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Universal Records is the NUMBER ONE independent record label in the Philippines. Bringing you quality music for the past 30 years, we are home to artists like: Jose Mari Chan, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Jed Madela, Christian Bautista, Jay R, Billy Crawford, Kris Aquino, Edu Manzano, Marian Rivera, Mark Herras, Nina, Ronnie Liang, Gail Blanco, Sam Concepcion. Our band roster includes: Parokya Ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Sponge Cola, Imago, Silent Sanctuary, Kenyo, Paraluman. We are equally committed to bring you exciting international releases covering various genres like pop, jazz, new age, classical, alternative, indie pop, rock, electronica, dance, r&b, and hip-hop. Name it, we definitely have it!

November 20, 2009

Super Junior-M Interview: Pretty Boys' Super Confessions

Super Junior-M comes back to release their first mini album, Super Girl, which contains the five tracks: "Super Girl", "到了明天" (Blue Tomorrow), "告白" (Confession), "愛情接力" (You and Me), and "動情" (Only U). The handsome 7-member group appears in front of the camera again to share their experiences in preparing this album.

SJ-M wears dashing suits to show their mature and attractive side. Their deep relationship can be seen as they arrange themselves neatly and always give support to each other. During the interview, not only did they sing happy birthday to Donghae, whose birthday is nearing, and Ryeowook, who just had his birthday, they also sang "Blue Tomorrow" for us.

The Super Girl in Superman's heart.

Q: How long did this album take to finish?
Zhou Mi: From selecting songs to the end of recording, it took about 3 months. We actually began preparing this album since April of this year. I think we finished the album at the end of August.

Hangeng: All our songs, recording, and the filming of the MV were done in Korea.

Q: You guys have been going back and forth between Korea and China, so has everyone been spending a lot of time and effort in learning the languages? As in do members from China have to learn Korean and do Korean members have to learn Chinese?
Hangeng: Before, regardless of where we were, we always used Korean, but now, Zhou Mi, Henry and I have decided that when we're in China, we will try to use Chinese more. We have been able to communicate with each other quite well so far, but it's still a little tough when it comes to interviews.

Q: Between the Korean members, whose Chinese is the best?
Hangeng: Everyone has their area of strength. For example, Siwon can hear and understand Chinese better. Kyuhyun sings Chinese very well and spends the least amount of effort in recording our songs. Donghae learns Chinese phrases the quickest, like how he would say to his fans, "My beloved precious, I miss you! Do you miss me?" He learned this phrase the quickest!

Zhou Mi: Ryeowook's pronunciation is very good. One time, without any help from a Chinese instructor, he recorded a song for me to hear. When I heard it, I felt that his pronunciations were dead on.

Hangeng: He listens better than the rest because he has learned a bit from before, so he's a little stronger in hearing and speaking than the others. However, sometimes he can't get rid of some of the bad habits he learned from before. He has trouble correcting it.

Q: Your latest album is "Super Girl", so what is the perfect girl in your heart? What are your criteria? Hangeng, you should go first. Many people, including your mom, is very interested in your answer.
Hangeng: My mom is a little anxious, but I'm not. (laughter) I have three criteria in choosing a girlfriend: 1) She has to be kind and understanding, 2) She has to be considerate, have trust in me, and 3) She needs to be filial.

Zhou Mi: To all of us, the first and foremost criterion is that she has to be kindhearted, and if she is also pretty, then that'll be perfect.

Kyuhyun: I like girls with a pretty forehead and long legs. My ideal Super Girl is my fans. (What if your fans are guys?) Super Boy! Super Man! (giggle)

Siwon: We need to help out with each other, and also be filial. Of course, I can't say that appearance doesn't matter, but it is not the most important.

Henry: My Super Girl is my mom because my mom is the most important woman in my life. In regards to finding a girlfriend, I'm still young, so I haven't considered it and I haven't met that special someone yet.

Donghae: I think my Super Girl would be someone that likes computers. (Hangeng comments that Donghae loves his laptop the most)

Q: We heard that Donghae hates to be alone, especially when eating dinner. Is this true?
Donghae: Yes, I hate to be alone.

Q: Then your Super Girl must be a girl who would accompany you for dinner and not let you be alone.
Ryeowook: (sweating from nervousness) You! (pointing at reporter.)

Temperamental boys' unforgettable moments

Q: Out of all the songs in your mini album, which is your favorite?
Hangeng: I like "Blue Tomorrow". I think that the lyrics are very well written, and the music arrangement is very soothing.

Q: The lyrics are very intriguing. It writes about that feeling of separation very well.
Hangeng: Yes, it creates pictures in your mind and makes me think back to some of my past memories. Regardless of whom, whether it's someone I've encountered before, in movies, dramas, or a voice that I've listened to, they all appear in my mind again. When you read the lyrics again, it would make you think of a beautiful picture in your mind.

Q: Some things will pass and you would only cherish them after thinking back. Can you share an unforgettable moment with us?
Donghae: I've had some unforgettable moments with my friends or even when I broke up with my girlfriend, but the most unforgettable moment was when my father had passed away.

