[2AM] 2AM's interview for PlayDB

2AM's interview for PlayDB


A few days before the official album was released, the storm had already been foretold. When 2AM's first official album 'Saint O'Clock's teaser had been revealed, fans took down the server, and when the official album was released on the 26th both online and off, title songs 'You Wouldn't Answer My Calls' and 'Like Crazy' is taking up first place on various charts.
The first official album after 2 years and 3 months after their debut in 2008. This might strike as odd for the ones who had hummed 2AM's hit songs like 'Even if I die, I can't send you', and 'I Did Wrong'. Because of this, leader Jo Kwon's comment "I waited 10 years for this" garnered yet more attention.

And yet another anticipation-worthy event is awaiting them. It is their first solo concert that will be opened in Christmas season. Each of the members' anticipations were bigger then expected, as this stage was somewhere they could perform their rather increased repertoire from the start of 2010, like 'Even if I die, I can't send you'. Play DB met the guys, who had a busy schedule, like after the album announcement, carrying out a showcase for the media and fans, then appearing in their first open music show the day after.

"We've always dreamed of a concert held among the shouts of fans."

The waiting room of the cable program where their first comeback stage would be held was hot and humid, regardless of the weather. I had a small, apologetic feeling for them for having to carry out an interview right after another with a broadcasting company, before the heat had cooled down, but they themselves did not seem to mind. The interview was serious. Even Jo Kwon, known well as 'Kkap Kwon', was serious and careful. I had encountered the faces of singer 2AM, not the variety-dol 2AM. If one were to think about it, 2AM had steadily kept up the 'singing idol' appearance on stage. When I say, "The responses to the albums are positive, congratulations," a half-joking, half-serious answer of "Our concert tickets will be sold quickly as well" comes back.
Q. It's your first album, and your first concert. Your feelings must be extraordinary.
Jo Kwon: We released our 1st official album in 2 years and 3 months, and will be doing our first solo concert soon enough. Even when we went as many singers' concerts' guests, we wondered when we were going to do our concert. Our dream was having our tickets sold out, and doing the concert happily while listening to our fans' cheering.

Q. At the end of the year, many idol singers have performances. Do you have a plan exclusive to 2AM?
Seulong: We're just going to show us as we are. It's because we think we received love because we showed ourselves honestly. Of course, there will be new appearances, appearances that will be out of the norm.

Q. Can we anticipate completely different images in your solo stages, if you were to tease it slightly?
Jinwoon: We're going to do what we like, hold a stage that we want to do. We can't reveal it yet (Laugh).
Seulong: To say the least, it's not a ballad (laugh). The 2AM color won't be seen in the solo stage.
Changmin: Jo Kwon's charms will be used a lot.
Seulong: As far as I know, Jinwoon's is going to be really shocking as well.

Q. We heard that all members are participating actively in getting the first concert ready.
Jo Kwon: The members are participating in the concept and in every single song. Since it's mostly ballad songs, we're thinking of ways to make it not boring but fun. If a concert is boring, it's kind of weird.
Seulong: We definitely have a stage we want. We always go to meetings and suggest ideas.
Changmin: We thought about a fun concert. Singing and fun. We're trying to catch both rabbits. We're planning it enthusiastically.

Q. Have the guests already been chosen?
Changmin: Everyone says they'll do it. We're tearing them out. (Everyone laughs)

Undeniable double-personality

2010 is an unforgettable year for 2AM. They created hits whenever they released a song, and all the members swept up programs with their wits. Seulong showed his potential as an actor by appearing in dramas and movies, and Jo Kwon is attempting acting in a sitcom.


Q.Though you all showed up actively in variety, I think 2AM's musical ability was a supporting stone.
Changmin: Many people tell us that we plowed a new area. We have a pride in it, and we have yet more pride because we really tried.

Q.What kind of effort are you talking about?
Seulong: (Effort in) Everything. We worked in all activities really hard, like variety, singing, and acting. That's why we have a pride in this.

