Are you the type to get nervous before going on stage?
Hardly ever. I do get nervous when I have to stand on stage alone. I feel safe being with the EXO members, but I’d be nervous about solo stages. How wouldn’t I feel anxious without the members nearby, watching out for me?
What do you do in the waiting room to get ready for the stage?
Warm up my body, and my voice too. And eat. Haha.
You had concerts and filmed for Unforgettable simultaneously. Was it hard making the switch between being on set and stepping on stage?
I haven’t felt that acting has made the concerts harder. We prepare and practice for concerts, and with forty-four shows, the repetition helps my confidence. The more we have, the more familiar they become, so going on stage isn’t a burden. On the other hand, acting honestly wasn’t easy with the concerts. Every shoot we have for a movie is different. It was hard to prepare all over again for every scene between each concert.
Was acting helpful for being on stage?
It was very helpful. I think it enriched my emotions, gestures, ability to express.
You have a lot of interest in the gourmet. We’re curious about the foods you like from different countries.
I mostly stick to Korean food in Korea. Home food like cheonggukjang, jeon. With Japanese food, I like home food like nukazuke, ochazuke. Ramyun or sushi is tasty too, but I think home food is tastier. With Chinese food, I like huo guo and spicy stir-fried pork. I don’t know a lot about Thai food yet, but som dam is really delicious.
Do you feel awkward about being called cute? What compliment do you like to hear the most?
Isn’t cute relative? The people who I’m close with don’t often call me cute. I think that’s why it feels awkward to me. I like to be told “good job.” It’s also relative, but it feels like recognition to me. I feel very happy to be told “good job.”
I think we felt anew the strengths of each member with EXO’luXion. What are the strengths of each EXO member that you envy?
Xiumin hyung always keeps his composure. It isn’t easy to be unchanging, but he is constant. He gives off the feeling of a deep-rooted tree? Suho hyung’s biggest strength is his moral character. He’s really nice. He’s the hyung so nice that it can make him silly. I think of Lay hyung’s passion as his strength. He’s gifted musically, but he really gives his absolute best in singing and dancing practice. It’s really good to watch how he always works hard. Baekhyun, he has a great personality. He always sends positive energy to the people around him. That energy is what secures EXO as a team. Sometimes I feel like he protects EXO’s core. Chen is really deeply considerate of others. It’s really nice seeing him take care of the people he holds dear. Chanyeol is always bright. His overflowing energy gives strength to people. It is one thing I envy very much about him. Kai is called cold, but if you get to know him, he is a tender friend. But his charisma on stage is really the best. He is a deeply thoughtful member who treasures EXO and its members. I think that’s why he worries about our stages the most of anybody. Sehun is, ah… that clown has a very powerful ability to concentrate. Usually he acts cute as the youngest, but once we start on concerts or promotions, he shows great concentration. All the EXO members aim to show complete stages, but Sehun also has a lot of ambition.
few things in my life are more frustrating than watching this creature that I’ve raised since she was a hatchling fail so monumentally at the simple act of EATING SOMETHING PLACED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER