110620 CREA-STAR MAGAZINE VOLUME 5

O.K girl, I’m all yours, yes man! I’ll do everything for you! I love you~

Jinyoung, Shinwoo, Baro, Sandeul and Gongchan have debuted as a 5-membered boy group B1A4 in April 2011 with debut mini-album Let’s Fly’!

Direct lyrics like to become a ‘Yes man’ for the people who like their title song ‘O.K’, and to do everything for them. Electronic sounds with a rock feel in your ears, with fresh smiles and youthful dance performance! Once you hear their song, it will not leave your head!

- Firstly, we’ll start with member introductions.

Jinyoung: I am Jinyoung, born in 1991! I’m studying composing and songwriting now. I like to cook, and I am especially good at aligo olio (peperoncino).

Baro: I am Baro, born in 1992. I am in charge of rap in the group. My speciality is running and beatbox. My hobby is listening to music.

Sandeul: I am Sandeul, born in 1992 and main vocal of the group. My hobby is to watch movies, and I like animations. My speciality is cooking self-created dishes (I make soy sauce rice the same way as vegetable pancake, then spread chilli sauce over it and eat it), swimmng, history, state affairs, korean medieval history.

Shinwoo: I am Shinwoo, in charge of vocal and rap. I am born in 1991. My hobbies are rap-making and listening to music. I am writing rap lyrics now. I learnt taekwondo since I was young, and I like sports.

Gongchan: I am Gongchan, born in 1993. I am in charge of vocals, and I am the group’s maknae. My hobbies are listening to music and reading. I like French novels. My specialities are swimming and mathematics. I was good at studying up until middle school.

- What is B1A4 as a group?

Jinyoung: For the dreams that we dreamt of, we work hard with all our hearts and to our best. A group that even when there are hard times, we gather our strength together and work hard to get through it. Our group name ‘B1A4’ has the meaning of ‘Be The One, All For One’ - to be the best when 5 become 1, and there are also 4 of us with blood type A and 1 of us with blood type B.

- Why did you think of being a singer?

Jinyoung: I had the dreams of being a singer since long ago. After I passed the auditions, as I was attending an acting school since middle school, I was able to play extra roles in dramas. A fan uploaded my photo on the Internet, and I was scouted to be in the group.

Shinwoo: To be a singer, I had to attend university as an Applied Music major. With the thoughts of that, I went to an Applied Music school. As I was attending one of the many song festivals, I got scouted by the current company.

Baro: I loved music from the start, and when I went to watch Tiger JK’s concert, I got the thoughts of wanting to be a singer.

- The music video of debut song ‘O.K’ looks very lively and enjoyable. Please tell us an episode from the filming.

Gongchan: The acting with the rookie female actress in the music video was so awkward that we got scolded by the director.

Shinwoo: I had a scene where I was playing basketball with the female actress. I hit the actress with the basketball (by accident). Sorry…

- Baro did the rap-making. Other than that, has there been recordings or dances done with opinions from the other members?

Gongchan: We have not had the chance to participate in those parts yet, but we are all studying composing and songwriting now, so we’d like to try participating someday. Even though we have a dance instructor, we do give many of our opinions. I really like the cheoreography of debut song ‘O.K’! There is an action in the dance where we shake our hands, and we named it the breeze dance after Sandeul hyung.

- Your favourite song in the mini-album Let’s Fly?

Sandeul: They are all nice, but to choose something other than O.K, it would be Only Learnt The Bad Things. Even though the follow up song after O.K has yet to be decided, I like that song very much.

- It hasn’t been long since debut so you probably do not have a holiday. But if you did, how would you like to spend it?

Sandeul: We spent everyday practicing, there is no holiday… But if we were given a holiday, I’d like to go sight-seeing around Seoul. I want to go on a picnic, and to the amusement park too.

Shinwoo: If I were given a holiday, I’d like to go home.

Gongchan: I want to go to a waterpark!

- Is there a unique way that B1A4 relieves stress?

Jinyoung: When the stress piles up, we play games. For example, speed games, bingo, mafia games or a game of yut. We’d turn on the music and dance. As we play happily with the other members, the stress will be relieved.

