From a birthday, 7 years of career, and a future with several branches, HONG JOONG opens up to Singles.
At the beginning of the month, HONG JOONG, the “captain” of the group ATEEZ, answered an interview for Singles magazine. In it, he looks back on fashion, his influences, and also on the design work he admires more and more.
On the occasion of your birthday in early November, you presented a fashion collection titled < Petit Coussin >.
“It was a completely new experience. Three years ago, during Paris Fashion Week, I had the opportunity to visit Olivier Rousteing’s atelier at Balmain, and that experience made me want to take on a challenge myself. By doing it myself, I began to admire designers even more. And this work in a new field also brought me a fresh kind of stimulation.”
You said that this show reflected your childhood memories when you played in your mother’s clothing shop.
“Yes. I was six or seven years old, and I remember sitting next to my mother and imitating what she did and said. When a customer arrived and asked ‘How much is this?’, I answered too. Later, there was a storage space for the clothes, and I ran everywhere inside to play. I still remember it very clearly. It was kind of my playground.”
What message did you want to convey with this show?
“A story about ‘dreams’. My mother’s shop where I played when I was little was also her dream, and even if I’ve already fulfilled my dream of becoming a singer, I can still have others. The title of this collection, ‘Petit Coussin’, means ‘small pillow’. I wanted to create a show like a small pillow on which anyone can dream, and convey the message that we can always dream.”
Speaking about his sketches, HONG JOONG admits that he draws very badly, but he felt obliged to be at least capable of making some drawings to have more credibility. For that, there was no choice, he had to learn, and he devoted himself to this work to be able to convey the story he wanted to share.
How did people react to the show?
“The comment I liked the most said that it gave them the motivation to dream even bigger. Some told me they had studied design before, and that by seeing me do this, they wanted to start again; that it reminded them of the passion they once had. If at least one person felt that, then it’s a success.”
And your mother, what did she say when she saw the show?
“I wanted to surprise her so I prepared everything in secret. Of course, she was very happy. And even now, every morning, she sends me a long message.”
In the rest of the interview, HONG JOONG looks back on how he fell into music, what inspired him, and how he learned. Through hard work, HONG JOONG joined ATEEZ, who together achieved records in the country and abroad. Like a dream coming true and hard to believe.
“We’re really performing in a stadium with fireworks?” – HONG JOONG
And when does reality come back?
“When we take the elevator with the members to go back up to our hotel rooms after a concert. Sometimes, when the mood is good, we laugh or tease each other; other days, we’re all exhausted. And in those moments, I feel something very close to what we used to feel when we returned from the training room. A very strange mix.”
ATEEZ doesn’t slow down, and neither does HONG JOONG. He, who studied enormously to get here and to be able to perform on stage and communicate, is just beginning to see his hard efforts paying off. After these 7 intense years, the second act of ATEEZ begins, according to his words, and as the “captain (leader)”, he has a new way of looking at his role.
“At first, I thought the role of a ‘leader’ was to make choices and take decisions. But during the renewal period, after discussing a lot with the members, my vision changed. I understood that my role was not to choose in their place, but to take responsibility for their choices. The idea was to have a long-term vision for the next seven years, in order to give reassurance to ourselves, to the fans, and to the company, and to allow sustainable planning. And I told them that if ever things didn’t go well, I would do anything so that we could move forward properly during these seven years.”
A new future, with fans, whom he talks about a lot, opens to ATEEZ. The group will continue to amaze you as a whole but also individually. You can find HONG JOONG’s full interview HERE (on the Singles website).
Journalist: Shawn
Interview conducted by: Singles
Source: Singles
