[FOCUS] The 16 stars of 2009 - Part 1
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Meeting a star, especially one who is at the peak of their career, is exciting and thrilling even for reporters. Hence we at 10Asia also share our opinions on the celebrity we interview amongst ourselves, re-living the emotions we felt while exchanging dialogue with a top actor or artist. But the most exciting moment is when the star we all know, emerges as someone with distinctions of their own during the interview. An interview becomes not work, but a memory of an encounterance with someone when that celebrity turns from a star in the media to a person we are engaged in a conversation with. For the first time in a year, 10Asia reveals those memories with the public.
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Shin Hye-sung
Singer Shin Hye-sung [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
The reason the interview with Shin Hye-sung could have seemed easy is solely because the conversation was not about him as a singer but concentrated on his then new album "Keep Leaves". "It's easy to make an album if you devote a lot of attention to the title track and the first few songs on an album, and then add on a few whatever songs to the end. But I just didn't want to do that. Because it's mine". Whether you call it his strong sense of identity as a musician or his stubbornness as an artist from the album generation, he had not released an album -- a double album to be precise -- 'just for the sake of it'. And the entire process moved in tune with his intention "to do the best job possible". An actor or musician becomes real when he or she focuses on the outcome and not their name value. That is why Shin Hye-sung is a real musician who is not consumed by the fact that he is a former idol group member.
Actor Jung Il-woo [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
Three things you notice when you meet Jung Il-woo in person: he is taller than you would expect him to be, he has a good voice and he has pretty facial features. He has matured much more than in 2007 when he was still shy after shooting to stardom through MBC sitcom "High Kick!". But his innately mild disposition and the sincere effort he puts in to overcome such traits showed occasionally in responses such as "I just accepted it" when asked about how he endured producer Hwang In-roe's harsh acting training while shooting MBC TV series "Iljimae Returns - Moon River". And Jeong, who still looked more comfortable posing for the camera rather than talking about himself, became genuinely befilled with emotion as he talked about how he had worked with veteran actor Park Geun-hyung in "Iljimae Returns - Moon River". "I know I have one scene left to shoot with him but I wish there were more left. I had been so worried about working with him that I had asked Mr. Lee Soon-jae to give me some acting tips. I thank both of them greatly for teaching me so much", Jeong had said during our interview. That is how this young actor was developing.
Actor Hwang Jung-min [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
The one time that actor Hwang Jung-min spoke conclusively during our interview was when he showed his conviction about walking the path of acting. "After becoming interested about the stage and how it feels to be that person on stage, I've never thought of anything else. That I never swayed -- that is one thing I can say with confidence". His responses may have looked like they were memorized off an answer sheet if he had seemed proud or too sure of his statements. But he revealed his honest affection to take on "a film you can watch for two hours without thinking of anything else" because he heard "the viewers' react right away and very directly which would be fun". That is why I do not have an inkling of doubt in my mind that he was being genuine the single time he gave a conclusive answer. Hwang will continue to show his own feat on the single path of acting.
Actor Kim Kang-woo [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
"Are you going to write an autobiography about me or something?" The interview was not lengthy in particular nor were a meticulous set of questions prepared in advance. But he was the type that provides leads to new curiosities while answering my questions and he must have felt I was a bit persistent in chasing after each clue to ask even more questions. Kim does not show all his cards at once. But he does not keep them tightly covered either. That was why my conversation with him was all the more interesting.
Actor Satoshi Tsumabuki Ki-won/10Asia]
"Arigato!" a beaming Satoshi Tsumabuki said to fans standing in line to attend his press conference. When we met later again for his photo shoot, he had trouble understanding the concept for the shoot due to the poor Japanese speaking skills of the press but he did his best at every moment he could. When the shoot was over, he thanked the press before anyone else, proving that he truly was a 'good person' ahead of being a star.
Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@10asia.co.kr, Wee Geun-woo eight@10asia.co.kr, Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
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