- Amongst the members, who is very certain of himself? And on the other hand, who is quite slow?

Shinwoo: Baro is the most certain of himself. He speaks out his thoughts very confidently and to the point.

Jinyoung: On the other hand, Shinwoo is very slow, and drags the most time when he needs to prepare. He speaks slowly, and his actions are slow too (laugh).

- You already have fans in Japan. Are you studying Japan? Is there a phrase you like?

Jinyoung: The members are all studying Japanese! Even though we’re only beginners, a phrase I like is ‘ganbatte’ (similar to ‘fighting’ in Korean).

Shinwoo: Gongchan likes Japanese mangas so I think his pronounciation is good.

Jinyoung: The phrase ‘kawaii’ comes out often in animes.

Gongchan: I like the word ‘karaii’ (spicy). Because I like spicy things (laugh).

Sandeul: I like the phrase ‘sukidesu’ (to like something/someone).

Baro: I like ‘sushi’ (laugh). Conveyor-belt sushi!! I love you~!

- What would you like to do when you come to Japan?

Baro: I want to hold a concert. And I’d like to watch the scramble crossing in Shibuya (laugh). There are really many people.

Sandeul: I want to do something similar with Baro. I want to stand between buildings and feel all of Japan.

Jinyoung: I want to go to Tower Records in Shibuya and buy our CD! I personally want to see our album being sold there.

Sandeul: I want to tour the houses in Japan.

Gongchan: I want to go to a hot-spring.

- Are there any Japanese singers you like?

Shinwoo: I like Anzen Chitai (安全地帯)’s Tamaki Koji (玉置浩二). I like how he can express his feelings and make people listening to the song feel like opening their hearts. I liked him since I was in high school, under the recommendations of my school teacher.

Jinyoung: I’ve liked m-flo since I was in middle school. They have many songs with the color of J-POP, and it was easy to listen to. There are many singers that do featuring for them, so their style is widely varied.

Baro: Though mine is not a singer, I want to meet professional golfer Ishikawa Ryo. My Japanese teacher said that we look alike, so I really want to meet him.

Gongchan: I like YUI from the movie Song to the Sun (タイヨウのうた). I got to know of her when I was over at my friend’s house, he turned the volume especially loud during her song. I watched her movie too, as I was searching for her song.

- What have you fallen into doing recently?

Jinyoung: I have fallen into watching videos of singers, especially into videos of foreign pop songs. I am studying while watching those videos.

Baro: It has also become my hobby to look for videos of foreign singers. There is someone who uploads all the information of American rapper Lil Wayne. I registered there, and I’m always watching it.

- A song you have been listening to a lot to recently?

Baro: Of course it’s ‘O.K’!! It’s our song! I also listen to ‘Only Learnt The Bad Things’ a lot. It is a song you won’t get bored of.

Shinwoo: I like the song ‘Up To You’ by Chris Brown very much so I listen to it often. It is a song I like very much other than our own songs.

- Best 3 of what made you touched recently?

Jinyoung: In first place is when many fans came to our fansign. I was very touched that there were fans who waited from 4am all the way till 7pm for our fansign.

Baro: In second place. When many fans came to our debut stage. Despite the fact that we were only rookies, the seats were all fillled. It was our first debut fansign, and we gained a lot of confidence.

Shinwoo: In third place is when I stood on stage in front of my parents for the first time ever. It was an open broadcast at Kwangju, all the parents of the members came to watch.

- Best 3 of what was interesting recently?

Sandeul: In first place. I am born in Busan, and it is known that people from Busan are very blunt. But on some day, we were taking pictures and unknowingly, I was jumping around on one foot and it became a cute action. I was so embarrassed I nearly died (laugh). I found that interesting…

Gongchan: In second place… There was a fan who came wearing a hanbok (traditional Korean outfit), and suddenly deep-bowed to me, so I did it together with her. It was a young child, but it gave me a lasting memory.

