[Interview] TaeYang YonHap News Interview: Nov. 18, 2009

TaeYang: “Still Busy but Dreaming of Love”

People in their thirties would probably think of “Your Wedding” by Yun JongShin if they hear the news of their first loves getting married, but teenagers these days would definitely hum the tune from TaeYang’s “Wedding Dress.”

TaeYang, who came out with his first solo EP and dominated the charts with his big hit single, “Look Only at Me” last year, recently came back with a single, “Wedding Dress.” He has now joined the other two fellow Big Bang members, SeungRi and G-Dragon, who came out solo before him.

When we met him for the interview on the 17^th, TaeYang looked gaunt. He had a charming appearance with sweet smiling eyes and was wearing his hair in the Mohawk style and a pair of simple earrings, which looked strangely good together. People say he is the quietest one among the Big Bang members and true to his form, he looked calm and serious.

TaeYang says, “I haven’t had much sleep lately. I can’t go to sleep when I think about what I will do the next day. I never sleep well the night before my first TV performance. I seriously thought about a visit to a sleep clinic.”

He also talks about how looking back over the year, he had nearly lost belief in himself. He says, “I’ve had so many thoughts on my mind. We were going back and forth between Korea and Japan non-stop and half the time I didn’t even know what I was doing. When I was alone in our apartment while the other members were busy doing individual activities, the thought, “what am I doing all this for” weighed heavily on my heart. The answer of course was I was doing it all for myself.”

He worked even harder on his singles to keep his mind from drifting. For the first time in his life, he tried his hand in composing and co-composed his two singles with Teddy. Both the title track (?) Wedding Dress and the accompanying track “Where U At” are R&B songs. Their lyrical melodic lines and groovy beats go very well with his dancing, which effectively amplifies even the smallest body movement.

“Wedding Dress” is about a guy who has to see a woman he loves go to another man. Since one of the hot issues about him when he first came out was the fact that he had never have a girlfriend, we are curious to know how a teen idol who doesn’t have any romantic experience could express how the guy must have felt.

“Talking about how I never had a girlfriend now makes me feel embarrassed. It’s true that I have never had a girlfriend but the song is about an unrequited love. I have experienced unrequited love and I had my first love. That was more than enough to understand the emotions. Saying that I’m too busy to go out with a girl is just an excuse. I’m just not ready to have a relationship. Still I dream about love.” says TaeYang with his trademark smile.

We also asked if his fellow bandmates SeungRi and G-Dragon’s success as solo artists brought out his competitive side.

He says, “I never felt pressured because of their success. I just wanted to come out with the music I loved – music that truthfully conveys emotions. Both Look Only at Me and Wedding Dress are the kind of songs that warm your heart on a cold day. I sing sunny, cheerful songs as Big Bang. As a solo artist, I want to make music that can move people to deeper emotions.”

He says he felt heartbroken and helpless when his friend for 10 years G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism, thinking how hard his friend had worked for the ablum. He also says he acknowledges the criticism that the so-called “idol music” is now dominating the Korean music scene.

He says, “I agree. You hear idol music everywhere – easier to access than any other types of music. There are many different genres in music of course but people are too busy to take time to look for them. That’s why our role here is important. We have the obligation to continue to come out with quality music that has impact.”

When we tell him how people say that when Big Bang sings it, even a trot song goes to No. 1 on the charts, he says he first realized how much influence Big Bang had while he was working on “Hallelujah” they sang for the drama series, “Iris.”

He says, “But it still feels very awkward for me to be in the news and being talked about.” We can imagine that it must be difficult to deal with the cameras that follow you everywhere. “I’ve been in this field for four years now but Big Bang members are the only friends I have because I’m not so good at making new friends,” he says laughing.

Most teen idol groups last no longer than 5 years. He must have thought about Big Bang’s and his own future. He says it is a difficult question and takes time before he answers.

“If we continue to love music as much as we do now, we will continue to make albums as a group while carrying out individual activities. Personally, if I become an influential artist, I would like to do performances for a good cause to help people in need. And just like I fell in love with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and Beyonce without even realizing why I did, I want to be an artist people fall in love with without thinking why.”

[(c)YonHap News]
Translated by pgeorgie | Please credit AlwaysTaeyang when taking elsewhere