Shinhwa boys slug it out on charts as solo artistes - but they're still good friends By Chang May Choon August 21, 2007
FROM friends, the guys from Korean boy band have now become rivals.
Lee Min Woo, Shin Hye Sung and Kim Dong Wan are fighting on the charts with solo outings which were released around the same time.
Dong Wan told Korea Times: 'I want to win over the fans, but I still consider them as my friends, of course. We're friendly rivals.'
After all, the guys have different musical styles - Min Woo does hip-hop, Hye Sung ballads, and Dong Wan, R&B and pop. Besides relying on the other members Eric Mun, Andy Lee and Jun Jin, the guys also help each other out. The sextet has been pursuing solo work as early as 2003. They come together to record a group album every year. Earlier, there had been talk of a new Shinhwa album by year end, but it has been shelved till next March. The band will reunite in December for a concert tour, said reports last week. A spokesman told My Daily that the band decided to tour as this would be their chance to hold a concert together before Eric, Jun Jin, Dong Wan and Andy get drafted for national service next year.
LEE MIN WOO, 27
He may be a flirtatious dancer on stage, but Min Woo is stumped when it comes to love songs.
'It's been a long time since I was last in love, I can't grasp how it feels like to leave a loved one anymore,' My Daily reported him as saying.
FROM friends, the guys from Korean boy band have now become rivals.
Lee Min Woo, Shin Hye Sung and Kim Dong Wan are fighting on the charts with solo outings which were released around the same time.
Dong Wan told Korea Times: 'I want to win over the fans, but I still consider them as my friends, of course. We're friendly rivals.'
After all, the guys have different musical styles - Min Woo does hip-hop, Hye Sung ballads, and Dong Wan, R&B and pop. Besides relying on the other members Eric Mun, Andy Lee and Jun Jin, the guys also help each other out. The sextet has been pursuing solo work as early as 2003. They come together to record a group album every year. Earlier, there had been talk of a new Shinhwa album by year end, but it has been shelved till next March. The band will reunite in December for a concert tour, said reports last week. A spokesman told My Daily that the band decided to tour as this would be their chance to hold a concert together before Eric, Jun Jin, Dong Wan and Andy get drafted for national service next year.
LEE MIN WOO, 27
He may be a flirtatious dancer on stage, but Min Woo is stumped when it comes to love songs.
'It's been a long time since I was last in love, I can't grasp how it feels like to leave a loved one anymore,' My Daily reported him as saying.
Still, he managed to record three such ballads for his third and latest solo album Explore M, which sold 30,000 copies in just three days.
M is his stage name for solo releases.
Also, he did not shy away from discussing his past relationships, revealing on a recent variety show that he once courted an actress, but when he called her to confess his feelings, 'it was another man who picked up her phone'.
He also said on another occasion that he has had three serious relationships and been dumped twice.
'People mistake me to be a playboy, but once I have a girlfriend, I'd look at her only and give her my all,' he said.
SHIN HYE SUNG, 28
Despite being the strongest vocalist of the group, Hye Sung has been slow in churning out new works.
But it seems he is finally catching up with his bandmates - with the release of his second album The Beginning, New Days two weeks ago. The balladeer then held his first solo concert in Seoul on 12 Aug, and is expected to tour four cities in Japan from Thursday onwards.
He is the only Shinhwa member who has not gone into acting, and it seems he intends to stay that way.
ERIC MUN, 28
The handsome leader of Shinhwa is the most prolific actor among his bandmates, with four drama serials and two films to his name.
The handsome leader of Shinhwa is the most prolific actor among his bandmates, with four drama serials and two films to his name.
His latest is the romantic title Que Sera Sera, shot partly in Singapore in March. He also plays a government spy in Super Rookie Ranger, which is now showing on cable.
Eric Mun Now on a break to recharge, Eric flew to Los Angeles to visit his parents in May and stayed for two months.
Maybe he also needed time to get over his recent break-up with actress Park Si Yeon.
He has helped rap for Min Woo's and Dong Wan's new songs, but has no plans yet to release any solo album.
KIM DONG WAN, 28
He has helped rap for Min Woo's and Dong Wan's new songs, but has no plans yet to release any solo album.
KIM DONG WAN, 28
He ventured into acting first, but Dong Wan has since decided he loves singing more.
He told The Korea Times: 'When you watch a drama, you forget all about it after. But when you listen to music, it sticks with you forever.'
He released his solo debut Kimdongwan Is last month, after losing 6kg to achieve a 'lean, hungry-looking' look for his new image.
He admitted to feeling the jitters, but his bandmates helped boost his confidence. Kim Dong Wan, Min Woo composed a song for him, Eric and Andy helped to rap, and Hye Sung sang a duet with him.
JUN JIN, 27
He was offered two leading roles, but turned them down to focus on music.
Star News reported last week that he intends to try dance tunes in his second CD single slated for an October release. His debut single, out last year, was a ballad.
Yesterday, he performed for some 1,500 fans at his first ever-solo fan gathering. But he still dabbles in acting, like in Chinese actress-singer Vicki Zhao Wei's new music video.
ANDY LEE, 26
After hosting variety shows for the past year, Andy decided to chase his dream of becoming a serious actor.
He has been taking acting lessons, and is slated to star in the theatre musical Music In My Heart 3, which opens in Seoul next month.
He plays a cool, romantic chap, and has been busy rehearsing up to two hours a day. He told My Daily: 'This is a whole new challenge to me and I'm prepared to learn everything from scratch as a newbie.'
creds: singapore electric paper + saharial@shinhwa.biz
He admitted to feeling the jitters, but his bandmates helped boost his confidence. Kim Dong Wan, Min Woo composed a song for him, Eric and Andy helped to rap, and Hye Sung sang a duet with him.
JUN JIN, 27
He was offered two leading roles, but turned them down to focus on music.
Star News reported last week that he intends to try dance tunes in his second CD single slated for an October release. His debut single, out last year, was a ballad.
Yesterday, he performed for some 1,500 fans at his first ever-solo fan gathering. But he still dabbles in acting, like in Chinese actress-singer Vicki Zhao Wei's new music video.
ANDY LEE, 26
After hosting variety shows for the past year, Andy decided to chase his dream of becoming a serious actor.
He has been taking acting lessons, and is slated to star in the theatre musical Music In My Heart 3, which opens in Seoul next month.
He plays a cool, romantic chap, and has been busy rehearsing up to two hours a day. He told My Daily: 'This is a whole new challenge to me and I'm prepared to learn everything from scratch as a newbie.'
creds: singapore electric paper + saharial@shinhwa.biz
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