151200 A HAPPY PRESENT OF SMILES AND COURAGE FROM B1A4 (INTERVIEW)

In your new song 'Happy Days', self-composed by Jinyoung, the lyrics go "If you're here, I'm happy everyday". Can you talk about how you came about to choosing such a happy theme?

Jinyoung: I have a very positive personality, to the point that I feel happy from even the smallest things. I wrote this song hoping that those listening to it would feel the same way I do.

Baro: When I first heard the song, my mood was unknowingly lifted. It's an interesting song to sing to, and a song from which you can feel B1A4's unique brightness and energy.

There's a line in the lyrics that goes "If you're here I smile warmly". Amongst the members, who makes you smile?

Baro: (immediately) Me! Me!

Sandeul: Ah, self-recommendation? (laughs)

CNU: No, it's everyone. All of us have our own powerful charms.

Baro & Sandeul: (both of them hold a funny face competition)

Baro & Gongchan: (Baro starts tickling Gongchan)

CNU: Well it's something like that. This is how we get strength from the members (laughs).

What a great team you guys make! The music video was really cute and colorful, and came out really interestingly. Were there any stories from during the filming?

CNU: A lady comes out in the music video enlarged, but we did not actually see her during the filming as she was added in in post production. It was fun to have to imagine her there to act and react to!

Baro: This MV is produced by a Japanese director. Be it the scene with the lady, or the scene that we were running... The parts where we used CG were really fun. We did not know how it would look like until the finished product came out so it was really exciting.

Look back at 2015 and tell us about something that made you smile, or feel happy.

CNU: For me, it was our Korean comeback in August. After a break of 1 year, we released our mini album 'Sweet Girl'. Knowing that our fans waited for us, it made me really happy beyond anything else.

Sandeul: For me, it was taking part in my third musical 'Cinderella' this autumn. I was happy to be able to stand on stage, but even happier that the members came to watch.

Baro: Ehhhh, seriously?

How was Sandeul as a prince?

CNU: He was really handsome, showing off a very strong performance. (Next to him, Sandeul starts fiddling with his nails) Ah look at him being all shy (laughs).

Gongchan: For me, it's the world tour and being able to meet our overseas fans. From November onwards, we will be on our second world tour 'B1A4 ADVENTURE 2015'. Just like our first world tour, every country's fans are always passionate, and makes me anticipate how could the next country we are heading for be like.

Baro: For me, it's the outdoor concert that we held in Seoul in September. It was our first ever solo outdoor concert, and I think it was the one amongst all the concerts that we've held to have the best atmosphere. It did rain a little but that fit the ballads we sung well.

Jinyoung: Ah, it's the outdoor concert for me too! We did a little cosplay during the song 'With You', and it was really fun.

'Happy Days' was released on Jinyoung's birthday on 18 November. How did you spend your birthday?

Jinyoung: We were in Korea then, and the members planned a surprise celebration.

Baro: We prepared a cake according to Gongchan's plan, and invaded the producing room where Jinyoung hyung was working in.

Jinyoung: At first I thought, which of them had what business to come looking for me, but suddenly all of them came in and shouted "surprise!!!". Only then did I realize what was going on (laughs). I was touched. Thank you.

Gongchan: After the surprise ended, we all sat down and ate the cake together while congratulating him.

There will be 'B1A4 X'mas LIVE 2015' in both Tokyo and Osaka. What can we expect?

CNU: It is important to spend Christmas with the ones you love. This performance will be one that is made up of the people I love - the members and our fans. Please come and feel the warmth of the live show.

The song 'Colorful' in the 'Happy Days' album is a Christmas song.

Sandeul: Yes! It is a song that talks about how the world is more colorful on Christmas with everyone's smiling faces. It's a happy song, and will probably be the key point of our Christmas live concert.

This year you are having a live concert on Christmas, but are there any memories of your past Christmases with the members?

Baro: It was the Christmas of 2012. There were lots of CDs to be signed, and I remember the members all sitting in the office and signing them quietly while eating takeout jjajangmyeon... It was snowing outside, so it felt like an even lonelier Christmas... Memories of an enjoyable Christmas... There doesn't seem to be any! But that also means that I look forward to having even better memories in the future. Come to think of it, I have always spent Christmas with the members.

