[Full ENG Translation] The Return Of The King - JYJ
Marie Claire 2014 August
http://www.marieclairekorea.com/user/celebrity/cover/view.asp?mIdx=9800&adminview=1
The day before the interview, the news reported that first 20,000
seats of JYJ comeback concert (on Aug 09) were sold out in 20 minutes.
It is so amazing thing that today’s story might not sound so great.
However, to someone, this may be the most envious story more than
anything. This is the story about the friendship of the friends who
became each other’s place to return.
We lose many friends in our life. Without any fights, it is quite
common to grow apart from a friend shared happiness and sadness while
believing you would never drift apart with your friend. Regardless of a
reason – you may have different thoughts, too busy to live your everyday
life or find someone more important -, normally it’s too late when you
find out such friend’s absence.
On the day of shooting with JYJ, the new album was still under the
finishing work, Jaejoong was shooting his drama and Yuchun was
travelling dometic/abroad for promotion for his film. It wasn’t so
different to Junsu too as he was practicing for his new musical. We had
planned their photoshoot few months ago but we barely managed just
before cancellation of whole plan due to their busy schedules. The three
members looked really tired when they stepped into the studio. During
the photoshoot, we sat face-to-face.
The interview started with the story about the new album and
continued to their friendship that no words can describe, relationship
that they would return in the end and their loving people. The interview
suddenly got very deep and I became one of the people who wish their
relationship would last long without any fights, and be friends again
even after any conflict – just like a long friendship does.
Q) It’s been 3 years since the group’s last
album. Meanwhile you three have done a lot of individual activities.
The experience might’ve effected on you as a matured human being. Can
you describe how you put those improvement into the new album?
JUNSU: The genres are quite various, but we kept the album relaxed compared with the last one.
I don’t mean we didn’t care less – it’s a kind of meaning that we’ve
been matured. For example, we chose a dance song which has a deep
feelings rather than strong beats. It’s a true that we three have
different tastes, but we also know what proper music is for JYJ well. We
received about 80 songs from domestic and abroad. We selected 5 songs per each member, and 3 songs of the five were exactly same after we choosing them separately.
It’s more like we selected the music we should do, rather than a
song which is good or bad. I guess all three of us thought the same
about it.
Q) What does it take to be ‘JYJ’s music for three of you’?
YUCHUN: Good music, and something that Junsu and Jaejoong’s voice can be harmonised well together.
JAEJOONG: We
didn’t think of trend or genre this time. We didn’t think about any
other things and only tried to find something we have in common. There
is a song with strong instrumental arrangement, a cappella-like song,
R&B and POP. We selected the songs that we all three liked.
Q) It’s surprising that you can find a common for ‘good music’ while you three have a different aspects in many ways.
YUCHUN:
I think we have similar feeling when we get rid of our personal tastes a
bit and think of the team. It’s something we just know because we’ve
been together for a long time. There is no certain reason, but we just
naturally know which is suitable on the members or how it’d sound when
we sing together. It’s possible after we’ve spent a lot of time
together.
Q) For the last 3 years, you’ve separately worked in different fields,
not as a group. Do you feel anything changed after those time?
JAEJOONG: Well we all should have.. right?
YUCHUN: I have none.
JAEJOONG: Why?
why not? (with laugh) Me and Junsu had no pressure that we had to sing
because we worked on solo albums as well. I was curious what Yuchun
would feel because he did acting only. Junsu did musicals so I expected
him to show some musical-like-side, like I expected myself to put
something ‘rock’ because I did rock albums. So I was wondering what we
would have in common when we started recording the album, but it was
just JYJ’s feeling. We were also surprised by that too.
JUNSU: It’s
different feeling when I sing as JYJ and musical actor. Jaejoong also
have similar thing. As for Yuchun, I couldn’t remember when I saw him
singing recently so thought he would be a bit different. Then we went to
a Karaoke together on his birthday party, and he was singing really
great! It looked like.. he had more emotion like sadness. I guess maybe
it’s because he did acting.
I was worried too. We did individual works a lot so I was worried whether we could work as a group, but it was ‘only’ 3 years.
