160408 SCENE PLAYBILL ISSUE 30

Sleek moves, serious gazes, voices that reach beyond the end of the stage, decently unawkward acting... B1A4 CNU and Sandeul are passing through their mid-20s while giving off a healthy energy and filling and emptying their hearts with incomplete thoughts. They confess that it isn't easy to calm their hearts because of the fine line between nervousness and passion that they have to live as d'Artagnan until the sun gets burning hot and the trees are thriving green.

Both of you are playing the most charming character in the exciting and solid production 'The Three Musketeers', one that has a really remote chance of failing. This is a congratulatory matter right?

CNU: I was very thankful to have received the suggestion of doing this musical. It is a production that both Sandeul and myself have wanted to do very much. On top of that, the recommendation came to both of us in the same group. It was really tempting, and I was surprised but looking forward to it.

Sandeul: When I had my musical debut in 'Brave Brothers' in 2012, a senior told me that if I continued doing musicals, I definitely should try 'The Three Musketeers', and that I would fit the d'Artagnan role very much. That made me look up the musical, and I found it so interesting. I've always wanted to try it, and I'm really happy that the opportunity came so quickly. So happy that I couldn't let go of it (the opportunity).

Being cast together must have been great help to each other. Even though Sandeul is a year younger, he has more experience so I think he might have nagged or gave CNU advice.

CNU: These are not empty words, Sandeul has really helped me a great deal. It's my second production after 'Chess', and the number of advantages he has over me is so much more. Since we're in the same group, we practically live stuck together. I'm just thankful that he gives me advice stemmed from his experiences, asks me about things he's curious about about the production and talks to me about the things that are not working out as well.

Sandeul: Me too. Even though I have done several more productions than hyung, there are still certain things that I miss out - those things, he points them out next to me. There are many things about the character that I learn about through our sharing.

'The Three Musketeers' received high praises for being a high quality production. If you were to give yourself a midway evaluation, how do you think d'Artagnan played by yourselves is different from the character portrayed by the seniors last time?

Sandeul: I looked up their videos out of curiosity. And someday, I found myself unknowingly copying the scene just as I watched it. Even though I want to say that to some extent, (the performance of the previous actors) do contain the character of d'Artagnan that I think he has, I feel that I was given the role of d'Artagnan not to follow blindly. I dislike moving as though I am a machine, so I decide to discover the character through practice. I am working hard to find the d'Artagnan played by Sandeul - the d'Artagnan that is truly Sandeul.

CNU: This is such a famous production that many people would have an image of d'Artagnan engraved in their minds. A country bumpkin, a bright and innocent teenage? There is such a side to myself too, so I wonder how it would be if I put a part of myself into the character. I tend to ponder hard and serious about everything. I'm trying my best to not stand out, and mix in well. Another interesting point that the d'Artagnan in the novel and musical have very different images. Our senior Kai also had some serious thoughts about this point. d'Artagnan in the novel thinks very strongly of honor and justice, but rather than being bright, he is more serious. I guess this is a problem that I would have to solve.

CNU: In one of the songs, there is a lyric that goes 'I am dizzy from the sky high buildings'. I'm sure Sandeul said the exact same thing then.

Sandeul: The d'Artagnan that I portray is very much similar to myself. Most importantly I was also really amazed to see all the tall buildings when I first came up from Busan to Seoul.

CNU: Every line of lyric in that scene really hit home and reminded myself of my trainee days. Apart from being influenced by his father while in the countryside Gascony, he also says this while in a swordfight: "I will become a really cool person in Paris. I will go to Paris and learn the basics of being a musketeer. d'Artagnan is serious, but also really innocent. He was amazing by all of Paris' buildings but at the same time he made bigger moves so as to not be frightened by it all. I understand that feeling so much. It is also the character of d'Artagnan that I want to portray - innocent, and at the same time positive.

You hummed the whole time when you were having your makeup put on and during the shoot. What is your favourite musical number in this production?

Sandeul: It isn't a song that d'Artagnan sings (alone), but my heart beats really quickly whenever I sing 'We Are One'. When this number starts, I'm supposed to be on my knees after shouting 'Constance! I'll get you out!', but my heart beats so quickly I don't know what to do.

CNU: It's the same number for me. I love it because it reflects the perfect image of the olden day heroes at the end of the first act. In the seniors' words, 'olden day heroes stained by reality'. There used to be a time that they were famous but the musketeers have also become lopsided - they start adapting to reality and lose their difficulties. d'Artagnan is like the catalyst to the musketeers regaining their forgotten sense of justice. It's a beautiful number from a symbolic scene, so I always feel overwhelmed singing it.

Most idol singers feel more nervous, and look forward more to musical stages than concerts.

CNU: I guess they can only feel that way. Every stage comes with nervousness and a sense of responsibility. For idol singers, we are already accustomed to most of the things that we do and hence we do it with composure. But for musicals, we literally go on stage with a beginner's mind - a blank piece of white paper.

Sandeul: Musical stages are really precious to me. That's why I need I feel a sense of responsibility that I need to fill up the stage that I will be standing on. The mindset is always the same - no matter if it's a musical, or B1A4's concert, or my own solo stage. I don't want to be confused. Even though my body feels so tired after I tell myself I should not compromise anything, I still feel that I need to accomplish it.

Was there something special that prompted you feel like you should not compromise?

