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Although it has been obscured a lot by the appearance of many gifted people with talents within the last few years, the prejudice against idols still remains as before. Programs with idols as the lead also receive such skewed attention. The thought that they will follow as they are told without subjectivity, the thought that they will just stop their sloppy pretense because of their overseas activities and domestic events and their position of being swung around in tight schedules, these are the sort of stereotype I am talking about. On top of that, as they have so much work that has to be settled and taken care of, it is expected that the production team side has agonized parts that they suffer in silence, and if seeing it from the broadcasting networks’ point of view it may feel like chicken ribs*. If they are to shut their eyes tight and abandon the outward appearances, they will waste the group of fans that shows unlimited interest, but if in reality they work together and tackle it, they have more than one or two things that give them a headache. Perhaps because those factors are at work extensively, when it comes to idol programs only a few of them have done well.

Indeed, even if I review my memory that each fan watches and enjoys them, it is not always the case where they are even well-known to the masses like 2PM’s “Idol Army.” Therefore MBC every1 MBLAQ’s “Idol Manager” also feels like a program made for fans and the like in general and I did not pay much attention to it at the beginning. But watching it one episode after another I gradually changed my view. Idol group MBLAQ who has been into their 4th year after debut, unlike various reality programs they have done since their first appearance on Mnet in 2009 until now. have started leading programs actively. Even last week alone was like that. They wrote songs on the spot and added lyrics to them, as well as had a jam concert and had fun together. Where did the change come from? Luckily I went to find them in person at the shooting scene where they were in the midst of being absorbed in learning acting and tried to get my question answered.

(Participants: PD Ko Byung Hyun, Park Kyung Lim, Seungho, G.O, Cheondung, Mir, Kim Sae Rom, Jeon Yul, Columnist Jung Suk Hee)

All of them are obedient and kind but their subjectivity is more certain than anyone.

JSH: Now that I think about it, honestly the first episode was a bit regretful. Despite going over to Japan and being at a surprising number of overseas locations(?), it looks like it couldn’t fully draw out MBLAQ’s charm. However, you restored your energy since the 3rd and 4th episode, and then you found the right key since the best friend special in the 5th episode, right? How did “Idol Manager” become a plan, by the way? Because I’m informed and while everyone is hard to control, I avoid idols. (laugh)

PD Ko: Isn’t recklessness more interesting instead? MBLAQ is not like that. Actually I don’t know much about idols. The proper coordination with MBLAQ and Park Kyung Lim-ssi’s role are big. We ended up doing it together with Kyung Lim-ssi because MBLAQ members wanted her. She knows them the best and always knows how to take good care of them, so they said let’s do it with her. They also have plenty of talk outside of the broadcast. I’m really pleased with the current work where I respect their opinions and bring out their ideas. The predecessor of this program is MBC every1 “Idol Maid.” While upgrading from “Maid” to “Manager” we worried a lot about how we should fuse the “manager role” into the program. After exchanging many opinions, we drew a conclusion to do it by getting familiar through motives and trying to foster growing idols like the idol we can approach, “g.o.d’s Baby Diary.”

JSH: I suppose it’s not easy to work with idols. If their schedules overlap adjusting them is hard, and they ended up dropping out because of individual activities.

PD Ko: Actually Lee Joon-gun is absent today. It’s sad but it’s the inevitable part. Though I understand, it’s because he’s currently participating in many programs. I really hope we all do it together, but if we gain recognition from the part that has a bit more weight I believe that synergy effect will probably come to us as well. Perhaps because of his tight schedules Lee Joon-gun got sick a lot halfway through. At those times even while he was getting a Ringer** [injection] I let him go to get some rest. It’s because we are a family. Our original plan was that MBLAQ’s new album was scheduled to come out at the end of September or the beginning of October. I wanted to cover a lot of musical parts including the course of their album preparation. Because it’s “Manager,” once the album came out I would be able to show the real manager activities. But while the album release was postponed, I changed the details. I discussed that point a lot with the members. All of them are obedient and kind but their subjectivity is clear. It was beyond my imagination.

JSH: But why does their album keep getting delayed?

PD Ko: I don’t know very well but there must be internal and external reasons. I know it will come out early next year. They have plans to advance into Japan as well. Due to the album release being delayed the items that I planned in the beginning collapsed, so I was flustered.

JSH: Mainly which parts of the members are appealing?

PD Ko: I want to move one step forward from the many variety shows that have already been done and show the musicality they themselves have. I was worried that it would only flow to the entertaining side.

JSH: After discussing with each other you built it one by one.

