[22 Jun 2011] JKS grateful to Kim Ha-neul for advice, wants to invite Kim Hyun Joong and Lee Seung Gi for drinks

Source: Sports Seoul
Chinese source: Tengxun Entertainment News

Korean star Jang Keun Suk released his debut single “Let me cry” in Japan on 27 April this year, which topped the Oricon weekly chart upon its release, and JKS became the first foreign singer to set this record. These results led the chief editor of Japan’s most reputed entertainment magazine “Oricon Style” to proclaim that “JKS’ era has arrived”. Public TV stations including Fuji, TBS and Japan TV subsequently produced special TV Feature to introduce the phenomenon of the JKS craze sweeping over Japan and also to track his latest updates. In addition to publications and magazines, the makkori that JKS endorses also rode on the tide of popularity and its sales volume soared. JKS’ first official merchandise shop in Shibuya has also attracted fans from many countries. Today, the Korean media also sees JKS in a new light and compliments JKS for his rapid growth. In commemoration of its 26th anniversary, “Sports Seoul” especially invited JKS to do an unprecedentedly long interview and does a complete analysis of the charm of this new Hallyu leading character. Below are the main contents of the interview.

S = Sports Seoul
J = JKS

Singing is just for fun? Acting is my life-long profession

S: Please introduce the production concept behind your “2011 JKS The Cri Show” Asia Tour which has gained overwhelming response in various countries.

J: “Cri” is the short form for “Critical”, a common jargon often used by netizens which means the last, decisive fatal blow. In my Asia Tour, it means “lethal charm”, used for the first time in April last year. This year, the performance duration has been extended from 2 hours to 2.5 hours. The opening song is “Let me cry”. Besides singing songs, specially prepared videos from YAB and M3 will be played, together with talk segments etc. We’ll also present DJ-style “Gotta getcha” targeted at the Chinese audience, and play water gun games with fans. I’ll have at least 10 changes of clothes throughout the performance.

S: On top of the excellent performance concept, for JKS to become so popular, you surely have your secret?

J: Mm, the secret to popularity? [lapses into brief, puzzled comtemplation] That is I often “transit” (i.e. during travel). In the process of travelling between various Asian countries, I often think about how many actors often talk about their work as a focus topic during interviews, I think this is rather conservative. My style may be quite different from other Hallyu stars. And I’ve always wanted to try many new challenges since I was a child. During my promotional events in Japan and China etc, when I chat with reporters, many times I choose a playful (humorous) way of doing the interview (to make the atmosphere less rigid).

S: Why do you say your secret is “transit”?

J: Haha, that is because when I ask my fans why they like me, many of them say that they look forward to seeing me being happy in trying various new challenges. No matter what silly and adventurous thing I do, they will always be by my side to support me and look forward to the surprises I’ll bring them.

S: How do you interact with fans?

J: “JKS application” was set up since April last year. This is one way of communicating with my fans when I’m busy during the Asia Tour. Then, every month, I’ll put on my official website more than 10 posts in four different languages (Korean, Japanese, Chinese and English). But there is a limit to online interaction. The best way to understand each other’s sincerity is when people look into each other’s eyes during face-to-face meeting, and my Cri Show is produced based on this concept.

S: You have been given the label of being the “second Bae Yong-jun”.

J: I feel honoured. Yong-yang is the propelling force behind Hallyu being a social phenomenon. Bae Yong-jun senior has opened up the Hallyu path for us. I recall my first fan-meeting in Japan; the venue which could accommodate 2,000 audience was only filled partially. In the 4 years since then, this autumn I will be holding my Arena Tour in Nagoya, Osaka and Saitama. Every time, I will do my best to prepare for the performance, hence in this way accumulating popularity gradually. Even so, I still think that my success is largely due to good luck. Now and in future, I still want to be a free Jang Keun Suk, trying my best to discover unknown potential. Singing is just a part of my acting activity; I don’t have plans to focus only on singing.

