티스토리 뷰
https://shorturl.at/mUkes
• might not be 100% accurate
• do not remove without credit
<W Korea> "What's your secret to maintaining your refreshing vibe?" was the first question (laughs). A clip of your single 'All Day' was released recently, and there were only comments about your looks.
O. Aigoo, thank you Mom (laughs).
W. There are colorful colors in the video and in many ways, it reminded us of your promotion era with SHINee's 'Dream Girl'.
O. I think it's how it feels for me recently. Strangely, I am often told that I have lightened up. Even those who I have known for a long time would tell me that I look better when I meet them.
W. 'All Day' is indeed an easy to listen to kind of song, it's a song you pre-release from your 3rd mini album <Flow> that you will be releasing in September right?
O. That's right. It wasn't a song that was planned to be pre-released at first. I took part in the Tone & Music festival in June and while preparing for the stage, I thought that it would be nice if there was a song that the audience could sing along. I worked on this song thoroughly thinking about the performance. It went through a major construction right before the festival.
W. How's the work process going for <Flow> right now? You took on the producing role yourself, didn't you?
O. I have been working on it since I started receiving songs in April and it's almost done right now. All that's left is for it to be released. There are 6 songs included and while taking on the producing role, I have thought through all kinds of concerns. I would have done writing it before I decided to scrape it all. There isn't an area where I have not touched, I really felt it this time. It's as expected that the areas where money is used have a reason to it... (laughs)
W. Haha. What kind of story do you wish to deliver through <Flow>?
O. I released my 1st full album last year, didn't I. The keywords for that were consolation and circulation. Circulating everything, and recovering, I will be back one day so it will be okay even if it hurts right now. The attention put on the 'flow' in the circulation. What has been on my mind recently is actually the possible changes in my location and my situation depending on the flow of time. In that case, let's do our best fitting for that situation when it happens but the only thing is that you need to be yourself regardless of the situation you are in, that's what I wanted to deliver.
W. 'You need to be yourself regardless of the situation you are in'. Can you explain a little more on that?
O. What I am saying is, 'Gray' was the image that I had in my mind when I was working on this album. It's neither white nor black but a color that is created with the combination of both. 'I am neither a white color nor am I a black color. That's why I am neither a bad person. I am just gray I guess? is what I want to say.
W. This is an album that you worked on thinking about the color gray, are you the kind to start on something abstractly?
O. Yes. I am extremely abstract. That's why when I work, it's tough for the people around me (laughs). It's especially that way this time. I have looked for lots of things that are in the middle. Gray color is one of them, I thought of the wee of dawn too, that neither is the day nor the day.
W. Shall we use a metaphor to talk about 'Flow'?
O. Hmm... <Circle> and <Flow> are connected when we look at the side where it consoles, however, the method used is a little different. If one says 'Was it okay? It will be okay' then the other would say it like this. 'It has already past so what else can be done about it. We can just do something else. It's okay, there are more cooler things for you to do.' If we were to put it in a simple form, it would be a change towards 'T' (laughs).
W. There's a gap of approximately 1 year and 6 months between <Circle> and <Flow> and there's a fairly big difference between the message from these two albums. It means that there's a change in Onew himself over that period of time too.
O. Won't there be a lot of it? Firstly, I left the place that I had been in for a long time and joined a new company. I have also taken on the producing for all of my songs for the very first time and that made me think about lots of things about myself. Over that period of time, I became less obsessive. In the past time when I was working on something, I would feel restless thinking 'this is not 100, this is not 100' but now it would be 'How can there be 100. I will do this first and I can just do more of the good things.' Maybe it's the same context as the message I wanted to convey through what I said earlier.
W. What's the feedback you want to hear the most from this album?
O. This will be the brightest album among my solo albums. Onew has gotten lighter, he is doing such songs too, I want to hear this song at the concert. I think this much is enough. Of course, I do have the greed to release an album that shows my capability as a vocalist. However, <Flow> is the album that it's because it's now that it can be done. I want to get closer to the public. To be able to try out various things, to be able to experience lots of things itself is good.
W. Have you not done what you wanted to do as a vocalist with <Circle>? It's your first solo full album after 15 years of debut, it has been critically praised. Pop music critic Kim Yoonha left a one-line review saying 'An album that is made with an obsessive focus on the voice of a person called Onew'
O. That's indeed how it is. I was so so focused on it, caught every single thing, and put everything that I could in that album. I had a good synergy with the staff members too. After the end of the promotion, I would go around saying 'Thank you' to the staff members whenever I meet them.