In January next year, you will be starting 'The Great World of B1A4~ B1A4 JAPAN TOUR 2016'. How do you feel about touring in such a long time?

Baro: There are venues that we will be going for the first time, and fans that we will be meeting for the first time ever. I'm looking forward to it! I hope to show various sides to us through this tour.

Have you prepared a show that will make your fans go 'kyaaaa'?

Baro: I can't tell you now.

All: It's a secret!

Alright (laughs). Leader Jinyoung, please tell us about B1A4's goals for 2016.

Jinyoung: I hope that all the members stay healthy. We will prepare well for the concert, and hopefully be able to release as many new songs as possible. Please look forward to B1A4 in 2016 as well!

Source: http://rankingbox.jp/article/26318

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Happy even without receiving presents! The BEST 3 happy things to have happened to B1A4 Jinyoung recently

Birthday

The release of our single 'Happy Days' was on my birthday. That day we were in Korea, and the members came into my producing room with a surprise so I spent the day enjoyably. We had a release event (for 'Happy Days') in Japan after that and I received lots of congratulatory messages from the Japanese fans. The best present was to hear fans tell me that they were really happy to be able to listen to our new song on my birthday. Present from the members? There was none (laugh). But I do not find material presents to be important so I didn't need a present. 

Overseas trips

We had our first ever world tour last year, and we are also in the midst of our second world tour at the moment. The fans in Mexico were really passionate! I'd love to have a live performance or recording in London, a country that we've never been to before. It has the image of being a country closely linked with music, no? Personally I'd like to go to Chicago in USA. The street atmosphere of when we went there for our world tour was so cool. Even though it was also quite chilly, it felt quite lonely. I definitely want to go there again. 

Movies

Not long ago I went to watch '007 Spectre'. It was quite thrilling so it was interesting. I really love watching movies but due to our busy schedule recently I haven't had much time to go to the theatres so it's quite a pity. It's the best to watch movies on the big screen, but I do also watch movies on the plane or through DVDs with the members in the dormitory. The only person amongst the members I would consider a movie connoisseur is Sandeul. There are times I even refer to his opinion. And if you have time, please watch the movie that I appeared in, 'Miss Granny'.

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Love at first sight in Nagoya! The BEST 3 food that Sandeul fell in love with after trying them in Japan

Tebasaki (Fried Chicken Wings)

My first meeting with tebasaki was in Nagoya. Crunchy, and the perfect balance of saltiness. I fell in love at first sight with it, so much that I can eat it without stopping. There are times I crave for it when I'm in Korea, and times that the taste comes to my mouth despite me not eating it at all. It made that big of an impact on me! If we get to go to Nagoya for our Japan tour, I will definitely eat it!

Uni (Sea Urchin)

I had it for the first time at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The gentleness of the sea spreads within your mouth and my mood instantly improved. Even though I grew up in a seaside city, I didn't like how grotesque it looked and how slippery it felt so I couldn't eat it well. But since everyone offered me, I took a challenge and it was delicious! There's also this dish called angler fish stew in Korea which I couldn't eat when I was young. Well they say that both sea urchin and angler fish stew are food for the adults. And since I like both these dishes so much now, I think my appetite has changed to that of an adult's!

Natto (Fermented Soybeans)

I like this because there's the feeling of getting healthier as you eat this. I had this for the first time not in Japan, but in Korea. I was curious how would it taste after seeing it in a Japanese manga. In Korea we have this rich bean paste stew made from fast-fermenting soybean too, so I asked what was it that looked similar to the stew but had threads coming out of it. And they told me it was natto. I tried it, and it was delicious! I fell in love with it and since then I've been offering it to the members, and everyone loves it now. It's healthy too, so it's really the best food.

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Recommended for couples! The BEST 3 places in Korea that B1A4 Baro wants to go this winter

Muju Ski Resort

If we're talking about places to go in winter, then definitely a ski resort! This is the most famous place in Korea where you can enjoy winter to your heart's delight. It's a must-go for both families or as a couple, but take note that it will be crowded (laughs). Even though I prefer snowboarding over skiing, I haven't been able to snowboard that often either. I learnt how to snowboard for the first time at the Tomamu Ski Resort in Hokkaido where we filmed our 'White Miracle' music video. Yes, actually, I'm a beginner (laughs). Sandeul snowboards really well so I've gone with him before too. It would be nice to go this season too.