S: What do you see as the propelling force behind the new Hallyu era?

J: In the entire Asia entertainment scene, Hallyu accounts for a large proportion. This originates from the fact that Koreans are producing excellent works, which is the basis for the Hallyu wave in Asia. Based on the overwhelming response in countries such as Japan and China to “You are Beautiful”, I have further consolidated and broadened my fan base.

20th anniversary Dinner Show in 2012

S: You’ve been a child actor. What was the fateful incident that brought you into showbiz?

J: I started acting at 8 years old, but frankly speaking, I don’t remember what kind of drama that was. After that, I became a commercial model. I started to model at 4 years old, so next year is my 20th anniversary. I should prepare a dinner show, haha. I heard from my mother that when she was expecting me, she had a strange dream of a tiger with a mountain fruit in its jaws, fruit having a meaning of “talent”. Once, my mother brought me to visit an old actor, and he said “Let this child learn to perform”. I also heard that my mother’s grandfather was an actor too.

S: In your dramas to date, there are many singer roles. What is your criterion for selecting drama?

J: I don’t intentionally demand myself to undergo a complete transformation in every drama. I just try not to be stuck in one specific type of image. I don’t like to be restricted to one type. It’s not that I have a particular preference for singer roles, just that I received more scripts with singer role. In fact, in the early stage of “You’re my Pet” (YMP) filming, I was quite lost as to how to act it well. At the meeting, sister Ha-neul gave me a suggestion. She said, “The way you look now is already very similar to the character. You don’t have to intentionally hide your own characteristic, just act naturally.” I am very moved by these words; the advice is also very appropriate to be applied to my life in future. Instead of intentionally emphasizing that I should work hard as an actor, I should follow the natural course. My ambition of being an actor came about when I was 19 years old. In the past 5 years, I only acted in 4 dramas. Until today, I have not been attending school like normal people of my age, having only focused on my showbiz work. I don’t regret choosing this path. I am very grateful that many people know me through my works.

S: Speaking of your acting theory, do you have principles that you must abide by when you act?

J: I’m a sadist and often mistreat myself. If I become fatter, I will scold myself, “Why did I become so lazy?!”, then I will immediately start a gruelling diet and eat very little for breakfast and lunch, and mainly chicken breast-meat for dinner. To me, it’s not tough at all. I don’t have principles that I must definitely adhere to. To me, to battle with an unseen “JKS” in my heart is a happy and interesting thing.

S: Looks like you’re a forward-looking person who always keeps running on, and don’t easily give yourself a break to rest?

J: That’s right. I belong to the sadist category. I feel that if I continue like this, my interpersonal relations will slowly become restricted. I think once I’m past 30 years old, this sense of loneliness will become even stronger. Occasionally, I think about who will attend my wedding ceremony (i.e. very few people), it’s quite horrifying.

S: Your face looks really, very small. You don’t look fat?

J: I look like this, haha. In YMP, I act as a classical ballet dancer, so I’ve already lost 5 kg, now I’m only 66 kg. I don’t particularly like muscle, I think that a leaner figure is better. I won’t intentionally go and do weight training.

Wants to invite Kim Hyun-joong, Lee Min-ho and Lee Seung-gi out for drinks

S: Who in showbiz would you like to become good friends with?

J: I want to invite artistes who are around the same age as me. Mm, to go for drinks at night with Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong and Lee Seung-gi behind the back of our agents seems to be a good idea.

S: List 5 things you like.

J: Car, wine, music, camera and electronic products etc. Money, drinking capacity? I’m not very clear. I have slight insomnia. Before I down 5 bottles of so-ju (wine), I drink beansprout soup first to relieve the after-effects of drinking, then the next morning when I wake up, I won’t experience the after-effects.

S: List the 5 things you dislike.

J: Money, computer and chocolate. I have a love-hate feeling towards money. Eating chocolate will make people become lazy, so I don’t like chocolate. (JKS’ manager added that fans almost never give chocolates as present. Even if they give, it is dark chocolate.)

