SECHSKIES’ interview with photo-shooting
The day of SECHSKIES’ photo-shooting was exactly one year after they decided on the team’s reunion. The members said that it was their first “photography-shooting” in 19 years. The members also said that they were excited and delighted like making debut for the first time, then they happily set plans for the 20th anniversary of their debut which comes next year. SECHSKIES showed both the confidence of a “veteran idol boy group” and the can-do spirit of an idol boy group who is to release their first full album soon.
Q Before this photo-shooting, you were in Japan for music-video shooting. What is the music video like? Are the image in the video as good as you wanted?
▲Jiwon_ We’ll be able to know about the quality when it is actually released. Anyway, quite a lot of money was spent for the production of the video (laugh). We monitored the images of the video for several times during shooting, and they were all good.
▲Sunghoon_ We wanted to have snow as the background of the video, in line with the concept of the song. Before we departed to Japan, there was no forecast for snow so we were almost given up. But as soon as the shooting began, heavy snow fell, to make all the surroundings white. We were lucky for that weather and I thought heaven was helping us.
▲Jaeduck_ We stayed in Japan for four days and three nights, but we’re so busy working, so we couldn’t even have an after-party. All we did in Japan was just to shoot the video and move to the next place for shooting until sunset.
Q You’re covering the December issue of “At Style” magazine, as the “person of the year” for the year 2016 selected by the magazine. I bet 2016 has been the most dramatic year in your lives.
▲Jiwon_ We got the lucky opportunity to gather together again, from MBC’s “The Infinite Challenge” show, and it’s been already a year since then!
▲Jaeduck_ That was exactly today a year ago! It was today (November 2) in 2015 when the five of us met the staff of “The Infinite Challenge” show to talk about our reunion.
▲Sunghoon_ It was really a lucky year. I felt like we did so many things for the past year, but actually, there is nothing much we have done. You know, the body feels really different from what it was like in the past. I saw Jaeduck’s face going haggard day after day of the music-video shooting.
▲Jaijin_ I had dark circles even from when I was putting makeup today (laugh).
Q What does it feel like to work with the other members after 16 years of separation?
▲Jiwon_ I think we’ve changed a lot so far. I talk more than in the past and Jaijin has become much brighter. But still, we play with each other. It’s still really fun to tease Jaeduck and Suwon.
▲Suwon_ I got my something to attack Jiwon.
▲Sunghoon_ I talk less than in the past. When I was young, I talked a lot and the company also let me do so, but I don’t like talking that much these days. Maybe that is because I’m older now. You know, now, fans tell me “You should really talk more”.
▲Jaeduck_ I was kind of mischievous in early days of SECHSKIES.
▲Jiwon_ Jaeduck talked much with his strong accent, so SECHSKIES’ image was ruined a lot for some time since our debut.
▲Suwon_ That was why we couldn’t beat H.O.T (laugh).
Q You became like “the king of communication” on Instagram since your comeback.
▲Jiwon_ I think we and young people of these days think differently of Instagram. We’re using it as the window of communications, just like a fan café on the Internet or fans’ websites.
▲Jaeduck_ Rather than displaying my life, it is just for fans (laugh).
▲Jaijin_ I have my own philosophy. You know, we don’t have any obligation to offer our photos to fans. I don’t like information about me spreading regardless of my intention, so I post a photo and then delete it after 10 seconds. And my photos are banned from sharing. I think a person like me is also necessary, to make it funnier to see us on Instagram.
▲Sunghoon_ I’m still not sure about how to use Instagram. I just post my selfies (laugh). I found that Jiwon had the “Midas hands” for editing videos. I was really surprised to see him editing videos, using even the slow effect.
Q You have come back after 16 years of absence from the music scene, but you look just as handsome as you did back then.