YUCHUN: I thought we were doing [as a group] for whole 10 years together. (laugh)
JUNSU: Yes, 10 years in total.
JAEJOONG: Now it’s 11th year. It could be even longer when we consider our time before debut.
Q) Anyway it’s a long time. There are many words to describe friendship. What type of friend is JYJ to each other?
YUCHUN: I think there is no specified word to describe us.
In the past, I thought we were friends or sometimes family or
something. But now it seems meaningless to me. I mean it’s just
meaningless to describe us as a word now.
JUNSU: There is
something that we get closer and become a bigger tower to rely on when
we go through difficult things rather than good things.
Q) Individual activities of the three members are successful so it seems
that it’s going to be a lager part of you. Will you still have
activities as JYJ then? What music will JYJ do in the future? Not about
just genre.
YUCHUN: We
prepared the new album with less thoughts. It doesn’t mean we didn’t
work hard. It feels like ‘Let’s do something together this time, shall
we?’. You know, not like ‘let’s do this concept!’, ‘Oh no we need to do
other things’ or ‘we need to do something new’, it just naturally came
out.
Q) So does it mean you’ve become more comfortable?
YUCHUN: Well
it’ll be good if we have a successful results. But it doesn’t feel like
we make the album to let the worlds know about our name. We just made
the album because we reached same thoughts while living our life.
JAEJOONG: It’s correct. It’s not about ‘Hey there, we made something fabulous so give us your applause!’.
Q) It sounds you’ve found some relaxation.
Fans are important to every musician, but they should be very much
important to JYJ especially. Does it give you more pressure when you
approach fans, like what music you need to make?
YUCHUN: I guess there is no such pressure like that.
JAEJOONG: We’ve
done individual activities. If we’d done group activities only, I
wouldn’t have thought of my next goals or steps as an individual. I
wouldn’t have thought further things while having certain
satisfaction[in the group]. I constantly made progress as the group, but
became to have goals or questions about my next steps while I was doing
my own activities because I was doing [my] albums while working as a
group. Of course there is a desire to show better things, but I became
more relaxed when I do group activities. It rather feels I come back to a shelter even if I’m running at the moment now.
JUNSU: I agree with him totally. For other musicians, making new album must be big pressure. But for us, it feels like doing something in a shelter, in the place that we are safer.
Q) Can you tell us about what you think of other members’ individual works?
JUNSU: I think
Yuchun and Jaejoong took their certain place as an actor. There are many
idol singers doing acting, but being able to take the place as the one
of TOP 10 among them, is really lucky to me as well, as the same
members.
JAEJOONG: I tend
to talk to myself that I am unique. Even if it’s a bad side of me, I
take it as my unique character positively. When I see Junsu, I
sometimes imagine whether there is anyone else who has same colour like
him. I don’t think so. There is a typical image of a musical actor, but
Junsu is something different.
YUCHUN: Yes there is something to Junsu. Something different compared with other musical actors.
JAEJOONG: As
a member of JYJ, I appreciate Yuchun for his position. He’s keeping
JYJ’s balance really well. What would people think when they see the
group of three members with so unique character individually? Yuchun is
the one who keeps this balance in the middle. Whether he sings or acting, he has no sense of incompatibility.
YUCHUN: To be honest, I like group activity more than individual works.
Q) Any reasons for that?
YUCHUN: Because
it’s fun. I’m not sure what fans think. It seems that there are
some fans who are more supportive for individual activities. But
sometimes, I wish they could pay more attention to group activities.
JAEJOONG: I agree.
Q) Isn’t it because all three of you are so good and successful in each field?
YUCHUN: Of course it can be.
JUNSU: When we first started, I think fans also thought that doing something for other members were natural and good thing. But
since some time ago, fans happen to take sensitively about something
that we can do for each other just naturally. I know there is someone
who became a fan because of Jaejoong’s acting [as an actor], not as JYJ
or someone who likes my musical, not JYJ. It’s same to Yuchun’s drama
and I know their position. However, before think about it[stance for
individual] , I hope they can consider that we are JYJ, the group.