S: What is your ideal girlfriend like?

J: A girl who is very innocent with a well-mannered air. It’s been a very long time since since my last relationship.

S: What are the inconveniences of being a star?

J: Naturally, there are (inconveniences). But I try my best not to limit my activities just because of my “star identity”. I’ve gone to school wearing a cap and taking the subway. I can go and get my hair cut without the company of my manager. I minimize the scope of asking people for help. If possible, my principle is to do everything by myself. I love the dumplings at Myeong-dong, so I occasionally go to the restaurant to eat at 9.30 pm, 15 minutes before closing time, because basically there won’t be any customers there at that time.

S: Did you watch MBC’s “Greatest Love”? What is the most recent movie you’ve watched?

J: Heard that the orphan’s role is senior Cha Seung-won’s distinctive performance. Acting in a comedy is not my strength, I’m envious that he can act so well. The last movie I watched in a cinema is last year’s “I saw the Devil”, and yes, I watched “Black Swan” on the plane, I should have watched it in a cinema.

S: How do you handle university life and academic score?

J: University life is like a mini-society, and much life experience can be gained. I want to attend every lesson and complete my homework, but often I cannot do so. I can only depend on my interpersonal connections [laughs]. If I suddenly put in a “shining” performance just before the exams, it’ll achieve the opposite effect. Actually, there are still ways to fare well in the exams. In the first month when lessons start, I will ask the professor various questions (to figure out his style of thinking/teaching). Of course, I will sit for exams, and will join the weekend gatherings every week without fail.

[END]

