’t want to admit that I was that old. It made me feel old. I didn’t want to accept that fact.
– It’s been a long time since you last performed on stage. Wasn’t performing on stage physically demanding?
▲ It was hard. When we were practicing, I felt that I’m not strong as I used to be. But I felt energized by our fans when we were performing that day.
– H.O.T is also getting a lot of interest after the reunion of SECHS KIES. How would you like it if they reunite too?
▲ I so wish that they would do that. I don’t think it all that impossible. I wanted to see their white balloons and our yellow balloons together. These days, I often think about all of us smiling on stage with our arms on each other’s shoulders. I think I would definitely cry then. I’m sure that day would come.
2016. 5. 24.
