SHINee Dazed and Confused Interview

[filmsession]

★Onew★

"Whenever we're on stage we do a performance fitting the SHINee concept. The team's concept is more important than showing myself off."

Q: How's your health? (This interview was 11/19 which was soon after Onew recovered from H1N1)
A: To our relief, I've fully recovered and feel a lot better now.

Q: I'm sorry for this question, but what are symptoms of H1N1? My tonsils are tingly.
A: All of the symptoms?

Q: I mean, no...just the more prevalent ones.
A: You have a really high fever and a headache. Also a runny nose, sore throat, and muscle aches all over. I coughed a lot and it felt like I had every symptom from having a cold (laugh)

Q: You wear a shirt that says "Raise Your Voice, Louder, Louder, Louder" but I never heard you speak loudly once during the photoshoot.
A: Even if I laugh and talk a lot usually, when we have serious work to do I tend to talk less and not pay attention when people speak to me. (laugh)
I'm the type of person to focus on one thing at a time.

Q: A while ago you were standing still in front of the fitting room.
A: Truthfully...I was sleepy so I slept a little standing up.

Q: What are you concerned with most lately?
A: My health. (laugh) And I hate when people talk to me while I'm reading.

Q: It's nice hearing an idol like reading. Who's your favorite author?
A: I read a lot of Bernard Werber at one point. Right now, no one particular...

Q: Do you think there are a lot of prejudices about idols?
A: Of course.

Q: What do you think about those prejudices?
A: If you're not in the position of being an idol you really wouldn't know what it's like. What's for sure is that it's very different from what people think.

Q: Most people like to gossip and speculate about what they don't know.
A: It's uncommon for me to hear that kind of talk spoken to me directly.
Whenever I read an article about SHINee online I never read the comments. (laugh)

Q: Do you have any thoughts of being a regular variety guest like Minho?
A: Yes. I would love to be on real variety shows like "Infinite Challenge", "1 Night 2 Days", or "Family Outing."

Q: Which is your favorite? You never know, they might call you.
A: I don't know...I can't regularly watch them all...(laugh)

Q: You've done a lot of interviews. What's the most commonly asked question?
A: Usually my ideal type. What kind of girl I like.

Q: Then I can't not ask it. Who's your ideal type?
A: A long time ago I said "someone with charm." Nowadays I added "someone with a good voice" to that ideal type.

Q: Interesting. Why is someone with a good voice charming or attractive?
A: I felt like I was giving overused answers to an overused question. So I decided to go for something more fresh (laugh)

Q: You'll have to meet a girl soon, someone you'll want to pursue like in SHINee songs.
A: We do have things like that in "One For Me", like "She separated from him...yes!" (laugh)
But in reality I can't go up to women. Even if I have something to ask of them I can't really speak first.

Q: Would it be weird to ask you your dream goal?
A: It's not a dream goal but I have a picture of how I want to live my life.
I would want to earn a lot of money so I can sail on a yacht vacationing and feeling life's freedoms...(laugh)

Q: Last question. How would you describe yourself in one word or one sentence?
A: Flubber. Just like in the movie "Flubber," soft and bouncy.
You never know what side of me will pop out. I could suddenly make your life really difficult. Hahaha!

Q: Oh! It'd be nice if you made my life difficult. But don't hit me.
A: Hahaha

★Jonghyun★

"Giving 100% of my all to someone needs a certain type of energy beyond just talking. That's what I want to do with music."

Q: I've been looking over you for a couple of hours and it seems like you have a blunt personality.
A: I do, and I don't. I think I change depending on the day.

Q: Then what type are you today?
A: I'm active but somewhat cynical? (laugh)

Q: Ah, not a good day for an interviewer.
A: My mood changes a lot depending on the weather or my condition.

Q: If we changed positions and you were me what would you ask?
A: If I were interviewing a singer I would ask about their music, and what music is to them.

Q: Sounds like the last question of Golden Fishery's Radio Star portion. "What is music to you?"
A: It's something you'd need to think about if music is your job.

Q: True. So what is music to you?
A: Ah, asking it like this, now I'm embarrassed? (laugh) To me, music is a story. The lyrics, the song's emotions, all of it is a story I'm telling. I have to get the listeners' sympathy to give proper emotions through the story.

Q: When you walked into the studio, the song you were humming was one that came out before you were born: Yoo Jae Ha's "Sad Letter." Do you like old songs?
A: I like all of Yoo Jae Ha's songs. I also like Blue Sky's "7 Years of Love". I think the songs I like change too. Right now I'm listening to more sensitive, emotional songs and hopefully I can understand them more and portray those feelings in my own voice.

