[Interview] Inside Stardom

Interview with Former Stardom Ent. Staff

K: Did you interact often with ToppDogg? If yes, tell us a bit about what the members are like in person.

I had the possibility to interact with them a few times. At the debut showcase, at a special event, at fan meetings and fan signs, at a photo shooting, backstage at Music Bank and of course at the company (although there I only see them at meals). I have to say that the members all have very different characters and that some of them are pretty different on and off stage. They are also different in how they act with their fans. Each of them knows his fans, acts differently with them and gives them a little extra fan service. Off stage they’re all super nice, even though there is a certain language barrier. At the photo shooting most of them tried to talk to us and interact with us, even if it was sometimes only through sign language. I also noticed that the behavior of the members towards me changed over time.

Jiho (XERO), for example, used to be pretty shy. He was just always looking at me and when I noticed, he would grin and wave a little. But he never talked to me even though he knew that I speak Korean. After some time that changed and now he talks normally with me.

Hansol is a little angel. He is (almost) always in a good mood, sometimes even a little hyped up, and he can’t sit still, but you just have to like him. He’s someone who’s not really different off stage and to me that makes him very likeable. Oh, he loves chocolate~

Taeyang (Jenissi) is also someone who only loses his shyness with time. He’s not a man of many words when he’s on stage. Off stage he often talks to the other members, but not as much as Hansol. He always looks after everyone. He’s taken on the mother role in the group, but at the same time he’s something like the king because he’s the oldest.

Yano is quite special. He’s not easy to figure out and many people say that he has a 4D personality. He’s always acting cool but he can also be cute. He doesn’t like that very much, but there’s some aegyo for the fans from time to time. He’s not very talkative off stage either.

Kidoh is the friend-type. You can talk really well with him (especially about producing or music). His character is pretty quiet and I have to say a lot more grown-up than many of the other members. The age difference between the older members and the five youngest (Hansol, B-Joo, Xero, A-Tom and Yano) is rather noticeable, even if it is only small. From what I’ve seen so far, Kidoh is not really different on and off stage.

Seogoong is a little peculiar. He’s completely different on and off stage. While on stage he’s always very friendly and does a lot of fan servie, off stage he’s the complete opposite, he’s often very serious. Maybe it’s because of his diet? His favorite foods are burgers, pizza and chicken.

Gohn is a funny guy. Talking with him about all kinds of things is really easy. Once I even discussed piercings with him. He’s at the same time cheeky and kind in his own way.

B-Joo is a gem. While he’s pretty hyped up, he puts his heart and soul into everything. He’s pretty curious but that corresponds to his age. He can also be very grown-up and gentleman-like. He’s someone who notices very quickly when someone else feels uncomfortable and he always tries to help.

Sangdo is someone who thinks a lot about how he is perceived by others. He often tells the fans that he’s not a “scary man” and that they don’t have to be scared of him. His relatively dark skin and the hairstyle he had around debut seem to have scared some fans. But he is absolutely not dangerous and always in a good mood. He’s enthusiastic even about small things – like soap bubbles.

Nakta is something like a gentle giant. At the beginning he was very distanced, but that changed over time. In person he’s also one of the quieter members.

A-Tom is always available for a game. Even though he doesn’t approach the fans as openly as B-Joo or Hansol, he likes to talk a lot, sometimes also funny stuff. There’s always something to talk and laugh about with him.

P-goon, our leader. The other members always call him bold or clumsy leader. He’s actually pretty nice, but it’s true that he doesn’t talk to the fans a lot – he speaks more with his eyes. Off stage he’s also the most quiet member and he seems rather serious.

Hojoon is someone who approaches his fans by himself. Even if there’s nothing apparent to talk about, he’ll start to talk about something or asks if there’s something you’d like to know.

K: Do you want to return to Korea? If yes, what do you want to do there?
I definitely want to return. I’d love to have another opportunity to work at a Korean company. Preferably I’d like to work in management, where I can organize things, or in creative management since that’s the area I originally come from. Of course I’d also like to visit concerts or other events from time to time. I also want to do things with my friends, meet new people, and get a little closer to my goal.

K: Thanks for the interview

Credit : K-magazin.com (http://k-magazin.com//page/english/magazine/current-articles/inside-stardom.php?leptoken=0c6bcae15e9f03e7275a0z1394314614&lang=EN)