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My Name... BEAST - Part 1QUOTE
My name is Yoon Du-jun
I was born on July 4, 1989 I'm not the eldest but the leader of the team.
My past photographs have recently been revealed by our fans a lot but I have nothing to be ashamed of. There is also no reason to avoid them. Everything that could be revealed about me is out. And the present is what is important so it doesn't matter. But I was a cute boy in my own way when I was young.
There is a part of the choreography which [Yang] Yo-seop makes ad-lib moves everytime but its aimed at the short video clips. We thought the viewers may become bored looking at the same dance everytime so we're trying to show them different moves everytime.
When we first shot cable music channel's show "Beast" we set our characters in accordance with our outward appearances or image we portrayed. But the camera would keep going elsewhere when we would have things we want to say so we all just ended up being ourselves. I was supposed to act like I'm very reserved and charismatic... Doesn't make sense right? Haha
If I was asked to make a cameo appearance on "High Kick 2" I would be prepared to do so whenever! I think I'd like being one of the bad students who always gives character Se-ho a hard time. Yo-seop could be an exchange student.
I'm not the eldest so it does pressure me to be the leader of the group. There are a lot of times where I become perplexed and feel awkward but what can I do? Someone has to do it. My role is to mainly talk to adults or persuade people but I prefer being the one who takes charge. I don't feel at ease when I leave tasks up to other people.
I was in training for the shortest time. I started during my last year of high school. I wanted to do music but singing was the only thing I knew how to do. The training has been good in that I can now imitate dance moves somewhat and know how to make myself look better, but I do think I would've been able to sing better if I had concentrated on it more. I first fell in love with black music when I was in middle school and listened only to soul. That's why I tend to copy how the original version of a song was sung when I'm singing. I need to find my own style.
I taught myself to play the piano. I'm not very good at reading classical music quickly nor do I play very well but I can play while I'm singing. The first song I learned to play at a music academy was Richard Max's "Now and Forever" but they didn't have the MR for it so I learned the chords over the shoulder. I practiced that one song like crazy.
Despite his looks, [Son] Dong-woon is the youngest of the group. He even acts cute when we're at home.
I'm good at memorizing small, unimportant things. When and where I met with somewhen, what I wore. That's why I'm the best at rock, paper and scissors. You'll notice who puts forth which one more often if you keep a close eye out. There's scientifically proven law I go by so I'm unbeatable.
QUOTE
My name is Jang Hyun-seung.
I was born on September 3, 1989 Excluding Dong-woon, we all entered school the same year so we all treat each other as friends born in the same year.
I like items I can wrap around my neck so I wear a lot of scarves and mufflers in the autumn and winter. Our group members don't share or borrow clothing items from each other though. There's this image that idol groups share clothes but we decided from the very beginning that we wouldn't do that.
I've lost a lot of weight recently, people have been telling me a lot. I'd been hearing that I look a bit feminine and now, that's the image people have started to identify me with. I actually do take that into consideration for my styling. Me and Dong-woon are the flower... (Du-jun: They're the pretty boys. The flowers of BEAST!)
I really wanted to go by a stage name but I hadn't set on any one in particular so I debuted with my real name. Since young, I had always thought celebrities, singers in particular, should go by their stage names. Just like they wear different outfits for the stage. Oh, I'm not saying I don't like my name though. I'd like to think that I am serving my parents with devotion by using my real name.
I don't have a particular way of relieving stress. When I'm distressed over something, I just let myself be until I forget about it or just keep it inside. In a way, I guess I lack versatility.
A perfectionist is not what I would really call myself. But I do want to be perfect. How should I put it. It's not that I want to be at that state but I don't like not doing well. That's all.
For about a month after moving to this agency, I wrote down everything I learned on a memo pad everyday with the mindset that I am starting fresh. But the thing about art is that I started thinking you can't keep approaching it theoretically so I ended up going with how I felt. Haha.
When I first met Du-jun, I was told he might become the leader of our group and I could tell right away why it would be so. He had this trustworthy image. [Yong] Jun-hyung seemed mysterious and chic but we're both shy so it took us some time to get close. I had known that Yo-seop was a good singer but one thing for sure is that he was not what he looks like now!
