[Transcript] Part 1 : Hyun Joong's Interview with DATV entitled 'Just the way you are'

As promised by lafone, here is part 1 of the Hyun Joong's Interview with DATV entitled 'Just the way you are' which was shown in Japan on the 27th of July

Heaps of thanks once again to lafone for doing this. She said on her email that she will send parts 2_4, 3_4 and 4_4 of the interview based on the uploaded movie. Btw, lafone also added some explanation on the points which seems quite tough to understand for foreigners like us. ^^

[Transcript] Hyun Joong's Interview with DATV entitled 'Just the way you are'
Japanese to English translation by lafone / liezle.blogspot.com

Part 1
HJ : Kim Hyun Joong
MC: Ms Miyamoto, interviewer
NR: Narration by Ms. Miyamoto

NR: Kim Hyun Joong, one of the top stars in Korea, who is a most talented singer while being a representative Korean actor attracting fans. In this program, entitled “Kim Hyun Joong, as you are “, we are going to introduce Kim Hyun Joong, as he is, who has just started new challenges.

MC: I have just arrived in Seoul. I am going to see Mr. Kim Hyun Joong. I will get out what you would like to know about him.

In Keyeast office:

MC: I have excitedly been awaiting him in his office (Keyeast) in Seoul (with a blue box in her hands). Oh, he has finally come ! (In Korean language as she speaks Korean herself) Hello ! Nice to meet you. This is a gift for you.

HJ: Thank you ! May I open it ?
MC: Yes please ! As I heard that you like football very much, I have been wondering what I should select as a gift for you. Well, I decided to choose this one.
HJ : (Finding a yellow football ball ), Wow, thank you (arigato gozaimasu in Japanese)
MC: How do you like it ?
HJ: I am very happy as I like football. It was a bit disappointing at World Cup
(* Korea could not enter the best 8 in the South Africa World Cup) Football is one of the best hobbies.
MC: This ball is a bit small for football, is it OK ?
HJ: (In Japanese) it’s fine.
MC: You speak a good Japanese, don’t you ?
HJ: Yes, a little.
MC: How did you learn Japanese ?
HJ: Ah~~~~ (in Japanese) I lived in Japan for about a year.

NR: I was a bit surprised as he suddenly spoke in Japanese. Let’s start an interview !

MC: In Japan, K pop is very popular now. What kind of impression did you have when you first came to Japan?
HJ: I went to Japan for the first time in 2006. We were invited for an opening event concert of a Korean cable channel ( i.e., Mnet Japan) together with many Korean singers. As many fans came to the concert, it was quickly decided to have a fan meeting for them. 1,500 people got together for us. I was so happy to know that many people support us (SS501) eventhough it was the first visit to Japan, being deeply touched by them. If I put it into another words, I felt as if we received a warm welcome from people where we had thought a desert island. That naturally made me think that I had to work harder. As I had not yet challeded for acting, I thought to elaborate our music, so that we would be able to show ourselves in a much refined way not only for Korean fans but also Japanese people.

When I had a first step in Japan to start our entertainment activities there, I had no knowledge of Katakana nor Hiragana (* both of them are Japanese charactors. There are three type of charactors in Japanese, Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana) Further, I was so buy at work, I could not stuy Japanese. In two weeks after I arrived in Japan, I only knew three words, “ Hello, Good morning “, “Good evening” and “Thank you” .

However, since I had a Japanese friend, I learned a little by little much difficult expressions. For example, we went for drinking , and while chatting on the phone the next moring, I learned an expression “ I don’t have a hangover anymore” , and so on. I still learn Japanese …… not to forget it.

MC: What, do you think, is most difficult in Japanese ?

HJ: For Korean, it is quite tough to pronounce “ zu “ and “ tsu “ properly. Therefore, I had much difficulty in singing Japanese song because of the pronunciation of “zutto”
In Japanese lyrics, there was an expression “ Zutto ( i.e, forever and ever in Japanese)” , I struggled with this word. Do you think that I pronounce it in a right way?

MC: Yes, you do ! I am impressed by your beautiful pronunciation.
HJ: Is that so (in Japanese) ?

MC: Could you kindly tell us about the most memorable place for you in Japan or, an episode if any ?

HJ: The place I like the best is ….. where is it ? the spa town (hotsprings town) not so far from Tokyo ?
MC: Hotsprings?
HJ: Yes, hotsprings …
MC: Hakone ?
HJ: (happily) Yes, I like Hakone. In addition to that, I frequently went to Harajuku branch of “ Jankara Ramen ( *Chinese noodles in soup) “ I went there almost by-weekly. Delicious ! (in Japanese)

 Jankara is a sort of dialect in Kyushu, southen west part of Japan.
 Ramen in Hakata city in Kyusu is famous for its white soup made out of
Pork borne. Jankara ramen is a representative brand of Hakata Ramen.

MC: Is there anything you make it sure to bring with you for work ?
HJ: I always take note PC with me, even for overseas. As I listen to music while moving from work to work, I also carry MP3 as well. I also make it sure to bring Japanese comic books which I really like. I pack into my bag about 30 comic books (for travel )
MC: I actually have been worndering whether I should bring a football ball or comic books …
HJ: (with a big smile )
MC: What Japanese comic do you like ?
HJ: “ NARUTO “
MC: Oh my god! I don’t have any idea about “NARUTO”
 For further info for NARUTO, please click http://www.naruto.com/j/

HJ: “ N A R U T O “ ( a bit embarrassed)
MC: Is it a Japanese comic ?
HJ: Yes ( in a laugh) “Naruto” and “ One piece” (* “dress” in Japanese)
MC: In which language do you raed “One piece” ? In Japanese?
HJ: “In Korean version “ (he replied in Japanese)
MC: Oh,　it has already been translated into Korean language?
HJ: Yes ( in Japanese)
MC: Well then, I will bring you a Japanese version for you the next time, please use it for your Japanese study.
HJ: I do with Japanese version (replied in Japanese again)
MC: It means that you already have a Japanese version ?
HJ: Yes, though I don’t understand at all (in Japanese)
MC: Then study hard !
HJ: Yes, I do.