[TRANS] Pia Magazine Interview, 2PM

QUOTE

Document
"Beastly Idols":
A legend born from their individual growth
How did 2PM establish a place within a K-pop market that aims for perfect idols instead of idols who learn on the job?
We have documented their heroic progress from auditions all the way to their debut in Japan.

Thesis on Beastly Evolution;
why 2PM became beastly

What is the concept of an "idol"? Is it the image of fresh, beautiful-looking boys performing magnificent songs and dance numbers? Even in Korea, in continuation of the "idol" concept set by Tohoshinki and SS501, the term referred to gorgeous boy groups who can sing and dance. Breaking the trend of such dainty, sensitive men, the masculine and passionate 2PM, with their well-built, macho physiques and acrobatic, dynamic performances, is a rare group that has gone well beyond the standards of a typical idol. Called "Beastly Idols", they have captured the fascination of women in Korea, as well as the rest of Asia. "Beastly" is a name that the general public gave to them after watching their performances. After breaking into the industry with their unique evolution as "Beastly Idols", it's a fact that they have overturned the concept of an idol, adding the idea of "masculinity" to the term. however, they were not called beastly when they first debuted. Here, we shall pursue the 6 boys' growth and evolution into beasts and Asia's super stars, before digging into 2PM's charm and future.

They first garnered public attention from the survival reality show "Hot Blood", which tracked their progress before debut. In the show, 13 male trainees ranging from ages 17 to 22 years old under JYP Entertainment (henceforth "JYPE"), the agency that produced their senior Rain (Bi), went through a harsh training regiment. Viewers could then decide through a voting system which trainee to debut. 10 members out of the 13 - Kim Junsu, Nichkhun, Ok Taecyeon, Jang Wooyoung, Lee Junho, Hwang Chansung, Park Jaebum, Jo Kwon, Im Seulong, Im Daehun - passed. Jung Jinwoon, Yoon Doojoon (who later debuted as a member of BEAST) and Li Shiqi were dropped from the list. However, Daejun left JYPE to pursue his studies, so Jinwoon made it into the final cut. With the addition of trainee Lee Changmin who just finished serving the army, two groups were born: the hottest and most active time of the day, 2PM, a 7-member dance group; the time in the day for sensitive, emotional reflection, 2AM, a 4-member ballad group. J.Y.Park, the person who raised Rain as an idol and produced several songs for various artistes in America and Korea, said this with regards to the two groups that shared the same beginning: "They may be groups of different colours, but they are one family. I made them debut together as part of that appeal." The fans also took to that idea and began to call the two groups in one name: "One Day".

So, before becoming 2PM, why did these boys join JYPE? In 2006, J.Y.Park and TV station SBS collaborated to air the audition programme, "Super Star Survival" in search of the second Rain. For the show, 12 members were selected out of 6,500 participants from 7 cities in Korea and 5 US cities, then dropped one by one over 10 weeks of broadcasting. Taecyeon and Chansung were amongst the finalists, but the person who ultimately won was Junho, who had gained viewers' attention for looking like Rain. Junho and Chansung originally wanted to be actors. Taecyeon, who was living in Boston at the age of 18, said, "I wasn't exactly aiming to be a singer or anything. There was an audition in America, so I went to try out with my cousin and older sister, thinking of it as a chance to do some sightseeing in New York." The one who stood out was Nichkhun; he joined the filming for this programme in Thailand. A product of a Thai father and a Chinese-American mother, he was raised in Thailand, lived in New Zealand for a while, and studied abroad in a US high school. When he went to watch the Korean Music Festival starring Rain in Hollywood, LA, he was scouted by a JYPE agent. "I didn't know anything about Korea, but I couldn't speak English when I studied abroad in New Zealand either. It felt just like that, going to Korea." His concept of globalism allowed him to go to a foreign land where he couldn't even speak the language. It may be surprising that not many of the members had the passionate desire to become a singer, but Wooyoung did. At the age of 14, he wanted to join JYPE because he was inspired by the documentary of J.Y.Park and Rain's expansion into America. "I was just as impressed when I saw Michael Jackson's moonwalk at the age of 5," he said, looking back at his past. He had to take the JYPE audition a total of 5 times over two and a half years before he finally passed. Junsu told us, "I had ambitions related to music since my 3rd year in junior high school, and I started writing songs in the 1st year of high school. I had more interest in music than becoming an idol, but I joined JYPE at 18 years old when they really liked the demo tape I sent to them." Lately, he has been actively working as a composer and producing songs for other artistes, such as the OST for Taecyeon and Wooyoung's drama, "Dream High".

After entering JYPE, they endured strict training together for several years as trainees before debuting in "Hot Blood". 2PM's debut stage was in the live broadcasting of the music programme "M countdown" on 4 September, 2008. Their debut song was "10 out of 10", a comical piece about pubescent boys showing interest in a pretty lady. Said Junsu about this performance, "We weren't nervous, but it was our first ever performance, so we put in all our effort into doing well on stage. Right after we finished, we went straight back to the rehearsal room and talked about how we should work even harder tomorrow." The fact that none of the members were nervous for their first stage performance left quite an impression. With a dance that utilized some acting and difficult techniques like somersaults, they made it clear that they were a performance group, but they didn't become instant "stars" right after debut. That year, the group that won the rookie award and the hearts of female fans was SHINee, with their concept of "adorable younger brothers". Moreover, 2PM had yet to establish themselves with their original "beastly" vibe, so they couldn't break out of the existing idol concept. Because of that, they had to be resigned to being one of the lower-ranking groups amongst the rookies that year. However, this very result spurred on the activities that followed.

