SS501’s Kim Kyu Jong on acting, his group, and their new album
courtey of by VITALSIGN / AllKPop
After parting ways with DSP Media last year, the members of SS501 have demonstrated what it was like to be ’separate but together’. Kim Hyun Joong has established himself as an actor, and Park Jung Min returned with his first solo album, “Not Alone“.
Kim Kyu Jong is also standing before the starting line of his new acting career after he joined B2
M Entertainment, the agency of fellow member Heo Young Saeng.
The aspiring actor recently took part in an interview with Daily Sports and revealed that he will be working against his ‘flower boy’ charms in an attempt to become a more skilled actor.
Q. “How’s it like working on your own now?”
Kyu Jong: “It makes me think a lot about being with my members. We used to joke and play around without rest, but now that I’m alone, the feeling’s difficult to express. It feels kind of empty.”
Q. “Are you studying acting now?”
Kyu Jong: “I get trained about two to three times a week for two hours at a time. When I was with SS501, I received some acting experiences through music videos and variety programs; now that I’m entering the world of professionals, I have to do it properly. There’s a lot of pressure, but my eyes have been opened to the charms of acting, and I’m full with excitement. There’s a drama I’m currently in discussions for, so the decision will be out soon.”
Q. “What kind of actor do you want to become?”
Kyu Jong: “I want to succeed with my skills, not with my ‘flower boy’ image. I am a part of a ‘flower boy’ group, but that doesn’t make me one. …I’m planning to prepare myself so that I can act in a way that delivers my emotions to the audience. I love actor Ha Jung Woo’s acting, so I study his works a lot. He’s especially amazing in the movie, ‘Amazing Day.’”
Q. “Do you meet with the SS501 members often?”
Kyu Jong: “All five of us haven’t been able to meet at one location yet because one or two is always out on another schedule. Young Saeng-hyung is in the same agency as me, so we meet often and give each other advice. He’s preparing for his solo album right now, and I accompanied him on his trip to the U.S. and met his album representatives; I also got to listen to his songs. I call Jung Min often and even monitor his stages. Sometimes I’ll even grab drinks with Hyun Joong-hyung.”
Q. “You must be worried about different things now that your solo activities are coming up.”
Kyu Jong: “Before, the members could carry me, but now I have no one to depend on and must take responsibility for myself. Of course I’m worried, but I’m sure I’ll improve myself through this opportunity. I’ve begun to see things that I didn’t notice when we were together. I’ll see the members doing their individual activities and wonder to myself where these different images they’re expressing were hiding. Every time I feel that they’ve grown. I feel really proud and become motivated to do better myself. I think we’ve become like a whip for one another.”
Q. “Aren’t there a lot of hardcore SS501 fans?”
Kyu Jong: “I once told my fans to restrict waiting outside our homes; in return, I would treat them better in concert or broadcast halls. Ever since then, there’s been a lot less sasaeng fans. My father often tells me to treat them well when they come to me, because who will be there 10 years from now. It’s true, don’t you think? I live feeling thankful that they like me.”
Q. “When will SS501’s album be released?”
Kyu Jong: “I’m thinking sometime near the year-end. Our agencies are all different, so it’s difficult to get things moving. Since all of our members are on the same page of remaining together, the results of that desire will come out soon.”