Q) Perhaps it’s because it’s been really long to have activity as the
group. When we see the ticket sales for the upcoming concert, fans’
expectation seems to be tremendous.
JAEJOONG: It’s
very cautious thing to say in talking because it’s also kind of support
from fans for us. I know it’s support and love toward me, but I didn’t
have intention of talking about this here before our album release. I
just mean I hope fans can understand our motto that we get strength in JYJ, then have individual activities from the team.
YUCHUN: I have one more thing to ask. We decide our direction for the members’ activities. Of
course we discuss with the management, but most decisions are made by
ourselves. However, I heard many people blaming the management.
JUNSU: I think they believe that the management makes better decisions for someone, and less care about decisions for the others.
YUCHUN: I hope they can take it like this.
Sometimes we consider the management, sometimes one member is
considerate of another member naturally while we’re living life. We
decide something after consideration for each other and fans sometimes
take it like the company made it unilaterally. Of course I know it’s
just they care about their [biased] member a lot. However, we are the
one who left the former management company because we wanted to make our
own decision. So our top priority is that the management respects our
own opinions first.
JUNSU: That’s correct. We listen to the management’s opinions too. But decisions are made by ourselves.
Well there should be something successful or not successful, right?
They think it’s caused by the management’s decision, but it’s not. Simply,
we do what we want to do. For our own sake, I hope fans can accept that
JYJ is the decision maker and we take the responsibility.
JAEJOONG: It means that we wish fans would support us for doing something we want to do.
Surely we all know really well that our fans were the people who gave
the greatest strength besides us, sharing pains together when we made
hard decision to leave the former company.
JUNSU: I think we and our fans have had more laughter and we got a lot closer after many difficult things.
So I hope our fans can just enjoy our activities, rather than concerned
about or take too cautiously. And most of all, really appreciate our
fans.
JAEJOONG: I feel like we and our fans have become family now.
Q) It looks like you all so strong or
self-esteemed. You all three seem to have strong confidence compared
with other same-age group. Don’t you think you grew up too fast?
JUNSU: We’re just children when there are only three of us. Full of jokes.
JAEJOONG: We’re professional when we work, but just ordinary after work.
YUCHUN: And the only time we can be truly ourselves like other same-age group is when we meet together. A lot relaxed.
Q) You’ve done well so far as an individual or JYJ. After the new album,
it feels like you would have next step after finishing certain level.
What do you think at this very moment? Any concerns, expectation or
plans?
JUNSU: As we’ve been so far, we don’t look too further.
JAEJOONG: Oh, that’s exactly same to my thoughts.
JUNSU: (laugh)
We think about what we must do now. We have our own individual
activities, but now our priority is to finish JYJ’s album activities.
Well, we’ll think about the next thing after that.
YUCHUN: I texted
Jaejoong a short time ago, saying “What are you doing? Are you happy
lately?”. It’s good to have more activities and have good results, but
now it’s gradually becoming less part of us. I don’t know what happiness is, but I just want three of us to get on really well.
Well, it’s good to have more success and money, but nowadays I think
about us – if we become the people who can make each other smile by just
looking at our face, It’ll be really deep relationship. Of course JYJ’s
activity is so important and it’s what I want to do, but I hope we do
it because we are all like-minded, so happy to be together, suddenly
get an idea like ‘Oh I want to do this with all three together’ when I
hear a good music during driving. I mean I hope we do it because it can
give happiness to each other. Who can say what would happen to us or how
great we would be? I wish we can draw our future as just happy one even
if we can’t take a leading role[in dramas] or our concerts reduce to 10
times from 30 when we get forty something. It’s good if we have a big success, but it’s not a main part.
Q) Is there any last dream that you want achieve as JYJ at the end? It’s not about detailed plan.
JUNSU:
For our activity, I hope we can make albums when we get old. And for
our life, my dream is to go on holiday to somewhere like Hawaii with our
wives and kids together.
JAEJOONG: I
don’t have a ‘dream’. When I think something is a dream, it sounds a
bit distance and something to achieve later. I like the word ‘goal’
because at least I try something make it happen if it’s a goal. When I
say it’s a dream it feels like I can’t go further.
