Things weren't always this good for Seo In Guk.
The 26-year-old singer-turned-actor rose above the poverty of his youth and a struggle with bulimia that could have cost him his singing voice, to become one of South Korea's fastest rising stars after winning the first season of the reality TV singing competition "Superstar K."
When Kiyori Matsumoto from the Kpopstarz Japan News Bureau sat down with Seo recently, she found an artist willing to laugh at himself and one ready to open up about his musical past, present and future.
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KpopStarz: What made you decide to become a singer?
Sek In Guk: In 1997, I watched [Koyote's] Kim Jong-Min singing on television, and I thought, 'wow that's so cool. I want to be able to sing just like that!' and it naturally became my dream to be a singer. Before then, I was just like all other kids, dreaming of being president, and things like that. (laughs) I think I had those kinds of lofty dreams.
KpopStarz: How were your grades in music classes in grade school?
Seo In Guk: I don't remember so well, but I think they were okay. I did so-so on assignments on the recorder.
KpopStarz: Do you play any instruments?
Seo In Guk: I am not so good at them, but I play the piano as well as guitar. In high school, when I took singing lessons, I wanted to play an instrument while I sang, so that's why I began to practice piano. I began to play guitar a little bit later, so guitar is more difficult for me. Right now I have one guitar at home.
KpopStarz: What has been your most stressful performance so far?
Seo In Guk: When I first debuted in Korea and sang 'I Love You.' It was the first stage since my debut, and the song also had dance, so I was really nervous. There was no mistake, but it is very memorable because it was the first time.
KpopStarz: How about your best performance?
Seo In Guk: When I sang 'Shake It Up' at [the newly-opened Tokyo music hall] Zepp Diver City. Even though my body was tired, I was filled with energy! It was just really fun without any specific reason. (laughs)
KpopStarz: Your song 'We Can Dance Tonight' tells the story of a wild night. Have you had any memorable nights recently?
Seo In Guk: Last year's birthday party and fan meeting. It was a very fun party in my memory. Fans sang a birthday song for me, and I sang songs for them. The atmosphere was very joyful.
KpopStarz: Please talk a little about the three songs included in your new Japanese EP.
As you can tell by listening to 'We Can Dance Tonight,' it is an extremely fast-paced song with powerful beats. So as I was recording it, I thought it would make a fun live experience for fans once I sang the song on stage. 'My Voice' has very distinct melodies. This medium-tempo song has melodies that I truly love. I am fond of songs that express that kind of feeling, which I hope can be picked up by fans as well. 'Best Friend' allows you to feel as if you are talking with your friend, so by singing it, you can receive strength.
KpopStarz: In past interviews, you've said you like medium-tempo songs better than more upbeat songs. Why is that?
Seo In Guk: I like songs that, while having the capacity to communicate the emotions, also have uniqueness in the beat.
KpopStarz: In the song 'My Voice,' you sing 'your eyes are still telling a lie,' as if you can see through the lying eyes of a girlfriend. Are you the type of person who can recognize when someone lies?
Seo In Guk: I cannot tell at all! (laughs)
KpopStarz: Talk about the recording process for your single "We Can Dance Tonight."
Seo In Guk: This song has really fast beats, and some fast parts of the song gave me a hard time keeping up with that tempo. Even though it's my own song, I myself struggled to catch the song, so that was tough.
KpopStarz: If someone invites you to karaoke right now, what is the first song you would pick to sing?
Seo In Guk: Hmm...right now? Well, 'Hee Jae' by Sung Sikeung. It's the theme for the movie 'The Scent Of Love.' When I watched this movie as a child, I thought it was very sad as I listened to the song. But I love it even now.
KpopStarz: You have an intense promotions schedule during your current visit to Japan.
Seo In Guk: Yes, it is busy, but I can hold many events for fans, so I am truly satisfied and enjoying it!
KpopStarz: In a previous interview, you said 'if I can do a concert tour, I want to sing all across Japan, because I remember, when I was young, I was very happy to have some artists come and sing for us.' Where did you grow up?
Seo In Guk: I used to live in Ulsan [in South Korea] and it was not easy to see singers in Ulsan. So when they came to our local areas and held performances, I was very thankful. It was fun to watch them on stage. Because I had these kinds of experiences in my childhood, I want to share the same joy with my fans.
KpopStarz: What are your goals for the future? What do you want to achieve with your music?
Seo In Guk: First of all, I want to perform on stage a lot, because we feel good while listening to music. My hope is that when people listen to my music, they may feel happier.
KpopStarz: Do you care about how your songs rank in the pop charts?
Seo In Guk: I'm not really concerned with those kinds of things right now. More than that, I just want many more people to hear my songs.
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