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Trans [Pop Magazine] Zhou Mi -exclusive interview - Forever 'Warm°C'
08:20
[Editor]
• I thought someone who have experienced so many things in life would have put on a cold and distant camouflage, but at the instant of seeing the (his) warm smile, only then I realised that the temperature in his bones cannot be cooled down.
• Singer, host, actor, you can't say arrogantly that he accomplished each and everyone of them perfectly, but more than that, the wonderful attitude of hard work he put into making each role well is more precious than attaining perfection.
About China Line
Having debuted for six years, he is the big brother of the Chinese celebrities who are working in South Korea, with the force of solidarity they—China Line—have gathered together like a big family, giving warmth to each other, making fun of each other, they have fun together, and they also share their burdens.
Interviewer: Recently you hosted the show “Idols’ True Colour” with two members of China Line, Jia and Fei, how do you feel?
Zhou Mi: Very relaxing, because it’s my mother tongue, and personally I’m good friends with the other two partners, Jia and Fei, so I don’t feel nervous at all. For us, this show is very meaningful because I’ve known Fei and Jia for more than a year and we have been talking about when we can have a show that belongs to China Line, and the opportunity came up, MBC wanted to produce a show like this and found the three of us, so we accepted. Although the three of us are the hosts, whenever other friends come to be the guests, I feel that it’s a show that belongs to all of us, just like chatting with friends, letting everyone know how life is like for the Chinese in Korea.
I: Are you the core person in China Line?
Zhou Mi: Actually we don't have a so-called leader, but if you go by age, I am the first/oldest (he pulled back his words after laughing and looking at the manager), ok ok, I just turned 18 last year. We each have a different role in China Line, for example someone will always remind us to gather, that person could be Exo’s Tao or Tasty’s twins, Jia is more enthusiastic so she is in charge of contacting everyone, at every gathering I have to be responsible for making the speech first, because I am the oldest (he laughs again. PS: Actually you are not that old at all). I have been in Korea for six years, this year is the first time 7-8 of us gathered to spend Mid-Autumn festival together, eating a meal with friends, I felt touched, after being lonely for so long we could finally gather together.
I: Do you have anything you want to say to those little friends or trainees who just went to Korea?
Zhou Mi: As long as you are a Chinese who is debuting in Korea, we are very happy everyone can gather together, there is no division of friends. I feel that first of all, the artistes who strive/work in a foreign country have a hard time, like our age is older (he couldn’t hold his laughter in again. PS: Don’t say that you are old anymore, because you are actually a big boy/still have the characteristics of a boy), so even when it is difficult we can bear it, but for those younger friends, they will miss home more compared to us, since we have a Line, we can take care of each other like a family, so we welcome those Chinese artistes who come to Korea to work in the future.
Fast-thinking music person
Being crowned the title of “idol group” means being seen as a commodity by people outside, the beautiful outer shell that keeps being consumed, only those who know the person can understand, they also have the desire and hope to become art works.
I: Who do you talk to/have exchanges with more about the area of music?
Zhou Mi: In music, Yi Xing will talk with me quite a lot. I start composing music in this recent two years, I used to only write lyrics, Yi Xing also likes to compose, since before his debut, he always liked to pull me to a room and say “Gege, please take a listen to my song”. However during that time he emphasized familial relationships, mom I miss you that kind of content (how innocent was that kid at that time), so I gave him many suggestions, these two years he has been slowly turning to the right way (how can he use “turning to the right way”, it’s more like ge ge corrupting the kid~~), so he wrote some songs that I can give suggestions for, slowly there are more, including the musical styles he likes, because a person grows up slowly and becomes more mature gradually.
I: What habits do you have when you create a song? For example, do you write the lyrics or the music/tune first?
Zhou Mi: I feel that whether a song sounds good or bad, it starts with the music, so when I write my own song, I will compose the music then write the lyrics…what did you ask me again just now? (I: What kind of habits do you have when composing. PS: sure enough he gets overly excited when talking about composing). I am the kind of person who cannot procrastinate because my personality is the type that is faster, just like when I wanted to write a book, at that time I felt that I wanted to publish a book like that, so I didn’t sleep during the four days I was travelling in Thailand, I wrote overnight, writing for 5 hours every dawn, because I am afraid if I procrastinate, I won’t want to do this thing again the next day. So basically if the company gives me a song assignment, I will give it to them the next day, I will only give myself one night’s time, starting to write it from midnight, when it is quiet and I can think about the content without distractions. (in the eyes of someone who has a serious case of the procrastination illness, I, the editor, suddenly saw a god-like glow emitting from behind Mi Mi).
I: How many times is the most times you have revised your lyrics?
