Part 6 JYJ, according to JYJ

26. Kim Jaejoong, According To Kim Jaejoong

“A compassionate person, with a warm heart.” (Park Yoochun)

“A perfectionist when it comes to work, but the best at taking care of the people around him.” (Kim Junsu)

That is Kim Jaejoong in the eyes of members Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu, with whom he has been like brothers with for close to 10 years. Both said in unison that they were envious of Kim Jaejoong’s vast interpersonal relationships.

Kim Junsu said, “When we were in Japan, there was a man I had never seen before sleeping on a bed in our room. When I asked who it was, Jaejoong said that he had seen the man drinking sadly by himself at a pub, so he had a drink with him and took him in for the night. Although it was shocking, it is something that happens often with Jaejoong. When it comes to work he is extremely conscientious and a perfectionist,  but over drinks, he is someone who is very open and becomes friends with everyone.” Kim Junsu also mentioned that he respected the way Kim Jaejoong meticulously took care of those around him.

“When you start getting to know new people, it becomes difficult to take care of the people you knew before as well. But he manages to show his concern for everyone. Sometimes it’s to the extent that I begin to wonder if he has a clone who is helping him send all these messages. Haha.”

When drunk and in high spirits, acting cute is just the basics!

In that case, what is “Kim Jaejoong” like in the eyes of Kim Jaejoong?

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Part 5. Our Growth

18. [C-JeS's insight] JYJ’s 1000 Days, a time of change and development

The past 1000 days that Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Jaejoong have spent as members of JYJ have been a time of change and development.While preparing their worldwide album, they grew from vocalists to singer-songwriters. And during their world tour, they were faced with loneliness as they walked down a path that had never been touched before. But they were proud to have become pioneers in K-Pop and it gave them the opportunity to grow even more as artistes. The person who brought about this change and development in JYJ was CEO Baek Chang Joo. CEO Baek didn’t hold back on his encouragement and support for JYJ as they wrote songs for their album.

“When we were preparing their album, I told the members, ‘You all know how to write songs. Make your own music.’ The members looked perplexed and asked, ‘Why don’t we get songs from other composers?’ but they ended up writing their own songs for their album. The best thing to come out of this process was the members’ confidence in themselves. The confidence that they will be able to do whatever they want, whenever they want to do it. Though there are worries that they might be caged in themselves if they only sing songs that they have written, what matters is that JYJ were able to grow through this process and they are still continuing to grow. The members are all talented. My role is to help them discover and use those talents to be better at what they do.”

CEO Baek’s aspiration is, “To continue with JYJ’s world tours,” and “To make JYJ a long-running group.”

“When I’m asked what my goal is, I always say, ‘To survive’. I don’t know exactly till when, but I believe that ‘surviving till the end’ is very important. It’s not that the strong are the ones who survive, but that those who survive are strong. The members often forget this fact. Whenever they do, I tell them this. Nothing in life is ever accomplished easily. Though the members already know this, there are times when they forget after a while. So whenever they believe that the worst is over, I tell them not to forget why they started all this and say, ‘Nothing is accomplished just like that.’ Though they don’t have to always think about their ‘days as a tadpole’, they need to never forget what kind of situation we’re in. Just because one is doing well now, doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to keep doing well in the future.”

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Part 3. A Continuous Voyage

9. [C-JeS's insight] Putting the restrictions behind us and voyaging to a new world

Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu released their worldwide album <The Beginning> on the 12th of October, 2010. This was their first album since the creation of JYJ. The album, in which all the tracks are sung in English, was a collaboration with people such as Kanye West and Rodney Jerkins, a producer famous for his work with Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. JYJ began performing with the world as their stage with this album.

JYJ’s ‘worldwide move’ was inevitable. Leaving TVXQ and creating JYJ made it difficult for Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu to hold any domestic activities, but this paradoxically became an opportunity for them to take on the world. CEO Baek Chang Joo broadened his vision and looked to a bigger stage. Stating, “I believed that English would be the best way to communicate with the world as a whole,” he also added, “We thought of releasing the album overseas and importing it into the Korean market.”

CEO Baek explained his ideas to the members, and they followed him without any objections.

“In Korea, most idols are faced with limitations on their activities when they pass the age of thirty. When JYJ was first created, we made sure to look ten years into their future. I believe that an entertainment agency needs to become a partner to celebrities and stay with them for a long time. I told the members that even if they started pursuing individual activities, the growth of each member would result in the growth of JYJ eventually, and the members began to understand what I had meant after time had passed.”

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“To be able to stand on the Tokyo Dome Stage again makes us really happy.”

Performing in Tokyo Dome in the first time in about 3 years, the popular Korean group JYJ held a press conference before their final performance on 4 April.

This Dome performance is their first concert since they had won the lawsuit against Avex for their Japanese management rights in January this year.  Calling Tokyo Dome the “Stage of Dreams,” they said “This is a new beginning. We will work hard in today’s performance so that we will have no regrets.”

