[텐아시아=박수정 기자] “Debut concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Hall”, “Domination of music charts with debut single”, “Victory in Mnet’s ‘Show Me the Money 3’”. These are great records written by this monstrous rookie idol group upon their debut. 10Asia finally met iKON.
On November 16 in the afternoon, iKON had an interview about the release of their debut half album “WELCOME BACK” at café Terminus located in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. iKON wrote an unprecedented record on the very day of the interview, too. Upon the release of iKON’s new single “APOLOGY” and “ANTHEM” on the same day, they took No.1 and No.2 places on music charts. Since iKON had no time spent as an unknown artist, people might think that they would easily get complacent. However, that was not the case for iKON. Despite their skyrocketing popularity, iKON was just a rookie group excited about their debut.
iKON got shy when asked about what they did at 1am when they first checked the ranking of their new songs on charts. The members wore smile, saying that they realize that they have finally debuted, when they go to TV stations. As the members have been so busy and had no private time outside their training room, they have not even had an opportunity to listen to their own songs played on the street. The fact that iKON took No.1 on charts does not mean that they are spending these days as a rookie idol singer differently from other rookie singers. One thing special about iKON which makes this team different from other rookie singers is that they competed in cable channel Mnet’s survival audition shows such as “WIN: Who Is Next” and “MIX & MATCH” before their debut. Some people say that iKON was born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but the most important point about this crew is the boys themselves. 10Asia could see the bright future for iKON from the attitude of the team’s leader B.I who did his best to carefully listen to questions and give best answers. Such attitude demonstrated how much iKON want to keep their first original resolution, not getting complacent. As such, there is a good reason for iKON’s success.
B.I : I’m really grateful that many people like iKON’s music. I think we can return to that great support by working harder and presenting better performances. Since we have more to unveil in our full album, we’re still practicing hard for that as if we’re making the very debut for the first time.
Q. The full name of “APOLOGY” is “My apologies for failing to protect you” in Korean (which is an Internet neologism used in a comic sense). It is a funny word but the lyrics of the song are so serious.
B.I : Yes, it might come as something fun when you first see the title itself, but the lyrics are serious. So I thought that the title was interesting.
KIM JINHWAN : It is a widely-used word that anyone who uses the Internet knows. And the theme of the song is also something that can appeal to a wide range of the public. So, I liked the title.
Q. The voices of iKON’s vocalists stand out in “APOLOGY”. They feel especially intense, being made by tensing the vocal cord.
JU-NE : I naturally have that kind of voice, but CHANWOO and DONGHYUK who own tender and sweet voices tensed their vocal cords a lot, to create an intense and manly feel with the throaty voice. As for me, my voice gets even huskier when I ‘m nervous. Since I was so nervous when recording the song, my voice in the song sounds even more throaty than usual. TEDDY liked that kind of voice and the song came to have such a feel.
Q. “APOLOGY” was composed by TEDDY. What was it like to work with him?
JU-NE : It was amazing. He is so charismatic but always listens to our ideas. So, I finally got less nervous and could do the recording comfortably. Still, he was overwhelming anyway.
Q. Your full album was supposed to be released in November, but the schedule has been delayed. Didn’t you feel sorry for that?
B.I : The schedule for the full album release was delayed for the purpose of our comeback with better songs. I think that was rather good for us. Thanks to the delay, we could create more matured style and music.
Q. What kind of advice did you get from YG’s senior artists?
B.I : T.O.P monitored our performances and gave us a lot of good advice. He once said, “I want you to look crazier on the stage”. He always makes us think more.
BOBBY : T.O.P said that we should be crazier on the stage. So, I thought we’re still not crazy enough.
Q. The new album includes BOBBY and B.I unit team’s song “ANTHEM”.
B.I : I’ve always wanted to make a song consisting only of rap. We worked with TEDDY for that song and as we were of one mind, the song could be created fast.
BOBBY : I really like manly feel, so I put some more strength in the rap for the song.
B.I : I wanted to put an intense and somewhat dirty feel in the song. That is a style that we can try because we’re young and bold.
Q. BOBBY and B.I formed a unit team and released a song. For the other members, what do you want to try?
JU-NE : I want to try everything as long as I have an opportunity. I personally want to do what I’m best at. I also have a desire to produce a solo album someday. I want to show my talent which does not work for the team, too, by performing as a solo artist. I like John Legend, so I want to try that kind of music, which is not common in Korea. I want to create unique and special songs.
JUNG CHANWOO : I’m still a rookie and it’s somewhat premature as of now, but I have always wanted to try acting.
KIM DONGHYUK : Just as BOBBY and Han-bin have gained recognition as rappers, I want to make myself known among the public as a good vocalist. I also want to try acting like CHANWOO. I want to try diverse fields, including TV shows.
SONG YUNHYEONG : Just as B.I and BOBBY formed a unit team, I want to form a unit team of iKON’s vocalists and sing Christmas carols. I’m also very much interested in TV shows, so I want to appear in TV shows someday.