Securing their path towards a wild image;
overcoming the withdrawal of a member

2PM's first breakthrough was with their lead song "Again & Again" from the single "2:00PM TIME FOR CHANGE" released in April 2009. Still considered as their representative song, the inserts of acrobatic dance breaks also began from this very piece. The novel performance, with its seamless integration of singing, styling, dancing, b-boy moves and dance breaks, made a great impact on people, resulting in 2PM winning their first number 1 spot on the charts. As their bodies become wilder and their powerful performances broke out of the mold of a typical idol, they secured an original image for themselves. The song also marked the epoch of the term "Beastly" given by the fans.

After "Again & Again", the song "I Hate You" also took 1st place on the charts. Just when people thought 2PM would ride the waves to stardom, tragedy struck. In September, member Jaebum suddenly withdrew from the group. Occurring at the peak of their popularity, this shocking and unexpected incident sparked outrage from people within and outside the industry.

Amidst the despairing absence of Jaebum, their leader and resident b-boy expert, they released their first album "01:59PM" in November, with "Again & Again" and "I Hate You" included in the songs. Although the protests were still ongoing, their first song with 6 members, "Heartbeat", was a melancholic and sensitive number that boasted of a novel performance consisting of heart beats, a zombie-like dance, shirt ripping, and a revealing of their masculine bodies. This soothed their fans' worries and gained them overwhelming popularity, making it an explosive hit. The special term used just for them, "Beastly Idols", was also established. "We could feel for ourselves that the number of people supporting us have increased. There was a point when we fell into a period of anxiety, but we managed to bear that by talking it out with all the members. We evolved fully into beasts with the song 'Heartbeat'," said Taecyeon. As Taecyeon pointed out, the 6 members overcame this huge wall thanks to their tight bond and unshakable resolve, and they could now open the door to the next stage.

In their debut year, 2PM lost the rookie award at an important music festival, but in 2009, a year after their debut, they swept away a number of Korea's biggest music awards - awards won by Tohoshinki the year before. Having carved a spot for themselves, they became the lead idols at the end of the year. When we asked what was most memorable for them, Junsu said, "The first time we won 1st place on a music programme and the time we won big awards at the end of 2009." In contrast, Chansung said, "We were so busy at the end of this year that we had no time to sleep. We had to shoot for commercials, memorize the choreography for the performances of year-end music programmes everyday, then perform that when the time came. The minute we got home, all we did was shower, before we went straight to our next job. I remember it clearly because it was really tough."

The biggest name in K-pop industry
finally debuting in Japan

"2PM, debuting in Japan." This was the big news that came in last September. Although their juniors and artistes that debuted in the same year were advancing into Japan one after another nowadays, 2PM - despite spreading the K-pop boom outside of Korea as top artistes in Asia, and getting 1st place on charts in different Asian countries - as well as other JYPE artistes, were the only groups which did not appear to be expanding into Japan. The only time 2PM came to Japan was for a public location shoot in Osaka in their debut year, 2008. Since J.Y.Park moved his base to America and focused on expanding Rain and Wonder Girls in America, we wondered if he had no interest in Japan, but he explained the reason for his hesitation: "The vibe of my songs are different from the hit songs in Japan, so I wasn't confident if they would be accepted or not." However, he saw the large numbers of Japanese people who went to 2PM's first standalone concert, so he softened to the idea. With passionate persuasion from Japanese label, Ariola Japan, their debut in Japan was confirmed.

In December, as a bonus prize for people who bought their DVD, 2PM held their first showcase in Ryogoku Kokugikan. Across the three showcase dates, 25,000 people came to the concerts, beating Shojo Jidai's record of 22,000 people and securing their place as Korean artistes with the largest number of people at a debut event. In addition, they appeared in various media, such as Fuji TV's "Tokudane" and NHK's "Music Japan". They ripped their shirts for "Heartbeat" (Korean version) and made their beastly performances known in common households.

And in May, 2PM will finally release their first ever Japanese song "Take Off". For a group who has been performing dramatic dance numbers with an R&B basis, it's a refreshing and positive song. Taecyeon said, "It's a fitting song for our debut in Japan. Many of our Korean songs are about painful romances, but 'Take Off' is a bright, enjoyable song." Said Chansung, "It's a song filled with hope for the future, a different style from our Korean songs. Our performance style will also change." As the members mentioned, their image will change completely. We can see that J.Y.Park, who said that he had no confidence in his songs, did a great deal of research on Japanese songs and made it suitable for Japanese taste.