Q: An important part of being a vocalist is conveying sensitivity.
A: Really? (shy laughter) I'm trying not to hide my emotions. When I was a trainee I would listen to sad songs and cry on purpose.

Q: Today's theme is "Idols who aren't controlled but lead their own lives."
This is to overturn thoughts like "Even idols' private lives are controlled." What do you think of these stereotypes?
A: People who want to pursue music are obviously very sincere. We like it so much that we don't want to turn our eyes to anything else. For example, a student who loves art might be in the studio and someone may misinterpret, 'He's just in there to look cool and maintain his image.'" So an interview where we can talk about this is very welcoming.

Q: What kind of person are you?
A: I'm objective. So I can't exactly understand everyone. But I am a type of person who can respect a variety of people.

Q: But you are proper and have a fair attitude which makes people say you hav a "seamless image."
A: You always have to be careful of what you say. Remarks can always be misinterpreted in ways you never meant.

Q: I understand completely. As I was writing this interview I put in my usual "petulant" questions until I realized I was dealing with huge numbers of SHINee fans, so I deleted them.
A: Oh (laugh) We're celebrities. And as I said everyone in the world is different. The same remarks can be interpreted completely differently among different people. So naturally we talk even more carefully.

Q: It's wiser to be careful than to make a mistake and regret it. But that good trait might lead to boring interviews of you only spitting out correct answers.
A: True. That's how it could be seen.

Q: When you are awake what occupies your thoughts most?
A: Words. The poetic lyrics don't come from my imagination; they're all things I've actually experienced. I've seen someone write "The world is making waves" whenever they see something sad, and I think about what that means. Wouldn't the world be making waves when tears flow from departing eyes? The writer couldn't have written that without experiencing it himself.
Words that stay with you even if it's one sentence. That's what I want to achieve.

★Key★

"I can't hide who I am. I can't say things I don't mean, say that I like things I hate, or hate things I like. And more than anything, I can't lie to myself."

Q: You are the first celebrity who thoroughly remembers the models in the latest "Dazed and Confused" issue. You must be particularly interested in fashion.
A: If you ask me what I like, #1 is music and #2 is fashion. Truthfully, I only got interested in fashion after becoming a singer. After seeing Ha Sang Baek's styling, I thought "Where did these cool clothes come from? I don't see it in Myungdong or in department stores."

Q: Do you have thoughts of studying fashion officially?
A: I've thought about studying abroad. I also have thoughts of being in the fashion business, maybe as a fashion magazine editor. I did art as a kid, and my child dream was to become a painter.

Q: If you were a fashion magazine editor what kind of photoshoot or article would you want?
A: Something very experimental, independent of luxury brands or societal myths that gives off a visual effect of freedom...that's what I'd...want to make! (laugh) That's what I'd say when I don't know anything.

Q: Ah, does that mean you know more now!
A: Well, each magazine needs to abide by their own concept and there might be censoring by the publication company. But then again they're all professionals, they would've done it even if they couldn't.

Q: I've heard you were pro at water skiing before debuting.
A: I was a 'pro'...but there weren't that many kids so anyone who participated was pretty much a pro. Water skiers in one area made up only about 3 people?

Q: If you're from Daegu you were probably raised under conservative parents. How are you?
A: My dad is very conservative. I really liked singing and dancing as a kid but only did it in my room alone. But in 8th grade I told my parents that I wanted to legitimately be a singer and my dad was shocked and said, "There's no way a well-mannered, quiet kid like you can become a celebrity!" (laugh)

Q: Do reporters ask you your ideal type in every interview?
A: Many people ask. But I'd probably be curious too. Ah, and a lot of people ask about my new hairstyle with this album concept.

Q: So I think I'll be different and remove all the hairstyle questions, then. But I'm still curious about your ideal type.
A: Your difference. I like it. (laugh) My ideal type is Chloe Sevigny.

Q: Chloe Sevigny? You're the first person I know of your age who chooses such a "chic" fashion icon for an ideal type. Of course, fashionistas are different.
A: I think Chloe Sevigny is really cool so I even contemplated buying a shirt with her photograph but...it was a shirt with her nude! (seriously dissatisfied face) Then I can't wear it!

Must've been this:


Q: Chloe Sevigny is not a typical pretty face so she's not very popular among men here.
A: I think girls with style are more beautiful than ones with a pretty face. Small face, skinny, double eyelids...if guys keep going after that plain look, every girl's face might look the same. It'd be a scary day.

Q: Your character seems extraordinary in many ways. How would you characterize yourself in words?
A: I can't hide who I am. I can't say things I don't mean, say that I like things I hate, or hate things I like. And more than anything, I can't lie to myself. And in a moment of disappoint I can't make excuses to make up for my behavior...