张根硕感激金荷娜指点 想约金贤重李胜基喝酒

腾讯娱乐讯 （Mango/文）韩星张根硕今年4月27日发行的日本出道单曲《Let me try》初登场即登上周榜销量冠军，成为第一个创造此纪录的海外歌手。这一成绩，令日本最著名的艺能杂志《oricon style》的总编专门撰文称“张根硕的时代已经来临”，包括富士、TBS和日本等各家民放电视台轮番推出特辑介绍张根硕风靡日本的现象已经追踪他的最新情况。不仅杂志、书刊等出版物，张根硕代言的某品牌米酒也跟着其水涨船高，销量飙升。在东京涉谷开设的第一家官方店也是连日来吸引来自各地的粉丝驻足流连。如今，韩国媒体也对这位童星出身的艺人刮目相看，大赞其成长迅速，《体育首尔》为纪念创刊26周年，特意邀张根硕做了一次史上最长时间的专访，全面剖析这位“韩流新领军人物”的致命魅力。以下是采访的主要内容（《体育首尔》简称“S”，张根硕简称“J”）
唱歌只是玩票？我始终把演戏当作终身职业
S：可以介绍一下你正在举行的亚巡“2011张根硕THECRISHOW”的制作理念吗？活动在各个国家和地区都获得了爆发性的反响。
J：“CRI”是“Critical”的缩写，指的是致命性的、决定性的一击，这是网民经常使用的语言。在我的巡演里，就是“致命性的魅力”的意思，去年4月首度与大家见面。今年则把公演时间从2小时延长至2小时30分钟左右，开场曲是《Let me try》，除了会演绎歌曲外，还会播放精心准备的映像，再现《玛丽外宿中》、《都是美男》等剧中的情节以及TALK的环节等等。并且会带来DJ形式的以中华圈为目标的《Gotta getcha》，和粉丝玩射水枪游戏等，整个表演下来我至少会换10套以上的服装。
S：但即便是这样（巡演本身的构思很棒），张根硕能够有如此受欢迎，你肯定是有秘诀的吧？
J：嗯，人气的秘诀？（陷入短暂发闷的样子），那就是经常会“transit”（飞行，过境）吧，我在频繁往返于亚洲各国的过程中，常常会思考着许多演员在接受采访时，总是以作品作为谈话的中心，我想这是蛮保守的。我的做法可能和（别的韩流明星）不太一样。而且我从很小的时候起，就想接受很多新的挑战。在日本、中国等地所作的宣传活动时，在与记者们聊天时，我很多时候会以恶作剧（玩笑）的方式完成采访（显得不那么僵硬）。
S：为什么说自己的秘诀是“transit”？
J：哈哈，那是因为问粉丝喜欢我的理由是什么时，她们很多人会说期待看到我快乐地尝试各种冒险的样子。无论我做什么笨蛋似（冒险）的事情，她们总会一边守护着我一边期待我带来的惊喜。
S：你是如何和粉丝交流的？
J：去年4月开始设立了“张根硕Application”，这是在忙于亚巡的同时，我与粉丝沟通的一种方式。然后每个月，在官网上会更新10篇以上的韩、日、中、英四种语言版本的文章。但毕竟在线交流有一定的局限。人与人面对面，眼睛注视的时候，是最好了解彼此真心的方式，而我的“CRI SHOW”正是出于这个想法制作的。
S：你被加上了“第二个裴勇俊”的注脚。
J：对此，我感到很光荣。勇样是令韩流成为社会现象的推动者。裴勇俊前辈（为我们）开拓了韩流之路。记得我在日本举行的第一场见面会，能容纳2000名观众的会场只坐了寥寥可数的观众。在那之后约经过四年，（今年秋天）我会在名古屋、大阪和埼玉等地开ARENA TOUR。我每次都会尽全力准备表演，所以人气就是这么慢慢地积累起来了。但即便是这样，我还是认为(自己的成功)和运气好有很大关系，并且要感谢一直支持我的粉丝和给予帮助的关系者们。“新韩流风潮”，我不想自己被这样的字眼局限，今后依然想做“自由自在的张根硕”，尽可能地去挖掘未知的潜能。唱歌只是演员活动的一个部分，今后也没有只是专注在歌手事业上的计划。
S：你怎么看“新韩流时代”的原动力？
J：在整个亚洲艺能市场中，韩流占了相当的比重。这个源泉，归根结底还是韩国人在本土制作出优质的作品，这也是整个亚洲韩流的根基所在。我也是籍着《都是美男》这部剧在日本、中国等地获得巨大的反响从而进一步巩固和拓展鳗鱼的版图的。
2012年为庆祝出道20周年计划开dinner show
S：你是童星出身，与艺能界结缘的契机是？
