L'OFFICIEL HOMMES : The boy who used to wear a school uniform and shout 'Growl' out loud is wearing a suit and raising a glass of wine today. 8 years have passed in the meantime, what has changed when you think about your debut days and now?
Hearing the word "8 years", it suddenly feels like everything from our debut days until now has gone past just like a film. Time really does fly by. In retrospect, we really knew nothing during our debut days. We were simply just kids who liked to sing and dance and we led our lives in accordance with the schedules set by the company. Now that I'm older and have accumulated more experience, my thoughts and actions have changed a great deal. I feel like I have become more of an adult now.
LH: You have done a lot of activities under the name "EXO" to this day. Which is the most memorable moment for you?
The promotional period for our 5th full-length album <Don't Mess Up My Tempo> and 5th full-length repackage album <Love Shot>, which we did together with D.O. and Xiumin hyung before they enlisted in the military comes to mind a lot nowadays.
LH: How do you feel when you stand on the stage?
Apart from amassing a fair amount of stage experience (over the years), I'm always nervous. I think it's because we have this strong desire to show our fans the coolest side of ourselves. We can't make any mistakes as we have a large audience watching us, and even if we do, we have to act as if nothing has happened and just keep moving in a calm and composed manner, [laughs] so that makes me even more nervous. In spite of that, there are definitely "good feelings" that I'm only able to feel when I'm standing on the stage.
LH: When you are doing promotional activities as EXO, as a sub-unit (EXO-SC), and when you have to carry out your schedules by yourself just like today, does every single one of them feel different to you?
The feeling is completely different for all of them. When I do promotional activities as EXO, I have unconsciously come to rely on the other members. The (work) content that needs to be digested is divided so I feel more at ease and the nervousness lessens too. The same goes for sub-unit promotional activities as well. On the other hand, when I'm doing it by myself, my sense of responsibility grows bigger at the thought of having to do well in order for progress to be made easier. But since I have shot a few pictorials alone, I think I can have fun while doing them now.
LH: You have experienced various styles of music and fashion styling so far, ranging from dance, hip-hop to reggae. Which one of them was best suited to your preference?
Of course, there were times when I wore clothes that differed from my personal preference, but as a result of having done so, they have all been beneficial to my growth (in terms of fashion styling) and now remain as pleasant memories. Ifs not easy to reflect everyone's respective opinions when we're doing EXO's activities as we have a lot of members and are required to discuss with the company beforehand, but my personal preference is reflected more when I'm doing sub-unit activities with Chanyeol hyung, and it makes me happy to be able to do the type of music that I really wanted to. (Chanyeol) hyung's personality and inclinations towards music goes very well with mine so when we're working on music together, we would get so excited that we'd lose track of time. Since both of our preferences are included in everything from the lyrics to the music video and styling, I can confidently say that EXO-SC's style in the future is, in other words, my own style as well.
LH: The other members have described you as "the youngest who is unlike the youngest" and "the youngest who is like a reliable older brother (hyung)" in interviews.
I have somehow become the person in charge of EXO's membership [laughs]. I tend to be the one who will initiate our get-togethers in EXO. I'm very tender-hearted/affectionate so I can't help but feel genuinely reassured whenever I see the members gathered together.
LH: Was there any cut/photo that you particularly liked from today's photoshoot?
Personally, I like suits so all the cuts of me in suits were great. I feel like a different person from my usual self when I wear suits. Was it 10 years ago? Suho hyung once said, "One's attitude changes depending on the way they dress" and I agree with that. Your attitude really changes with the clothes you wear. When I wear a suit just like today, my shoulders become more square and I feel more confident as well. I feel cooler too [laughs].
LH: While preparing for the interview, we saw a comment that says "Sehun's facial features are more defined than my future". Even during today's photoshoot, we have heard remarks of admiration here and there about how "handsome" you are, what do you think about your own looks?
Haha, was there a comment like that? When I read the fans' comments, the only thing 1 can think of is that they're really amazing. How did they even think of that? My looks are well... a lot of people say that I'm handsome and it has gotten to the point where I'm starting to think so as well.
LH: It seems like you were popular even when you were younger though?
Honestly, I was not unpopular [laughs]. Out of all my facial features, I've heard many people say that I have a pretty nose. There are also a lot of people who would stealthily ask me "Have you perhaps gotten your nose done?" after we've gotten close as they weren't able to do so prior to that. However, when I went to my grandparents' house during a holiday when I was younger, I was so surprised by the sight of a photo of my grandfather. My nose and my grandfather's nose look exactly the same. My grandfather passed away before I was born so I have never actually met him in person, but I did find that photo really fascinating when I saw it. Seems like the good genes have been passed down well.
LH: I heard that you like working out/doing sports too.