Q.In acting, Seulong-sshi's remarkable act in the recent music video was great, too. Today's the 'Acoustic' releasing date.
Changmin: His acting skills really increased. This music video, and Acoustic, and the drama before that, we can really see him getting better.
Q.Jo Kwon-sshi went into a sitcom, right?
Jo Kwon: We've been filming for two weeks now. I didn't have any acting lessons before, but the sunbaes really take care of me and I'm learning a lot on the field. The first episode airs on the 8th of November, and it's an everyday sitcom so we have to film every single day. It's tiring, but it's still fun.


Q.Aren't you guys too busy. Releasing an album, getting ready for a concert, and on top of that, acting.
Seulong: Since we choose to do it, we don't think it's hard at all. When we think of the end results, we feel proud. And.. the movie.. (Laugh)


Q.Right (Laugh). How big of an audience do you expect?
Seulong: It's not a commerce movie, but it's a movie music lovers can smile at. Even the members didn't watch it yet. We did go to the VIP preview, but we didn't have time so we couldn't watch the movie. We're going to go see it when we have the time.

Q.It isn't an exaggeration to say that 2010 was 2AM's year. What do you think each of your appeals are?
Changmin: People say that we're ballad idols, or variety idols. I think we differentiate ourselves from other groups by showing opposite sides of ourselves.

Q.What do you think you will be like 10 years from now?
Seulong: It's the question we get a lot. We want to sing together for as long we can sing.
Changmin: Of course, we're going to keep singing. And maybe I'll open a business (Everyone laughs). Since I like cooking, though I'm sorry to the members, I want to open something like '2AM Dumpling House' in Samchungdong or Myungdong.
Jinwoon: Maybe I'll be doing rock music, which I like, with a band.
Changmin: (Pointing at Jinwoon) He'll be singing live in my shop. (Jinwoon: I think it'll be all right to perform at Samchungdong)
Jo Kwon: I think I'll still be doing music as well, and 10 years later, I'll have been more matured...
Changmin: And create JKEntertainment.
Jo Kwon: I heard that if you create a company, it's too hard of a work, so rather than creating a personal company, maybe I'll become JYP's official company executive... They call me executive already anyway. (Everyone laughs)


Q.Why do they call Jo Kwon-sshi Jo Executive?
Seulong: Because he takes care of basic office work. (Other members say things like 'He knows everything we don't, he knows things that even the CEO doesn't')

Finally, you received a lot of love in 2010. What kind of things can we hope from you.
Changmin: Though the music each of us can do well and the genres we like are slightly different, the collection of genres we like best are put into 2AM colors. From now on, we'll show the improving us.
Jo Kwon: We stuck together to sing, and we'll keep trying to give you music. In variety, I think we showed our human sides, but when we sing, we concentrate and portray our emotions. Our fans say that we're double-sided. However, we still feel most happy when we sing, and proud. From now on, we'll keep showing our good sides.




At the end of the interview, I gave the questions fans themselves asked to the members. Their answers couldn't be that long as their program broadcast neared, but their expressions were more comfortable.

bbalga**: If you were to name one, who's the member who changed the most from before debut? (in appearance and personality)
Everyone: (Without hesitation) Changmin hyung.
Jo Kwon: If you see his video around the beginning of debut, you'll know.
Changmin: Please don't ever watch MNet.

uncan**: Jo Kwon-sshi, you opened a new area called kkap. Did you expect that it would have such a large effect?
Jo Kwon: I didn't know at all.
Changmin: This guy (Seulong) knew.
Seulong: Yeah, I knew.

skstmffla**: 2AM must've went to karaokes some times. I'm really curious about what you like to sing at karaokes ^^
Jinwoon: We usually sing the new songs that are out.
Jo Kwon: Focused on new songs, girl group songs.
Changmin: Songs that can be sung with more fun than our songs.
Seulong: In conclusion, we don't sing. We don't really sing in karaokes.

cnsgid1** It's your first concert after debut, but Christmas is wedged in between. Honestly, you should have something you want to do at Christmas, but aren't you sad that you have a concert then?
Seulong: But, we wanted to do a Christmas concert.
Changmin: And we also stuck together at Christmas times. Since/before debut, really.

cnsgid1**: If you had a girlfriend, what do you want to do on Christmas Day?
Everyone: I want to take her to the 2AM concert.
Seulong: Honestly, I want to have a date with her.
Everyone: Having a date is good. Want to go to the ski resort.. Ah, really want to go.