[article] Take a ride with the Asian Prince (Singapore newspaper ‘The Straits Times’)_20140724

A Singaporean newspaper ‘THE STRAITS TIMES’ published the full-page article about Jang Keun Suk and TEAM H. Recently there are many supportive activities in Singapore. I hope he will visit Singapore soon again to see a lot of his fans!

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Take a ride with the Asian Prince
Popular star Jang Geun Suk launches third album Driving To The Highway with DJ friend from university days
sg
Credits: The Straits Times
By Gwendolyn Ng

Popular South Korean actor Jang Geun Suk’s music act Team H is not a vanity project – it is a return to his roots.
He and his schoolmate Kurt Jung, who is now a DJ and a producer, started the act when they were in university. They released their third album, Driving To The Highway, this month.
The good-looking duo may have fans mistakenly thinking that the H in Team H stands for Hot. But they are really not so narcissistic.

In an e-mail interview with Life!, Jang, 26, reveals that the inspiration for the group’s name is pretty simple.
“We started the group during our time at Hanyang University. The ‘H’ actually stands for Hanyang. We’ve been called names such as Team Hot and Team Happy.”
The Hanyang University theatre and film studies graduate, who catapulted to fame in the 2009 hit K-drama You’re Beautiful, fondly recalls the origins of his group.
“My schoolmate and I were planning the school cultural festival when we decided to form Team H. We performed at techno parties,” he says.
“I think it’s pretty amazing. Team H have actually gone on to release albums and even held concerts. They were pretty well-received.”
Team H made their recording debut in 2011 with the mini album The Lounge H Vol. 1.
It was followed by two full-length albums, Lounge H – The First Impression (2012) and I Just Wanna Have Fun (2013).
Within the first week of its launch, The First Impression sold more than 30,000 copies and secured the third spot on Japanese music chart Oricon.
Last year, the duo toured Japan, performing to 67,000 fans in five cities, including Hiroshima and Sapporo, according to K-pop entertainment site allkpop.

Their new album, which comprises 14 tracks, features songs in Korean, Mandarin and English.
Jung, who goes by the stage name of Big Brother, is the DJ and producer and he also penned the melody and lyrics for the songs.
Jang, whose wide-ranging taste in music includes English rock band Oasis and the techno beats of electro- artist Skrillex, says: “It’s music that you can listen to on the drive. That’s why we came up with the title Driving To The Highway.”
Aptly, for an album whose title hints at wanderlust, the campus buddies got to enjoy a quick getaway during its making – they filmed the music video for the breezy tune Take Me on South Korea’s scenic Jeju Island.
Jang says: “When I first heard the song Take Me, the image of running through a grassy patch appeared in my mind. Naturally, I thought Jeju Island would be a suitable filming location.
“Of course, it would be great if we could go abroad to film the music video. But Jeju Island is gorgeous and you feel like you’re holidaying abroad there.”

Avid Jang fans will notice that their idol sports a far shorter hairdo than his usual long tresses in the music video of Take Me. It was widely reported by the South Korean media that the actor snipped off his locks for the K-drama Pretty Man (2013).
How does he like his hair – long or short?
He cheekily throws back the question: “I’m curious. Do fans like me with short or long hair? I want to grow my hair out and keep it long. However, the people around me are against it.”

Jang, who is nicknamed the Asian Prince for his popularity across Asia, holds out hope for his fans in Singapore that he will come here as part of a fan-meet tour that has been announced.
“I’m the Asian Prince, I will go wherever I’m needed.”

nggwen@sph.com.sg
Driving To The Highway is available at CD-Rama.


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1. BEETHOVEN VIRUS (2008)
Not all fans love the metrosexual star sporting lengthy locks. Some wish that Jang Geun Suk would go back to manly hairdos, a la the buzzcut in his classical music drama Beethoven Virus.
Since fans are mostly familiar with his girly locks these days, they might do a double take when they see the macho Jang in his role as a genius trumpet player in the drama.

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2. YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL (2009)
The actor hit the jackpot with his role as the lead vocalist of band A.N.Jell in this drama series. The romantic comedy was a hit across Asia and solidified the K-pop star’s status as the Asian Prince.
Going for the grungy rocker look with his black eyeliner and jet-black spiky hairdo, he was edgy without being too feminine.