The performance on this day was also to be streamed live in 113 cinemas, with about 70,000 fans getting together for this event.

The following is the Q&A session.

– What are your thoughts on performing in Tokyo Dome after 3 years

Our activities in Japan took up about half our time (in the period of promotional activity since debut), so Japan is like a second home to us. Therefore having not been able to appear in media broadcasts or perform in Japan is regrettable. But looking back, it was an opportunity for us to grow.  When we stood on stage for the first day (of these concerts), we promised ourselves that “This is the beginning. We have to work hard again. I’m really happy because these concerts are not the end, but a true beginning.” (Junsu)

– What has changed in the last 3 years?

“In the past 3 years, we haven’t been able to release any Japanese albums, so there are no Japanese songs (of our own) to perform. So far, we have always been singing Japanese songs whenever we perform in Japan. Aside from that, nothing seems to have changed, and I find that fascinating as well. 3 years is a long time but it feels short. The passion of the fans shown in the past 2 days has not changed.” (Jaejoong)

– What are your plans for this year.

“We’re thinking of releasing an album, but we haven’t decided on how we would be releasing it.” (Junsu)
“Although the legal issues (for Japanese activities) have been resolved it doesn’t mean that there won’t be problems. We’ve been thinking a lot about it as well.  Things often don’t go as planned, but we will try our best even when given the smallest chances.” (Yoochun)

– This is your 10th year since debut

“I can’t believe that it’s already been 10 years. There has been a lot of laughter, and a lot of difficulty as well. I feel like I’ve learnt more about the value of life, than anyone else. I want to say that it has been a really happy time.” (Junsu)

– When was the hardest time?

“When we are unable to attend media broadcasts. It’s the same now, as it was 3 years ago.  But somehow, we’ve now think about the positive aspects more so than the negative ones, and changed our direction towards being thankful (for what we have). Recently, I haven’t been feeling unhappy.” (Junsu)

– What are your dreams from now on?

“I do not wish for more than I have now. There is a lot of things I want to do but there are a lot of constraints and things cannot be done, and that is regrettable.  My aim is just to do the jobs that I have been given, and work with those who are important to me. My dream is to continue working as part of JYJ for as long as possible.”  (Yoochun)

Source : [Wow!Korea]

Translated & Shared by : dongbangdata.net

Part 1. First Meeting

1. That Summer that Was So Cold

Without saying much, they awaited the time when people would eventually know what it was they had wanted, and what it was they were trying to say. Although they did not know when that time would come, they were certain that it couldn’t be “like this, right now” forever.

In the end, they went in search of ‘happiness’ and ‘dreams’. Their footsteps were heavy with a fear of the uncertain future. But they felt that they could overcome the heavy footsteps and the fear for true happiness and their dreams.

With that, they became one through the name “JYJ”.

Stories Hidden In Their Hearts

In the summer of 2009, Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun and Kim Junsu made the decision to give up everything though they were at the top of their game. In the end,  popularity and money were not important. If popularity and money were everything, they would not have been able to take that big step with heavy and fearful hearts. They did not hope for anything other than happiness and their dreams. As long as each of them had the other two by his side, that in itself was the best source of strength and comfort.

At the time, some people in the industry and the public made speculations about JYJ and attacked them. But they couldn’t do anything but stay silent. The flood of criticism and the ridiculous rumors ripped them apart. But they didn’t respond to such rumors. That was because they knew that reacting would be nothing but ‘Spitting on their own faces’ in this situation.

“I’m sure that SM Entertainment, our agency at that time, were hurt too, but when I look back on what happened, I think we were hurt more by the whole thing. There were times when I thought, ‘What’s the use of saying things that will do nothing but hurt each other’. Though there were a lot of rumors surrounding us, we kept it locked in our hearts and repeated to ourselves, ‘This too shall pass.’ I felt like when time had passed, people and the world would come to see what the truth was.” (Park Yoochun)

Kim Junsu’s thoughts did not differ much from Park Yoochun’s.

“We were frustrated. But (C-JeS CEO Baek) Chang Joo told us that we needed to hold back and endure to overcome our situation, that things would get worse if we responded to every little thing. We held back and tried to find comfort in his words that if we responded, something small that would have passed quickly if we had stayed put, would drag on and hurt us for a long time. Though it was a very trying time for us, we could do nothing but hold back. That was the only thing we could do.”

Those trying times were hard for the oldest member Kim Jaejoong, as well. But he decided to keep it all buried in his heart.

“We knew that this was a fight that we could possibly lose, but we hoped that people would understand our truth and sincerity when time had passed. At the time, we had no one to speak for us, and we could do nothing but silently stand our ground. Because speaking up would lead to misunderstandings. We couldn’t express ourselves because even denying things would make us look like cowards.”