J：我从8岁开始演戏，但说实话我已经记不清那是一部怎样的作品。之后我以广告模特儿的身份在艺能界打拼。我从4岁起就做模特，所以明年是我出道20周年。我应该准备“dinner show”哈哈。听妈妈说，她在怀我的时候就做过一个奇怪的梦：一只老虎叼着山里的水果，“水果”有“才能”的意思。一次妈妈带我去见一位老演员时，后者说“让这个孩子学表演试试看吧”，据说我妈妈的祖父也是一位演员。
S：在你迄今出演的作品中，歌手的角色尤其多。你选择作品的标准是？
J：我并不会刻意地要自己非要在每一部作品中做一次彻底的变身，只是努力不会僵在固定的一种形象中。我不喜欢被局限在同一个框架中。（不是对歌手角色情有独钟，而是）接到了很多歌手角色的剧本演出邀请。实际上，在拍摄〈宠物情人〉的初期，我（为怎么演好）一度很迷茫。在会议上，（金）荷娜姐姐建议我说：“你现在的样子（气质）就已经和角色很相似了，不需要刻意去回避自己的这些本色，自然地去演就好了”。我对这句话很有感触，用在我今后的人生路上也同样合适。比起刻意地去强调应该以一个演员的身份去努力，不如就这样顺其自然地把以后的路走好。坦白说，我是从19岁时才有了立志成为演员的梦想的，过去的5年里我也只演了4部作品。至今我没有和普通的同龄人一样去上学，只是专注在艺能界的工作中，我不后悔选择这条路。我很感激许多人能通过我的作品认识我。
S：说是“演技特论”也好，你每次在演戏时有必须遵守的准则吗？
J：我属于Sadist(自虐狂)，经常会自己虐待自己。如果长胖的话，我就会骂自己：“为什么会变得这么懒惰？！”，然后立即开始魔鬼式的减肥工程，早餐和午饭都吃很少，晚餐以鸡胸肉为主食，这对我来说，一点也不苦。我并没有非做不可的事情（准则），于我而言，和他人看不到的内心中的另一个“张根硕”作战是件很开心有趣的事情。
S：看起来你是一个不断地看着前方不断奔跑前行的人，不容易给你自己喘息、休息片刻的机会的人？
J：对的。我属于自我折磨的类型。感觉这样下去，人际关系也会慢慢变得狭窄起来。我想人过三十岁的话，这种孤独感会变得更加强烈。我偶尔会想我的结婚典礼上，会有什么人来参加，很恐怖。
S：你的颜看起来真的很小。你身上看来也是没几两肉吧？
J：看起来的确如此，哈哈。我在〈宠物情人〉里扮演的是一名古典芭蕾舞演员，所以已经减了5公斤左右的体重，现在只有66公斤。我原来也不时特别喜欢肌肉，觉得身形瘦长一点比较好。我不会刻意去做weight training。
想约金贤重、李民浩和李胜基http://datalib.ent.qq.com/star/2728/albums_list.shtml出来痛快喝一顿
S：你想与哪些圈内人成为好友？
J：我想约与自己年纪相仿的艺人出来喝酒。恩，和李民浩、金贤重、李胜基几个人背着经纪人在晚上悄悄出来喝酒，应该会很不错。
S：列举你喜欢的五件东西
J：汽车、酒、音乐和相机等电子产品，钱，酒量？我也不是很清楚。我有点失眠症。喝了豆芽解酒汤，灌下5瓶烧酒入睡的话，第二天醒来就不会有宿醉的感觉了。
S：讨厌的五件东西
J：钱、电脑和巧克力。对钱是又爱又恨，吃甜食会让人变得懒惰，所以不喜欢巧克力。（在旁边的经纪人补充道：粉丝们几乎不送巧克力作礼物，即便送也是黑巧克力）。
S：理想的女友是怎么样的？
J：很有气质，很纯真的女生。最近的一次恋爱，已经隔了很长时间了。
S：作为明星感到不便的地方。
J：当然会有。但是我尽量会避免“明星的身份” 拘泥自己的行动。戴着帽子，悄悄坐地铁去学校，也试过。也可以在没有经纪人的陪伴下，自己一人去剪发。将接受别人的帮助缩在最小的范围内，可以的话，全部由自己独立完成这是我的原则。因为很喜欢明洞的饺子，所以有时会去，在晚上9点30分，距离打烊只有15分的时间里进到店里吃，因为那时基本上不会有什么人了。
S：最近看MBC的〈最佳爱情〉吗？最近看了什么电影？
J：听说里边的独孤真是车胜元前辈的本色演出。我不太擅长演喜剧，看他能演得这么好，真的十分羡慕。最近在电影院里看过的电影是去年的〈看见恶魔〉，对了，在飞机里看了〈黑天鹅〉，其实应该去电影院看的。
S：怎样处理大学生活和学分呢？
J：称得上是“缩小的社会”的大学生活，可以获得许多特别的人生经验。虽然想好好地出席每堂课和完成课题，但很多时候都是有心无力。只能靠“拉拢”一些人际关系了。（笑）。如果只是在临近考试的时候“闪闪发光”反而会露馅呢。其实（想考出好成绩）还是有方法的。在课程开始的最初一个月，我会向教授提各种问题（摸清他的执教思路），当然我会亲笔写考卷上的问题，每个期末的聚会我也会无条件的参加。