I liked playing soccer when I was younger and after my debut, I diligently worked out at the gym, though I am taking a short break from it now. I enjoy swimming these days, I like swimming so much that I have to wake up in the morning and go for a swim whenever we stay in a hotel during our overseas schedules. To be honest, I was afraid of water but I wanted to break free from that fear so I started swimming about 3 years ago.
LH: Did you have a traumatic experience with water?
No, it's nothing like that, but whenever I was in the water before, I would feel suffocated as if I had been trapped in so I couldn't stay in the water for long. I wanted my body line to look pretty when I was swimming [laughs] and after learning swimming professionally from an instructor, I can do it well even on my own now. However, I'm still afraid to swim in the sea. I will never go into the sea without a life jacket. When I have some time to spare, I would usually go and play badminton or table tennis with my friends too. I have also heard a lot of people say that they think I will be good at basketball due to my tall height, but surprisingly, I can't play it well at all.
LH: It's really surprising that a tall guy with a height of over 180 centimeters (like you) can't play basketball. What do you think are the stereotypes or prejudices that people have about 'EXO's Sehun'?
I often hear people say that I look cold or haughty. Because I don't smile much when I'm around people who I'm not close to. But once we get closer to each other, I would talk a lot and show a lot of aegyo (acting cute) too. I like meeting people as well.
LH: I'm guessing that you are not the homebody type at all.
In the past, even when I was given just a little bit of free time, I would definitely meet up with someone. It seemed like I could relieve my stress by conversing with people. However, I have come to like staying still/quietly at home these days. I didn't understand the saying 'home is the best' back then, but I now know the feeling i of just lying down and rolling around. On days when I don't have any schedules, I would take a rest, think about things, watch movies, order some delivery food, and resolve everything at home.
LH: What would you like to do if you had a long break?
I would like to learn English. Seeing as to how I have overseas schedules, I've always thought that it would be nice if could speak English more freely. I have gotten a lot of lessons all this while, but since my schedules were continuous, the flow was cut off so my skills have not improved much.
LH: What are your upcoming plans for this year?
We're actively in talks about our sub-unit activities, and if I were to come across a good project, I would also like to continue my acting career. Apart from that, no concrete plans have been set in place yet. We have been running in such a planned-out manner all these years that I'm feeling kind of exhausted now. During this period of rest, I would like to calmly fill up the parts (of my life) that have been left empty.
LH: If there is something you could try doing with the EXO members in the distant future, what would it be?
Not too long ago, I watched a program called <Shall we walk together> that the g.o.d sunbaenims (seniors) appeared in and I loved it. 1 thought about us doing a program like that 10 years from now as well. If that were to happen, we will be talking about things like, "We have only gotten older, but our hearts are exactly the same as what they used to be before", "We really did have so much fun back then", just like how the seniors did. By then, I think we will be able to talk about the things that we can't say now, comfortably and with ease.
LH: If the Genie were to appear now and say that he will grant you wishes, what would you wish for?
When the movie <Aladdin> was released in theatres, I discussed the same thing with my friends. My friends said that they would like to have more money or find their true love, but I told them, "I don't even need 3 wishes. I just wish to have one thing; that is the ability to move people's hearts". Till now, there have been times when I've hurt people because I did not know how the other party was feeling, and there were many times when I felt apologetic for being unable to comfort my friends who have been hurt. I realised that not everyone feels the same as I do. I thought that if I could move people's hearts in a good way every time such a thing happens, wouldn't everyone be more at ease and feel happier? It would be great if everyone around me doesn't experience getting their hearts hurt.
LH: What kind of person will you be in 10 years' time?
I think about it too sometimes. Of just how I would be living my life when I'm around 35 years old. But the more I think about it, the more I'm unable to tell. Even if I were to make plans, doesn't my profession simply have too many variables? I think it would be better to just work hard in each and every moment that passes by.
LH: The concept of today's photoshoot was "Youth", which signifies the greenest moment of one's life. When do you think the period of your youth is?
Youth often refers to the young ones in their 1Os or 20s, but I don't think the word "youth" should be limited solely to the younger generation. As long as you have the heart for it, I think there are more than enough moments of youth to be present during all ages of one's life. The saying "Pain is a blessing to the youth (lit. trans: It's youth because it hurts)" also touches one's heart in various aspects. In that sense, although there are certainly moments of my youth that have passed by unwittingly, there will be more moments of youth in store for me in the future as well so I will look forward to that time. Perhaps, it might even be this moment right now. "Pain is a blessing to the youth" is a saying which originated from the title of Rando Kim's bestselling book, 'Youth, It's Painful: This simple yet powerful book of advice features a collection of self-empowering essays that offers hope and comfort to Korean youth who are suffering from frustrations and pain.
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