Sandeul: Rather than a special prompting, I felt like if I compromised the stages I would regret all the stages that I stood out. This is the same for variety programs - I felt that I shouldn't go through it carelessly because there is a need to have a presence in front of the camera and audience. I learnt that from participating in musicals - that you need to have a sense of presence just by standing on stage.

CNU: I am also thankful that while doing musicals, it helped me find the correct mental attitude and regain the things that I forgot. Most importantly, it became the reason that I managed to regain my beginner's mindset.

There is an abundance of singers entering the musical scene, and there are several who have found their footing here. On the other hand, there are also some who have not received good reviews. Do you feel timid in front of your musical seniors?

CNU: It may be my luck, but I've met only nice people who tell me the hard truth if there's something I'm lacking.

Sandeul: They give me advice, and also scold me. If I did something that asks for a scolding, then of course I should be scolded. (Have you ever been scolded harshly?) During my 'Brave Brothers' musical, I was a rookie even as an idol so I did wonder if it was too early for me to be doing a musical. When I was bewildered and could not make head or tail of anything, director Jang Yoojung pointed out my mistakes such as 'that doesn't sound good', 'you can't do it like that', 'you have to break out of yourself'. I felt sullen and scared. But then one day, he called me over and told me very seriously, "you may be a popular idol singer out there. But I don't know you. I don't watch TV. However, we casted you not because the person standing in front of me is idol singer Sandeul, but actor Sandeul. So let's trust in each other and work hard." At that moment, I suddenly felt the confidence that I could do it rise up in me. After that, I worked really hard. If there was anything I was curious about, I would grab the tails of the hyungs and asked them.  I also learnt new things during 'All Shook Up', and thanks to it I managed to do 'Cinderella'. 'The Three Musketeers' feels a little different - I started feeling like I need to work on breaking out of this with my own strength.

CNU: The sincerity of someone treating me not like an idol singer but an actor, the feeling is great. We can't help that there is a bias against us. But I am very thankful that people see us as musical actors, no matter if we do well or not. And that makes me feel a greater sense of responsibility, and makes me think that 'I can't not do well, I have to do this not as B1A4 but as an actor".

Why do you like musicals? Do you like the practicing, or the excitement and anticipation right before going on stage, or the fluttering feelings? Or maybe the feeling of looking at the delight in the faces of the audience when you're on stage? I guess it would also feel great after it all ends.

Sandeul: Before we go on stage, the seniors say "let's trust each other and do well". That sentence makes me feel so good. It's the moment that everyone's hard work becomes one. It's a very charming feeling to feel how the production is completed.

CNU: The time during every show passes by so hectically that I don't actually know how I did. When I finished 'Chess' and the lingering aftertaste went away, I think I felt quite relieved. It was my first ever production so I fell so deeply in it that I don't relieve myself of it for quite a while. It took me some time, but one day I looked back at the days of practice I had and I realized that I did well, and this was probably how the seniors felt too.

I am looking forward to the cute yet different d'Artagnan characters that both of you will portray. CNU has little words but many thoughts, whereas Sandeul seems to have lots of talent and tears.

CNU: I get more talkative when we are close, but I do think a lot about everything. Especially about work matters.

Sandeul: I didn't think so, but I also nearly cried yesterday during a radio broadcast... But how did you know that? (Your eyes are teary) I think I do cry easily about things that others don't tend to be able to be sympathetic about. The things that are important to me are not at my heart, but it is at my liver. Once it is affected, I just start crying. There are times that people wonder what's wrong with me and why was I crying.

We hear that it's been 3 weeks since you've started practicing. 

CNU: On certain days, we spend up to 12 hours practicing. In the mornings, we do fencing. In the afternoons, we sing and act. Synergy is really important for this musical so we all gather and practice together. It's fun. Except for the moments when I feel blank after fencing practice.

What a variety of experiences. You sing, you dance, you do action movies and you do broadcasts.

Sandeul: We've been living like this since we were 20 years old, so to some extent we are used to it. Now, it's more like if I don't do it perfectly, I can't approve of it myself.

CNU: We did a radio broadcast yesterday, and Sandeul even recorded for a TV program. What should I say... the belief that since we started as singers, we shouldn't cut off its root even as we approach our mid-20s? No matter what genre we do, there is a mindset that I need to take responsibility and do everything to the best of my efforts. There are definitely times that I find myself confused. 

Did you look forward to coming up here when you were trainees?

Sandeul: We looked forward to much more when we were trainees.

CNU: At that time, we dreamt dreams as huge as uh, Michael Jackson? Now, we have compromised with reality. haha

Sandeul: I think it is because of our unimaginably huge dreams that we've been able to come this far. This is something that Jinyoung hyung always read. That dreams have to be huge. Only then would we be able to reach up till its edge. Even though we've compromised (with reality), we haven't forgotten our dreams.

CNU: It might just take some time, but someday, it will all come true.

When will we be able to meet B1A4?

CNU: We're in the midst of preparing, and there's been quite a lot of songs made. We have self-esteem as singers, and we're quite pleased with the end results of the songs this time. We sometimes question ourselves if we really wrote those songs ourselves. This sense of achievement makes me work harder at writing songs.

Sandeul: The hyungs have many great songs written. It is to the point that when we listen to them one by one, I have no idea which song should be our title song. It's tough.

In that case, we should be able to meet B1A4 right after 'The Three Musketeers' end.

CNU & Sandeul: If that's the case, we might die!

Source: https://splaybill.makevu.me/828ac68d85

Translation Credits: skipfire.tistory.com

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