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3. MARRY ME, MARY! (2010)
What hair conditioner was he using in this drama series? Those luscious soft curls that tumbled down to his shoulder looked like they were ready for a shampoo advertisement.
With brown wavy locks styled to fit the free-spirited look of his indie singer role, he looked prettier than many girls, gushed fans. In the words of his detractors: He looked prettier than many girls.

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4. LOVE RAIN (2012)
The actor went retro for his role as Seo In Ha, a lovelorn arts student in the 1970s. A refreshing change from his usual badass look, Jang looked every part the shy boy-next-door with his shaggy mop-top.
Alas, the geeky good-boy look did not last. Jang went back to his rebel rocker hairdo for much of the series as Seo’s son in a modern-day setting.

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18 thoughts on “[article] Take a ride with the Asian Prince (Singapore newspaper ‘The Straits Times’)_20140724”

  1. Wow…Tenshi, it is super nice of you to make it so much easier for us to read this article! God bless your heart! Take good care of yourself too, ok?

    Nice article 🙂

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  2. Really happy to see our Asia Prince’s news being featured in the Life! section of our main local English newspaper in Singapore and what’s more, it’s one full page!

    So excited when I read this!!– <>

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    • strange the quote unquote didn’t appear, but i meant to say i was so excited to read that he has plans to be in Singapore and that “I’m Asian Prince, i will go wherever i am needed”!! indeed you are much needed in Singapore!!! 🙂

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  3. He want to grow his hair out and keep it long, but the people around him are against it!!! He has finally given us an explanation! Oh, I hope that Sukkie wins eventually! And I´m glad that Sukkie and I have same taste in his hairstyle, LOL 😉

    My favorite Sukkie-look is Sukkie in a black shirt on the FM in Chengdu in october 2013, and first episodes of Bel AMI just before he cut his hair. Sorry, I can´t help it, I just love his long hair. 😀

    Thank you Tenshi! 🙂 It´s a very good article about Sukkie. It was mentioned earlier that Team H had plans about concerts in a 8 asian cities this summer. His concert in Bejging and tour in Japan has been annonced. But what about the other concerts?

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    • Yes Zoe, he is so irresistable in his long hair. But don’t you think it’s unfair, he doesn’t look mature in long hair! Lol! Short hair makes him more masculine, long hair….. oh my! I don’t know which hairstyle to choose! 😉 😉 But I like his hairstyle in Beethoven Virus…. 😉

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      • I prefer his look in a “Mary stayed out…” and in “Hong Dil Gong”. 🙂 I actually think he looks younger when his hair is short. Anyway, anything looks perfect on him, right Christine? 😉 I forget everything about his hair when he starts to sing or speak. 🙂

      • You’re definitely right, Zoe! Any hairstyle looks perfect on him. Who is he by the way? He’s the Asia Prince and soon to be the World’s Prince! Hahaha…. 😉

  4. Ahh!!!! A beautiful, heart-warming article about our prince…. I had a feeling of peace after reading it… Thanks for posting it… 🙂 Our prince looks awesome in any hairstyle he does so I don’t to choose long of short but to wait and see what hairstyle he does next…

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  5. Singapore would be the nearest for me to see him if he ever makes it to SG again some time soon. We’re waiting for you, Asia Prince! You are needed here in South East Asia… BADLY! hehe…

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  6. Uri prince has a lot of facial expressions, hair- and fashion styles and in all looks great . According with his way of thinking, he should do what he want to do and we, his eels, should support him in every moment. He said that he prefers long hair so let it grow again…let it be…

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    • Like any other eels, I don’t mind his long hair. However, as BM is currently being broadcasted in my country, I observe that most K-Drama fans who are non-eels prefer him with his Dokgo MaTe’s look (i.e. short hair). Moreover, due to the not-so-much varied stories and characters in K-Drama, most of the times he might need to cut it again and again due to the acting roles he has to do :). Anyway, he can learn from his idol, Kimura Takuya, who sometimes keeps his hair long during the ‘off-period from Dramaland’ and then cuts it whenever he has to do an acting project which requires him to have a shorter hair 🙂

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  7. I have a funny feeling that he will go to singapore this year.kkk…and for his hairstyle..I dont mind.as long as he’s jang keuns uk.his recent style really make him look younger..just like his chilhood era.

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  8. I just love Jang Keun Suk..whatever hairdo he has..chubby or not…as long it’s JKS…I know I’m set for something good..

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  9. Thank you for this article Tenshi!!!! I love JKS in any hair cut or hair style. He knows how to rock it either way! Zikzin!!!!

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