Q) Jaejoong, Are you happy now? Moreover, are you the person who is believe in happiness?
JAEJOONG: Nowdays
I’m confused about what a standard for happiness is. People ask me like
“You’re doing a lot of individual works, so JYJ members don’t meet
often except you work for the group’s album right?”. Yes it’s true. It’s
good to meet often because we are preparing the new album now. It was
really happy when we started as three for the first time.
But as time goes by, now we just understand each other whether we are
together or not. We can feel each other’s presence when we are together
or separated. In the past, there was something clear definition
about happiness. But now there is no definition about what we should
have or do. (Jaejoong Talking to Yuchun): I got dazed when you texted me
while shooting the drama because it was you who asked me about it. How
many times we talk about our future or how happy we are or will be? The
answer has changed every year when I get aged, and it felt strange when I
heard the question.
JUNSU: We left the former company because we wanted to be truly happy.
We sometimes ask ourselves if we’re going for it now, or concern about
this happiness might disappear. Surely everything has its good or bad
sides. If you are rich and successful, there should be something good or
bad. It depends on how you think. If you think you’re unhappy because
you are lack of something, then you are unhappy. Or If you are satisfied
with something you have and someone else doesn’t, then you are happy.
It’s harder than you think, but I guess I’d be unhappy if I chased
something I don’t have. But we are closer to the answer than before at
least.
YUCHUN:
Happiness is not so a big deal. Even it’s most heartbreaking or
difficult, it can be happiness itself at some time. I mean happiness is
not just about whether I am glad or not, but just living my life can be
happiness, by having difficulty but living upon it. I think
that’s why our members don’t have specified goals. It doesn’t mean that
they really don’t have any goals in their lives just because they don’t
say clear goals now. When I texted Jaeoong, I couldn’t sleep, had too
much thoughts as I was so exhausted because I was having so hard time
and difficult things at that time. Then the only thought came to my head
in that situation was ‘well it’s a good thing. It’s just happy as it
is’. So I wondered how he thought. He was busy with his drama, album and
concert but it was nothing so serious question. It was just like “hey,
how are you?”. You can say it depends on how you think, but Jaeoong’s
answer was just what I thought. Now there is no definition about what
happiness is or not.
Q) Don’t you think you’re just happy by having such friends that you can
talk this kind of things? A lot of people live without those friends.
YUCHUN: Some people around me say it would be better to have a wide range of acquaintance because I meet limited number of people.
But whether I have many relationships or not, I have two guaranteed
people – I’ll always have Jaejoong and Junsu, then I’m done with the
words. Why would I be so feared or worried abut anything while I have
these fortune[Jaejoong/Junsu]?
JUNSU: Well it’s hard to have only one in your life. (laugh)
JAEJOONG: It[our friendship] is something like a deposit. (laugh)
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Excerpts from Marie Claire Interview with JYJ
Translations by @inheaven_wJYJ
Excerpt from JYJ's interview in Marie Claire KR Aug 2014 issue (1)
1. Yuchun "I like group activities better
than individual activities, to be honest...I enjoy it. I don't know how
fans would feel. There may be fans who support individuals activities
more. But sometimes I feel that the fans would place more importance and
show more interest in group activities."
Jaejoong "I agree."
2. Junsu "When we first started our activities, I think fans also
thought that it was reasonable and good thing for a member to do
something for another member. But at some point in time, fans started to
be sensitive about things that we thought nothing of doing for each
other. There are fans who become fans because of Jaejoong's acting, or
fans who like my musical, not JYJ. It goes same for Yuchun's drama. I
think that's what their positions are. But, I hope that they would keep
in mind that we are JYJ before that."
3. Jaejoong "We say these words with caution since the intentions of the
fans are for the good of us, support and love for me. But I really
would like to take this chance to talk about this before starting group
activities for this album. Please keep in mind that we are able to come
out and do our individual activities from the energy we gain from JYJ.
4. Yuchun "There is another thing I would like to ask of our fans. We
set the directions for our activities. We discuss it with the agency,
but we make most of the decisions. But I noticed that there were many
people who criticize the agency."
Junsu "People believe that decisions that are beneficial to some and as beneficial to others are being made."