They quickly got the mindset of a production team.

PD Ko: I especially discuss with Seungho and G.O a lot. While we started with a different concept, after discussion we went into modification. It’s not an idle talk but we all work hard. There were cases where the members could just go with the script when they were given the plot proposal, but they said let’s go with the truth instead. Before we knew it they did not remain in being the performers but became in the position of the makers. They have already fully shown their appaerances of exchanging laughter or chatting with each other somewhere else as well, so now it’s in the shape of wanting to show their new appearance. Honestly at the beginning I have a bit of expectation for Joonie who gained recognition through variety shows on terrestrial networks. But since Joonie is often absent, I realized that I gave many roles to Mir and G.O. Scenes that are outside of my expectations are coming out.

JSH: Even just from what I see today G.O-gun is doing various roles. He operates the slate and organizes his own lines.

G.O: The thought of wanting to do it like that simply comes out. First of all, it’s possible because I’m comfortable with Kyung Lim noona. I can’t go this far at other places. If the variety shows all this time have the impression of being led by the production team I now want to be greedy. You know it’s our program. Although it can be seen as ill-mannered, I have a lot of discussion with the production team and also make suggestions. If it looks like there are parts different from the discussion and something go wrong I say it. It’s because I want to show the appearance that we are developing something including our musical parts rather than just our appearance of comfortably having fun. Actually if you watch the recording for a while, slang and secret language pop out and we even fool around. Because I believe they will understand and edit it out for me, I can do it with ease. I don’t want to hold my back without doing my best and then regret it after I go home.

PD Ko: No matter we say how interesting it is at the shooting site, in our own position as well as the viewers and fans’ if we make a judgement that it’s a minus for each other we edit it out. Even if we may create issues we must not break our trust. I must have come to have feelings of a hyung. But there were cases where people took out only one scene or one phrase through press releases only and took issue with it without watching the entire episode. It’s sad at such times.

JSH: They say that when not long ago the production team of KBS2 “Invincible Youth Season 2″ might be preparing a male idol special Mir was actively recommended. Mir-gun, you’re greedy for variety, right?

Mir: It’s much welcome! I’d really like to take the challenge of going around countryside or outdoor shooting like “1 Night 2 Days.” Since no matter what “Idol Manager” is a program that has our name on it, our sense of responsibility is different. To be honest I also slightly take care of my image on other programs. But because here it has our name on it, I feel much more that “I’ll have to completely put myself aside.” If we think about the fans who tune in the channel to watch us we have to be like that.

JSH: You’ve done a lot of reality programs, right? But lately I’ve got a feeling that you’ve grown even more. The improvement, do all of you know?

Seungho: It’s not so much that we improved all of a sudden, rather I bet we are getting better step by step. The process accumulates one after another. As we are doing it together with people whom we are originally comfortable with, we can show our real appearances and it’s good. Isn’t sincerity the priorty of variety shows? I think people look at it nicely because it’s a variety show where we can have a good time.

Cheondung’s dance, was really surprising

JSH: Cheodung-gun is originally the taciturn type, right? When we were in another media interview before you only said a few words and could only have one-word answers. I saw the acting lesson today. You were very aggressive. It’s the first time you look like that.

PKL: Since he’s the type that is a bit shy of strangers, once he starts talking he talks well. We say among us that there’s a Ha Jung Woo inside of Cheondung. He’s especially good at imitating, so he mimics Lee Soon Jae sunbaenim and Ha Jung Woo-ssi very well. Such a thing is also a talent, and it’s gifted.

Cheondung: I’m also comfortable with Kyung Lim noona, so I’m able show a lot more than when I was on other programs. Because I’m comfortable I want to do well, but as I’m very lacking in variety the only thought I have is that I’m always learning.

PD Ko: Cheondung is a friend who has ups and downs. It’s something we all felt through the “Manager Star” episode last week. Cheondung-gun’s charm started to show for the first time. I think he can show a better appearance if he does a little more, but the point that there’s a schedule conflict and the program will end soon, is regretful.

JSH: I was surprised by Cheondung’s dancing last time. I really think to myself if you have put aside yourself. It was the first time you showed such a dance, right?

Cheondung: I’m orginally good at it. (laugh) Perhaps because at first I was more passionate about music, honestly I didn’t really feel like dancing in front of anyone. It seems like I thought I shouldn’t do this kind of thing. As for the scene shown in the broadcast, actually I just did it without even knowing they were filming, but aren’t the reactions good? (laugh)

*Something that one hesitates to give up even though it is of little interest

**Ringer = Ringer’s solution, the fluid used in IV therapy