Q: People who are the strictest and harshest to themselves aren't very shaken by criticism from other people.
A: I try to hear bad, bitter things about myself in a better, sweeter light. I always repeatedly ask in case I forget. But I don't consider looks or anything I can't change to be a bad thing about myself.
So rather than dwelling upon things I can't change, I'd rather develop the good things about me. So my dream isn't to become the "best", it's to be someone who I'm not ashamed to be. Not that I don't want to become the best (laugh). For everyone who wants to become the best, second place would be considered failing. Since the best can always only be one person.

Interviewer: Sorry, but is he really a 91er? People in their 10s don't usually think this maturely...

★Minho★

"I'm idealistic so my life outlook is to never give up. Even if something seems absolutely impossible, I will run as hard as I can go."

Q: First question in this interview has to be an annoying one that a neighbor ahjumma would ask. How did your college entrance exam go?
A: I'm not one to get nervous for performances, but the night before the test I was really nervous and couldn't sleep. I was nervous since it was the big exam, after all. But when I actually got the exam in front of me, I felt more relaxed. When the language arts portion ended I thought it wasn't as bad as I expected.

Q: Oh, you could be a hidden genius!
A: Not that.(laugh) When the results come out I'm sure my score won't be great, but the fact that I wasn't nervous and solved the problems helped out.

Q: I heard the language arts portion was the hardest...sorry. I'll stop now.
A: The questions were hard. (laugh) So I suffered a bit.

Q: I suffered too, from trying to stop coworkers from tagging along to the SHINee interview.
A: Hahahaha. (vigorous laughter)

Q: I did get questions from them though, and three of them asked the same thing. The competitive personality you show in "Dream Team" season 2, is that real or do you have to act like that since you're the magnae and you have to survive?
A: Hahahaha (shy and vigorous laughter) It's not because I'm the magnae. Everyone is really nice and takes care of him. I'm the magnae, but anyone older than me is at least five years older.
I always really liked sports and am really competitive. If you look at my competitiveness positively it's quite passionate, but negatively it's almost a "What is he doing" type of situation. If I lose a game I get mad, and mull over it myself. (laugh)

Q: Of course, competitiveness is part of liking sports, so you would be competitive...
A: When I was younger my brother and I fought a lot, but I never cried from my parents punishing me. But one time in 8th grade I did cry really hard. It was when I lost a soccer game where I was a representative. Tears fell without my knowledge. (laugh)

Q: Like Kang Baek Ho in the final episode of "Slam Dunk"?
A: Yep. (laugh) I learned then that my competitiveness is so strong I can't even control it. Even on "Dream Team", as you may know, I can't control my facial expressions after losing. (laugh) It's my first regular program so I'm still learning. I was always wanting to be a radio DJ or have a show like "Sketchbook" or "The Knee-Drop Guru" (on "Golden Fishery") where you share stories and get to know people better. I would learn about that person's thoughts or feelings, and tell them what I thought of it. If I interview people, I would get to know many lives and experiences that I haven't been through myself.

Q: So as an interview, say you met the "Dazed and Confused" editor. What would you ask?
A: I'm curious. Reporters interview a lot of people. There are young singers like me, sport stars, or experienced actors. The way you go about interviewing each time will be different, but there has to be some sort of common factor for successful interviews. What are those common factors?

Q: Oh, hard question. It's hard to pinpoint just one, but age is probably a factor. People like you in their 10s or early 20s are good with young interviewers who are tempted by sweet things, and whose goals aren't blurred by small matters. But there are a lot of older people who went after those temptations and suffered. One can only really go one way in life. Stay in one place forever, or change plans and go after something else. But why are you curious about this?
A: At this age I'm starting be a contributing member of society. Anything I'm lost about or have to dig deeper for, adults can already deduce these things with one eye closed. Just like it's obvious for me now as to what an elementary school kid is thinking. (laugh) So I ask a lot about adults' opinions. I asked you in hopes that your opinion could contribute something.

Q: Is your nickname "old man in a kid's body"?
A: Hahaha. Not really.

Q: I thought this too when you said you "respected your father." There are two kinds of men in recent generations. Men who respect their father and men who don't want to turn out like their father.
A: This is very true. My dad never told me "do this or that." He showed me first before telling me what to do. (Minho's dad is Choi Yun Gyum manager from the K League Daejun soccer team). When I was immature I didn't really know about my dad's silent teaching. Later on I realized how much I really learned from him. I know now why my dad opposed my wanting to pursue sports, and why he opposed me being a celebrity at first and why he relented later on. In the far future when I have kids, I want to become a dad my kids respect just like my own. That is my goal.