Yuchun "Please understand this. There are times when we make
considerations for the agency and when members make considerations for
other members. But fans think that the decisions we made out of
consideration for each other is a decision made unilaterally by the
agency. Of course, we know. We know that it is out of your love for that
member. But we chose to walk out from [former] agency because we wanted
to make our own decisions, and so we prioritize the respect for our
opinions above anything else."
Junsu "Yes. We listen to what the agency has to say. But we make the
decisions. Among our activities, some have been more successful than
others. Fans believe that those decisions have been made by the agency,
but it is not true. To put it simply, we do what we want to do. I would
like the fans, out of the love they have for us, to understand that JYJ
are people who take responsibilities for the decisions they have made."
Jaejoong "We hope that the fans would support us so that we could do
what we want to do. Of course, we know that the fans have been our
greatest support going through the hard times with us when we left our
former agency."
Junsu "After the hard times, I feel that the members and fans have
laughed more and grown closer together. That is why we would like the
fans to enjoy our group activities instead of being worried and
defensive. Above all, I have the deepest gratitude for the fans."
Jaejoong "It's like fans and we are a family now."
Excerpt from JYJ's interview in Marie Claire KR Aug 2014 issue (2)
1. Q. Anyhow, that is a long time. There are many names to friendships. What kind of friends are you to each other?
Yuchun "There is no right word that could describe us. Before, it was
just a friend and a family. There were few words that came to my mind,
but now, the meaning of those words just seems pointless. There is just
no need for it."
Junsu "We depend on each other more and grow closer together when we are
going through hard times, rather than being together only in good
times."
2. Yuchun "I don't know what happiness is, but I really want three of us
to keep doing well. It would be great if became more successful and
made a lot of money, but I think about how strong our relationship would
be if three of us could just have a smile on our faces simply by seeing
each other's faces. Of course, JYJ activities are very important and I
would like to keep doing it. But I hope we do it because we think alike,
because we are so happy when we are together, and because we think it
would be great to do something like this when we listen to a song on
radio. Things we could do because it makes each other happy. We don't
know what great things we would be or what lies ahead in our future.
Even if we don't get the leading roles when we are forty years-old, and
we could only afford to do 10 shows when we did 30 shows in the past, I
would be happy if we were happy just for the sake of doing it. It would
be great if we were successful, but that's not what is important."
3. Yuchun "People tell me to widen the social circle a little since the
types of people I meet are limited. But it doesn't matter how many
people I meet. I have these two [Jaejoong and Junsu] as my security.
Jaejoong hyung and Junsu. These two will always be there for me, and
that's enough. What would I be afraid of or worried about when I have
assets like these two?”
Junsu "It's hard enough to make just one [friend like this]" (laughs)
Jaejoong "It's like a security deposit." (laughs)
Excerpt from JYJ's interview in Marie Claire KR Aug 2014 issue (3)
Q. It’s been three years since the last
album, and the three of you have been involved in many individual
activities. It is a time that would have matured you as a person as
well. It may be a little abstract, but please tell us how your growth
over the three years has been reflected in this album.
Junsu "Genres are more diverse, but we relaxed a bit more in this album.
It is not that we weren’t trying as hard but we matured in a way. For
example, even for the same dance music, we chose songs with stronger
impression rather than faster and louder beat. It is true that all three
of us have different taste in music, but we also know what music JYJ
should be doing. We got a lot of songs from Korean and international
composers. About 80 songs. Each of us chose 5 songs, but 3 of the songs
overlapped. Instead of deciding which songs were good or bad, we thought
about music we should be doing, and we think alike."
Q. What do three of you think JYJ’s music should be?
Yuchun "Good music. And music that harmonizes well with Junsu’s voice and Jaejoong hyung’s voice."
Jaejoong "We didn’t think about the trends or genre for this album. We
chose not to think about anything other than just finding the common
ground for the three of us. There are songs with a powerful instrumental
music, a cappella, R&B or pure pop. We chose songs that all three
of us thought were good when we listened."
