We’re at the end of the pair interviews in Ray April 2019, finishing off with Nako and Yena’s (which ironically is actually the first pair interview in the magazine…). While I have my own scan as usual, I shared the clean photos from the website this time because looking at my scans is quite painful.

As usual, thank you to my Japanese and English checkers–I honestly don’t have anything witty to say this time so thank you for suffering through the last weeks with me and please stick with me for the ride :^)…

Also a big thank you to you, the reader for sticking around for my TLs. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know!

Note: the last TL changed I’ve made in this one compared to the other ones is that I took out the use of honorifics (Nako refers to Yena as Yena-chan in the interview). After the previous TL (Ssambbang interview), I found the use of honorifics unnecessary.

A cute smile that can heal anyone: Yabuki Nako &

The always energetic, bright, and popular member: Choi Yena

Ray April 2019 Interview

Pictures taken from the official Ray website.

Q1.) Are you the type to say “I like you” or the type to want the other person to say “I like you”?

Yena: For me, I think either is okay. If I’m in a good mood, I’m the type to just go for it. But I also want my partner to say it to me as much as I say it to them too!

Nako: I would never say it. It’s because I’m a tsundere with only the tsun (laughs).

Yena: Nako really is someone who wouldn’t say it! It’s because saying it is embarrassing isn’t it?

Nako: (while cutely hitting Yena) It’s embarrassing if I say it but it’s also embarrassing to have someone say it to me!

Yena: Why won’t you say “I like you” to me?!

Nako: It’s not just you, Yena! I won’t say it to anyone! Even to the people I like, I can’t say it. But that’s not good… Korean girls often say “I love you”. Even up until now, I have never been able to say “I love you” (laughs).

Yena: I guess I do typically say it a lot…

Nako: Korean girls often say it… Maybe the meaning is a bit different…

[When referring to just the “tsun” in “tsundere”, Nako basically says she’s only the “cold, blunt” type of person in a tsundere, which is defined as someone whose cold but eventually shows a caring side later on.]

Q2.) What was your most recent purchase?

Nako: The other day we went to Shibuya 109 and Yena bought different coloured knitted sweaters.

Yena: It was a cute, short sleeved sweater. How much was it?

Nako: I think around 3000 yen.

Q3.) What kind of person do you think the other is?

Yena: Nako’s cute!

Nako: Up until now, I have been the “funny Queen” so it’s puzzling that she calls me cute every day (laughs).

Yena: Just by being there, Nako is cute and when we’re together I’m delighted. In IZ*ONE, I’m the older sister, so I want to be someone whose relied on. It’s because right now, there are a lot of times that I’m being cared for (laughs).

Nako: There are times when Yena is the reliable older sister, but there are also times when she looks like the cute younger sister. She can sing, dance, is interesting on variety shows and she’s naturally good at being funny. I really like her ♥

Yena: I also really like Nako ♥

Q4.) A way to have beautiful legs?

Yena: I want to know too!

Nako: Me too! Everyone in IZ*ONE has nice legs. I can’t miss dancing training!

Q5.) What was good about becoming “IZ*ONE”?

Yena: I was a trainee for so long, so it felt like a dream when my debut came. That’s why I think each and every moment that happens every day is important. That’s what was good about becoming IZ*ONE. Now, I’m grateful for doing things as IZ*ONE and will keep doing my best from now on!

Nako: I also couldn’t imagine being active in Korea. It’s been so fun just becoming friends and talking with the Korean members! But because IZ*ONE is only together for a limited amount of time, it’s sad thinking that every day our time together is becoming less and less.

Q6.) Since meeting the members of IZ*ONE, what is something that has changed?

Yena: It’s thanks to being with the Japanese members that I’ve been able to smoothly talk in Japanese! The Japanese phrase I use the most is “I’m starving” (laughs).

Nako: It’s the opposite for me, when talking in Japanese, sometimes Korean words will spill out. It’s embarrassing! During the times that the members are together, we mix Japanese and Korean that somehow, it’s becoming more frequent that new words are being created (laughs).

[Tanaka Miku, a member on HKT48 and Nako’s best friend forever has admitted to Nako doing this in a phone call with her on a TV Program hosted by Nishikawa Takanori]

Q7.) A way to have beautiful skin?

Nako: Yena doesn’t do a thing (laughs).

Yena: I use face lotion like anyone else!

Nako: That’s it?! The minute I leave the bathroom, I put on both face lotion and moisturizer.

Q8.) Please tell us something interesting that has happened lately!

Yena: Since appearing together on FNS, I’ve really been into Little Glee Monster. Lately, I’m always listening and singing their songs.

Nako: Speaking of that, the other day we were going to guest on Sakura-chan’s radio show, but when we went out, the other members were actually being recorded for a broadcast on a different day.

Yena: I thought I was going to go on radio again! But then I was mistaken… I thought I was going to introduce Little Glee Monster’s songs again for that recording so I was always practicing at the hotel (laughs).

Nako: I think you practiced for 3 to 4 hours? Even though you practiced all that time you didn’t get a chance to show it.

Yena: Yeah, that’s too bad…

Q9.) What is something you want to do in 2019?

Yena: Study Japanese!

Nako: I want to be fluent in Korean because I’m not good at all right now.

Yena: Nako’s Korean is really good.

Nako: Really?

Yena: Your pronunciation sounds like a native (laughs).

Nako: Maybe it’s because I listen carefully when I hear it. I’m not really good at reading, so if I don’t understand it, I’ll be like let’s try listening to it (laughs). If I made a mistake, everyone will tell me. So, I want to quickly become fluent in Korean!

Yena: I also want to quickly become fluent in Japanese!

Q10.) What do you like to wear?

Nako: Mini-skirts. I have lots of skirts that go to your knees. I really like checkered patterns!

Yena: In Japan I bought newsboy caps. Up until now, I only wore hats on the days I didn’t shower (laughs). It made me happy when Nako said they suit me.

Nako: They really do suit you!

Yena: Ehehe~

Q11.) Your favourite food?

Nako: Ice cream! If you told me I only had to eat one thing from now on, it’ll definitely be ice cream!

Yena: Meat! I love any kind of meat!

Q12.) What kind of diets do you do?

Nako: I have been keeping track of what I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other than the practices we do every day, I normally don’t exercise but lately everyone started going to Pilates.

Yena: For me, I eat once a day of the food I love eating. After that, I will try to dance it off.

Q13.) Please tell us your favourite saying.

Yena: “With great effort, nothing is impossible.” I truly felt the meaning of these words during PRODUCE48.

Nako: “You can lose (someone’s) trust in an instant, but it takes time to regain.” Even if you fail at something, little by little you will be able to regain the trust back. It has a positive meaning that I learned from a senior!

Individual Interviews:

Yabuki Nako

If I had to say, the times that we’re active in Japan, I am often the type of person to look after everyone but in Korea, everyone says just be cute everyday… It’s such a strange difference (laughs). The lyrics “Say I like you (to me)” is something I don’t have the courage to say, so every time I sing that part, I am always imagining the depth of love in the meaning of lyrics.

Choi Yena

The day we filmed the “Suki to Iwasetai” MV it was extremely cold and since the MV was shot outside, it was troublesome! My outfit has short pants, so it was especially cold that every time we stopped filming, I kept on returning to the warmth of my coat. The shooting was done over two days, but it was a very memorable experience. Because I worked so hard, everyone please check it out ❤.