Q: I asked this to other members too. What do you think about prejudices about idols?
A: One prejudice is "Kids do anything they're told," right? This isn't entirely untrue. If you look at it in certain ways we "do what our company tells us to do." Sing like this. No profanities during broadcast. But this is because we are new and our company is teaching us what to do, and even with older debut singers this would be the same. But we are younger and the majority of our fans are in their 10s, so this point is emphasized.

Q: If you had to choose a SHINee song that most represents your love relationships?
A: What! Oh...hahaha...(a look of nervousness) I've never thought about that, ah...(you can hear the suffering in his voice) I guess "Noona Numu Yeppeo (Replay)"?

Q: That was the best reaction this entire interview.
A: The question was so new. Nothing I've ever thought about. (laugh)

Q: It was like an expression of a "manly man" who can never say he's ticklish.
A: Hahahaha (almost with shortness of breath). True. I cant say that often.

Q: How would you describe yourself in a sentence?
A: I think I'm a person who "can't give up", and even if someone makes me do something that seems absolutely impossible, like if someone asked me to swim to America, I would go as far as I could. I learned a lesson like this in a comic book...

Q: You mean, Jung Dae Man in "Slam Dunk"?
A: Yep. I like all the characters in "Slam Dunk" but he's the coolest to me. He's a man who would never give up. But how did you know?

Interviewer: Because "flaming charisma" Jung Dae Man is a "manly man" as well.

★Taemin★

"If I could, I want to become a truly incredibly person known worldwide. The man I respect most is Michael Jackson."

Q: Other SHINee members have gathered that "Noona (interviewer) is strong." Is it okay to you, the team's maknae, that agewise I'm your "aunt" and personality-wise, your "hyung"?
A: Hahaha

Q: You entered high school this year. How is school life?
A: I try my best to go to school even on busy days. I go in the morning, meet my teacher, and apologize for not being able to stay for the entire class time. Paralleling school life and SHINee isn't too hard. To do what I want to do, this level of hardship is necessary.

Q: How were midterms? Sorry for acting like a harsh principal.
A: Haha. I said I was going to study...(shy laughter)

Q: All the members said they have never made friends of the opposite sex, in a world where even elementary school kids are exchanging couple rings.
A: This is true. Because of our schedules we're busy, but it's not a big deal.

Q: Now I'm curious about your ideal type.
A: My ideal type...um, someone pretty...(shy laughter) I think foreign models or actors are really pretty. Like Emma Watson or Scarlett Johansson.

Q: Funny. The two actors are completely opposite types.Emma Watson is pretty like a fairy, and Scarlett Johansson is very mature and sexy, so who would be better?
A: Hmm...Emma Watson. (shy laughter)

Q: SHINee members are skinny, so statements like "They're on severe diets" and "They can't eat at all after 6 PM" go around.
A: All the members' body types are different, with people who just can't gain weight along with those who worry because they are prone to gaining. I'm the type who can lose weight quickly if necessary but can't gain it very well. During "Juliette" I lost a lot of weight so I'm trying hard now to gain it back.

Q: How does it feel to have tens of thousands of fans?
A: I don't know, really. We haven't done a solo concert yet, and we can't really feel our popularity while outside. We only really feel our popularity when our homepage web maintainer or people around us say "SHINee has lots of fans." So we're curious as to how popular we are too. If I have the opportunity I'd like to grab a random person off the street and ask "Do you know SHINee?"

Q: You don't feel it even when you're going to school? No one gathers around you saying "It's SHINee's Taemin. Taemin!"?
A: Because we're of similar age? Many people do notice. (laugh) But I think there must be a lot of older people who have no clue who SHINee is. I think we still need to try hard and let more people know who we are.

Q: SHINee does have a lot of popularity among older people too. When I said I was going to do the SHINee interview this morning, the advertising manager (40 years old, married) said "Oh, I like their 'Ding Dong Daeng' song of theirs!"
A: Oh, I didn't know! This makes me happy.

Q: This time of life, in your 10s, is the time when people usually feel most rebellious but you are a youth living your life very properly. Don't you ever get hormones where you just want to run away and rebel?
A: There are times I want to go out and play. But there are things I need to be doing right now, things I've wanted to pursue ever since 6th grade. So that is my utmost priority right now. I can always play later; it's never too late. When we were trainees we had curfews but if we the next day was a holiday we would all hide until everyone left and practice dancing ourselves. And then we'd lie to the agency that we got home safely. (laugh)

Q: What's your future dream?
A: ?? (laugh) If I could, I want to become a truly incredibly person known worldwide. The man I respect most is Michael Jackson.

Q: You might even appear in a history book!
A: That would be nice.

source: shakizi | translated by filmsession @ omona_prection

This took me forever ;____; Please forgive any errors or confusing parts and feel free to ask for clarification.
Key's Chloe Sevigny shirt story made me lol so hard; that's so him.