The summer of 2009, which was too painful to let slide by, leaves a bitter taste in the members’ mouths. Things are supposed to get easier with time no matter what it is, but deep sighs still continue to escape their mouths.

The Truth Will Always Prevail

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“I’m happy about my Asia tour concert because it helps me connect with my fans.”

Amidst his Asia tour fanmeet and concert, JYJ’s Kim Jaejoong opened up about his feelings and determination.

On the 16th Kim Jaejoong met with Korean reporters for a press conference ahead of his ‘Your, My and Mine’ Asia tour fanmeet and concert at the Shanghai Marriott Hotel Luwan.

During the press conference, Kim Jaejoong talked about being back in Shanghai as he stated, “It makes me feel great knowing that I held a fanmeet here last year and am holding a concert here this year,” and “I feel like I’m coming to greet my Shanghai fans every year. It’s a city that I have deep affection for.”

Kim Jaejoong added, “I decided to divide the concert into three sections because I wanted to create a space for me to share my stories with my fans, connect with them and introduce the music from my album to them,” and “After spending some time with the fans, I’ll be having a short yet impactful mini concert. I will do my best and work hard.”

Kim Jaejoong released his first solo mini album ‘I’ in January and met with over 20,000 domestic and overseas fans at the Ilsan KINTEX on the 26th and 27th of January and in Bangkok, Thailand on the 17th of February.

▶Here is the Q&A session from Kim Jaejoong’s press conference

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JYJ will be standing on the stage of Tokyo Dome for the first time in four years since their ‘Thanksgiving Live in Dome’ concert in June, 2010. They’re already excited and nervous as they think about greeting their fans for the first time in a while. JYJ will do their best for the fans who have waited four years for their return, and they will create the best performance possible. Kim Jaejoong is planning to hold his Asia Tour as well, starting with his ‘Your, My and Mine in Thailand’ concert at the BITEC Hall in Bangkok on the 17th of February and moving on to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Nanjing. We will reveal the various sides of Kim Jaejoong through the Naver Star Column!

/ written by the editor

I like people. Every person, no matter who they are, has their own unique story behind them. If we open up our hearts and converse, we quickly become friends, even if it’s the first time we’re meeting. So I like meeting new people and forging new relationships. Never have I kept my distance from someone based on first appearances or written someone off for their outward appearance. “No matter where we go overseas, you’re always so popular. We’re so jealous.” My members say this to me sometimes. Because I was always given an intense image to carry(?), ever since my debut, I’ve always been loved more overseas than in Korea. In Korea, there were a lot of people who had formed strong prejudices against me. To be honest, I would always tell myself that this wasn’t the case, but when I was overseas, people would greet me without any of those prejudices. The friends I met overseas, where the language and culture we identified ourselves with were different, accepted me for who I was, for who Kim Jaejoong is. Because of this, it was easier for me to show my true self to them and open myself up to them. Though we don’t speak the same language, I was able to build happy friendships with them as we communicated through our hearts. I was joyfully able to open up to people who loved my music, and in turn, I learned to respect and love their cultures.

‘A snapshot of me in the plane on the way to my tour concert~!’

“Don’t you become numbed from your fans’ love because there are so many of them?” This is something I hear a lot during interviews. To this, I always replay, “Never.” Fans may wonder if their feelings, their letters, their gifts, their sincerity are delivered to the stars, and it’s true that it’s hard for all of it to get to us. But it still reaches us nonetheless. A person’s sincerity will always be felt by the recipient of that sincerity, and we always try to listen to the stories of our fans. When I’m tired and worn out, and want to let everything go, that invisible but omnipresent strength keeps me up and going. That is the power and strength of our fans. Though I move from airports or concert venues quickly when I tour because of safety risks, my heart is always enveloped in warmth when I see the people who have gathered to say hello and support me.

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JYJ recently talked about a happening that showed member Kim Jaejoong’s warm-hearted side.

The recently released special magazine ‘The JYJ’ contains interviews in which the members talk about each other and how they are in their daily lives.

Kim Junsu especially drew attention for his story that showed Kim Jaejoong’s softer side. In an interview for ‘The JYJ’, Kim Junsu said, “When we were in Japan, I found a man I had never seen before sleeping in one of our beds,” and “I asked him who he was, and he said that (Kim) Jaejoong had seen him sadly drinking by himself at an izakaya, and ended up sharing a drink with him and giving him a place to sleep for the night.”

Kim Junsu also praised Kim Jaejoong as he added, “It sounds so surprising, but it’s something that Jaejoong does often,” and “Though he’s very careful and a perfectionist when it comes to his work, he’s an open person who thinks of everyone as his friend when he goes out drinking.”

‘The JYJ’ contains stories of the past 1000 days since JYJ made their debut. Interviews with the three members were conducted over a total of 25 hours and contain honest confessions from the members of the past 1000 days.

Source: [mydaily]

Translated & Shared by: dongbangdata.net