Hwang Chansung Interview LOOK AT THIS GUY

A GOOD GUY

As someone from a group that is famous for its physical image, his first impression is that of a person who is brimming with energy, as hot and bright as 2 o'clock in the afternoon. However, his mind is calm, level-headed, and subtle as the early-morning hours. 2PM’s Chansung has come to the OhBoy!’s studio.

Q. What have you been up to lately?

A. We completed a tour in Japan last October, and I was going to school in November. In December I was working again, preparing for the Year End festivals, and so on. And in the New Year in January, I’m now here shooting with OhBoy!

Q. You contributed to the lyrics and composition in the songs “Hotter than July” and “Good Man” that were included in 2PM’s 5th studio album, released in 2015. I know that it wasn’t the first time.

A. I began working on it before that, and I keep on trying. After all, writing good songs is beneficial for 2PM. If possible, we try to produce our albums and direct our stage performances ourselves. And we really end up doing that.

Q. Quite a few members of idol groups also branch out into solo or musical activities. If they manage to solidify their position there naturally, they end up securing that road. Have you ever thought of what you’d be doing in 5 or 10 years from now?

A. Actually, the current situation is the best. I’m busy with 2PM and individual activities, but the thing that provides the base is obviously 2PM. All members think like that and, to be honest, with our schedule already laid down for the next year or two, for the remaining free time, we have decided to focus on our individual activities.

Q. Including the “Unstoppable High Kick” that introduced you to us, the acting you have displayed in “Level 7 Civil Servant,” “Drama Special: Your Noir,” etc. has been quite impressive. It would be great to see you act more often.

A. I did have a few offers, but I didn’t have time to focus on that completely, so I rejected them. If possible, I’d like to display better acting skills, but if it turns into a hasty chase with my schedule, I think it would bring negative influence to the film as a whole. If it’s something I’m participating in, I’d like it to be of a higher quality. Even if it is not watched by many, I think that the priority is to hear something like “Ah, that was a masterpiece.”

Q. What do you consider in a scenario?

A. I don’t have a specific standard, but if I feel that the character has a particular charm, I get to feel that I want to do it.

Q. The thing that I wanted to ask you the most was about your Twitter activities. You’re a member of a boy group with the most dynamic and dazzling image, and yet you show interest in social problems, and I also found impressive the series of activities that displayed your honest thoughts on the matter.

A. I’m almost inactive on Twitter lately, but I think at the time it seemed to me that it wasn’t a good thing that people didn’t know or simply ignored and overlooked particular social issues. After all, the most important thing is the daily life we lead, and there are negative issues that pop up threatening to change our lives, so I didn’t find flattering the situation where everyone was simply focusing on random gossip. So I opened Twitter thinking that people might listen to what I say and give it a decent thought because I could also be an object of gossip… but people ended up misunderstanding me, saying “he’s probably going to turn into politics.” (laugh) I have no wish to go into politics; it just all began with a purpose of letting people know that “This is the latest social issue and the object of interest. Everyone should know this.” But since people kept on saying that, I felt somewhat offended. So gradually I stopped doing that.

Q. Isn’t it Twitter’s charm to be able to write down your thoughts and feelings about something that happens at that time? If you take a look back at it now, what was the most memorable moment? A painful, angry, or very touching moment.

A. The thing that first comes to mind is the Sewol Ferry. Lately, there have been various issues going around like the Comfort Women negotiations and so on, but it made me realize that it’s something you can’t solve just because I say something. The general public has to be interested in it, but it seems like quite a few people don’t have the freedom in their lives to be interested in such things. Perhaps I should say they simply can’t focus on that.

Q. If you think like that, aren’t you busy as well?

A. But you have to know at least to some extent how the society functions. So that you could talk about it somewhere.

Q. When you backtrack on Twitter, your first voting was in 2010. It looked like you voted right after you got the right to.

A. It was my first election. I couldn’t vote in the 17th presidential election, because I didn’t have the right to vote then. When the Lee Myung-bak government came to power and people began talking, I understood the importance of voting.

Q. Aside from social issues, you seem to be interested in history, too.

A. A common thought I have nowadays is that the most necessary thing when you talk with people is history. Thinking about my past, the past of a person I’m talking to, our past, what was it like? Even if I meet my friends, when we talk, eventually we go back to the pattern of talking about something that happened a long time ago. Happy times, not so good times, bitter times, no matter what we’d be talking about, eventually we recollect how we went through it all. And it is interesting, we can share our friendship, and think of what we did or said back then.

Q. What is the latest issue you are the most interested in?

A. Resting. Time off. Once, while I was working, I got really flustered. It was the time when I lived day after day digesting the schedule right in front of me, and one day I asked our manager what we do tomorrow. He said there was nothing, and my mind went blank. I’ve been working endlessly for the last 8 or 9 years, and then there was a day off! What should I do tomorrow? But eventually, I’ve found that whether I have work or not, I still end up spending my time pretty much the same. I grew to think that I’ve lost the freedom in my heart, and I began wondering how I should rest, how I should relax, how I could loosen up a little. Thinking that I should also get rid of my daily life obsessions and compulsions.

Q. Do you have any mania?

A. I must exercise. I must wake up at a specific time. I can’t drink more than a few times a week. And so on. I give myself personal rules. I was very strict with the excuse to look after myself, but it’s tiresome when there’s only a whip and no carrots.

Q. So do you have any plans to rest now?

A. Lately, I have some time. I meet the people I couldn’t meet, and talk… I’m thinking of a way to rediscover my freedom.

Q. If you had any movies, music or other cultural things that you like?

A. I like classical books. The book I’ve enjoyed reading the most is Albert Camus’ “The Stranger.” I don’t really nitpick over movies, but if the material is a little bit painful, for example, if I watch a movie that deals with sexual molestation of children, I feel really uncomfortable and the after-effect lasts for a long time. As for the music, I really like Muse. For the R&B style that would be Ne-Yo, Musiq Soulchild, Maxwell, D’Angelo, and so on.

Q. I’ve heard you have a cat, is it doing well?

A. He lives at my parents’, and he’s doing well. The name’s Jeonggamie.

Q. One of the issues tackled by OhBoy! is the animal protection.

A. I’ve read a few articles on animal protection, it’s something I’m interested in, and I’ve always considered it important. That’s why I ended up participating in today’s photoshoot as well. I’ve also thought of adopting an abandoned animal thinking it might really help, but since I don’t stay home much, the animal might as well feel neglected if it stays with me (laugh). I can’t be reckless about it.

Q. Is there something you really want to do later on?

A. I want to go on a solo trip. I want to go either to Barcelona in Spain or Florence in Italy. I’ve really wanted to go to Florence ever since I read “Calmi Cuori Appassionati.” The description was just that good.

Q. Why do you want to go on your own?

A. When you live as a singer and as a celebrity, you receive quite a lot from your surroundings. However, then you start to think what exactly you can do on your own. Lately, I’ve been looking for such things, and so I thought of going on a solo trip, too. The thing I want to do the most is not walking around looking at the famous sights, but reading a book and drinking coffee at some café. Because I find sightseeing somewhat tedious (laugh).





Transcription: 야옹이

Pictures: OhBoy! Official

Kor-Eng: Egle0702

MAY BE TAKEN OUT WITH PROPER CREDITS!!!