We met with B.A.P who seemed to portray sextuplets with their blond hairs. At first, we thought they were all too similar looking but meeting them individually one by one, we were able to see their own characters and charms. And in midst of them all, we were able to meet the member whose eyes remind us of the color red. That was B.A.P’s Himchan.
Despite having been tired from a previous morning schedule as our photo shoot was until late in the night, we were able to sense his passion when seeing his active side. Our interview with Himchan, who’s very free-spirited yet made sure to voice out his thoughts, began.
The member who couldn’t suppress his nervousness even on the day of their debut. “The way our member lineup was formed was in a survival-elimination format, so I would always live each and every moment uneasily. I think it wasn’t as easy as we thought in rivaling one another because of circumstances. I was always insecure whenever the company told us that there can be changes made within the member lineup anytime. However, I’m able to feel at ease now in regards to that subject. I even made my debut now.
We were able to feel his burning determination that all he had left to do now was to keep running efficiently forward. Himchan says that despite making his debut, everything still feels surreal.
In living the entertainer’s life, there’s more sacrificed than earned in comparison to other college students his age. “They say that in order to succeed, you have to lose just as much, and essentially I did have to give up a lot. First off, I can’t go to school and how hard it is meeting up with friends. Before I was in preparation to become an idol artist, I honestly thought that celebrities had it easy but experiencing it for myself, it was truly a difficult task.
He says that he gave up a lot while going through the experience. “However, I don’t think of it as upsetting. On the contrary, I was able to work harder and mature more. Our team’s cell phones were taken away. Of course, it can be difficult not having a cell phone but I feel that although it seems as if we’re being arrested of our rights, it’s beneficial towards us since those kind of distractions makes us lose our attention spans.
How did he end up down this road? “When I was in high school, my major was Korean traditional music and gained experiences in this field and that. Then coincidentally, I got to know someone who worked on this end of the industry and I gained interest once I started taking part and experiencing it for myself. At first, I said I wouldn’t do it, but I should have started preparing beforehand. So now, I’m here. I’m really happy to be a member of B.A.P.
B.A.P received lots of attention and love from many fans even prior to debut. However, Himchan says the love he receives from his fans still feel surreal. He’s highly anticipating the day that he can interact and meet with his fans personally.
During the time in preparation for making his debut with B.A.P, we heard that he got close to leader Yongguk. “I did live with Yongguk in the dorms for the longest. We would talk a lot about our personal things. One time, we practiced as us two for the whole day in the practice room and I was tired having been there all day. Even then, Yongguk said there’s a movie he had to watch no matter what so we went to the movie theaters as us two due to Yongguk dragging me along since he wanted to watch it. However, Yongguk fell asleep 5 minutes into the movie.”
He said that despite being having fun and being happy while preparing for B.A.P’s debut, it was upsetting that he wasn’t able to see his family. “I always grew up with my family and while preparing for this, it hurt my heart to be apart from my family. I didn’t get to see them once for a whole year. I do think once in a while that I miss them but I know that I’m not the only one in that situation as all the other members are separated from their families as well, so I have to endure through it and it’s not bad since I do call them.”
Himchan shyly shows his gratitude towards his mother who always monitors the programs he goes on. He said that the time he’s separated away from his family allows him to feel the importance of his family and that he’s a lot happier. Although he’s at age where sometimes he’d want to whine, but contrarily he wants to be at a stable spot as a singer and return all the favor to his parents, allowing us to feel the mature, adult vibe from him.
Himchan’s ideal is a “woman who is kindhearted and nice.” “I believe that a person’s inner self is more important than their outer appearance. People around me have said that my standards are pretty low in terms of looks, but I think that a woman who has a beautiful heart is more beautiful.”
B.A.P’s Himchan who shows his desire to become an artist that can make the hearts of his fans cry and being able to move their hearts. We believe that his courage and honest charms which he showcased when answering all of the questions throughout the interview will be able to reach out to others. Thrive, Himchan.
