How was this year for you?
Yunho: “This year, I think it can be considered as a turning point. Through my musical, television drama, and other individual activities, I was able to experience a variety of different experiences. I look back and look at what I used to be like in the past. Most importantly, this year allowed me to mature and grow up into an adult. What’s changed the most is that no matter what I face, I must have a mindset that ‘it must go this way.’ Although it gets to the point where I can’t joke around for fun, I’m working hard right now, which is why I think I can look at matters through an objective point of view.”
Ever since your debut, your extremely busy schedules allowed you to focus on the music that you love. When you were forced to leave that lifestyle, what was going through your mind?
Yunho: “Honestly, the main character I played in the Korean drama ‘Heading To The Ground’ has always supported me and helped me get through the toughest period. If it were just me, I would’ve given up. Overcoming so many harsh trials and maturing along the process, the main character Bong Gun started becoming the teacher of my life. His courage has given me an immense amount of strength, so it isn’t an exaggeration to say that I am working hard because of him. Also, in the musical, I was able to sing, so my that definition, it can also be counted as a ray of hope.”
What about you Changmin?
Changmin: “During the first half of the year, I put my efforts into the filming of my television drama. Like Yunho, it was also a time for me to review my own life. Once I think about it, it is a good thing. Since our debut, TVXQ was everything, but I only thought things through as one of the five members of the group. Because I had a chance to try out my own activities, I started realizing the responsibility of completing everything from beginning to end perfectly as an individual artist. This year has given me that determination.”
Yunho was able to sing in the musical. Have you gotten the chance to sing too?
Changmin: “I’m continuing with my vocal lessons, and will sometimes go to sing karaoke with staff members. But honestly, I’ll still feel anxious and worried. There was a time when I wanted to do this or do that, but I couldn’t do it according to the reality of the situation I was in, so it pressured me and I couldn’t suppress the feelings of irritation and frustration. It would’ve been better if something resulted from my own actions, but because I couldn’t object to it, I wasn’t able to fully understand what was going on. But, it has already happened, and even if I don’t comprehend it, I have no choice. Accumulating too much stress and pressure over the years may make me explode, so I was able to have the chance to change my temperament for the better. But a personality that has been the same for 20 years is hard to perfectly change.” (laughs)
How did it feel with just the two of you standing on stage?
Yunho: “When we decided to use the name of TVXQ to sing, our hearts were very confused. On the first day at Seoul, when we stood onstage, a tremendous amount of applause and cheering welcomed us, which made me deeply understand that ‘there are people who are waiting for us. I can only continue living when I stand onstage.’ These thoughts started spurting out at that moment, and I knew that I could stand up again.”
Changmin: “I was really really happy. But, when the time for us to perform came nearer, I started getting more and more nervous to the point where people around me could easily tell. Subconsciously, I started drinking coffee (laughs). This was the first time in my life that I felt so nervous. The staff must’ve been thinking, ‘are these two going to be okay?’ Compared to the external surroundings, I was mainly having an internal battle of pressure. When Yunho and I silently looked each other in the eyes, we nodded simultaneously to express ‘let’s go!’ To this day, it is still deeply engraved in my mind.”
Yunho: “We were encouraging each other backstage, saying things like ‘we need to show everyone why TVXQ is so strong!’ and ‘this is TVXQ. We want people to see our unique charm we have in contrast to the other artists.”
It has been said that there were outbursts of ‘is it still not TVXQ’s turn yet?’ that caused a commotion and made you perform earlier than arranged?
Yunho: “It really was a powerful force, so we had to do our best in return. Even after we left, TVXQ’s name didn’t fade among the chants. This incident has been kept deep in my heart. On that day, nothing could stop our footsteps, because we are TVXQ.”
Changmin: “During rehearsals, we kept on telling ourselves ‘it’s fine, we can do it!’ But honestly, I didn’t know if I really believed that myself. However, when I stood on that stage, I started truly believing that ‘it’s fine, go do it!’ Of course, there is still more work to be done in order to achieve our higher goals.”
You have been constantly improving over these years, so can we expect to see a new type of charisma from you two?
Yunho: “Yes! Whether it’s singing or dancing, Changmin will learn from the fortes that I possess, and I will also learn from his. Just like twins, we absorb things from each other that make us continually improve.”
Changmin: “Up until now, although we do spend time to go to classes and record songs, I’m not 100% satisfied with it. After deciding that the two of us would start afresh together, that feeling has become even more intense. But it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because being able to sing is a joy in itself, and facing the feelings of starting music anew may allow me to change my personal opinions and views on certain things.”
Yunho: “The most important thing is the combination of our voices. In the past, we took on the highest and lowest vocal pitches, so would we be able to fill in the difference? It was difficult facing this, but I started focusing on my masculine voice, and Changmin started working on a finer voice. It wasn’t easy, but it came out more successful than what we imagined it to be.”
Changmin: “I’ve always thought that my voice was really compatible with Yunho’s (laughs). We still maintained the special musical qualities of TVXQ, but also presented the unique flavor of our own characteristics. I felt really relieved with the result.”
Yunho: “I think SMT’s stage can prove that. Difficulties can be overcome by not giving up. Of course, messages like ‘you can do it, we’re waiting for you’ has been encouraging us. To repay back that love from fans, we need to return to our original beginning and start anew as rookies.”
(T/N: This is Part 1 of the interview. Part 2 will come tomorrow!)
Source:sycteam
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