KIM JINHWAN : I want to try DJ-ing for radio shows. I love radio shows aired late in the night, like “Dreaming Radio” and “Blue Night” shows.
Q. Then, there might be specific TV shows you want to appear in.
B.I : Yes, I do want to appear in as many TV shows as possible. I want to try everything possible. The more recognition I get, the better.
KIM JINHWAN : I want to appear in KBS 2TV’s music show “Yoo Hee-Yeol’s Sketchbook”. Plus, every one of us has always loved “Running Man” show.
KIM DONGHYUK : Using and moving my body is always fun.
SONG YUNHYEONG : You know, we’re not that fun when we’re just talking, so I like things I do with my body. (laugh)
Q. I guess you have a specific artist whom you want to work with, just like the unit team of BOBBY and B.I.
JU-NE : I know I’m still undeserved, but I’d love to work with TAEYANG someday. I’m a big fan of him. The color of his music is my favorite. I think I can create a good chemistry with him. But, I haven’t had that many opportunities to talk to him, since I’m a shy guy. (laugh)
KIM DONGHYUK : Among Korean artists, I’d like to work with T.O.P, and among foreign artists, I know it is unrealistic but anyway, I’d love to collaborate with Chris Brown or Pharrell. By working with them, I think I will be able to learn a lot.
B.I : There are numerous artists whom I want to work with. Among them, I would pick Mr. Lee Moon-se. I really like and listen to his music a lot. I especially like his voice and singing style, so I listen to his old songs much, too.
SONG YUNHYEONG : I’ve always wanted to work with DAESUNG. I became his fan at a BIGBANG concert, when I heard his voice overwhelming all the audience in the hall. I wish I could have such energy, too.
BOBBY : I pick JU-NE.
JU-NE : Oh, let me pick once again. I pick TAEYANG and BOBBY. (laugh)
BOBBY : JU-NE has such an intense voice. His rap is powerful, so I think I can sing a powerful song with him.
KIM JINHWAN : I want to try a song of sexy feel, with Park Jae-bum (Jay Park).
JUNG CHANWOO : I have watched every concert of BIGBANG and every solo concert of every BIGBANG member since I was a little boy. I want to create a song of both iKON and BIGBANG someday.
JU-NE : Like “Lollipop”. (laugh)
Q. You were a child actor CHANWOO. What made you decide to become an idol singer?
JUNG CHANWOO : I have always considered becoming a singer as well, so I watched every concert of BIGBANG. Then, luckily, I could join this company YG. By the time I joined YG, I came to have a more concrete dream to be a singer. There are a lot of things common for acting and singing job. One difference I noticed is that while actors show a lot of things to viewers through camera, singers have to display their best not only in front of camera but also directly in front of the audience.
Q. What is it like to be an idol singer?
JUNG CHANWOO : I love it. Young students like me and singing and dancing is just so exciting. I love it.
Q. “MY TYPE”, “RHYTHM TA”, and “APOLOGY” all have different feels. I guess each member of iKON has your own favorite style.
JU-NE : I have a special affection for “MY TYPE”, as it is our debut song. In conclusion, all the three songs are so precious for me, but the one that best-fits me is “APOLOGY’. In terms of genre and different aspects, it was easier for me to express this song.
JUNG CHANWOO : Those three songs have three different feels, and every one of them has its own unique strength. My personal favorite is “MY TYPE”.
KIM DONGHYUK : I also have affection for all those three songs. But “APOLOGY” is our first song that highlights the colors of iKON’s vocalists and a song that expresses the youth of our team in a new way.
B.I : I love all those three songs, too. Since we made debut with “MY TYPE”, that song is like our first child. I can never dislike that song in any way. “RHYTHM TA” expresses the color of my team best. It is a hip-hop song with a unique and differentiated mood and accompaniment. Because I’m a kind of emotional guy, I personally like sad songs. “APOLOGY” is a good new trial for me.
SONG YUNHYEONG : I personally like songs about sad breakup. I like ballad and slow songs, and “APOLOGY” is such an emotional song.
BOBBY : “ANTHEM” fits be the best, but my personal favorite is “APOLOGY”. The voices of iKON’s vocalists stand out in the song, and it is a good song for our whole team.
KIM JINHWAN : I like “RHYTHM TA”. As iKON is a group who do performances with dancing, “RHYTHM TA” can best-display such talent of my team. So I like this song.
Q. The title track of each of the three singles has different colors. I’m curious about what the musical color of iKON is.
B.I : We just do the music we want to do. I believe that the music we want to do is good music. It is not just about one specific genre, but good music encompasses diverse genres, which is good to listen to and good to see. Even though we formed this team based on our passion for hip-hop, we want to try diverse genres and styles.
Q. B.I, I heard that more than 50 songs you wrote were rejected by YG head producer YANG HYUN SUK. Were you okay?
B.I : When I got rejected, sometimes I didn’t want to give up and sometimes I was just okay. For some times, I felt really sorry for the rejection, and that was when I could actually create good songs with my emotions reaching the peak.
