Season Summer 2017
GOT7 Jinyoung Park
Life as An Act-dol WORDS Kelly PHOTOS Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
IDOLS who become actors are always asked the same question, “Do you prefer acting or performing on stage?” For GOT7’s Jinyoung, the answer is always, “Both!”
It was when GOT7 took a one year break that Jinyoung began to set his dream of becoming an actor in motion. He said, “I watched movies by myself, studied acting and took acting lessons.” He added that his upcoming movie means a lot to The idol will be taking on his first movie him, not just because it’s his first leading role in a role in the film, “A Stray Goat.” He has already movie. He says that he has a lot in common with proven his status as an actor in various dramas his character, Minsik. like MBC’s “When a Man Loves” (2013), JTBC’s “My Love Eundong” (2015), and SBS’s “The Leg- Jinyoung said, “Basically, I had to engage end of the Blue Sea” (2016). His acting career in a social life from when I was a trainee. I reactually started with KBS2 TV’s “Dream High 2” member I’d meet people for the first time and (2012), which was before his debut as a member give them an awkward smile. Minsik reminds me of GOT7. of myself when I first started out as a trainee at JYP Entertainment. Also, I had to transfer schools We met Jinyoung who travels back and from Jinhae to Seoul [just like how Minsik had to forth busily as a GOT7 member on stage and transfer schools]. Even now, I’ll speak in a dialect the drama filming venue. Despite that there are when I’m in a rush.” still many things that he has yet to show, he has managed to be one of the best examples of “Act- “A Stray Goat” is actually set in the same dol”, a term used for K-Pop idols turned actors/ province as where Jinyoung is from. This would actresses. have been a great opportunity for him to showcase his hometown dialect. However, because Min During our personal interview with Jin- Sik is a student who transfers there from Suwon, young, he shared how he made his acting debut Jinyoung ended up being the only actor on set through ‘Dream High 2’. “I had no prior experi- who didn’t speak in a dialect. He laughed and ence as an actor, and I’d never imagined that I’d said, “I had to try hard to not use a dialect. It was be appearing in a drama. It was quite shocking. difficult being the only person who had to do that. That’s when I first began to think, ‘Acting is an en- It felt just like WWwhen I first moved to Seoul.” thralling career.’”
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Kelly: Seems like you finally ‘found’ your name? First you were ‘Jr.’ and then you were ‘Junior’ and now you’re Jinyoung. JY: I like it so much more. In the entertainment world, there are many Jinyoungs so at first, people were worried if it would be okay. Even if people don’t know me as much, I’m comfortable using my own name. I don’t particularly have to concern myself with other people. K: Trainee period would have been really hard wouldn’t it. How did you endure it? JY: Honestly speaking, the life of a trainee is hard. However, I didn’t really think of it being hard. It could have probably been the spirit of a young age. I thought of outrageous things like, ‘As long as I work hard, I’ll debut soon enough.’ Since they said if you worked hard, you would be able to debut so I trusted in that. K: You are steadily acting and recently you appeared as the younger Damryung [in Legend of the Blue Sea]. You match really well with the hanbok. JY: I heard it was a really expensive hanbok. So I was concerned. Can I act carelessly while wearing this? (Laughs.) K: Did any of the members helped you by being the other party when you were memorizing your script? JY: Yugyeom helped out. I’m the type to not be able to memorized lines well, so I take a long time to memorize it. As I continually memorize it, when I want to confirm what I’ve memorized, I would go, “Yugyeom, help me memorize my lines by reading it to me,” and he would do it.
K: When you’re standing on stage as GOT7, you have a bright and energetic side to you and when you’re acting, it’s a quiet look. As you change back and forth, is it fun? JY: It’s fun because I’m working ‘two jobs’. Because I’m still young, there are several things I want to try out. People say this: “Shouldn’t you just do one thing?” But I don’t think that way. No one is going to be responsible for my life so it’s better for me to do the things I want to do. K: There are many people who can’t connect the actor Jinyoung and the Jinyoung on stage. JY: That is something I welcome. I think it is better. Because they learn of me when they didn’t know of me. Because I am absolutely not recognized as an actor, I want to show people new sides of me.
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Jamming with Jinyoung We asked Jinyoung about his current faves when it comes to music. We’re happy he’s open to any genre! Check out what he said about his favorite songs.
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Blood by DAY6 “Daydream” It’s DAY6! Please give them more love!
Shape of You by Ed Sheeran “Divide” Those trainees from Produce 101 Season 2 did great.
That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars “24K Magic” I love Bruno Mars and everything he do.
Never Ever by GOT7 “Flight Log: Arrival” Needless to say more.