As a Shinhwa member and singer, it seems unnatural to call Junjin a variety show personality these days. In 2008, his name Junjin (moving forward) can’t get more apt for him. After appearing on MBC’s Knee-Slap Shaman, where he talked about his difficult childhood and his panic disorder, he seems to have shed his cumbersome idol image.
No matter what, he has been made the 7th member of MBC’s Infinite Challenge, taking over the vacancy left behind by the irreplaceable Haha. On SBS, he is now one of the MCs on Yashimmanman, and he has also stepped into acting once again with his role in MBC sitcome He’s Coming. After his successful concert in China, he has also re-affirmed his status as a singer.
Fans have shown immense support for his solo work, and he has also earned support from viewers and netizens too. Junstin, Junjin PD are but some of the nicknames that viewers and netizens have given him, and he says that the popularity of his Wa (Janppinom remix) UCC video is “concern and love”. He even won the Best Star award at the recent MBC Entertainment Awards.
Since his debut 10 years ago, just based on how he has overcome the odds, Junjin’s current career peak is all the more special for him. At the beginning of the new year, we have seen Junjin have a great 2008. His face is filled with life and energy with his dreams all coming true.
No matter what, he has been made the 7th member of MBC’s Infinite Challenge, taking over the vacancy left behind by the irreplaceable Haha. On SBS, he is now one of the MCs on Yashimmanman, and he has also stepped into acting once again with his role in MBC sitcome He’s Coming. After his successful concert in China, he has also re-affirmed his status as a singer.
Fans have shown immense support for his solo work, and he has also earned support from viewers and netizens too. Junstin, Junjin PD are but some of the nicknames that viewers and netizens have given him, and he says that the popularity of his Wa (Janppinom remix) UCC video is “concern and love”. He even won the Best Star award at the recent MBC Entertainment Awards.
Since his debut 10 years ago, just based on how he has overcome the odds, Junjin’s current career peak is all the more special for him. At the beginning of the new year, we have seen Junjin have a great 2008. His face is filled with life and energy with his dreams all coming true.
Firstly, congratulations on your win.
▶ Honestly speaking, although I was hoping to get the Best Newcomer award, but I still congratulate Yoo Se Yoon on his win. Just when I stopped thinking about it, I heard my name, and I was really surprised. I started crying the moment I stepped out. When I walked to the stage, I saw Jaesuk hyung and the IC members, Hodong hyung and Hyun Young nuna all looking at me, and I had mixed feelings. It was like they looked at me as if they saw their son succeed? If I was there any longer, I might have cried even harder. I couldn’t even finish thanking everyone.
How about saying it right now?
▶ Thank you to everyone, my family and the hyungs, I want to thank everyone. Everyone has treated me as well just like their younger brother.
Your expectations for the new year?
▶ I feel more confident for 2009. Not arrogance, but rather, if I were to say that I was an inexperienced rookie last year, I will have more self-confidence for 2009. I learnt a lot of things because of this mentality, and I became more active in other fields too. After that, my next dream came about.
Overcoming the odds makes your current career peak even more meaningful.
▶ After getting conned, I had nothing left in my bank account. I lost my savings from all my years of hard work, and I felt very lost. I got to the stage where I started to doubt my own existence. At that moment I suddenly realised, “Even if this is the case, my family still depends on me.” I reflected on what I was doing then, and I calmed down.
I’m starting to feel that everyone is getting know me now. Because I started out as an idol, everyone often felt that, “that guy is 70% packaging”. I don’t think I’m like that, but since everyone knows how it is with me now, I’m more confident.
What is your most satisfactory moment of 2008?
▶ Although the dance for Wa is often spoofed, but I’m glad for that. There was once when I sang this at one of the university festivals, when I sang “tagawa, tagawajyo baby” the 10,000 strong audience danced along with me. I felt all tingly and so emotional that I had to stop for 2-3 secs. I felt really good, it’s them who inspire me to work harder.
I thought about the people who like and support me, and I feel that I need to work even harder. If I used to work hard for the fans, now I have to work hard for the viewers and the general public, everyone. This is what (Yoo) Jaesuk hyung and (Kang) Hodong hyung have taught me. I’m really proud of myself for working hard, and I feel like praising myself now.
Being the youngest IC member
▶ I’m glad to be the youngest of the team, because I tend to get more understanding from the others no matter what I do. Even my meals are often taken care of by the hyungs. I would buy some ice-cream sometimes? (laughs) In the past I often felt that I was somewhat unlucky, but now I realise how blessed I am. A man of age 29, 30 should be more sensible, isn’t it? I’m grateful to be able to feel this way.
What is Infinite Challenge to Junjin?
▶ After Shinhwa, the biggest lucky break I have had is Infinite Challenge. Everyone is like a family member. I’d feel energetic going for filming even only after 1 hour of sleep. It’s a feeling of meeting the Shinhwa members. I hope Haha hyung comes back soon. I’m looking forward to it.
What about Shinhwa’s activities?
▶ How would it be like when all of us Shinhwa members stand together on stage when we’re in our mid-30s? I get emotional just thinking about that. I really want to see the more mature us, coming back with a whole new different image. When we get together, we talk about it too, about how we must reunite. We all feel that we have to do it, and they say that they’re even more motivated after looking at me. The members are great indeed. For a group to stay together after 14-15 years, I don’t think there’s anything like that in the world.
On turning 30
▶ It’s strange thinking about being 30, because I’m still 28. (laughs) When I used to work out with (Kwon) Sang Woo hyung and (Song) Seung Heon hyung, they told me, “After you hit 30, that’s when you can perform more realistically, and when you can feel more realistically, so look forward to it.” I can really feel now the wisdom of what they said then. Although there are more things to prepare for in life from then onwards, but I’ll be able to do them better, isn’t it? 30 years old, although life’s burdens may come weighing in, but the anticipation of things to come grows even more.
Source: starnews
Chi trans: jojoyu7@shinhwachina
Eng trans: midnightgirl13@absolutshinhwa.wordpress.com
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