[Trans] A Life Less Ordinary - Nichkhun Horvejkul
Nichkhun’s Interview in HAMBURGER Magazine (Vol. 13 No. 203 May 2015)
Q: Is it difficult being an idol and inspiration for others?
“Very much so.
“There are several things I want to do but wanting is not enough. I have to think carefully before doing anything. If I do certain things, people who like me may imitate my actions. However, in actuality, people can make mistakes all the time. We just shouldn’t do everything we want to.
“People liked to ask me “What’s your advice for those who consider you their idol?” I want to say having a person as your idol can give you great motivation. Still you must not forget everyone has a different lifestyle, taste, and experience. Duplicating everything your idol has done doesn’t mean you will become your idol. You should take certain aspects of his/her life as the groundwork for self-motivation. Then you should try and choose ways of life that best suit you. You should continue doing this until you have achieved your dreams.”
“It’s true. In the entertainment business, Korean managers and companies that we belong to are very strict about certain matters including taking photos and meeting people.”
“In Thailand, it’s friendlier. Both industries have some pros and cons. The benefits of the Korean ways are the protection of artists. They try to prevent bad things from happening. They think artists are their products that must be in the best quality. If a lot of people can take photos of them, the artists may be viewed as too ordinary.”
“In Thailand, people can get closers to stars. They feel like these stars are working in the entertainment world, not some kinds of untouchable gods or idols. It’s a different concept in Korea. People in Korea may admire certain stars but they may not be able to reach them or meet them. Thus, we have stalkers (who obsessively follow and target stars) there. Normally fans cannot meet their beloved stars no matter how long you wait for them.”
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a solo artist and delivering your works with your band mates?
“The first benefit of working as a group is having friends. I am working alone today but when I return to Korea, I can see my friends again. I am happy every single time when I meet my friends again. We call each other and hang out when we have some free time. I want to tell you I am so glad that I have met these 5 friends who are good, decent and sincere. Though some of our characteristics and personality traits are different, we are sincere to each other. We honestly talk about how we feel. Age is irrelevant in our group. A younger member can ask older members to have a talk with him and vice versa. If we are upset with what a certain member has done, we directly talk to him. Why did you do that? When that member explains his actions, we are ready to understand him. This is the way we resolve conflicts and misunderstandings. We are always ready to talk among our group.
“The downside is the fact
that you may meet band members that you can’t get along with. Living
with them must be hell. You have to work as a group, share your ideas,
your room, and basically everything. Living with people you dislike can
become outright torture. You must unavoidably spend time with them. It’s
very fortunate 2PM’s members love each other like we are in the same
family.”
Q: If you have to dream ahead into the future as best you can, what are your dreams like?
“In a few years, my friends will have to enlist in the army. At the present, I dream to continuously cherish and maintain our friendships for the next ten and twenty years. Even when we don’t have an opportunity to work together, I want us to keep calling each other. I want us to fly to see each other when we no longer live in the same country.
“My dreams are getting closer to becoming a reality because military enlistment is inevitable. They have deferred their military service duty (due to works and studies). I am the only member who was exempted from enlistment after I took part in the army recruitment lottery.
“Therefore I would like to focus on group works more than solo works at the moment. I prefer performing with my friends to doing individual works. Usually when I have some free time, I will film for a drama in China or have activities in Thailand. But this year I would like to spend more time with my friends in Korea. We have recently planned to travel overseas together, possibly in the USA.
“I will rent a car and take them to visit several places. It should be easy because some of my friends are living there. 2PM’s members want to go to Las Vegas and San Francisco. We are planning a road trip where we can drive and travel along these routes.”
Q: What books are you reading now?
“I like to read self-improvement books. They help me improve myself, such as my mind among other things. The latest book I read is Think Like a Freak (by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner). These economists wrote about how to inspire people to do things they don’t want to do and to help them change their mind and do those things. Reading this book helps me too because my work is to draw people’s attention. I learn how to improve myself so as to make more people interested in my works. I can even adapt them to those who don’t like me. How am I going to change their mind?
“I am not going to say these books will certainly work in real lives. But I have tried to change and improve myself unceasingly. One day those people who dislike us may have positive thoughts, want to be nicer to us, and help us. Facial expressions or a single word can change people’s minds and feelings.”
Q: People asked for autographs and wanted to take a photo with their idols. Whose signature do you want to ask for?
“Paulo Coelho. He’s a Brazilian author. I think he’s around 63 years old. I admire his ways of thinking. I have tried to live a sufficient life like him. If we think positively, positive things will happen. We don’t have to try so hard. We merely have to change our thoughts. He has many followers on twitter including me. He likes to tweet great sayings or messages for his followers.
[Thai-Eng Tran: Daffodil0624]
Source: http://alethia000.tumblr.com/ , May 22nd 2015
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