KPOP: May 2014

K-Pop boy band Boyfriend talked about their lastest release, the new single "Start Up," with KpopStarz Japan.

First of all, tell us about the current situations and news of each of you.

Hyunseong : We are focusing on training for our new song since we gonna come back to Korea (=release new songs).

Meanwhile, we are also training for our concerts to be held on May 31st and June 1st in Japan. We are busy.

Minwoo : We're preparing for concerts in Japan together with comeback concerts in Korea (=release of new songs). We are making effort to show our better performances.

What did you see and feel when you guys experienced the showcase in America this March?

Hyunseong : It was a new experience for me. I felt I should make efforts more seriously, going to many foreign countries and meet more foreign fans of us.

Jeongmin : I felt this world is really big, and America became one of my favorite places to go.

Youngmin : I was really happy to know there are so many people who love "BOYFRIEND" in the far distant place.

How were you welcomed by fans in America?

Donghyun : They fiercely welcomed us and sang together although they use a different language.

Kwangmin : So many fans welcomed at the airport although we arrived there midnight. Many of them even prepared placards.

How did you stay in America when you had free time? Did you enjoy America?

Hyunseong : Unfortunately we couldn't have much free time. Just I walked around the streets near our hotel in the evening after finishing all schedules of our works.

Jeongmin : I walked and took a quick look around the downtown on the way of moving.

Tell us the features of your set list for the Showcase. What song was the first song in the Showcase?

Minwoo : We could perform so many stages for more than two hours although it was a showcase. We played games together with our fans. I could have a good memory with our fans. The first song was "JANUS."

Youngmin : We prepared a solo stage exclusively for this showcase to let our fans know variety of attractive points of each member. We made efforts so that we can show variety of attractive points of "BOYFRIEND."

What kind of image is the place you performed your showcase this time? Was it similar to "Zepp" in Japan?

Donghyun : There were performing venues similar to "ORIX THEATER" in Oaka, Tokyo International Forum and venues like a kind of Classical theater. We could perform at various kinds of theaters and it was really exciting.

Kwangmin : The distance between our fans and our stages were so close, so we could feel passionate reactions of our fans.

What kind of souvenirs did you buy in America?

Donghyun : Perfume, as I originally like it.

Jeongmin : Bracelet for my friends.

Minwoo : Variety of things for my family.

Who is the best English speaker ?

Donghyun : It's me...as I am the oldest member(lol).

Minwoo : Every member is the same level...not so good.

Give your fans of "KpopStarzEnglish" some messages!

Donghyun : I Love you all. Thank you so much for a lot of memories!

Hyunseong : Thank you so much. See you soon.

Jeongmin : I Love you!

Youngmin : Thank you for your cheering! We'd like to meet more fans if we can have more opportunities.

Kwangmin : I want to perform in many venues. Please support us with your backup.Thank you.

Minwoo : I'm Minwoo. Thank you very much. We miss you so much.

Tell us your activities overseas and visions from now on.

Youngmin : If we can have more opportunities, we'd like to perform overseas more. It's always enjoyable for us to meet fans in various countries.

Kwangmin : I want to meet our fans all over the world by going many places and performing there, andI hope more people in the world know "BOYFRIEND."

What is the attractive point of your fifth release of single album "Startup!" in Japan?

Jeongmin -This song is exciting and up-tempo number. Everyone can enjoy this number together. This is a kind of promotional song to encourage people who are going to start and challenge something newly.

Youngmin -Please take notice at the lyrics that express our heart to encourage you.

Minwoo -Some part of our performance can be easily imitated by our fans. Dance together with us in our concerts. You can dance "Starup!" like crazy.

Is there any new Japanese word you found in the lyrics recorded this time?

Donghyun : KIGASURU

Hyunseong : KAZE YO MAE

Jeongmin : TADORITSUKU

Youngmin : ATSUI JIMEN

Kwangmin : MASSUGUNI

Minwoo : TOBIDASHITE IKE

Your costume was more natural taste that stylists styled rather than formal taste. Do you have any persistence to your costume and daily fashion?

Donghyun -Usually I wear T-shirt and parka, I like casual style. For some special days, I wear dress shirt,coat and jacket.

Hyunseong-This time we chose casual taste so that our fans can feel relaxed because this song is a promotional song for many people. I frequently wear this kind of casual taste clothes in my daily life.

Jeongmin -Usually my fashion style is slimmed-down style.

Youngmin -I like dandy style like jacket and dress shirt.

Kwangmin -Personally I like more unique costume, even my daily life, I tend to choose such styles.

Minwoo -We tried to express friendly atmosphere of "BOYFRIEND" by wearing casual taste costume. My private fashion style is also simple casual attire.

Tell us some episodes about your recording of the music video(MV)?

Hyunseong -It was very shiny day and so difficult to open my eyes during the recording time outside on the grass.

Kwangmin : It was an enjoyable recording and the atmosphere was relaxing as if we were playing together with our members, picking up some gizmos around there freely... We laughed very much during the recording time.

Your coupling number "DO-DO-DO" is also fresh. "BOYFRIEND" challenges various numbers every time when you release an album both in Korea and Japan, but what do you think is the image of "BOYFRIEND"?

Donghyun- I think the image of "BOYFRIEND" is "challenger" who can challenge new tastes and show various performances.

Kwangmin -The point that it can show various performances in a refreshing and cool way.

The live voice of "Be my shine" recorded in Tokyo International Forum was packed in the regular version of your album. What do you feel when you listen to your live voice at that time?

Hyunseong -It reminds me the stage we did last year, already one year has passed away..

Youngmin - I recalled every stage we performed so far from the time we did in the showcase of Budokan. I could feel the time when we performed first time with nervous minds.

You guys welcomed second memorial year of your debut in Japan, so is there any secret story during your activities in Japan and you can reveal now, such as "the real situation of that time was ( to say honestly I thought at that time)...."

Donghyun- Actually I worried a little bit about our debut number in Japan "Be my shine" because this number is too pretty for me to sing.. and I was nervous to sing in Japanese.

Hyunseong -At first, there were some difficulties to start everything newly in Japan, but now it is so enjoyable.

Jeongmin -To say honestly, I was so nervous at the time we performed in the showcase of Budokan, and I did a lot of mistakes.

Youngmin -I was not sure whether we can be loved in Japan or not.

Kwangmin -The first time we recorded our MV in Japan, the atmosphere was completely different and the recording ended very quickly, so I couldn't believe it really ended.

Minwoo -I cannot remember well about the first time performance because it was my first time to perform at such a big stage like Budokan only by ourselves ( BOYFRIEND performed four times in a day).

Finally could you tell us your new decision and future structure of "BOYFRIEND," a group welcomed 2^nd memorial year?

Donghyun -We will come to Japan more stylish figures. Please wait for us to come back again after we grow up well.

Hyunseong -I hope to grow up gradually, step by step and want to have more local live tours.

Jeongmin -I want to perform with more fresh songs and attractiveness so that we can meet our fans' expectation.

Youngmin -We plan to perform more energetically in both of Japan and Korea by showing our performances to more people.

Kwangmin -We will perform more energetically and show more energetic activities to our fans.

Minwoo -I want to challenge many fields from now and someday I hope we can do arena tours in Japan.

(Translation: Kiyori Mastumoto)

Source : kpopstarz[dot]com