NU'EST alumnus singer and actor Kim Jong-hyun discussed his future activity plans and goals. After completing a 1 year and 6 month military hiatus, he is shedding the burdens that had weighed him down and is making a fresh start as his true self.
On the 26th, Kim Jong-hyun met with OSEN for an interview at the Evermore Entertainment office in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Kim Jong-hyun, who enlisted as an active-duty soldier in the Army in Sept. 2024, was discharged after completing his national defense duties on the 22nd of last month. Met just four days after his discharge, when asked for his impressions Kim Jong-hyun said, "Everything looks beautiful, I guess. I couldn't stop smiling. Even when I'm just at home alone, I keep smiling," and expressed his joy, saying, "I'm just happy. I feel like I could do anything."
Kim Jong-hyun served as an instructor at the recruit training unit of the 15th Infantry Division. When asked about his experience as an instructor he said, "Meeting many different trainees made me think, 'Oh, there are people like this,' and 'There are people like that.' After all, I grew up in the entertainment industry. Of course I did start working in society, but I think there were things I lacked that you can only learn among people that age. I was able to feel that inside the military," and added, "Although they weren't the same age as me, seeing people of the same generation together exposed me to the latest trends. So I think it was an experience where I could meet a wide variety of people."
Through 1 year and 6 months of military service, Kim Jong-hyun underwent many changes. He said, "In the past I tended to set limits on myself. Even when doing one thing I would analyze everything in detail and only act when I thought, 'This is really okay,' or 'I can do this.' Now I feel like I've let go of that burden. I just want to try the things I can do now, because this is who I am now," and added, "In the past even vacations felt formulaic, but now I want to travel a lot and go out more personally. Of course I still consider work important, but back then I felt much more pressure than I do now. Now I want to do the work given to me diligently, but if I want to rest or go on a trip, I'll take that time."
This burden tied into Kim Jong-hyun's innate personality. He explained, "My personality is conservative, so I felt I had to follow all the rules. In life there are many things that wouldn't actually cause problems if you didn't follow them. Small things, for example. But in the past I even said 'no' to those small things," and added that after serving in the military he thought, "'Is it really worth preserving every tiny thing at the expense of my freedom and enjoyment?'" conveying a lighter heart.
He said the turning point came from the influence of those he lived with in the military. Kim Jong-hyun recalled, "When I asked friends I lived with, 'What will you do on leave?' and they said, 'I'll travel with my family,' 'I'll go to Japan,' or 'I'll drink with my comrades,' I thought, 'Those friends are really enjoying their youth.' Of course you can't fully enjoy it in the military, but when they were on leave they spent it doing what they wanted, eating what they wanted. That made me reflect, 'Have I tried everything I wanted to except for work-related things?' and I realized I hadn't."
That may also be due to the unique nature of being a celebrity. Kim Jong-hyun said, "So I decided to let go of other people's gaze and just live showing who Kim Jong-hyun is," and added, "For interviews I used to study questions in advance. Now I feel like, 'Let's just speak from the heart.' As long as I don't say something problematic, it should be fine."
Kim Jong-hyun debuted in 2012 as the leader of NU'EST and led the group for 10 years. In 2022 he settled at Evermore Entertainment and launched his solo career. Asked about his relationship with Evermore, he said, "Rather than fate, I met the CEO through company meetings and he was very open-minded. That made me feel it might be okay to start here," and revealed that he is directly involved in overall activities. Kim Jong-hyun said, "The company checks things I might miss, and decisions seem to be made by majority vote. I think about 80% of the decisions will reflect my opinion. When I accept the company's requests I do, and it seems we complement each other well."
However, he had to enlist shortly after starting his solo activities. When asked if he regretted having a 'military hiatus' before settling as a solo artist, Kim Jong-hyun said, "It would be a lie to say there was no regret, and a lie to say there was no worry. But everyone has to serve in the military, so I thought it was better to go quickly and come back and promote comfortably."