Baro: In third place is a secret camera between the members! That day, Sandeul returned to the dormitory latest so he became the target. Jinyoung acted as if he wasn’t feeling well and fainted. Sandeul was really shocked then, and it was really funny (laugh).

- If you could have a psychic power, what power would you like to have?

Jinyoung: The power to earn lots of money? That way, I can help the many poor people, and there will be no more poor people on Earth.

Baro: I want the power to fly into the skies. I want to go to anywhere I want to. I have many things I want to do, so it will be nice to have the power to make anything I want.

Sandeul: I want to fly. Or the powers to go through walls, teleport or become invisible would be good.

Shinwoo: I want the power to know what a person is thinking. It seems like it’ll be fun~

Gongchan: I want the powers to teleport, or know what a person is thinking. I will go everywhere I want to with the powers of teleportation.

- Your target in the coming year?

Jinyoung: To receive the newcomer award. To become a group that is loved, and hold a concert of our own.

Baro: To get 1st place in music broadcast programs!

Shinwoo: It’ll be nice if many people remembered us.

- Finally, a message to the readers of ‘Crea-Star’.

Jinyoung: In future, we will be working hard, so please give us a lot of love! I love you!

Jinyoung: Leader & Vocal, 1991.11.18, 178cm/59kg, Blood type A

Q. What is your charming point?

It’s friendiness. And my ability to concentrate is strong - when I fall into doing something, it is hard for me to get out of it. And I am a man who is good at cooking. Since I’m the leader of the team, I have more muscles as compared to the other members (laugh).

Q. A cartoon character that you like?

Doraemon. I can mimic it.

Q. What is your ideal female type?

A person who thinks only of me.

Shinwoo: Vocal & Rapper, 1991.06.16, 182cm/64kg, Blood type A

Q. What is your charming point?

I have broad shoulders. And I have pretty feet. And a small face~ (Laugh) I’m manly. But even so, because I am meticulous I look after the members. That’s why everyone says I’m like a mother.

Q. A cartoon character that you like?

Even though I don’t really like manhwas very much, I like ‘One Piece’. I think that Sanji is really cool.

Q. What is your ideal female type?

A woman that has a big heart and takes care of people like a mother.

Sandeul: Main Vocal, 1992.03.20, 178cm/62kg, Blood type A

Q. What is your charming point?

My charming point is my cuteness. They say it’s very innocent. My name is also Sandeul (a gentle breeze). (Laugh) I was born in Busan. When I came up to Seoul and saw the tall buildings, even now I feel like they are magnificient. That side to me seems very innocent (laugh). I’m the shortest in the team but I have the longest legs! My skin is also very smooth!

Q. A cartoon character that you like?

I like Luffy from ‘One Piece’. He’s similar to me, we have long hands (laugh). I like Pokemon too.

Q. What is your ideal female type?

A woman who gives all her best in her work.

Baro: Rapper, 1992.09.05, 178cm/63kg, Blood type B

Q. What is your charming point?

They say I’m cute (laugh). But on stage, I am serious. Even though I am usually lively, I become the hyung when I go on stage. And I’m good at voice impersonations! Things like beatbox or sound effects! I’m the moodmaker in the team! And~ I have the most defined abs in the team. I’m fast at running too!

Q. A cartoon character that you like?

Dragonball! Even though I don’t really like manhwas very much, I think Dragonball is really interesting and I’ve read all of it. I like Pokemon too.

Q. What is your ideal female type?

I like someone who I can speak with and understand.

Gongchan: Vocal, 1993.08.14, 181cm/60kg, Blood type A

Q. What is your charming point?

My charming point is my coolness (laugh). I look like a face model. Even though I look chic, but as you get to know me, I am actually cute. I have aegyo. And the hyungs said that my buttocks are nice-looking (laugh). And my skin is a little dark-toned, so they call it copper skin. I have a soft heart and many tears.

Q. What is your ideal female type?

I like a woman that has the points of what all the hyungs said!

Source: @kiraboshi

Japanese to Korean Translation Credits: 미유누나 @ Official Fancafe

Korean to English Translation Credits: skipfire.tistory.com

Please remove all translations with full credits to source and translator