Part 1 : “Do you want to hear the story of ‘music genius’ Himchan?”
“How did the celebrities inside our televisions become a star?”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
Himchan, who earned a supportive (?) message from Bang Yongguk as he was the next up in the interview, greeted us in a confident tone. Himchan, who is known as “bare faced,” came without makeup in showing a whole different kind of innocence from the stage image he’s used to showing. However, his husky, low voice allowed the reporter to get a feel for his strong charisma.
“Hello, I’m Himchan. It’s my first time having this kind of interview and I hope you can look out for me well. I was born at 11AM on April 19, 1990 in a hospital in Seoul. I’m the youngest of 1 son and 1 daughter in our family and I’ve always had a big interest in music since I was younger. My older sister was a big influence as she attended a piano academy when she was younger, so we had a piano in our house. What I still remember from when I was younger was that I’d be able to play exactly the songs I’d learn from kindergarten on the piano. In seeing that, my mother thought I was a musical genius.”
Himchan attended a piano academy starting at the age of 5 with the light inspiration of wanting to play piano with his older sister and that was when he began to enjoy music. However, Himchan tells us that he wasn’t just a calm kid who would do music.
“When I was in kindergarten, I was an extreme goofball. In other words, I was a cute troublemaker. When we’d go on picnics, there was never a time when I’d get scars from falling down in running around. Ah, also, I always sported a short haircut and it was greatly influenced by my mother who owns a hair salon. In other words, I was a good looking kid haha.”
Afterwards, he entered elementary school where he continued to study music but he pushed aside piano in which he started since he was younger in beginning to learn the violin.
“Since first grade, I learned violin for six years with the influence of my friends. Even then I was a goofball that always joked around haha. Because of that, I’d get in a lot of trouble from my teacher but I think I was able to make memorable memories. I think this was when I was interested in studying something else besides music for the first time as I had fun learned math and debate.”
Although he wasn’t too delved in studying, Himchan was a fairly “bright child.” Even if he didn’t study, looking at his test scores, he was a student who maintained to stay ranked in the upper half of his class. Himchan had always thought that there was something more important than studying which he said was “character.”
“At the time, our entire school made us write journals and I used to really hate it. I wasn’t fond of having to write our daily events like all the other kids and be marked up for it. That’s why I began to write my own kind of journal and I don’t know, but I found it fun in that if I didn’t write an entry, I’d feel empty haha. I’m the kind of person who has to write down what I want to do so there was a period of time where I was really into soccer so all I did was work out.”
And that’s how Himchan stepped foot into the elite course in raising his dreams in music.
Part 2 : “During my difficulties, the person who held my hand was..”
“How did the celebrities inside our televisions become a star?”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
Himchan’s interest in music was greatly influenced by his older sister since he was younger and with the passion of wanting to delve into music with his older sister, the same passion continues throughout his school years.
My older sister was admitted into Gukak National Middle School and I was admitted into junior school there later on. In order to attend the school, you had to take a placement exam and I didn’t know why I had to go there, so I was stubborn but coincidentally, I had the opportunity to watch a traditional percussion quartet and I thought I’d be really fun, which became the factor for me to consider enrolling for.”
Although Himchan remained as the kid who was full of pranks, he began slowly getting a feel for the excitement music brought him as he transitioned into a junior school student. It was then for the first time he began falling for the charms music brought forth to him.
“About 90% of our school courses were music courses and I thought it was really fun. Back then, I was really attentive in my courses, even if I did play around with my peers also (laughs). Since then, I think it was a period of time where I learned by myself on self-improvement in my skilled areas. I even focused a lot on my ranking in the class.”
Especially during this time, Himchan went to various competitions and put his skills to the test.
“At the time, my major was daegeum [T/N: wooden flute] and event went to competitions. Despite being eliminated, I gained satisfaction in myself and it was always fun being able to compete with many of my peers. I think with skill, I tried to win against my peers which drove me to work harder. In that sense, my skills did improve little by little as well.”
