First Look May 2023 - Interview with ZB1

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Q: When is your favorite season/time of year?

→ Zhang Hao: I'm very much looking forward to the day of the first snow. It's pretty! The feeling of being alive when the snow comes down, and feeling the liveliness of the world at that time. It's also when I can reflect on the year. How did I live throughout this one year, did I do well, I think things like this. Where I lived in China, it didn't snow a lot. But I saw lots of snow in Korea. I still remember the day I saw the first snow. I was taking a Korean lesson, but I was so excited that I told the teacher and went outside to take pictures (he laughs). During this first snow, I think I'll watch it while busily doing my activities with the members. I think it'll be even more exciting and heart-fluttering.

→ Kim Gyuvin: I really like the short moment that winter turns into spring. It's more special because it's fleeting. The weather is good, and your feelings tend to meaninglessly become better as well. I especially like that I can wear pretty clothes.

→ Han Yujin: I like fall and winter. I don't like any weather that's too hot. I'll be able to spend this winter with the hyungs, the fans, and many other people, so my expectations [for it] are big. I want to happily create a good time as we go on.

 

→ Seok Matthew: In Canada, my favorite season was winter. It snows a lot in Canada, and I like winter sports. I like skiing and snowboarding, and I'm good at it too. In Korea, I started liking spring. The cherry blossoms are nice, and when it becomes spring, the flowers that bloom all over are very pretty.

 

→ Kim Taerae: It has to be the month that I was born, July. That's my favorite month. I actually don't like summer, but I just like July. For this year's birthday, our debut is also scheduled for around then, so I think it'll be a very busy time. It'll be meaningful to spend it focused on work.

→ Ricky: I like fall. It's not too cold or too hot, and it's just the perfect weather. The sun isn't too strong either, and I think it's a good season to do anything.

→ Park Gunwook: I like the period from winter that turns into spring. It's similar to the time I like the most, which is noon. The air and the feeling of the breeze. It's also a good time to finish something and start anew. It's also a heart-fluttering feeling.

→ Sung Hanbin: Spring and summer have nice weather, and nature is pretty then. I like being able to enjoy the beautiful seasons. My favorite month is June. Because that's when my birthday is (he laughs). More than that, I think there's meaning to the midpoint of each year. A time that you can look back on the half of a year and see if you've lived with all your effort, and a time where you can look within so that you can keep living while giving your all in the later parts of the year. I think it's another turning point within the year.

→ Kim Jiwoong: I like December. December is my birthday, and also Christmas! I like the mood that fills the streets around Christmastime, and I like watching the snow fall too. Ah, and I like April now too. Because now, I have a beautiful memory that I won't ever forget. The final stage of <BOYS PLANET>. It was a stage that I dreamed of since I was young, and one that I spent together with star creators beginning from my family, and many people that have loved me, it was really a happy stage.

 

 

Q: What is your day usually like?

→ Kim Jiwoong: Because I'm such a simple person, I think all of my days are usually the same. I wake up, stretch, drink a glass of water, and mm, what's a bit special is that I make time to meditate twice a day. In the morning, I have the mindset of 'How should I spend my day today?' Then I reflect before I sleep: 'How did I spend this day?' This morning, because I had the editorial and the interview today, I thought of my expressions and my pose alongside the content of the interview and did some image training. More thought and practice are always much needed. That is how I show a good self in any situation.

 

→ Zhang Hao: First of all, I find it so hard to wake up in the morning. I tend to swell up a lot in the morning, so I have to do a massage to reduce the swelling as soon as I wake up. This is really important. I looked in the mirror today but I was really so swollen that I got so surprised. Until a little while ago, I was massaging myself and summoning all the energy in my body. I think I usually lack energy before noon, so I'm exercising lately.

 

→ Sung Hanbin: When others look at it, it probably seems like my day just goes by in a leisurely way, but inside of all of that, I'm very busy. I tend to try and use my time effectively in small increments. On days I'm resting, I wake up early in the morning and read or look for what I should do, and if I think I over-ate the day before, I do high-intensity exercises. Lately, I hike and exercise with my younger sister and talk with her a lot, too. My sister exercises as well. It's because I thought I should spend time with family and people that are special to me as much as I can. Rather than just laying still, I look to do this and that, doing productive activities and spending my time to the fullest.

 

→ Seok Matthew: I tend to be very schedule-oriented. Every day, I make a list of things I have to do and spend my day checking each thing off. Lately, there are a lot more things to do so I spend the day much more systematically, and I'm especially busy in the morning. I have to wake up quickly and check how much time I have until I go out, and try to do all the things I have to while dividing up that time.