W. <Circle> went up 1st on the 'Best KPOP album' chart on Billboard last year, did you see the review at that time?
O. That happened when I was resting so I wasn't able to meticulously go through the reviews but when I got to know of it, I thought 'It was all worth it'. There is light on the path I want to go towards to, was what I felt.
W. The album keyword was 'consolation,' we think that Onew might actually be the one who gets the most consolation from that album.
O. That's right. As time passed, it came to me that 'Did I want to get consoled?' I would always smile and tell people I meet 'I hope you guys are happy' every time. It was a mindset that was like 'It's okay even if it's a little tough for me. Please definitely be happy.' However, after I was done working on that album, I started thinking 'I hope that you can be happy while I am happy too.' That was how I was able to think of myself as first priority.
W. If there was feedback that left a deep impression on you in regards to <Circle>?
O. There was someone who said 'Is it okay to be this happy'. My consolation is directly reaching someone's life, isn't it. I thought of that as the success that I could at least get.
W. Hearing what you said just now, you still have things you want to do as a vocalist. Which direction of music do you want to do?
O. It might sound funny to people who do music but I don't really like to categorize the genres. Rather than saying what kind of genre I want to do, I want to approach it in a way that I can say that I want to go towards an exciting direction, a direction where the lyrics can be heard better, putting it in a bigger aspect. Also, I don't think the message I'm trying to convey musically will change much in the future. To me, if there's a song that can be 'heard' well, I will want to try it out regardless of what it is.
W. When it comes to Onew, it will always be 'Good voice.' You will receive feedback that 'His voice is good' regardless of what kind of music you release. How do you approach such a response?
O. I didn't like it at first. I didn't realize that my voice was unique at all actually. What others could do, I couldn't do it. For example, changing voice for every song or at the very least, being able to imitate another’s voice. I can’t do that. It will eventually be Onew regardless of what song I sing with my voice. That’s why rather than ‘you have a good voice’ I would like to hear much more of ‘you sing well’. It was during the time when I didn’t know the uniqueness I have, and more than anything, I had Jonghyunnie who sings very well by my side. I even went to the same vocal academy with Jonghyunnie before our debut and the coach called me by the side and said this to me, ‘You can definitely not be a main vocal.’ It felt like everything has ended for my young self and it made me think ‘Seems like I can’t make it!’ (Laughs). Only later did I know that my different is not something wrong. I also got to know that a good voice can only be heard eventually if one sings well.”
W. ‘I don't think the message I'm trying to convey musically will change much in the future’ you said. What’s the message that Onew wants to continue deliver?
O. The fact that there’s only me with the existence of me, and also for everyone to be happy. I feel that I can say it freely right now. Just up till a while ago, it was ‘please be happy, please.’ I like how it is right now.
W. You have mentioned ‘Happy’ a few times in this interview today. When the happiness that Onew thinks gets shaken up, what’s the thing Onew do to sustain it?
O. Until before, it was my parents. I am still so thankful of my parents, so much that I don’t know how to express it to them but it has come to a time I realize that that isn’t all. In the end, to be happy is a promise I make with myself. Right now, the main thing to sustain myself has changed to ‘me’.
W. It has became more self-reliant now?
O. I think I want to do that. I would think ‘Why do I need to live this? I need to live for my parents then’ and transfer the responsibility. However, with the main thing being ‘me’ and if I need to think everything in with the inclusion of ‘me,’ I can’t do anything half-heartedly.
W. Is there a reason for the change?
O. I think I didn’t know. I think I was living not knowing what’s the reality. I relied and was dependent on the reality that someone presented to me indirectly. However, after I came out and started working on my own, my starting point was at a low point. I needed the courage to dig my way upwards one by one from the bottom and when I ask ‘Why do I need to dig my way out’ the answer would be ‘Because I want to be happy.’ I can see it properly right now. I like it right now.
W. In that case, shall we draw the future? Do you have a look that you dream of as a musician?
O. There was once I went to the US to watch Coldplay’s concert when I was resting. At that time, even though I felt like a small dot among the many audience in the concert, I felt excited when I was making my way to the concert venue. I can’t forget about that until now. I kept thinking what needs to be done for someone to feel that way when they are coming to see my concert. Also, I hope that people can get consolation from my music.