When [Lee] Gi-kwang had debuted as AJ, I saw the teaser video of him and I thought he'd make a pretty good solo artist so I waited to watch his debut performance. And so I was really happy when we joined our group. There were almost no dancers my age because it's hard for dance teams to make a living out of what they do. But he [Gi-Kwang] was good at dancing and I was happy with the thought that I would get to practice hard with someone who shares my interest in dancing. And back then, I didn't know he would be so queer.
When I eat something, I tend to ask Gi-kwang. He's been working out for long so he would know what's bad for your body. I really want to eat this cookie too so I've opened it, but I only took a small bite and have just been staring at it ever since. I shouldn't eat it. (Yo-seop: Let's reveal Hyun-seung's body in the next album!)
QUOTE
My name is Yong Jun-hyung
I was born on December 19, 1989 Most of us are in the same grade in school and there's only a few days difference between the year we were born.
When Gi-kwang had debuted as AJ, I went on stage as his back-up dancer and did featurings on his album so I had some previous experience on stage but the mic felt heavier when I went back as a singer. I do think I was able to adjust quickly to appearing on television because I had practiced how to find and look at the cameras.
We came up with the choreography. Our choreographer oversaw everything and collected our opinions but we had proposed everything that went into the choreography. We had actually practiced putting on aggressive dance moves too so we're a little disappointed our current song is more cheery and bright. I hope that we too someday, will be able to put on more powerful and stylish performances like MBLAQ.
At our house, I scold the others a lot. But it's all for a reason. All six of us, plus our three mangers -- a total of nine guys live in the house so our house gets... ridiculous! They don't clean up, will leave behind cookie wrappers but can't even catch bugs when they come out of their hole. I cleaned up the living room a few days ago, you guys didn't know right? (Du-jun: We didn't know. Clean up and scold us again. That way we'll know. Haha)
Amongst the members, me and Hyun-seung are most interested in fashion. And we've been watching singers' performances from a long time ago so we're very interested in the outfits for when we go on stage. But despite that, we have to think of the mood of our song, the team, the image our agency wants to portray of us, so I don't think it's a territory we can approach just yet. It's also good showing two different sides to us -- when we're in our stage clothes and when we're wearing our own clothes.
I enjoy wearing hats but it's not at a stage where I'm collecting them yet. Maybe some day later on, I'll have a room full of hats.
Du-jun is the one with the brains. Whether it be for games or issues we need to think about, you can't beat him.
Practicing for as long as possible isn't always the most effective. You have to do it when you really feel like it and for Hyun-seung, those moments come more often. He's still the one who'll practice into the night after we finish our schedules for the day.
I wrote the rap lyrics for "Bad Girl". It's inevitable that the rhyme and flow will seem awkward if someone else writes it for you. I was drinking coffee with the writer for the song when he told me to try it out, and I started getting all these ideas while we were waiting for our drinks. We revised it once while recording but the it's pretty much the way I wrote it. I can't say its perfect but I'm happy because I'm satisfied with it.
When I write rap lyrics and practice, I focus more on the words than the flow. I listen to a lot of music by underground artists such as Kebee or The Quiet and their lyrics really moved me. I don't want to hear people tell me that I rap because I can't sing, so I put in a lot of effort in my own way. By the way, I always have Yo-seop by me when I'm writing my lyrics because some of the ideas he tosses to me are great and help me out a lot.
Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Jang Kyung-Jin three@10asia.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>
My name... BEAST - Part 2QUOTE
My name is Yang Yo-seop
I was born on January 5, 1990
I have one sister. She's a smaller version of me -- both face and body --with long hair. My mom and dad actually look alike too. You would notice that we're family even from a far distance.
I first started practicing singing after listening to Brian McKnight's songs. And since then, I've listened to songs with similar vibes but I thought about it hard and realized I shouldn't favor a certain genre of song. That's why I've started listening to dance and rock music too.
In high school I was part of the rock band. I mainly did hard rock or metal back then but I had wanted to try out modern rock too. My seniors didn't allow it because they said it would make the mood depressing but it's a genre that I still want to try if given the chance.
I'm like my dad so I'm actually very clumsy when it comes to dancing. I used to not be able to dance at all. I barely dance now after much practice. (Du-jun: He's the fastest learner now. Jun-hyung: He even comes up with choreography.)
I had my hairstyle changed big time and I like it because I think it looks good on me. So much that even my group members say they feel awkward when they see photographs of me with black hair now. I keep getting told to get my hair bleached but it's a bit disappointing too. Since I'm Asian, my original black hair will keep growing...
I honestly don't think I'm manly or sexy... I really lack in those aspects. And I used to hate hearing from people that I'm cute. But it's the sort of person I've come to be portrayed as so I've accepted it.
When we're by ourselves, Dong-woon is really funny. The producer for our reality show said Dong-woon and I are promising figures for the entertainment show business. But he becomes boring when the camera goes on. That's why he's become more awkward and appears less on the show. He's about to go dumb now. And has also been aging. Haha.
Du-jun has a strong sense of responsibility and even if a certain issue or task has been completed, he'll only be satisfied after checking through the whole process himself. I think we would've not been able to do anything without him -- no interviews, no music shows. He's the first person that wakes up in the morning and wakes everyone else up.
QUOTE
My name is Lee Gi-kwang.
I was born on March 30, 1990. Jun-hyung, Hyun-seung and I are all the first child in our families and I have a younger brother.
I took off my top on stage once. I couldn't attend a dry rehearsal for one of the shows because I had come from shooting a sitcom. Then during the camera rehearsal, one of the staff members, told me taking off my top would look better on TV. I guess he hadn't known how revealing my outfit is. They told me once is enough and that I should never do it again.
I said that I like ethics out of school subjects once on the radio. Though it was a joke, my fans took it seriously. I guess this would be my chance to explain that I am not stupid and that I was a very smart student.
Se-ho from High Kick 2 and I are somewhat similar. We are both cheerful, positive, sometimes silly and like to work out.
My mind went blank in the scene where I propose to Jung-eum in the sitcom. It was hard for me to say those lines in front of her since she's so pretty.
I like crump dancing and heavy style dancing that African-Americans do. So I tend to put on big moves and tear my outfits while dancing. I kept tearing the crotch of my pants while shooting the music video so I got the material changed, but tore it again on stage.
I never do what's bad for my health and I'm very good at this. I never eat rameon noodles, hardly eat junk food and stay away from cigarettes or alcohol.
It has been almost three years since I've been working out. Although it is tiring to work out alone after finishing our schedules, it is now part of my life. It makes me feel good and boosts my confidence. So I'll continue to work out.
When I meet someone for the first time, I'm extremely nice. I'm just born that way. It's not for reasons of personal intersts -- I just like being friends with anyone.
When compared to my past, I think I look much better now. Back then, I had thick lips. Oh well, I just look better now.
QUOTE
My name is Son Dong-woon.
I was born on June 6, 1991 and thus am the youngest in the group. Overcoming the two year difference I have with other members is hard.
I am a senior in high school and took the college entrance exam this year. Aside from me, Gi-kwang, Jun-hyung and Hyun-seung took the exam as well.
When Gi-kwang exposed too much of himself on the stage, we didn't exactly know what was happening because we were all looking down. The unusually loud cheering made me think 'Oh, Gi-kwang must have done something awesome.' But when we stepped down, everyone told us we're in trouble. We were all shocked when we monitored our stage performance..
I'm not acting like myself, in that I'm talking much less right now than usual. Ah... (Du-jun: I hear people say Dong-woon is getting more handsome. Cheer up.)
Though other members of my group went through a long period of preparation, I also started preparing a long time ago in 2004. I stopped for a while mid-way and when I saw others who were preparing just like myself debut as 2PM and 2AM, I got worried. I felt that there was no time to waste and started to practice again. But I'm very sad because I lost my touch while resting and I don't have much experience on stage. (Gi-kwang: Dong-woon is a nice guy and handsome. He's been famous for that since the times we practiced together.)
When others are in the middle of playing games at night, Yo-seop and I have snacks. We're not familiar with the rules of the game.
To be honest about episode one of MTV "B2ST," we acted out the situation after my joining the group had already been set.
The program itself showed real situations. When we went to the Korean Marines training session, we were told that we were simply going to the beach for fun. Although we doubted the situation, everyone told us that it was totally true... I have not seen secrets kept better than that.
Keeping secrets is something the other members of my group is equally good at doing. When we were split into two teams to practice for dance battles, we had to use the same room but at different times. While doing so, they never exchanged information.
Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Linda Kim lindakim@asiae.co.kr, Jang Kyung-Jin three@10asia.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>
Posted 28 November 2009 - 10:32 AM
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Posted 28 November 2009 - 07:05 PM