 

→ Kim Taerae: Right before I sleep, I think of all the things I have to do tomorrow, decide that, and go to sleep. Me? I'm definitely a "J" in the MBTI, I schedule and plan things ahead of time. 98% J. When I open my eyes in the morning, I don't linger in bed or anything like that, and I get right up to wash and review everything I have to do for the day. Then I dutifully carry out the day as I've planned it, just like that.

 

→ Ricky: This is always something I wonder about, but I can never wake up when I should, and I wake up after time passes a bit afterward (he laughs). In the morning, someone always has to wake me up. During <BOYS PLANET>, my friends rotated turns waking me up, and right now mostly Zhang Hao wakes me up. On <BOYS PLANET> there was a misunderstanding that I always get up early to get ready, but that's not true. There were often times where I was disheveled. It was to the point where the producers would ask me "You're 'young and rich,' but where's 'tall and handsome'?" (He laughs).

 

→ Kim Gyuvin: Lately, our schedule is so packed that I spend the day so busy I don't have time to think. After a busy day, coming back home to wash up and lay down anywhere, I think that's just the end of it. I really do just lay down anywhere. Strangely, I really like that.

 

→ Park Gunwook: I usually move according to the schedule that's decided for us. On days that I rest, I meet up with friends or enjoy my hobbies. I like soccer, so I sometimes play with my friends or watch movies too. The habit that I do every day would be to reflect on my day before I sleep. 'Is there something I didn't do well today, did I do something that needs to be excused to someone,' I look over things like that. The thing I hate the most is giving harm to other people, or doing something that embarrasses me. If there's something that catches on my mind, I reflect on it, and I always have time to introspect.

 

→ Han Yujin: I usually just practice or work. When I rest, I watch a movie or dramas, or play with my dog. When I have time, I tend to go out and mingle with my friends. I go look at this and that and eat tasty food. I buy clothes too. It's just average.

 

Q: What are the foods that you like and the foods you dislike?

 

→ Kim Jiwoong: The food that I like the most is samgyeopsal (pork belly). I really like meat, I could eat it every day. There's no food that i dislike or can't eat. I eat everything well, and I eat a lot too. If I go to a restaurant to eat, I usually have two bowls of rice. It's not just me, but the members all eat well. Gunwookie, Matthew, and unexpectedly Taerae and Yujin really eat well too.

 

→ Zhang Hao: I really like pork/beef intestines and milk tea. When I first had intestines in Korea, I was so shocked. Because it was so good. I want to eat it often, but I can't. Um, there's nothing I can't eat, but I avoid foods like peanuts that get stuck in your teeth because it's annoying.

 

→ Sung Hanbin: I'm totally the type who likes Korean food. I always find Korean food to eat. I like traditional Korean food, ssambap (t/n: rice wrapped in vegetables, usually lettuce), things of that sort. There's nothing I particularly dislike, but I try to avoid instant foods as much as I can. Because I once gained a lot of weight, I always pay attention to managing it now.

 

→ Seok Matthew: In Canada, I liked kkanpoongi (a Chinese spicy stir-fried chicken dish), but in Korea i fell for fried chicken. Something I dislike or can't eat is cheese. But it's not all cheese. On pizza or pasta, it's okay, but the cheese in burgers or cheesecake, I can't have. I don't like when the presence of cheese is super obvious. The feeling of it in the mouth is a bit odd.

 

→ Kim Taerae: I really like sushi. I couldn't eat it at all when I was younger, but now I can't eat it because there isn't any (he laughs). I used to have a kind of aversion to raw things, but now I wonder why I didn't eat something so good. Now, there's no food that I can't eat. Things I don't like are sour foods. Even with fruits, I prefer sweeter things to more sour things. In winter, when we buy tangerines, my parents always eat them first and only give them to me when they're sweet.

 

→ Ricky: I like samgyeopsal (pork belly). When I came to Korea, I first tried samgyeopsal and it was so tasty. I also like fried chicken with spicy-sweet yangnyeom sauce. It can't just be fried chicken, it has to be spicy-sweet chicken. And pizza, I like Korean style pizza. I like Shanghai food as well. I'm not very good with spicy food. And what I don't like is mint, I really dislike mint choco.

 

→ Kim Gyuvin: What I like the most is ice cream, no matter what. And then meat. There's no food that I don't like. I think all of our members are like that. I don't think anyone is really a picky eater? Ah, Yujinie does keep 'green friends' a bit farther away, though.

 

→ Park Gunwook: I like meat, but I especially like all dishes with chicken in them. I like steamed seasoned chicken and seasoned and stir-friend chicken, or buffalo wings too. Strangely, since I was young I couldn't eat tomatoes. Tomato spaghetti or ketchup is okay, but I can't have it by itself. The scent and the feeling as soon as it's in my mouth immediately gives me an aversion.

