With the onset of the Hallyu wave, people often wonder: why do the fans obsess with idols who come from other countries rather than their local stars? In my work I've interviewed many Korean celebrities, and it often makes me think, many Korean celebrities don't have exceptional good looks, so what is the reason behind their popularity with the fans?
I placed these 2 questions on Lee Minwoo - hailing from Korea, not particularly tall or imposing, or having pretty boy looks, with small eyes and a cheeky smile - this is what I saw of Lee Minwoo in person.
I have interviewed Lee Minwoo twice, and it was only when I saw him live on stage performing that the answers to my questions began to hit me.
Discarding all exaggerated reports and images of Hallyu stars in my mind, I ask myself, how does this foreign celebrity - in a country when language is a barrier and promotional avenues are limited - manage to conquer so many Chinese fans?
It's clear to see why - having a perfect stage setup at the expense of concert revenue. It's clear to hear why - an impressive music arrangement and production. And of course, most importantly, the talent and hard work of the artiste himself. As we watch Lee Minwoo performing in cool costumes on stage, we can only guess how many days and nights he had spent working in the rehearsal studio!
Whatever the case, he has earned his reputation. Resistance and doubt don't work at all, only continuous learning and creativity rules the day!
My Gains and My Losses
Firstly I wanted to clarify his name in Chinese characters (hanja). In the past in China, 李珉宇 seemed to be used quite frequently. But for his solo concert in Shanghai, the organizers wrote his name as 李玟雨, which doesn't show up a lot on Internet searches. Who better to ask than the man himself? He answers, "Actually it doesn't bother me how it's written, since it's me anyway. As long as you get my initial M right that's ok with me. But if you have to know, the right way to write my name in hanja is 李玟雨!"
Despite the differences in the writing of his name, M and 'Wolf' will definitely associated with him. His 'Wolf' nickname comes about because of his wild performances on stage, and also from his bad boy image, which is well known among his fans. During a particularly romantic audience interaction segment that he replicated from his Japan concert, he brought a lucky female fan onto the stage on his bicycle, hugged her, held her hand and even sang to her as he lay his head down on her lap. Jealous fans screamed and shouted from below the stage, but Lee Minwoo only smiled cheekily and said in Shanghainese, "You're silly".
When asked about his own 'bad boy' image, he continues to smile that cheeky smile but his response is down-to-earth. "That's just a part of my performance, I'm really not a bad boy." Despite having to work through a translator for the interview and getting lost in translation, I was moved by the sincerity in his voice as he said, "I was born into a poor family, and I've experienced some hardship since I was young. So for me, I don't wish to see anyone get hurt in life."
This year sees Shinhwa celebrating their 10th anniversary - 10 years worth of memories and dreams shared by tens of thousands of fans and 6 Korean boys. Lee Minwoo has dedicated the best times of his life to the stage. "The best decision I've made in these 10 years was to join Shinhwa and work alongside these 5 partners." And aside from the group, his own greatest and proudest achievement is none other than striking out on his own and taking on the role as a producer. This gives even more credibility to pint-sized Lee Minwoo, who's well on his way to becoming a respected musician in the industry.
He frankly says, "For the past 10 years I'm really grateful to have received so much love from the fans, but at the same time I've lost a lot as well. For instance, I don't have a girlfriend now, I'm not exactly in the best of health, and despite working this hard I don't exactly have a lot of money!"
Lee Minwoo loves his work and he loves his fans. On the day of the Shanghai concert, Lee Minwoo's mother came along to cheer him on. Eagle-eyed fans recognised her and cheered for her too. The subtle pride that showed on her face was an interesting contrast to the wild and unrestrained performance that her son was giving on stage. For this he thanked the fans, "It's my first solo concert in China, and I'm still a little nervous. Thank you everyone for your support, and I'm really touched to hear everyone cheering so passionately."
The date with him was short, and Chinese fans are missing Lee Minwoo even more. Add to that the unavoidable subject of military service, and the temporary separation becomes an even bigger issue. However Lee Minwoo promises the Chinese fans, "I will come back."
Source: Shanghai Television
Eng trans: midnightgirl13@shinhwabiz