▲Jiwon_ When we look at each other, it seems we all look the same with us in the past, except the fact that we do not look like boys any more. I’m surprised that other people feel the same way with us. We’ve done nothing special. I and Jaijin just lost some weight. I think Suwon and Jaeduck are even better than in the past. They looked terrible when they performed in J-Walk.
▲Jaeduck_ It’s okay, the thing is we’re getting better (laugh).
▲Sunghoon_ Now, we’re taking care of our looks for the sake of the other members. We’re performing in this group, so no one of them should look terrible. That will be bad for the team.
Q “THREE WORDS”, your first new song in 16 years, recorded great hit, taking No.1 on Gaon’s October monthly chart.
▲Jiwon_ The meaning of No.1 on music charts does not hit home for me, as music was released in off-line albums back in our days. In the past, a song that takes No.1 on charts was played everywhere on the street. But I couldn’t listen to “THREE WORDS” anywhere on the street. Frankly, I was really worried that no one might love the song. I was afraid that the sensation created by our performance in “The Infinite Challenge” show might be regarded only temporary and we are forgotten. If that was the case, we would have been separated again. Fortunately, things did not come out that way.
▲Sunghoon_ One day, I was in my car stopping for a stop signal and the driver in the car beside mine was listening to “THREE WORDS”. The driver was a young man and I felt really good. I even wanted to say thank you to him.
▲Suwon_ You should have open the window and sung the song for him (laugh).
▲Jaeduck_ Now, our next steps are all the more important. I hope our songs to be released from now on will be as popular as “THREE WORDS”.
Q What is the plan for your new song?
▲Jiwon_ We don’t have a detailed plan yet, but I guess we’ll perform in TV music shows and appear in entertainment shows, too. Funny ones out of us will appear in entertainment shows and Sunghoon will appear in beauty shows. Most of all, we’ll present many performances.
Q What are “three words” that can give a hint about your new song to be released?
▲Jaeduck_ Winter.
▲Jiwon_ YG Style.
▲Jaijin_ It’s really difficult to give the last hint. I’ll give it more thoughts and say by the end of the interview.
Q You will holding concerts in Daegu and Busan by the end of the year, following your comeback concert held in September.
▲Jiwon_ It was originally not planned, but we decided to hold more concerts, seeing passionate responses for the Seoul concert.
▲Suwon_ I want to make the upcoming concerts somewhat different. It will not be fun if we perform “Com’ Back” as the first song as everyone expects. Oh, Jaeduck will dress up like a girl in the concert.
▲Jaeduck_ No way! But still, I’m thinking a lot about what will entertain fans.
▲Jiwon_ Each member’s opinion will be reflected in the concerts, to add some unexpected songs, too. There are performances for each member which can be presented only in our concert. You know, the songs we can sing only in front of our fans, not on TV.
▲Jaijin_ I’ll sing a ballad song. I have already picked the song.
Q Will you continue to perform “Reckless Love”?
▲Sunghoon_ I got my legs severely hurt because of “Reckless Love”. If we’re to do it again, I think I will have to do it on a wheelchair…
▲Jaeduck_ I think fans want us to continue to do it. I think they like us doing harder work.
▲Jiwon_ Do you know what’s funnier? We perform it better and better (laugh).
Q Former member Go Jiyong is like the “last dragon ball” for SECHSKIES. What’s the likelihood of working with him?
▲Sunghoon_ The possibility is always open, but it’s practically difficult because of Jiyong’s current job.
▲Jaijin_ He might appear in front of fans as a surprise event for the 20th anniversary of SECHSKIES’ debut. We can’t straightforwardly tell him to work with us, but we send the message tacitly through fans, from time to time.
▲Suwon_ Once he joins us for one time, then we’ll miss him all the more. It will be so good to perform all together, so if he can’t perform with us after that one time, we’ll feel even sorrier…
▲Jiwon_ We can’t ask for it to Jiyong anymore. If he were still in entertainment business, we would ask him to join us no matter what. However, he has something else to do and maintain. The only thing we can say to him is “We understand your situations, but please join us”, and that might hurt the career Jiyong has been building for the past 16 years. I think respecting his current life is the right thing to do.
