Interview With EXO Part 1: “We Have to Shower Together Two to Three People at a Time”

EXO-K and EXO-M joined forces with a joint comeback on June 3 under the group name EXO. The group is currently busy promoting with “Wolf,” the title track from the first studio album “XOXO (Kiss&Hug),” but still managed to set aside time for an interview covered by Ilgan Sports.

– It’s your second year since debut. Do you feel your popularity?

Suho: “Our parents and friends are starting to tell us, ‘You guys are now getting popular.’ There are more people who sing along to our songs. Our album did really well in sales and, it was only for a short while, but we also placed first. Even though people don’t know us individually, I’m really happy that more people know about our group.”

Chanyeol: “Now, it’s come to the point that there would not be enough seats for fans at the music stations. We would hold a mini fan meeting after the filming because we feel sorry, but there are about 700 fans who visit us now. If we compare it with our debut, our fanbase grew so much. There are fans who come wearing hanboks (Korean traditional costume) and I also saw fans who came with wolf pajamas. I’m thankful that fans think about us.”

– After debuting last year, it took about a year for your next promotion period.

D.O.: “In order to come out with a better album, we invested a lot of time into our recording and performances. During that time, it felt like we returned to our trainee days. Maybe that’s the reason why it feels like we made a new debut this time.”

– There’s a lot of talks about the choreography for “Wolf.” What were your thoughts when you first saw the choreography?

Baekhyun: “It was art. The dramatic choreography left a deep impression. It was like each movement was alive. It was difficult to express the details of a wolf’s lips to the ears. It took a long time to perfect. It was also difficult to adjust when the choreographer change the moves whenever there’s a new idea.”

Kai: “Because I got injured during the beginning of everyone learning the choreography, I wasn’t able to practice with them and felt sorry. Famed choreographer Tony Testa came to teach the choreography and I had a hard time losing the opportunity to practice with him.”

– Now you’re promoting as one unit. What are the advantages?

Suho: “Out of all the groups promoting now, we’re one of the largests. Since we move around with twelve members, we stand out. If we add in the staff, it’s thirty of us. We have to split up and use two cars to move around. I want to say that since there’s so many of us, it looks like we are something. I feel reassured and confident. We can also do more in our choreography.”

Baekhyun: “A lot of fun things happen. There is a house helper for each EXO-K and EXO-M and they even started working together. Heard that they got really close.”

– Any cons to a large group?

Chanyeol: “When we shower. Since there are only two bathrooms in the dorms, two or three of us have to shower together at a time. We decide who showers when by who arrives first. When we finish our schedules and park in the garage, we don’t even wait for the elevator and bolt up the stairs. We go straight towards the bathroom to shower.”