Itaewon

This is a place that is the most highly populated by foreigners in Seoul, and is a place where you will be able to experience winter with people from all over the world. Despite being in Seoul, it feels like you're taking a short trip overseas whenever you go there so I highly recommend it. Maybe because there are people from all over the world there, there are many restaurants offering foods from all over the world, from Indian to Brazil cuisines. It's a great place to go on a food tour. It's an interesting place I hope everyone goes there at least one.

Haeundae

This is a really famous beach in Korea. The beach in winter is differently refreshing from the beach in summer. Be it with close friends, or family, it is a cool place to be, and even romantic when going as a couple. It's nice in the summer too, but because I'm not fond of crowded places, I recommend going there in the winter. Since it's by the sea, there are also plenty of street foodstalls selling seafood dishes, as well as restaurants specializing in sashimi - lots of places that will definitely cater to the tastebuds of Japanese travellers! Even though we go to Busan quite often for work schedules, honestly I've never been there for a personal reason (laughs).

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I want to reenact that famous scene! B1A4's Gongchan chooses his BEST 3 Japanese dramas 

Rich Man, Poor Woman (FujiTV)

Oguri Shun and Ishihara Satomi are my favourite actor and actress, and this is a drama I watched several times. In the special 'Rich Man, Poor Woman in New York' episode, there is a scene where both actors talk over Skype. It was a cute scene so I like it very much. To be honest, it's hard for the boss of a company to have a relationship with a company intern, so it was interesting to see how they worked their differences out. I'm checking out several other Japanese dramas recently too.

Long Vacation (FujiTV)

I like Kimura Takuya very much so I have watched several of his productions. I started watching this drama under the recommendation of the staffs we work with. It is a drama that aired about the time I was born. The chemistry between Kimura Takuya and Yamaguchi Tomoko was great, and I watched with a fluttering heart at how they got closer by fighting and getting to know each other when living together. I want to be able to do handsome roles like Kimura Takuya's someday too.

Suteki na Sen Taxi (FujiTV) 

Even though it's impossible to bring a person back to the turning point of their lives where they are able to choose a different choice, it's an interesting AU to watch. There is also the thrill of watching how that person's life changes with the choice they made! If the taxi appears in front of me, I might choose to take it, and go back to elementary school where I would choose to take up a second language. But from there on, the choice of whether to study English or Japanese would also cause me to live my life very differently too I guess (laughs).

Source: http://rankingbox.jp/article/26401

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Mom's food is the best! The BEST 3 things that make CNU happy

Music

My heart feels at ease with music. I probably listen to it anywhere and everywhere. Recently I have been listening to Korean artiste Lee Seunghwan. I also watched his live broadcast for a total of 6 hours and 21 minutes - they say it's the longest concert in Korea ever. Personally I'd like to break that record, but I wonder how the other members feel about that? (laughs) I compose music too, and I must say that I get inspiration from everything in this world, even from this table. The inspiration for the song 'Drive' on the 'Happy Days' album came when I was driving.

Food

The energy that I get from eating food is great! I believe in the strength of food (laughs). If one's stomach is filled, they would feel happy too right? In particular, I get even more strength from homemade food that is made with sincerity. Be it Korean, Western or Japanese cuisine, it makes me happy to eat food that is made sincerely. But to me, the No. 1 is my mom's cooking. I love my mom's beef-bone soup the best. It has a milky white soup base, made from boiling beef bones for no less than 12 hours.

Sleep

I regain energy from sleeping. I want to sleep for 12 hours or more. Usually we don't get much time to sleep so I try to sleep whenever I can. Otherwise I won't have energy to do the things I need to do. I think my record is about 16 hours? I always sleep after I shower, and because I don't like having something cover me when I'm asleep, my blanket only covers my stomach area. Even pyjamas are a nuisance so I usually sleep nude (laughs). I wake up pretty easily, unless I am really tired. Amongst the members, Jinyoung is the one who cannot wake up in the mornings.

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