Super Junior Responds To Being Called "Legends"

Super Junior has shared how they feel about being known as “legends” in the K-pop industry, as well as talked about what it’s like to be idols at this point in their careers.

The group was recently recognized for their achievements when they received the “Legend Award” as the 2017 Asia Artist Awards. During a recent interview with Leeteuk, Shindong, and Eunhyuk, a reporter asked the guys what they thought about the name of the award.

Leeteuk (who had co-hosted the ceremony) replied with a laugh, “After we won the award, I asked the writer, ‘Who came up with the award name?’ Lee Seung Gi had even won the ‘Best Welcome’ award. When they said our name for the Legend Award, I wondered to myself, ‘Are we already legends?’ and felt embarrassed. But I think they gave it to us as a way to tell us to become the K-pop industry’s legends in the future.”

When it was pointed out to the members that they seemed to feel awkward about the title of “legends,” Leeteuk said, “To be honest, I think it’s still too early. We want our fans to know that we’re still active singers. We don’t want to receive special treatment while we’re promoting as artists. Also, when you’re called a ‘legend,’ it seems like you become an artist of a different generation than junior singers in comparison.”

Eunhyuk continued, “To us, legendary artists are senior artists like Nam Jin, Na Hoon-a, and Cho Yong Pil. Of course, if we keep working hard, won’t there be a day where we’re recognized as true legends?”

It was also mentioned to the guys that it may have been a while since they’ve been able to get together as a group and accept an award. Leeteuk agreed and said their most recent artist award was likely during their “Mamacita” promotions in 2014.

“I think that even then, the atmosphere at award shows was really different to what it is now,” he said. “Back then, when we won an award, I’d worry a lot about how to say something good when we were doing our acceptance speech. I’d practice my speech even when I was in the shower and get emotional when I thought about my members. But I think this time I just expressed my thoughts.”

Eunhyuk then joked that Leeteuk had actually really obviously been practicing his comments next to him, and that him practicing his poetic lines for one of their acceptance speeches had cracked them up. Leeteuk laughed and said, “It’s true that when I was saying my speech, I heard them laughing behind me.”

When it was said to the guys that they might feel some pride about having been active for so long under the name of Super Junior, Eunhyuk replied, “While going to award shows for over ten years, the artists at the tables around us keep changing but we’re firmly maintaining our spot as Super Junior. I think that’s really something to be proud about.”

Shindong added, “Back when we first debuted, we thought that Super Junior had to do well for all of us to be able to do well individually. However, I think that now our members are doing well in their individual activities and so Super Junior has also been doing better.”

See also: Super Junior Talks About Their Plans For The Future

The guys also talked about how it feels to be an idol in their thirties. “I really like how things are now,” said Leeteuk. “When I was in my late twenties, I was naturally worried as an idol about getting older, as my popularity could decrease and I could age physically too. But now I want to naturally accept the age I am currently. I remember how when I was younger, if someone asked me what I wanted to be, I would say that I wanted to be Peter Pan. But over time, I’ve come to be excited about tomorrow.”

Eunhyuk commented that he doesn’t think they look like they’ve aged when the members meet up or appear on variety shows together. “By the way that we talk and joke around, we look like neighborhood kids who don’t listen to what they’re told,” he said. “I think even when we get even older, that image will still remain.”

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