[INTERVIEW] CECI SEPTEMBER 2014 - “A BITTER SERENADE” (LEO)
VIXX’s promotions for <Eternity> have ended, and now you have Lyn and Leo’s project album release coming up (The interview took place on July 31st).
The title ‘Blossom Tears’ fortells picking out petals one by one, ‘He loves me, he loves me not.” It’s a story about a man who carries a sad fate and the woman he loves, Lyn sunbae-nim personally wrote the lyrics. She explained the lyrics well, so it was a lot of help when we recorded.
What kind of story did you personally tell in the music video?
I play the role of a man who has been hurt by the woman he loves because she left him. After that, he kills the people he loves so that they can never leave him, a psychopath that wants complete ownership over them. Since there’s no script and I had to change my emotions like a rollercoaster with details, the acting was really hard but it ended well because the staff was really helpful.
I heard the keyword of the song is ‘obsession’. In real life, are you the type to be aloof or are you more of an obsessive type when dating?
I’m not the aloof type. I’m also the type to get jealous a lot. When I love, I give everything that I can. But if that person starts to give their attention elsewhere behind my back, or if there’s a situation that I can’t understand, I won’t look back. I’m the type to be sure of my beginnings and endings.
So you’re the type that thinks ‘trust’ is important in relationships.
My personality is that if there is no trust that connects us, I find it really hard to interact with them. I belive that trust is when your front and back sides are not different.
Is there one thing that you think relationships must have?
That’s also trust.
How might someone gain your trust?
I tend to be afraid of strangers, so there’s a lot of people who found me difficult at first. But I never push the other person away because it’s uncomfortable, but after we talk without walls between us, without lies, I get closer to them naturally.
Is there something that you must have with you, an object you obsess over?
It’s not an object, but my music playlist. (How often do you change it?) I almost never change it, I just add good songs among the ones already there. Recently I’ve been listening to Taeyang sunbae-nim’s songs a lot. There are a lot of songs that surprise me.
I heard you revealed your self-composed song at VIXX’s concert.
The song I revealed at the concert, ‘In the Cold Night’, was the firt song I’ve ever written. I wrote it with thoughts of singing it together with Ken someday. I imagined the stories from movies or books in my head for the lyrics.
How do you feel about showing your song to the world for the first time?
First of all, it was a relief. Because it was a gift I can give to our fans at the concert. Even though we stand on stage and work hard to repay the fans for their love, it always seems that we receive so much more than we give. I was happy to have been given the chance to give them a gift.
You must have been proud to hold your concert. Did you family come watch?
Whenever VIXX has a showcase or big performance, my parents and older sisters always come. My second eldest sister always cried, but this time she was calm. The words I heard the most was ‘You worked hard.’
Your musical ended in June, your sense of accomplishment must have been as big as it was for the concert. What has <Full House> left behind for you?
A grown Leo. I especially learned how to communicate with people. My experience on stage grew, and I was able to meet many people. (Do you still want to do musicals in the future?) Of course. Because I was really happy.
I heard you’ll be leaving the country soon. You’re steadily doing an overseas tour, but are there any countries you’re anticipating?
We’re going to the USA and Brazil soon. I’m not the type to talk a lot, so the only thing I can show and express is being on stage. The mere fact that I can perform and meet fans in any country makes me happy.
If you go overseas, will you have time for vacation?
We don’t have time for vacation, but sometimes we have a little time before we move to another country. During those times we go shopping or sightseeing, but the members are usually concentrating on preparing for the concert if it’s ahead of us.
Are you originally the type to go on vacation? Or stay at home?
I like going to quiet places on vacation. Rather than going on vacation to play with friends, I’d go on vacation to rest. Eating out after waking up, or walking on a secluded beach.
You can’t do that while you’re promoting. How do you reduce your stress?
I watch movies, read books, and listen to music. I especially get strength from writing songs.
Do you go shopping a lot?
I’m not the style to do impulse shopping. When there’s an item I like, I only buy the ones I need. However, I do look up collections by season. I also read a lot of magazines. (Is there a style you like?) I don’t stick to one style, but I like layering clothes or wearing tidy clothes.
Running without breaks, it’s hard, isn’t it?
When you do something vaguely, eventually you’ll get tired. If you just focus on what the dream in your heart is and what you want, it’s okay.
Is there anything that even you are afraid of?
Up until my 3rd year of high school, my father was very strict. I respected him the most, but he was also who I feared the most. And also myself. There were times I was tricked because I knew myself well.
On the contrary, what is the biggest happiness you dream of?
To be a good father, a good husband. When I can accomplish things myself and have thoughts of being able to take responsibilty of another person, I want to have a happy family like I do now.
There is half of your 25th year left. Is there anything you want to do?
As VIXX’s Leo, I don’t want to change and continue singing like this. (What about as Jung Taekwoon?) I want to send my parents on vacation this year.
When will we be able to see VIXX again?
Before the comeback when we release the music video first, VIXX is just as nervous and excited as the fans are. I want to feel that again. We’ll be back soon.
Bonus question! VIXX members’ invidivual activites have increased. As this goes on, you all must be busy. Does VIXX also have a group chat in Kakao Talk?
When I leave for personal schedules, I have no choice but to start missing the members. The other members are like that as well. It’s hard to personally talk to them on the phone on site, so we share with each other intersting things that happened that day on Kakao Talk.
What have you talked about recently?
The members all have bright personalities, so rather than focusing on one subject, they make even normal stories interesting. They talk about this, talk about that, it’s all chaotic but the members think that’s funny. (laugh)
Which member takes up a lot of the chat?
It’s about the same. For me, I mostly watch rather than post things. (Which member is the slowest in replying.) I’d say it’s probably me. (laugh)
Behind Scene
Coincidentally, it was the first day of the year that there were heat wave warnings. We were fighting with the heat that wasn’t there only two days ago, and on top of that Leo had to wear F/W outfits. Truthfully, it was a temperature that you couldn’t even say a word in, let alone say it was too hot to wear.
However Leo, in the words of the photographer, “could have been easily frustrated, but he didn’t even scowl once,” and did his best. Thanks to the great model and staff, the long five hours of shooting and interviewing ended without incident.
The moment our sorry hearts were touched, when his tall shoulders dropped down a few times to thank us, and contrarily he was the first to speak the words that we worked hard. That was when we found that he caught a cold. How can we ever forget how grateful we are. It will remain in our hearts for a long time.
| 
Author