To ease that regret, Kim Jong-hyun quickly announced a fan meeting and an Asia tour upon his discharge, raising fans' expectations. He said, "In the past I worried about spoiling things, but now I feel, 'Just post it quickly,' 'What's the point of hiding it, people will find out anyway,' 'There's nothing problematic about it, right?' That mindset has changed. If someone likes someone else they'd be curious, so it's better to post quickly. Also, waiting two hours for someone is hard, and after people waited 1 year and 6 months, was there any need to make them wait longer? So nowadays I want to share everything I can."
Kim Jong-hyun will hold three fan meetings titled COMING HOME over two days, on the 25th and 26th, at NOL Theater Hapjeong Tongyang Life Hall. He plans to continue his Asia tour through June in Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok and other cities. Asked what he would show at the fan meetings, he hinted, "I'm not sure what fans expect, but I plan to present highlights and challenges that trended during the 1 year and 6 months I served as a soldier."
About his first solo Asia tour he said, "I've performed overseas several times so I don't expect major difficulties," and added, "Since these are people who come to see me, I want to show things that match each country's characteristics. I also want to experience their cultures a lot."
He also mentioned plans for an album. Kim Jong-hyun said, "Specifics are undecided. We're sourcing songs now. The company suggested we reduce the weightiness of the concept, and I agreed to some extent, so I think we'll go that way. Rather than tightly controlled music, it will likely be more flowing music," and explained, "I've lived so tightly until now that it might be okay to let things flow once. I've always done things with military-like discipline, so it might be fine to be a bit looser now. Of course I'll put effort into promotions, but my personal goal is to be a bit more relaxed."
Asked whether he has set plans beyond music, Kim Jong-hyun said, "I plan to focus more on acting. I think it's important to work to show more facets of myself as an actor." Kim Jong-hyun made his serious acting debut in the 2021 SBS drama drama Your Night Will Be Mine and has since appeared in Start with a First Kiss, Sound Candy, and My Friend's Graduation, building his acting career.
He said, "There are projects under discussion but nothing confirmed yet," and added, "Sometimes I receive offers and sometimes I go to auditions, but I haven't auditioned since discharge. I think I'll start auditioning from April." Saying he resumed acting training he missed while in the military, Kim Jong-hyun added, "I feel more at ease than before. I think I can do better than I could back then once I start."
When asked about characters or genres he wants to try as an actor he said, "I think it would be interesting to show psychopathic traits," and added, "I'd like to do genre works. I've never done them. Until now I mostly did romance and youth pieces, and many were music-related. Now I want to exclude all that and just become the role."
He added, "That doesn't mean distancing myself from my singer persona. The goal is to focus more on acting. It's not like, 'I'll be an actor now so I won't be cute anymore.' Actor Kim Jong-hyun is still Kim Jong-hyun, and when I do music I'm still Kim Jong-hyun, so it's not about changing who I am but about which side I focus on more," and emphasized, "I will continue music while pursuing acting as much as possible."
Since his solo debut in Nov. 2022 Kim Jong-hyun has released mini-albums such as MERIDIEM and Brilliant Seasons and promoted them. Asked about differences from group activities he said, "There were difficult parts and things I could only do alone. There are pros and cons between being in a group and being solo. You unconsciously learn how to compensate for those differences alone. It was a valuable experience," and explained, "As a solo artist you inevitably produce less synergy energy than in a group. Energy rises as more people gather, so some of the fun from that decreases, but whether I do this or that, it all comes out as 'Kim Jong-hyun,' which is an advantage."
Not only Kim Jong-hyun, but Aaron, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren are also working hard as solo artists. He said he often met members while on leave during his military service and that they talk a lot about each other's solo activities: "Yes. We all know each other's activities so we say things like, 'You did this recently,' 'You did that,' 'How was it?' 'It was like this,' 'It was like that.' It's like colleagues asking, 'How's your company? What do you do?' We do the same. We ask, 'How was that thing you filmed recently? Who did you do it with? Was it fun?'" He added that he tries to watch works featuring members when he can.