Q. Three of you are all so different. It is amazing that you could find a common ground in good music.
Yuchun "I think we had few similar impressions [about music] when
thinking about the group and excluding the genres we liked. These
impressions come purely from the long years we spent together. There is
no clear reason, but when we listen to the songs, we know what is good,
what would go well with the members, and what it would be like when
three of us sing together. This is possible because we have been
together for a long time."
Q. After reuniting after three years of activities in different areas
instead of continuing activities as JYJ, there must be some changes you
have noticed.
Jaejoong "I am sure all of us have it."
Yuchun "I don’t have any."
Jaejoong "You don’t have any? Why not?" (laughs) [T/N: JJ uses baby talk
in a very cute, mocking way] Junsu and I had no pressure to sing
because we had released solo albums [during the three years]. But I was
wondering what it would be like for Yuchun, who only did acting. Junsu
did musicals, so I thought the musical side of him would show and rock
for me, since I released rock album. So we started recording wondering
what the intersection that would encompass all three of us would be, but
once the recording started, it was just JYJ. We were surprised too."
Junsu "There is a difference between the vocals when doing a musical and
when singing as JYJ. That’s also true for Jaejoong hyung. In case of
Yuchun, I couldn’t really remember the last time I saw him singing. I
worried that he may have lost the touch. But then, we went to karaoke on
Yuchun’s birthday, and he sang so well. Maybe it’s because he’d been
acting, but I could see that there was something more heart-rendering
about his singing now. I was worried too. I was worried if we could
start group activities again after three years of doing individual
activities, but it turns out that it was only 3 years that we were
apart."
Yuchun "I thought we were together for all 10 years." (laughs)
Junsu "Yes. 10 years all together."
Jaejoong "It is our 11th year. Longer if we count the years before debut."
Excerpt from JYJ's interview in Marie Claire KR Aug 2014 issue (4)
LAST ONE!! JYJ on the subject of happiness:
To the question, "Is Kim Jaejoong happy now? Or, firstly, does Kim Jaejoong believe in happiness?"
Jaejoong "That standard [of happiness] is hard to say these days. People
ask me, "JYJ don't really see each other often outside of the work like
album recording since you are all so busy doing individual activities,
right?" It's actually true. I am happy to see them so often during
making of the album. I was so happy when the three of us started [JYJ]
activities together. But then as time passed, we are connected
regardless of whether we are apart or together. It doesn't matter if we
are together or we are apart, we feel each other's presence. It's
similar with happiness. If I had a clear definition of happiness before,
now I don't feel like I should have or do something to be happy. [turns
to Yuchun, who previously texted "Are you happy these days?"] I got
that text when I was filming a drama, and I was dazed. How many times
did we talk about the future, ask each other if we were happy and if we
would be happy? Answer to that question changed with each year we grew
older, and it was weird hearing that conversation again."
Junsu "We left [former] agency because we truly wanted to be happy. We
keep asking ourselves if we are headed in that direction, and I think we
also worry that this happiness would fade away when we are happy. There
are good and bad sides to everything. Whether you are rich or
successful, there is definitely a bad side to it. It depends on how you
think about it. If I think that I am unhappy because I don't have
something, then I am unhappy. But if I can be satisfied about having
what others do not have, then I am happy. It's harder than you think,
because I would be unhappy pursuing something that I don't have. Aren't
we at least closer to the answer of happiness than we were then?"
Yuchun "There is nothing to happiness, really. Realizing that even when
you are going the hardest time of your life, that moment in itself may
be happiness. Realizing that you are happy not because you are having a
good time, but that being able to go through the hard times and keep
going with your life in itself may be happiness. I think that's why the
members have a clear goal. They don't have a clear goal, but they have a
clear goal. When I sent Jaejoong hyung that text, I was so tired and
worn out. I had trouble sleeping, intimidated with thoughts racing in my
mind. But then I realized in that situation, that I was fortunate. It
is all good. I am still happy. That's why I texted him. I knew he was
busy filming drama, making albums and preparing for the show, but that
was not what I was asking. It was a question like, did you eat? You
could say it depends on how you look at it, but Jaejoong hyung's answer
was same as mine. No more judging between what is happiness and what is
not."
