[INTERVIEW] 161215 High Cut VOL. 188 - Hwarang (V's segment)
December 18, 2016
Kim Taehyung - "Unrivalled in how favoured I was during filming"
BTS won the Daesang (Album of the Year) at the '2016 Melon Music Awards' (MMA). What are your thoughts about this achievement?
I couldn't properly say what I was feeling at the time during the awards ceremony. (This was) because I didn't believe (that we had won) then. (The Daesang) had been a huge goal of ours that we had been dreaming about since a long time ago. We thought that 'Is it alright for us to even receive this award?' I think it was ARMYs who gave us energy and strength. There were many things that happened this year, and it turned out that we were able to end the year happily with a Daesang at a year-end awards show.
BTS' popularity these days is formidable. It's being said that (BTS is) the #1 Existent Boy Group. (T/N: Meaning that their popularity and presence exists, or can be felt, widely.) As singers, you have already risen to the peak, so what is BTS' next goal?
As BTS, we hope to be able to present you with our music to listen to for a long time. Usually (most people) do not try listening to the other songs in the album (aside from the title track), but we hope to become a group where (people look to listen to the others songs) too.
It's your first time formally trying out acting, through <Hwarang>.
As it's my first time, it's been very difficult for me. I'm also the first to try out acting among the BTS members as well, so I have had the goal of doing well enough to live up to that as well. My acting could possibly bring positive reactions towards BTS' image, but it could also turn out to be the opposite. Even while I was filming throughout the night, the members still cheered me on and comforted me through KakaoTalk.
Do you have any plans to get together with the BTS members and watch the first episode of <Hwarang> together?
It's totally crazy how the relationship our group has with each other is so good. (Laughs) We all monitor and watch each member's solo activities too. First of all, the <Hwarang> members (T/N: Referring to the main cast of Hwarang) agreed that if we are able to match our schedules, we will watch it together; but if that turns out to be difficult then of course I'll have to watch it with the BTS members.
Park Hyungsik and Choi Minho, who you appear in <Hwarang> together with, are your 'Acting-dol' seniors (T/N: This means that they are idols who started acting earlier than V). It seems like all of you would probably have shared many conversations during filming, how did that help you?
If you think of the filming set as an acting academy, I was probably able to receive private lessons in all the subjects (of acting). (I got) pronunciation practice with Minho-hyung, and practice on emotions with Hyungsik-hyung. As a whole, I probably shared the most conversations with Seojoon-hyung. As I was able to receive a lot of advice from many people, that greatly helped me.
Hansung, (the character) you portray in <Hwarang> is barely 16 years old, and you are the maknae of the production, so you probably had everyone doting on you alone.
I'm not boasting, but I was unrivalled in how favoured I was (by the cast and crew) during filming. I really like to bring up the atmosphere (of a place I'm in). When people got even a little tired, I tried to get closer (and interact more) with them.
If you look at the drama's character introductions for <Hwarang>, it reads, 'Hansung, as a 16-year-old young Hwarang, with his warm, personable and sociable personality, looks to find harmonious relationships no matter where he is. If he gets immersed in any one thing, he tends to get so focused on it that he doesn't see or hear anything else'. How does the character compare to your own (personality)? What is the percentage of synchronisation between you and your character in the drama?
I think it comes up to 90% (synchronisation) with my own personality. I like to meet and interact with people, and I don't become awkward at all even while being among (a group of) people either. But, it's not a style that I dislike to avoid.
Hansung is a character that experiences psychological changes of two extremes. No matter what, it wouldn't have been very easy for you to absorb (the challenges of) this role, as someone without much acting experience.
Of course it was difficult. I wouldn't have been able to do it without Seojoon-hyung. The way I see it, I was able to achieve this much thanks to Seojoon-hyung.
If you had a younger or older sister, and a situation arose where you have to recommend someone among the 6 Hwarang as her boyfriend, who would you choose? Why?
(I would choose) Minho-hyung. Firstly, he's the most handsome among the <Hwarang> members. (Laughs) The second reason is that he has a warm disposition and takes care of people very well. I want to go all-in (T/N: Place all of one's bets) on Minho-hyung.
According to the fans, they say that you tend to not speak very clearly sometimes even while speaking usually. Did you have a hard time because of pronunciation while acting?
Even when I'm speaking usually, there are words that I do not pronounce properly. It's something that Minho-hyung also pointed out to me. As I'm practising while following the script, now I think it has gotten better more or less.
What is the moment that was most memorable for you in 2016?
When we did the fanmeeting at the Gocheok Dome (T/N: BTS 3rd Muster). I hope to be able to present my music to ARMYs to listen to for a long time, for 10, 20 years. Also as I got to act in <Hwarang> I've developed a desire for acting, and this has become a good memory for me thanks to the (Hwarang cast) hyungs.
If you did not have any schedules at all for this year's Christmas, what would you like to do?
Have a drink with the members. (Laughs) While I would go (to see) my parents if I had about a week free, if it's just one day shouldn't I be having fun with my members? I want to just play and have fun somewhere with the members, or just get together and talk closely with each other.
0 comments