[INTERVIEW] 120424 U-KISS “We Want to Show Everyone the Real, Different Us”

If change is feared, then there is no progression.

When attempting to learn something new, there comes a new depth of frustration. However we can only grow if we continue to learn. For the male group U-KISS, they have spent the last months in Japan and created a large impact. With the hallyu wave going hard, they threw themselves into the Japanese market and embarked on their ‘First Japan Live Tour 2012′ in cities such as Sapporo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Tokyo and more, striving harder than ever to become the next hallyu icons.

What they have achieved now is beyond their expectations, after eight months they’re back for a national comeback with strongly beating hearts. Their desire to grow bigger in Korea encourages them to do better.

“The results from our promotions in Japan weren’t as bad as we expected. After the member changes, we’ve encountered several hardships. Finally everything is behind us and we’re showing us the completed, fully transformed U-KISS. Right now is an important time for us” said Hoon.

The release of their 6th mini-album ‘DORADORA’ on the 25th is especially important. One of the nation’s top composer, Kim HyungSuk, helped to create the title song. U-KISS brings a refreshing music and image style to the idol concept. Listeners will be able to feel the manly charisma of U-KISS.

> So it’s been 8 months since your last comeback?

- It’s a new start. We want to show everyone how much we’ve grown. (Eli)

- The results from our promotions in Japan weren’t as bad as we expected. After the member changes, we’ve encountered several hardships. Finally everything is behind us and we’re showing us the completed, fully transformed U-KISS. Right now is an important time for us, this album is very special. (Hoon)

>What did the experiences in Japan mean for U-Kiss?

- While in Japan, everyone’s Japanese skills have improved. Our stage presence (dancing, singing) and breathing has been taken a step further. Our skills have increased (smirk), AJ composes songs and lyrics, and all members continue to study music. (Soohyun)

- We felt that our bonds between us and the respect that we have for each other has grown. (Hoon)

> There were many stories regarding the selection of the title track?

- We heard over 100 songs in Japan. It took us a long time to choose our songs because this is such an important album. Japanese fans and companies may be watching our national promotions. After reviewing so many options, we ended up with the song ‘DORADORA’. (Soohyun)

- We discussed about it a lot. Should we go for a song that’s easy to listen and sing to, or should we choose a tough song that gives a strong impact in performance? After a lot of thought, we decided to pick a song that would bring us closer to our fans. (Kiseop)

> What are you thoughts on your comeback?

- It’s been a while since we’ve met with our Korean fans. While touring in Japan, our stage manners have improved and we’ve gained a lot more confidence in our performances. With that new confidence, we’re all excited to show everyone. (Eli)

> There was a member change…

- Many people were concerned about our member change at first. There’s only one word to describe it, ‘wow’. When Kiseop entered our group, it was a tough time for him. There were several fans who opposed his addition to the group. So when AJ and Hoon entered, we paid much attention to them. We didn’t want them to suffer like Kiseop did. The new members were able to adapt quickly, and our original members were able to begin with a fresh start. (Soohyun)

> The member change, the Japanese promotions, there have been many changes for the team…

- We were afraid of change at first, but I think we can all say that the change was nice. We did well in Japan and our teamwork has improved much, much more. (Soohyun)

> U-KISS is already heading into their 5th year, what does the title ‘idol singer’ mean to you?

- There are good and bad points. Being an idol means that you have to have a lot of talent (skill), right? With that concept, being called an idol is nice. However, as an idol you are pushed into a narrow genre of music. Our group has our own style of music, so in that way we don’t entirely fit in. (Soohyun)

When translated to English, the word ‘idol’ has a different meaning in Korean. To be similar to the English definition of idol, the Korean idol should place more emphasis on the musical aspect. With more musical ability and skill, the Korean idol would really become a real ‘idol’. (AJ)

> Do you have different goals for this promotion?

- Our goal has always been to win first place on a music program, but rather than focusing on numbers, we want to show everyone the real, different us. We want to show everyone the things we felt during our Japanese promotions and for the past 4-5 years. Our activities in Japan have made us realise many things.

> Where do you think U-KISS is on the level of development?

- In the past, we were immature. Even now, we aren’t fully mature. However, slowly we begin to build more respect for the title of ‘singer’, and our passions towards music and towards the stage have become more intense. We are beginning to understand the importance of the stage and we truly embrace it now. (Soohyun)

> What is installed for your future?

- Rather than the future, we just want to become an idol group faithful to the original meaning of being a singer. We want to participate in the making of the entire album from beginning to end. Creating the music, the album jackets, everything, even the music videos. Whether it be composing songs, lyrics, or producing, we want to be known for our talent. (AJ)

Credits: enews24 + pigger995 @ ROCKETBOXX.NET