In spending a fulfilling time during junior high, Himchan prepared to enroll into an arts high school and shed blood in practicing every day for it. Despite the thoughts of giving up due to the rigorous practices, what raised him from his fallen state were his parents.
“The high school I wanted to enroll in had a major for percussions, so I changed my major. If I think about it, the amount of practice I put into preparing for enrollment was equivalent to the practice I did prior to B.A.P’s debut. Each day, I’d just practice for ten hours. It wasn’t an easy task changing majors (laughs). For six months in my third year of junior high, it was a really difficult time but I had no thoughts of quitting traditional Korean music. Although it was difficult, what got me through it was the thought of being able to repay my parents in being able to get into a good university.”
Efforts of the ‘devoted son’ Himchan weren’t put to waste as he was able to enroll into the desired arts high school and unravel even bigger dreams from then on.
Part 3 : “The music genius turns down a casting offer from one of the nation’s greatest entertainment companies.”
“How did the celebrities inside our televisions become a star?”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
And in the end, he finally took his first step into high school but it wasn’t as easy as he thought it’d be. When he took his placement exam, he made a mistake in throwing his stick for his janggu [*T/N: Janggu is a traditional Korean drum that has two sides to play on opposed to one].
“During my high school placement exam, I was playing the janggu and the stick for it slipped out of my hand. The whole scene appeared to relay in slow motion (laughs). I really thought I’d be dropped then but thankfully, the teacher was nice enough to let me try again and I passed.”
Himchan’s high school life was in other words a continuation of new events constantly happening. It was as if he was starting a new life.
“I lived a very different lifestyle in high school than I did in junior high. I was one of the seventeen males out of the total which was 150 students. There were only three guys in our class. I think my feminine side became stronger during that period of time. All the males began subtly changing.”
During this time, Himchan put a lot of effort into his looks. He did have a reason considering the students in his surroundings were all females. Before being a musical genius, Himchan was also a man (?).
“I was very chubby in junior high as I even weighed 100kg at one point. However, with a strict diet, I was able to succeed in losing 65kg. Sigh, I’m not sure how I was able to lose weight because it was really difficult. Should I say that it was a gift from puberty? Haha. Later on, I joined a soccer team and worked out a lot (laughs).”
And it was during this period of time in his life where Himchan received an offer from an entertainment company.
“At the time, I received a casting offer from an entertainment company that people will know just by hearing the name. In my second year of high school, they even offered to sign a contract with me and later in my third year of high school, I was casted on the streets by the nation’s greatest entertainment company, but I rejected them all. It all happened when I had already made up my mind to enroll into a university to study music more.”
And with Himchan hitting his third year in high school, he began to think about his future. Seeing how much his parents suffered for him, he survived off 2-3 hours of sleep every day in order to keep practicing.
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
And in the end, he finally took his first step into high school but it wasn’t as easy as he thought it’d be. When he took his placement exam, he made a mistake in throwing his stick for his janggu [*T/N: Janggu is a traditional Korean drum that has two sides to play on opposed to one].
“During my high school placement exam, I was playing the janggu and the stick for it slipped out of my hand. The whole scene appeared to relay in slow motion (laughs). I really thought I’d be dropped then but thankfully, the teacher was nice enough to let me try again and I passed.”
Himchan’s high school life was in other words a continuation of new events constantly happening. It was as if he was starting a new life.
“I lived a very different lifestyle in high school than I did in junior high. I was one of the seventeen males out of the total which was 150 students. There were only three guys in our class. I think my feminine side became stronger during that period of time. All the males began subtly changing.”
During this time, Himchan put a lot of effort into his looks. He did have a reason considering the students in his surroundings were all females. Before being a musical genius, Himchan was also a man (?).
“I was very chubby in junior high as I even weighed 100kg at one point. However, with a strict diet, I was able to succeed in losing 65kg. Sigh, I’m not sure how I was able to lose weight because it was really difficult. Should I say that it was a gift from puberty? Haha. Later on, I joined a soccer team and worked out a lot (laughs).”
And it was during this period of time in his life where Himchan received an offer from an entertainment company.
