[08.06.09][Interview] T people calls the brand ‘Kim Dongwan’

As our interview with Kim Dongwan, who will be releasing his second album , is nearing, we did a search with his name, ‘Kim Dongwan’ and we got a result of a Brand. And on the site, we found his MV and biography.


‘Kim Dongwan’, a brand? No doubt it was a marketing effort on the company’s part, but we wanted to know more about this ‘Brand’. Shinhwa’s Kim Dongwan, Solo Singer Kim Dongwan, Actor Kim Dongwan, ordinary Kim Dongwan... It is interesting to see all these Brands roll into one person, and he, is looking forward to succeed in his thirties and is working towards it, an ordinary man Kim Dongwan.

T: Solo singer Kim Dongwan and Shinhwa’s Kim Dongwan, are they the same?

KDW: The major difference probably comes from the kind of songs. The kind of songs I sing as a solo, and the kind of songs I perform on stage as a band, even if the feeling is the same. But because of my image and some of my habits, the differences are not obvious. I hope that is okay.

T: Shinhwa’s music and Kim Dongwan’s music, there appears to be some difference.

KDW: Yes. In fact there is a huge difference. For Shinhwa, there is more computerized music, but in my second album there are variations. This is because there is electronic music, live band music and so there are differences.


T: All the attention is put on one person for solo singers; this is unlike being in a band.

KDW: I used to be part of a manufactured group, and even now the manufactured parts are still quite plenty since I'm not a creator, but I don't deny that that it's different for activities nowadays. When we're active as Shinhwa we can see how the group moves as a whole, but for my own solo activities, I'll inject more of my own thoughts and opinions. If I don't work this way, I don't think I'll do it at all.

T: What is the trend of your second album?

KDW: A more electronic style with band music, the title track has been changed several times actually. The title track chosen was based on the producers’ decisions, and for myself, I found it quite uneasy that I wasn’t persistent in pushing for my own ideas. But if I was persistent, I should be producing my album and since I’m not at that stage, I can’t be too assertive. I want to hold concerts more than carrying out promotional activities. But because it is something I can’t do it on my own, I can only take in other people’s ideas and seize the chance to prove myself. I will not insist on activities just for the sake of it.

T: What did you wish for the title track to be?

KDW: It’s the tenth song ‘Someone I like’. It is not a trendy song, or one that is seeking to impress, but one where I can just sing with my feelings, and I’m very satisfied with the lyrics.


T: Singer Kim Dongwan and Actor Kim Dongwan, who will get a higher grade?

KDW: Both will not score because I’ve not done enough, and this is not the right time to be passing scores. In my 20s, I was still in the midst of finding my way. Because I can’t find my forte, I can’t be grading myself but I hope to be doing things that are worth grading when I return from the army. And so, I must give everything a try, and I am grateful for having the opportunities to do so and the fans have been my source of energy, they have given me a lot of help.



T: What do you think the charm of acting?

KDW: I can live other people’s life in a drama, and even if I do not appear in that hour, my story still continues. In that hour, it might not be on me, it can be about my co-actors, or other people through me and it just goes on playing. No matter where, we strive to move other people and that is charming. Additionally, music and acting gives a different feeling where for music, wherever a person is, happy or sad, he or she can be listening to music, and be moved by it. It will be great if my music can do that.

T: A kind man, an evil man, you’ve acted them all. What do you learn after leading those lives?

KDW: When I played the kind man, I thought, ‘Ah, he’s too kind, just like a pabo’, for the bad guy he was ‘too evil’ and so, it seems that I couldn’t really fully sympathise with the 2 characters and I hope I’ll be able to do so in future. In ‘Goodbye Sorrow’, I could made efforts to understand why the character was so kind even though he was in such pain. But when I had to play the bad guy, I just couldn’t understand how a person could be so bad; wouldn’t he feel bad carrying out such evil actions? It was a pity I wasn’t able to understand the character well enough. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play characters without judging them right from the start.



T: What would you want to play next?

KDW: I hope to play a good person. Not him leading a peaceful life, but one full of twists and turns.

T: Is Kim Dongwan a kind person?

KDW: I am kind, but sometimes I can get quite impatient. And I can become very defensive too.

T: Have you already decided which means more to you, singing or acting?

KDW: No. But for acting it's hard. At that time I felt I could portray the roles and I could show viewers what the character should be. But now, I’m not in a rush to go into acting because I don’t feel I can play a role to its fullest yet, and so I hope to lead a normal life during my enlistment, and to observe myself a lot more.

T: You are enlisting this year. What are your thoughts as Celebrity Kim Dongwan and ordinary Kim Dongwan?

KDW: I just hope to be myself. For 10 years, I didn’t really lead a normal life, because as a celebrity wherever you go, you will be noticed and so you can’t do the simplest things in life. Since I have led my 20s like this, I hope to but a pause to it, hoping to return to a regular life, not thinking about the entertainment industry and I do look forward to life after my 20s.

T: Looking back, summarize your 20s life.

KDW: The entertainment industry is a forest adventure, you take risks and you explore.

T: Was that adventure fun?

KDW: Of course. There were a lot of issues, but there were no enormous failures nor success and it seems I was able to lead a more fulfilling life.



T: What will Kim Dongwan’s 30s be like?

KDW: I hope to have a breakthrough, something that everyone will envy me for, and something that is worth me being proud of, that is my target.

T: For the past 10 years, what we see on screen and what we see in real life, are there any differences?

KDW: I worked hard to remove any differences and I think there shouldn’t be any. I did not want to portray an image that was not me. But I do make changes. Like when I lack confidence, I try to change for the better. I hope I can be more self-confident in my 30s.

T: Shinhwa member Kim Dongwan gives people a friendly and approachable feeling; will you hope to achieve an unapproachable charm in your 30s?

KDW: I will not want that for my fans, and it will be weird if I do. Just like what Park Ji Sung has said, before a match you’ll feel like you’re the star. But if everyone thinks like that, it seems a little unreasonable. Think of yourself as a team player. Park Ji Sung’s believes that your mentor is as good as your parents and so when I want to shine, I must put in my effort. Be it in front of the camera of on stage, I must be humble and hardworking.

T: Are there times when you can't get something because people think you're unfriendly?

KDW: A lot, but even so, it’s ok.

T: What are your dreams as celebrity Kim Dongwan and as a 30-year-old Korean man?

KDW: As a man, I will want to get married before 35, form a happy family and as a celebrity, as I’ve mentioned earlier, I want to have a breakthrough, something I will be proud of. An acting dae-sang? Right now I prefer being a singer to an actor so I hope when I’m in my 30s, I will get an award for acting.

T: Hope we will see you with the award.

KDW: Thank you.



Source: T world&oceans' six
Chi translation: 蕞璦de浣熊@kimdongwan.cn
Eng translation: aimeepok@shinhwa.biz