Zhou Mi: I don't have much experience in love, but I always keep people around me in mind. When I write song lyrics, I would appreciate their affection to me. When I wrote the track, "愛情接力" (You and Me), I used the love story of my friend. They had a long distance relationship where one was abroad and one was in Beijing, but they loved each other very much. Thus, in the lyrics, I wrote, "The distance of love makes our hearts even closer. Let our love write the theme song to our love." I hope that my lyrics can be a souvenir to their love story.

Hangeng: My most unforgettable moment was my graduation-exhibition performance. I entered the dancing school at age 13. I practiced dancing with my classmates, went to class with them, and we spent 6 years together like real siblings. On the night of graduation, we all knew that it meant separation, so everyone performed their best at the exhibition. Furthermore, my mom was also there and it was her first time watching me perform. She cried, and that made me very emotional. It was very unforgettable.

Zhou Mi: Hangeng cherishes his friendships a lot. Regardless of where we are performing, he often has some friends and classmates coming to visit. For example, it was already 2am when we finished recording for a show yesterday, yet he still had a friend from Changsha who came to see him. I overheard them while I was surfing the internet. They chatted about the dreams they had in the past. I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose!

Q: Aren't we all like that? We always wish to grow up when we were little, pondering about the future. Once you've been through some places or experiences, you would think back to your past.
Hangeng: Just like when Zhou Mi and I perform at schools. We would miss going to school. The year 1999 is very meaningful to me. In that year, I performed outside of my country for the first time. It was also the first time I participated in National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. People of our class won gold, silver, and bronze medals and we performed at the exhibition of Macao's return. The last bit is the most important. We represented the minorities and performed at the 50th national anniversary's military parade. Although it was touch, it was a wonderful experience.

Henry: Because my family is all in Canada, I can only see them once a year. Last year, I got to see them once and it was only for two days, so I miss them very much.

Q: What do you do when you miss your mom? Would you cry or whine?
Henry: I wouldn't cry, but sometimes, I would call to chat with her. But whenever I call, they would say, "Long distance fees are expensive. It's too expensive, goodbye!" (laugh)

Ryeowook: My most unforgettable moment was during our promotional activities last year. We met many friends in China and also got to meet many fans in China. This is the most unforgettable thing for me right now. I hope that this year would be like that as well.

Q: Ryeowook's words sound just like SJ-M's love confession to the fans.
Hangeng: Yes. I think that the best present and the best way to repay or fans are to give them our best performance and our best works. Therefore, whether it is our albums or mini albums, we will always prepare well and hope to present something different every time. We have many different styles I our album this time. We have fast dance songs and slow love songs. Furthermore, our dance steps are easy to learn, where we've designed a special main move. (As per reporter's request, SJ-M sang Blue Tomorrow)

Pretty Boys' sincere confessions

Q: Speaking of love confessions, there's a track on your album called, "告白" (Confession). The lyrics were written by Zhou Mi and it's about ways of confessing love. What was your first love confessions like? Let's start with Zhou Mi…
Zhou Mi: Actually, the lyrics I write are very different from how I really am because I usually write the things I want to do but don't dare to accomplish in my lyrics. When I was in elementary school, I had a crush on a girl. I would secretly give her presents each day, like giving her an eraser a day, but I never dared to tell her it was me. Even now, if there's a girl that I like, I would buy her presents. If I can sense that she likes me too, then I would confess my love.

Hangeng: I still laugh when I think back on my first time confessing my love. It's because it was my first time, I felt very embarrassed, so I got two friends to come with me. In the end, I made the girl feel very embarrassed as well! So it ended with a rejection. (laugh)

Siwon: In regards to confessions, many people would confess to their girlfriends when they're dating. But one of my most unforgettable confessions were to my parents. Before I debut, I had never expressed my love towards my parents. After my first stage performance, I said to my mom, "Mom, I love you!"

Hangeng: It's about the same for me. I never expressed my love to them before either. After my first performance, I was really in tears when I said those words to my mom. But now, I can say those words very comfortably to her.

Donghae: When I was in grade 6, I had a big crush on a girl, and it was the first time that I had confessed my love. If you don't have the courage, you won't be able to get pretty girls. (Hangeng interrupted: He is very romantic. For example, he would ride a bike, carrying his girlfriend, to the seaside.)

Ryeowook: My confessions have always happened during fights or after misunderstandings. I would make some good dishes and then while we eat, I would then apologize.

Kyuhyun: I failed on my first love confession. I had a crush on a girl in high school. I happened to be performing that day, so I secretly brought a rose. After the performance was over, I gave her the rose, but I was rejected in the end.

Zhou Mi: I remember the first time I confessed my love. I was like a boy who had just fallen in love. I was so nervous and my heart was pounding hard. I gave her the rose, but I was rejected in the end.

Source: CpopAccess
translation by fewfew @ http://www.cpopaccess.com/ & http://asianfanatics.net

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