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Interview: ‘Chameleonlike’ Jinu of Winner sometimes obsesses over things
By Yim Hyun-su
The bandmate-gone-solo-artist talks going solo, breaking out of his “pretty boy” stereotype before 30, his casual obsessions
(YG Entertainment) |
While going solo seems to be an expected next move for singers in groups these days, the Winner member sounded nervous yet genuinely eager -- determined to break out of the stereotype and prove he’s more than just “a pretty boy” with the new single “Call Anytime.”
“I’m feeling a bit of pressure to be here as Seungyoon is usually the talker,” the singer said at a roundtable interview at a cafe in central Seoul on Wednesday.
“When you are usually in a group of four and then now trying to do things on your own, I think the pressure is on,” he added.
Though Jinu received advice from fellow Winner member Mino -- who features in the song and has released a solo album of his own -- he says nervousness always gets the best of him.
“He’s always given me advice ever since I began recording (my solo work). Telling me to just be myself and other positive things. But when the time comes, my mind goes blank and I don’t remember it,” he said with a grin.
The 27-year-old turns 28 next month. With two years to go before he hits 30, he’s not only releasing a solo record under his name but also ticking off one rather big thing off his 20s must-do list -- showing the world there isn’t just one side to him.
“I was afraid of being remembered by people as just a pretty boy and wanted to show my different sides before I enter my 30s. I wanted to do this while in my 20s.
“When I’m in Winner, I feel like I’m just a pretty face and I’ve been stuck with that image. I wanted to show my inner self with this solo record, which has been hard to do in the past,” he said.
The song was co-written by Mino and features him too, as Jinu says he just prefers a good song regardless of who wrote it. And Jinu’s creative priorities lie elsewhere -- the packaging of the physical copy of his new record, for instance.
His solo debut single takes the form of a magazine, and a great deal of thought seems to have gone into that design decision -- as, again, his main goal was to show different sides of himself.
“I once asked during an interview with a magazine, ‘Why there are always so many different people featured in a magazine?’”
The answer that came back was “some do but not really,” which prompted him to do the exact opposite and fill up a whole magazine with just himself this time.
(YG Entertainment) |
He opened up a little further as the interview turned its focus to the lyrics of the song, which allude to obsessive behavior.
The opening line of the song goes, “It’s 3 in the morning. You don’t respond to my messages.” For the 28-year-old singer, a little bit of obsession is not a hard thing to admit.
“Yeah I obsess over things. It doesn’t have to be a woman. Even with friends, if they don’t answer my call and don’t pick up, I keep calling until they answer, which I can see how people will find annoying,” he said with laughter.
By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)