He explained, "When we meet we talk about personal things. We share information like, 'This is the trend these days,' or 'People do it this way now,' and we also have everyday conversations." Asked who knows trends best, he honestly replied, "Except for me. I don't know much, so the others seem to know about them equally well," drawing laughter. He said he tried the recent sensation Dubai jjondeuk cookie and commented, "It was too sweet for my taste. It was crispy but very sweet," joking, "Cooking is not my area. Even if I'm late to the trend, I'm surprisingly handy so I think I'd do well if I tried making it."
While serving his 'military hiatus,' Kim Jong-hyun quietly reached his 14th debut anniversary. Having celebrated the anniversary in the military, he said, "It didn't feel like much. I'm not the type to pay much attention to anniversaries. The military is a rank-based society. Of course I respected seniors, but just as I didn't pay much attention to what juniors did, getting older hasn't changed much."
He, who started trainee life as a teenager and is now in his 30s, reflected on his teenage self: "Cute. Handsome, young. Looking back at my rookie days I think, 'He worked hard,' 'He was admirable.' I was admirable when I was young. I was passionate and hardworking," and said that many things have changed now: "As I gained knowledge and experience I matured and learned to let go more than when I was younger. For example, if I used to keep something thinking, 'It's a pity, I might use it later,' now I think, 'This isn't it,' and can throw it away decisively. I think I've become better able to invest in other things."
During those 14 years Kim Jong-hyun went through many trials and tribulations. Asked what he thinks when recalling the long period of obscurity that turned into a reversal of fortune, he replied, "Because of those trials and tribulations I feel I'm living a good life now." He added, "I don't get shaken by trivial things as much. I wasn't someone who followed others, but I was shaken then. I was in a phase of being shaken and it was inevitable."
Kim Jong-hyun said, "When working I used to waver, thinking, 'Is this right? Is this wrong? Should I not do it this way?' Someone would look good and say one thing and another person would say something else and I would be shaken. Now, although I seek advice, I try to go in the direction I believe is right. No one's answers are absolute; things can go well or not. If it goes well it's my fault, and if it doesn't it's my fault. Thinking that way leaves no reason to hate someone, and I try to be that kind of person. That's why I don't get shaken now," conveying a firmer inner resolve.
When asked about his most memorable moments he said, "The toughest time was probably the second to third year after debut. Even when I made music or promoted, few noticed, so that period was the hardest. Of course there were fans who recognized me then and have supported me since, and I'm very grateful to them, but as someone who started with grander goals it was hard that many people didn't notice. But everyone goes through that," and recalled, "On the bright side, the times when things went well are most memorable. After Produce 101 ended and we saw a rebound, that period sticks in my memory. Our group activities had good results and direction then."
Having overcome many mountains and standing at a new starting point, Kim Jong-hyun was asked what he wants to show going forward. He said, "I don't think much will change. Compared to before I'll just show more of my true self. Musically it's one thing, but I will also work to show more as an actor," and added, "Right now my biggest goal is to establish myself as actor Kim Jong-hyun. I want to grow through more projects and better acting."
Finally, when asked what he wanted to say to fans Kim Jong-hyun said, "I'm so grateful for waiting the long 1 year and 6 months. If I could express this feeling I would shape it into words, but no word seems sufficient. I want my feelings to be conveyed in text, and I've thought of many words, but only 'thank you' comes to mind," expressing his love for fans.
He continued, "I'm really so grateful. I think the biggest reason I was able to endure the military and be discharged safely is the fans. Even when doing one thing I had the mindset of, 'Okay, let's do our best for the people waiting,' and that gave me strength. I want to show better sides going forward and create opportunities to meet more often so I can return the energy they gave me."
[photo] OSEN reporter Min Kyung-hoon
[OSEN]