Q Next year marks the 20th anniversary of SECHSKIES’ debut. What’s the bucket list of things you want to do with the other members?
▲Jiwon_ Selling 200,000 records.
▲Jaeduck_ We might have to buy all those albums with our own money (laugh).
▲Jaijin_ To have 20 versions of designs for the new album.
▲Jaeduck_ No, that will be so hard for the design team.
▲Sunghoon_ Aside from our work, it will be fun if only the five of us can go on an overseas trip.
▲Jaijin_ No trip! We have to work hard in the 20th anniversary year. Please give us more work.
▲Sunghoon_ Then, I think it will be good if Jaijin creates artwork in celebration of the 20th anniversary.
▲Jaijin_ I like it. I can do anything with my drawings and photos any time!
Q You might be planning for individual career for next year.
▲Sunghoon_ Not at all. The team is always our priority.
▲Suwon_ We’ll have to release the fifth album and then sixth album of SECHSKIES.
▲Jaeduck_ Rather than individual career, our priority now is to make the 20th anniversary concert really good.
▲Jaijin_ I think we’ll have to sing more songs in the 20th anniversary concert than in the first concert in 16 years. It shouldn’t end in two hours (laugh). I’m preparing for a private exhibition to present my artwork in the second half of next year.
▲Jiwon_ We also want to expand our career overseas as well. Before SECHSKIES’ disbandment 16 years ago, we debuted in Taiwan as “Crystal Boys” and also prepared for debut in Japan. But, the team was broken when overseas fandom just began to be formed. If we can have the opportunity again, I hope to meet overseas fans before it’s too late.
Q What do you want to say to both the fans who have been waiting for you for the past 16 years and new fans?
▲Sunghoon_ The fans are not young girls anymore, so they could have returned to their lives after seeing us performing for once. But, they are continuing to support us. I feel so relieved and grateful.
▲Jaeduck_ When we were talking about our reunion, we could barely think of getting new fans. I can’t thank those new fans enough.
▲Jiwon_ The music industry in the 1990’s and now is so different. It is our first time to be systematically managed by the company, YG, so we feel like we’re making a whole new start. I hope our fans who are used to the past form of fandom to find new fun in the latest form of fandom, to stay with us for a long time from now on.
Q Give each other words of blessings that round off this year of 2016.
▲Jiwon_ Jaeduck, you should really gain some weight. He’s stomach is not good these days, so he can’t eat well. I’m worried that he’s losing too much weight.
▲Jaeduck_ I’m making efforts and gained three kilograms. So, don’t worry. I have a message for Sunghoon. I’m worried about him, because his toes are still hurting. It’s going to be okay! I think he is the most worried person about the pain, but he says sorry for that to the other members. I feel sorry for that.
▲Sunghoon_ I’m so much worried about my toes, so I’ll not move much until the upcoming concerts. I believe now is the best time for every one of us, so let’s take care of ourselves better! We don’t know what our bodies will be like tomorrow (laugh).
▲Jaijin_ I want to give my words of blessings to fans! In 2016, we concentrated on talking about the stories untold for the past 16 years. Next year will be a year of writing new stories. We’ll live up to your expectations next year, too, so let’s spend the year happily with us.
▲Suwon_ The cartilage of Jiwon’s knees is not good. If it gets worse, our team will not be able to perform. So, I hope he will use his hands to touch the other members, instead of using the cartilage of his knees (laugh).
▲Jaeduck_ Oh, speaking of bones, Jaijin’s wrists are not good, too. Now, we’re really in the ages when we have to take extra care of health.
▲Suwon_ I have one more thing in the bucket list for our team. We’ll have to get a medical check-up together.
Q So, what’s the last hint for your new album?
▲Jiwon_ (After contemplating for a long time) Five.
2016. 11. 30.