Starting from May and June, just before the release of "Take Off", their long-awaited "2PM 1st Japan Tour 2011 'Take Off'" will also begin. "2PM's music is best expressed through a performance on stage," said Junho. It's true; the boys shine brightest at live performances. Said Taecyeon, full of spirit, "You should be able to understand why we're called "Beastly Idols" when you watch our concert." How will these beasts change in Japan? Let's watch over their next evolution.

Future
2PM's charm and future

Although 2PM is called "Beastly Idols", they're normally just boys overflowing with carefree smiles befitting their age. We often hear of bands who don't talk to each other in the dressing room, and idol groups who don't know each other's contact numbers, but these boys were constantly fooling around with each other during the interview. It was just like a rowdy club room in high school. The contrast between their manly image on stage and their boyishness off stage is their biggest charm. At the time of debut, their direction was decided entirely by their producer J.Y.Park, but now, they propose music, dances and stage management details to J.Y.Park on their own, after talking it through amongst the 6 members. "Since the 3rd single, J.Y.Park-san has been listening to our opinions. Not just the music, we'd also discuss as a group about our performances and costumes, before conveying our thoughts to J.Y.Park-san. In order to give the best performances on stage, in order to bring out the best of ourselves, we have to consider these things on our own," said Taecyeon, sincerity in his eyes. They aren't idols who simply perform what they've been given; rather, they have begun walking the path of self-production, so as to show people their respective talents in their own way.

~* JUNSU *~
Everyone, are you ready to get hot with me?

Born on 15 January, 1988. 180cm, Bloodtype A. Active in solo work, such as composing songs or collaborating with other artistes. As someone with great fashion sense, he holds the initiative with regards to 2PM's costumes.

"It's our first concert tour in Japan, so I'm really looking forward to it. I want people to watch each members' unique solo performances and feel 2PM's special, one of a kind vibe. The new song 'Take Off' and this tour is a new beginning for us. Right now, I'm basically filled with anxiety, uneasiness, and the resolve to do my best."

~* JUNHO *~
Thank you for loving us.

Born on 25 January, 1990. 178cm, Bloodtype A. Won "Super Star Survival" in 2006. Has multiple talents, excelling at acrobatics, singing and dancing. No. 1 athlete in the group.

"I'm really nervous when I talk in Japanese on stage. When we had a live performance in Okinawa the other time, I was even more nervous about the MC than the song itself. Our concert tour in Japan is finally beginning, but I hope to have a concert in Tokyo Dome someday. I think it's wonderful to be able to sing in front of millions of people. I might get really touched and start crying!?"

~* TAECYEON *~
Please continue to love 2PM lots.
We'll also show you a cooler 2PM!

Born on 27 December, 1988. 185cm, Bloodtype AB. A returnee who moved to America at the age of 12. Appeared in dramas, "Cinderella's Sister" and "Dream High". Has hopes of being an actor. Has the presence of a leader in 2PM.

"We plan to make our Seoul concert last year the basis for the Japan concert. We'll upgrade the parts that we felt weren't enough in Korea. The members are also preparing their respective solo performances. It should become a condensed, tightly filled concert! Please look forward to our live performances in Japanese, too."

~* NICHKHUN *~
May everyone always be healthy and prosperous.
Please give 2PM lots of love~

Born on 24 June, 1988. 180cm, Bloodtype O. Holding Thai citizenship, he also has experience living in America. His popularity in his hometown, Thailand, is overwhelming. Called "Prince" for his refreshing smile and refined behaviour. Has many solo appearances in commercials.

"I was happy that many fans came to our showcase in December. Even though it was our first performance in Japan.... I didn't expect so many people to come, so I was very moved. To everyone in Japan, I hope you can understand what kind of group 2PM is, and the kind of performances we do when you watch our concert."

~* CHANSUNG *~
Thank you for giving love and support to 2PM's activities in Japan.
I'm really happy that we can do these activities, and it's all thanks to everyone!

Born on 11 February, 1990. 184cm, Bloodtype B. The group's youngest. Before the reality show "Hot Blood", he appeared in the drama "Unstoppable High Kick!" and gained popularity as an actor.

"For the December showcase, I had a toothache, headache, and even a fever after the performance because of my wisdom teeth, so I couldn't join the after-party. I'm a glutton, so I'm looking forward to eating all the delicious Japanese food on our national tour. Just one showing and our performances will undoubtedly be a performance you will never forget! Please look forward to it."

~* WOOYOUNG *~
Please give lots of love to 2PM!

Born on 30 April, 1989. 178cm, Bloodtype B. Joined the entertainment industry, inspired by Michael Jackson, J.Y.Park and Rain. Appeared as a leader character with Taecyeon in his first drama, "Dream High". His kiss scene also became a hot topic.

"My part is the highlight in the new song 'Take Off'. (laughs) Nah, it's everyone's parts. Please listen carefully to the chorus. In any case, I want to stand on stage in Japan as quickly as possible! We'll prepare a stage where people who went can say, '2PM's concerts are the best', 'I was moved', 'It was fun', 'It was cool', as well as think, 'I want to go again'."

Source: Pia Magazine
Scans from simseol
Translated by fantaisie @ Wild2Day.org