[Interview] Infinite | Infinity Starting at Seven Interview part 1

The number seven is too big. In this market in which new idol groups come out every week and disappear soundlessly in the next, it's hard to even be remembered. If the group survives, it is even harder to make each individual have a presence. In this respect, it's hard enough to match faces to the names of the seven members of Infinite, ranging from the '89 leader to the '93 magnae: SungGyu, DongWoo, Hoya, WooHyun, L, SungYeol, and SungJong, boys who are basically twenty. They have thrown a bid for victory from the very beginning.

Seven individuals, seven oppas

But even in this similar market, they have succeeded in uniquely drawing attention to themselves. Before showing their impressive choreography with guitar riffs and Michael Jackson-inspired moves, Infinite was successful in showing their characters first in April with Ment's . 

"I thought we were going to do something cool like granting women's wishes or showing us practicing dancing or being musicians, or maybe even a scene in which we fight amongst ourselves and in the end spill tears while reconciling." (SungYeol)

Instead of this, was a comic real documentary which showed the episodes of idols in a cramped dormitory being forced to live with a 17-year-old 'younger sister' (Yoo Jiae). These seven members, who had never had something like a younger sister before, ate messily in front of the unfamiliar camera and went to the bathhouse and made their younger sister lunch with poor skills in the program. At the end, while saying goodbyes, they spilled tears.

Rapper DongWoo, who gained the nickname 'Kenyan' due to his random lively personality in , stated, "Mithra sunbaenim, who is in our same company, told us that 'the best picture is when you're being as natural as possible in front of the camera', so I did as he said, but when I saw the hidden camera the members pulled on me at the bathhouse while pouring shampoo in my hair, I really looked like an idiot!". Hoya, the dance-crazed dancer who dropped out of school in 9th grade to go to auditions, replied, "While I was doing it, I kept thinking that there was no way that you would actually be tricked for five minutes". 

SungGyu liked Limp Bizkit and Muse, so he was in a rock band in high school and, when he was twenty, thoughtlessly performed in HongDae. WooHyun originally wanted to be a soccer star, but he folded that dream and began idolizing Steve Wonder and decided to become a singer. L and SungYeol wanted to become actors. Unlike his fragile boyish appearance, SungJong does not give up for a second when there is a chance for him to show his talents. Although their beginnings were all different, the energy that they create as a group is bright and healthy.

From L, who has a quiet personality, sincerely confessing, "I've liked DBSK ever since 'Hug'", to SungGyu, who takes care of his six dongsengs like the eldest saying, "We're in the same company as Nell sunbaenims, and when the vocal JongWan hyung lets me listen to his singing practice, my heart beats because it feels like a dream!", to the variety-ready WooHyun saying, "We had our first fan signing recently, and I worried a lot that if we all had separate lines, I wouldn't have many fans. I thought about calling my parents, but it turned out okay", they are very much like rookies and are different inside than they look outwardly. 

One, two, three, rookie award!

Maybe it's because of this, but the recent criticism from a news report of them being 'five second singers' does not seem to have much of an impact on Infinite's energy, as they are each taking their first steps towards their dreams. 

"Inside our album, we have a variety of different songs, and each song fits each member differently. SungJong's part is the smallest in 'Come Back Again', but in 'Entrust', he has the biggest part. We want to show everyone this in the future." (SungGyu)

As they promote their follow-up track 'She's Back', the seven voices of the members will come together for the first time to yell, "one, two, three, rookie award!". This dream is another process in the making. 

In the past, the present, and the future, the chances of an idol group surviving to become someone in the industry will remain close to a miracle. But it is a rule that the possibility always exists. Just like infinity starts from zero.

CREDITS : 10Asia (SOURCE); ilovepocky@NOLIMITINFINITE.NET (TRANS)