Q. What is the biggest difference between your life before the debut and after the debut?
BOBBY : The fact that we go to TV stations…?
B.I : I’m not realizing it still. When I go to the airport or outside, some people who are not our fans recognize us for “MY TYPE”.
SONG YUNHYEONG : Only one year ago, we watched end-of-year music awards on TV together at our dormitory, but this year, we performed at “2015 Melon Music Awards”. My debut struck home the most for me when I was seating on the artists’ seat at the awards.
KIM DONGHYUK : I went outside only few times after debut, so I feel like I’m still a trainee.
Q. You received the rookie of the year award at “2015 Melon Music Awards”. Honestly, I guess you knew that in advance.
B.I : We thought that it was not good to have any anticipation, but yes, we wished for that award. I’m really happy that we received such an award. I felt like the hard time I’ve gone through so far was all repaid at that moment.
Q. I guess you experienced difficulties and happiness in the process of preparation for your albums. What were those moments for each of you?
KIM JINHWAN : Personally, the moment of our debut was the happiest and hardest moment. I felt numerous emotions at the same time. While my long-cherished dream was being realized, I felt the burden of many people’s eyes looking at me. I was grateful for that but felt a big burden at the same time.
JUNG CHANWOO : The hard moment for me was when we’re shooting the music video of “MY TYPE”. Except for BOBBY and B.I, it was the first time for the rest of us to shoot a music video. I felt awkward and didn’t know what to do. The happiest moment was when “MY TYPE” succeeded on charts.
B.I : The hardest moment for me was right after the end of “WIN” show. When iKON held our debut concert, I could finally see fans after such a long time of absence and have the first-ever stage only for iKON. That was an unforgettable moment for me.
SONG YUNHYEONG : The process of preparation for our debut concert was the hardest time for me. As I thought that we had to present our best to fans after such long time of absence, I felt burdened and nervous very much. The happiest moment was when I could actually show my best despite such sense of burden.
BOBBY : It was hard to learn choreographies. The happiest moment was when I presented the good outcome of such hard time. The excitement and overwhelming emotions I felt in front of the public for the first time was just unspeakable.
KIM DONGHYUK : We went through hard time all together, in the process of preparing for our debut. But there was no specific difficulty. The time when we’re competing in the survival audition show was the hardest moment for me in the entire time I spent with YG. I was tired both physically and emotionally. When I finally stood in front of my fans with iKON’s songs after debut, every moment was a happy moment. I loved the fact that I’m standing on the stage with the people I want to be with.
Q. Didn’t you think that having to compete in two survival audition shows in a row was too harsh?
B.I : Yes, at that time, I thought it was too harsh. Experiencing a failure and then competing in another survival audition again. BOBBY and I experienced three survival auditions. I thought that was too harsh back then, but looking back now, those experiences have made me grow up and reconfirm my original resolution. They were good experiences. They were also special experiences not everyone could have.
Q. What is your dream stage to perform someday?
BOBBY : Grammy Awards!
B.I : I want to stand on the stage of the biggest dome in Japan alone. I just want to experience how it feels like to fill up the largest concert hall in the country.
BOBBY : I want to have performances at a small theater, too.
B.I : I think that will be fun, too.
BOBBY : The narrower the distance between the audience seat and the stage is, the funnier it is for us.
Q. No one sees BIGBANG as an idol singer now. I guess you want to be an artist someday like BIGBANG. Then, what do you think you have to do?
B.I : I think everything depends on how sincerely we practice. Regardless of whether they sing skillfully or not, some artists touch listeners and some others do not. If we keep studying about how we can give new and fresh feels in making our music and if people think our music is good, that will bring us closer to an artist. Even though we’re still a rookie, I don’t know how much we will be different when we get more experiences and get more seasoned. Anyway, we want to be cool artists.
Q. What kind of evaluation do you want from the public?
B.I : I hope people will say “their music is good” when they talk about iKON.
Q. What is your plan for “APOLOGY”?
B.I : We did not present that many performances for the last album, but we’ll give as many performances as possible for the new album.
Q. Lastly, I want you to say what you felt about “APOLOGY” in a word.
KIM JINHWAN : Maturity.
SONG YUNHYEONG : A bad guy!
B.I : As the song was written from the perspective of man, I felt this man was selfish.
JUNG CHANWOO : Got so emotional?!
JU-NE : TEDDY came across my mind. I thought TEDDY was really good as expected.
KIM DONGHYUK : Lingering feelings that are untold. The scenes in which we burst into tears suggest that there are untold feeling still remaining.
BOBBY : The phrase that says I’m sorry to leave you which is repeated throughout the song sounds like the man still loves the girl but leaves her so that she can meet a better man. So, I thought the man was a very considerate person. (laugh)
2015. 11. 17.
Via YG Life
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