 

→ Han Yujin: I like all noodles. Without discriminating against any, all of them. Ramen, and ah, I like mala tang too. I like spicy food as well. Things I don't like are eggplants and mushrooms. I really can't eat them.

 

Q: What is an object you carry around all the time, or an object that you treat in a special way?

 

→ Kim Jiwoong: There's a book that I read every night before I sleep. I enjoy wise remarks/well-known quotes, so I read a book of those before I sleep no matter what. I especially depend on them when I'm tired or when things are hard. When I read these, I feel like the situation I'm in is only a stage in the process, and that this stage is one that is precious as well. Yesterday night? Mm, I don't usually read them in order, so I open the book and read that page. Then I sometimes realize that 'this is what the world is telling me today.' Yesterday, the passage said 'always hold fast to your goal.' Do not negotiate, do not lose your direction, always defend your goal and go forward, is what it must mean. Right now, I think this is something I needed to hear, so I engraved it right in my heart.

 

→ Zhang Hao: My favorite item is my violin. Because this was there for me, that was the beginning of music. While playing violin, I began to like singing and dancing, and I gained interest in K-pop and gained the dream of being an idol. Lately, I take out my violin and practice it so as to not forget my roots, too.

 

→ Sung Hanbin: I've been told that I look like a character from an animated series. I personally like that character, too. Maybe because of this, my fans send a lot of letters and stationery of this character. I collect that and put it in my backpack as I go about. It feels like they're cheering for me from anywhere, anytime. [It's] dependable and grateful, and so special to me.

 

→ Seok Matthew: Lately, I take lip balm with me wherever I go. During <BOYS PLANET>, I noticed that the other friends all had lip balm and carried it around. Whenever I put it on, I feel like I'm getting more handsome (he laughs). Because I also want to look handsome, I started carrying it around too. Ah, I also have something that's special to me. It's the wallet I got from my mom on my 17th birthday. Before my birthday, my mom asked me what I wanted, and I didn't want her to worry so I told her 'I don't need anything.' But when I woke up in the morning, this wallet was right next to me. It was a present that I didn't even think of, so it was touching. I take this wallet with me everywhere I go. Whenever I take it out to buy something, I think of my mom. I plan to use it for a long, long time while treasuring it.

 

→ Kim Taerae: The most special item to me, is of course, my guitar. I play it often too, but I even like just having it on me and sitting still. That's how familiar and important it is to me. It's also my closest and most comfortable friend.

 

→ Ricky: This small earring on my right ear is something I cherish. My parents gave it to me a long time ago. Because it's pretty, I always have it on.

 

→ Kim Gyuvin: There's nothing that I particularly take around with me, but because stamina is important, I always take vitamins and nutrient supplements first lately. During <BOYS PLANET>, the hyungs took supplements every morning.

 

→ Park Gunwook: I now have an object that's special to me after going on <BOYS PLANET>. While being on the program, so thankfully, many hyungs looked at me prettily. While we were dorming together, my birthday happened, and the hyungs gave me presents. Especially after wearing the bracelet that Hwanhee hyung gave me, the results that happened kept on being good. Since then, I cherish it like a seal of luck. And before the final stage, Keita hyung gave me an earring in the shape of the sun, and with the intention of becoming 'the sun of <BOYS PLANET>,' I put it on. I feel like maybe I debuted because of these things, and made up my mind to look after these objects well.

 

→ Han Yujin: There's a watch that I always wear. In my 2nd year of middle school, I said I wanted it, and my father gave it to me. Because it's something my dad gave me, I always carry it around, keeping it especially close to my heart.

 

Q: What is the song of your life that made me you who you are? Alternatively, name one song that is meaningful to you.

 

→ Kim Jiwoong: 'Say My Name', the song I performed during <BOYS PLANET> is a meaningful song to me. It's something that changed me. Something that showed a new me. On the outside, I may seem cold, but through this song I think I expressed that I could also be a bit of a cute or warm person. And in that moment, I was happy. The fans liked it too. The song title itself also has meaning, too. The feeling of someone calling my name anew.

 

→ Zhang Hao: I want to choose Winner's 'Millions.' It was the first song I practiced after becoming a trainee. Honestly, after really living the life of a trainee, it was so different from what I thought and so tiring that I thought I wanted to run away. But of course, the more I felt like that, I thought the more I had to hold onto my heart and bear it. For one month, I just listened to this song and practiced it. By doing that, I learned a lot. Especially this – that though singing and dancing were important, energy and the ability to express your feelings are so important. When I look at those practice videos, I think I'm a bit cute, too. It's a good memory. Because I had those times, the Zhang Hao of now must exist.