Zhou Mi: Up till now, I have contributed to the lyrics of nine songs, so far the company has approved my the lyrics I composed pretty fast, but I suspect it might be because they saw that it is what I wrote and just let me pass (he laughs somewhat sheepishly), but actually they do choose carefully. Because I have been at the company for a long time, I actually know the kind of feelings they want, how to write lyrics that suit the type of musical styles they have, because we have Korean members, so I have to avoid using difficult words, in the long term with this kind of experience, I can understand the needs better than people from the outside.
I: With regards to musical style, do you prefer ballads or dance songs?
Zhou Mi: I like slow songs better, because I feel that that is my most comfortable state, it’s more relaxing for me. But lately I also want to try different styles, because actually SJ-M has more fast songs, but whenever I say I want to sing and dance at the same time, Jia and Fei would laugh at me and say “just sing well”, I would then reply “are you kidding, I am of the dancing league” (Life is already hard, don’t expose the truth -_-|||), so I’ll see if there is a chance in the future and I’ll come out with a great composition and give them a shock, but so far I still compose mainly ballads.
Actor who is motivated/diligent
“Opportunities are only there for those who are prepared”, this life phrase is often said easily, how often there are people who are prepared but still do not meet the opportunities, yet they keep persevering without complaints in wait for that hope.
I: What kind of plans do you have in the area of acting/drama next?
Zhou Mi: Actually I accepted a drama this past September, but before joining them there were some changes, so I didn’t act in the end. However in this past 6 months I haven’t been idle either, besides SJ’s concerts and some personal programmes, I have been continuously preparing new works/compositions, I hope that they can meet everyone soon. Because whenever there is an opportunity I will want to give it a try, at first the company gave me the role of mainly a singer but now slowly I am doing hosting, publishing a book and acting in dramas, so I feel like each of them is a process of trying out things, if I don’t try them I will not know if I like it or not, so after trying, I will feel that I can or cannot do this thing, and then I will work even harder so that I can become mature in this area, when I receive a better drama script, I will then be able to be the character in the drama.
I: Personally, what kind of drama genre do you want to challenge next? Historical? Police drama? Or others?
Zhou Mi: Lately I really want to try out daily life drama, moms especially love to watch that kind (-_-|||). The drama I’ve been watching lately “Let us get married”, according to age, if I do this kind of drama, it’s still a bit early, but I have a lot of attachment to this drama, because the actors act very well, the script is good, after watching it I want to find a partner and get married, this is the power of influence the actors in the drama gave me. Actually I originally wanted to act as a villain, because I feel like I have the looks that suit one: a handsome looking villain, with a fiery inner world but cold-looking on the outside (Isn’t this the characteristic of the male lead of an idol drama, not the antagonist’s?). I can put on make up to look a bit uglier, but if this doesn’t work either then I have no more ideas. (I: But you can’t convince people that you want to get married). But you see, Gao Yuan Yuan is also so beautiful, yet she can give people the feeling that she cannot get married, she can still be convincing in the drama. (Even in the midst of the sarcastic laughs of the editor and manager, Mi Mi’s dream of acting in a lifestyle drama holds firm.)
[Brown box]
The editor’s first interview experience
It’s my first time doing an interview and I have the privilege to interview Zhou Mi (it seems like I did a lot of good in the past), before interviewing him I had a lot of conflicting thoughts, what if he acts like a big star? What if he has very little to say when answering questions? What if his manager interrupts to block questions? But after seeing him in person, in my heart I silently cry hallelujah, he’s so warm and friendly till I nearly called out “Mi Mi~~~”
Actually I could have waited longer
Zhou Mi’s schedule that day was really full, he had another interview before with another media company, so his interview time with me was delayed (however it was really only a minor delay). At the start of the interview, Zhou Mi repeated “I’m sorry, you’ve waited” for so many times, to the point where I wanted to say: Actually I am not busy at all, I could have waited a bit longer and won’t mind at all……
The outfit actually looks very good
When taking photos, Zhou Mi prepared a jacket that has quite a strong sense of youthfulness, but the photographers all silently ignored it, so in the end that clothing has no luck with coming out on publication. So then when Mi Mi was being interviewed he determinedly put on that jacket, as a way of expressing his regretfulness and small protest, until the end of the interview, he still wanted to take a set of photos with that outfit on.
[Small font on top of page 2]
*Little encyclopedia: China Line: The friends group of the Chinese artistes who debuted in Korea, they love, encourage, and have fun with each other. Members include: SJ-M members Zhou Mi, Henry, Exo members Kris, Tao, Luhan, Lay, f(x) member Song Qian, Miss A members Jia, Fei, Tasty members Da Long, Xiao Long, Zhang Li Ying etc.
Trans by @qmiwook for @SunshineZhouMi
Do not take out or repost.
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