“At the time, I received a casting offer from an entertainment company that people will know just by hearing the name. In my second year of high school, they even offered to sign a contract with me and later in my third year of high school, I was casted on the streets by the nation’s greatest entertainment company, but I rejected them all. It all happened when I had already made up my mind to enroll into a university to study music more.”
And with Himchan hitting his third year in high school, he began to think about his future. Seeing how much his parents suffered for him, he survived off 2-3 hours of sleep every day in order to keep practicing.
Part 4 : “After the intensive survival, I was qualified..and in the end, joined B.A.P.”
“How did the celebrities inside our televisions become a star?”
With the outlooks on the entertainment industry rising one step higher, we as the public aren’t just curious about their glamorous images, but their back stories before they became celebrities as well.
We have prepared the column “star story” in our publishing which not only tells a truthful side to stars, but their past that brought them to where they are today. This episode’s protagonist is Himchan who has stepped forth into the music industry with his strong charisma as he let his name be known with the title of “ulzzang from a Korean traditional music high school.”
In his third year of high school, Himchan who lived a life more intensely than others was able to taste victory when he was accepted to the Korea National University of the Arts.
“At the time, the acceptance for Korea National University of the Arts was 100% based off of skill and with fate being on my side, I was accepted (laughs). Everyone says I stepped foot into an elite course but for me, I just thought of it as a reward for all the effort I put in to be accepted into that school rather than considering myself as an elite. I still have a lot of pride in my acceptance to this day, although as of right now I’m taking a break from school as my second year in university to focus on promotions for B.A.P.”
Although he spent a short amount of time being a university student, Himchan spent a fulfilling time more than anyone else. In being casted by an entertainment company that specialized for actors, he even played minor roles as an actor in his first year in college.
“I think I spent my time actively while I was a minor actor partaking in ads and even appeared in a cell phone CF featuring celebrities like seniors T-Ara and Yoon Siyoon. Of course, you can’t see my face though (laughs). Also last year in 2011, I appeared in the music video for senior Jung Seulgi. I was even a protagonist for an independent film.”
With Himchan who appeared as if he’d walk down the path of an actor, he was given a fateful offer which led to the contract between him and his current company today.
“In 2011, I began as a trainee with the recommendation of TS Entertainment’s current recruiter for actors and in seeing the family-like atmosphere alongside meeting the CEO, I decided to sign with them right away. I don’t think I’ll come to regret this decision and I find it fate (laughs).”
However, Himchan wasn’t skilled in dancing or singing from the start. Himchan having only played gukak [T/N: Traditional Korean drum with two sides], dancing or singing was very new to him.
“All I remember is that I would get in trouble because I couldn’t sing or dance. Because I only played instruments, it was hard to maneuver my body. I knew that practice was the only road to save myself so I practiced endlessly and there were about 30 peers who were practicing to become a member of B.A.P. It was indeed an intense survival game in which I survived.”
Despite the rigorous competition, what was a big strength to him was same-aged leader Bang Yongguk.
“At first, Yongguk and I lived in a dorm together and I thought that was the most fun. I was able to tell Yongguk openly about all my troubles (laughs). Yongguk? He’s a friend who upright values and in meeting Yongguk, I think I changed a lot too.”
Bang Yongguk and Himchan, the two depended on one another and began overcoming the obstacle of their trainee years. Of course, there were many times when they wanted to give up but all of a sudden, the two same-aged friends became the two dependable eldest members of B.A.P.
“My dream? Invading the universe haha. Also, I want to be able to be with the members of B.A.P for a long time. Of course, with our fans too (laughs). With how much obstacles I’ve faced to make a debut, I want to promote just as hard and I’ll continue to become a Himchan who never loses his roots. Anticipate for me.”
Despite the long interview, Himchan’s face never showed signs of tiredness, but the confidence written on his face in braving all the obstacles that will come towards his direction in the future. And in seeing the infinite confidence he showed in his facial expression, the thought of this confidence possibly being the driving force that’ll lead B.A.P crossed the mind of the reporter.
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