 

→ Sung Hanbin: PL's 'Honeymoon.' While I was on <BOYS PLANET>, I wrote this song in my self-introduction, too. If you just look at the lyrics, it's also a story of sweet words of comfort between lovers. But listening to this song, I thought of the fans I would have in the far future. Because I would have my own dependable fans soon, so I shouldn't give up and should keep walking this path – this is what I decided. If the opportunity allows, I want to let the fans hear me sing this song, too.

 

→ Seok Matthew: I really like the OST of 'Howl's Moving Castle.' When I listen to this song, I strangely become more relaxed. I close my eyes and focus my ears, and imagine. Sometimes I imagine the ocean, sometimes the sky, and sometimes a blue mountain range. When hard times happen, I calmed my heart like this a lot. When I came to Korea and felt lonely or had no one to talk to, this music protected me like a friend.

 

→ Kim Taerae: The song that's meaningful to me and my life is Park Hyosin's 'THE OTHER DAY.' When I'm tired or exhausted, especially when practice didn't go so well, I listened to it a lot. It's a song that feels like a dream, but when I listen to it my heart becomes more relaxed and it comforted me as well. I hope I can make a song like this and sing it to give comfort and happiness to someone, I think that would be good.

 

→ Ricky: The song that's meaningful to me is G-DRAGON's 'Black.' When I was in elementary school, I saw him perform this song and I totally fell in love. 'How can someone be this cool?' I thought. So I looked up other stages, and that's when I became interested in K-pop. Maybe this song was what first made me think that I wanted to become a singer.

 

→ Kim Gyuvin: The song I choose as one meaningful to me is Big Naughty's 'VANCOUVER.' When I began my life as a trainee, I started taking lyric-writing lessons that I found particularly fun. It was so cool how he wrote his own story so honestly. The song is about his unrequited crush on a girl. but the structure of the lyrics is so interesting and well-made. The rhyme, the flow, and the melody, too. It was very striking to me and nice to hear, so I listened to it often.

 

→ Park Gunwook: Baekhyun's 'BAMBI' is the album of my life/my favorite album. Rather than choosing one song, because I listened to this whole album a lot, I want to say that I like all of the songs. Every time I listen to it, I fall into it differently. The melody and lyrics seem familiar yet new, so the melody and lyrics always resonate within my heart.

 

→ Han Yujin: Taemin's 'Goodbye' is the song that I auditioned for <BOYS PLANET> with. I like Taemin sunbae, so when I was first living as a trainee, I really listened to this song a lot. Then I didn't for a while, but when I looked at it again while preparing for the program, no matter how many times I saw it, it was amazing. I really listened hard while preparing for it.

 

Q: What kind of perfume do you prefer?

 

→ Kim Jiwoong: I like perfumes with a subtle feeling, like the scent of soap when you just washed up. Ah, I like butterflies, but I like to imagine a single butterfly flying by a flower – I like scents like that. Me? I have a very active imagination.

 

→ Zhang Hao: I like different scents by the season. In spring and fall, I like soap scents. In spring and fall, you usually just wear one layer of a shirt. I want to give a clean feeling like that. In summer, I like fresh grapefruit scents, and in winter I like warm coconut scents.

 

→ Sung Hanbin: I actually like perfume, so I have an array of different ones. I'm the type that's sensitive to scents, too. When I was dieting, I heard that stimulating your sense of smell helps to suppress the urge to eat, so I used perfumes then, too. When I want to eat something, if I spray a bit of perfume on my wrist and put it under my nose while breathing in and out, it helped my desire to eat disappear a little bit. I use different perfumes depending on each day, but the ones that the fans that I've met said they particularly liked were mostly powdery scents.

 

→ Seok Matthew: On different days, I like different feelings of perfume. I like very strong? Intense scents too... when I want to seem like an 'oppa.' But these days, I usually use sweet scents. Something with pineapple and coconut mixed together.

 

→ Kim Taerae: I don't use perfume a lot, but my favorite perfume is the scent of my father's body lotion/cologne. It was a modern feeling, and it's still engraved in my mind today.

 

→ Ricky: I like deep scents of perfume. I tend to like heavier, woody scents.

 

→ Kim Gyuvin: I never had a particular preference for scents, but after becoming roommates with Jiwoong hyung, I developed an interest in them. Hyung has a lot of perfume, so I smelled this and that. I think I like sweet scents that aren't too strong, but I'm still finding out what I like at this stage.

 

→ Park Gunwook: I don't use perfume yet, but I wonder if I should start using it now. I think I like softly subtle scents that are cozy and comfortable like body wash and shampoo.

 

→ Han Yujin: To call it a scent is a bit much, but I like the smell of winter. What do you call it, the cold smell of when fall is turning into winter.

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scan by @S2ovemorenow

 

translation by @julyhours

 

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