Takuya shared behind-the-scenes stories about his activities in Korea.
Recently, Takuya met with OSEN for an interview at his agency Different Company's headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in the morning.
Takuya was born in 1992 and is from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. His birth name is Terada Takuya. He debuted as an idol in Korea's entertainment industry in 2012, and from 2014 he appeared as Japan's representative on Non-Summit, receiving great love from viewers.
Afterward, continuing steady popularity with Tokpawon 25, he has been actively pursuing acting, appearing in the short film Grandpa Ichiban, the independent film Dokchin, and The Daechi Scandal alongside Ahn So-hee. In particular, he recently joined KBS2's variety show Mr. House Husband (hereafter "Mr. House Husband"), his first observational variety show, meeting a broader public.
Asked about joining Mr. House Husband 2, Takuya began, "Isn't it an observational variety show? In that regard, I naturally felt some burden. But I thought I could show parts of myself I hadn't been able to show through this show, and that gave me a lot of courage." He continued, "Actually, because of the nature of the program, it's a show where family is revealed. But in Japan, family rarely appears together on variety shows. So while I feel a burden, my family probably felt even more burdened than I did. Although we already filmed, I feel deep gratitude and apology to my family," he said sincerely.
He also said sincerely, "Before filming (Mr. House Husband 2), I asked my family if they could appear together, and my mother said, 'If it helps you, let's do it,' and willingly joined. I feel grateful for that."
He also spoke about changed reactions and perceived popularity after appearing on Mr. House Husband 2. He said, "Those who have known me for a long time know what kind of person I am, but I originally didn't use social media and rarely checked comments. But these days I can check reactions more easily, and because I run a personal YouTube channel, I do check comments."
He added, "Lately people have been recognizing me. Maybe it's the generation of mothers. Reactions in everyday life have definitely changed. At restaurants, the aunties even give me extra service. I've also received messages from people around me. Celebrity friends and friends in Japan said they couldn't see me on TV but watched me on YouTube." He added, "Beyond YouTube, some people have come to know me anew through variety activities, and as the fan base's age range broadened a bit, many send messages saying I may not be their son but that I'm a young man living a real life facing reality."
He also shared behind-the-scenes stories about Non-Summit, the show that made him most widely known in Korea. He recalled, "That was my first variety show. The format was a debate, and because my Korean was worse then, it was a show I worked very hard on."
He added with a laugh, "At that time there were more foreign cast members than on Tokpawon, and above all the members talked a lot—they were chatterboxes." He recalled, "In that environment, for me to mention something or take a position required a lot of effort. Because it was a debate program, there was a lot to prepare in advance besides interviews. When deep topics came up I had to search and learn, and I think it helped me grow."
Takuya also expressed special affection for Non-Summit and its members at the time. He said, "At the same time, I was close with the members. Non-Summit has special meaning for me. The connections from then continue now on Tokpawon, not just among members but with staff as well; it's been more than 10 years. Also, Tokpawon has been four years. Because I've known the members for so long, filming Tokpawon doesn't feel much like work."
Asked which member came to mind most, he said, "If I had to pick one, it would be Hyunmoo hyung. From the time of Non-Summit, Hyunmoo hyung took care of me, not overtly but he did. He kept in touch, we've met privately, he bought me meals and took good care of me. We still film together, and we keep in contact and meet sometimes," he said, sharing the kind story.
Having been active in Korea's entertainment industry for 15 years, he said, "At first when I came over I didn't know Korean at all. I only knew greetings like 'hello' and 'thank you.' I took training and classes and studied on my own. That's how I started Korean. I took classes for about a year. After that, as I worked and met acquaintances, it became natural. In the past when I spoke Korean I'd think in Japanese first, but these days I think in Korean immediately," he said, describing his changed daily life.
So what drove him to endure so long in Korea's entertainment industry? Takuya said, "When I watch content from certain media, I like characters who grow. I'm in the midst of the process in my own activities and sometimes think about my growth. Honestly, Korea no longer feels like a foreign place to me. I think of Korea as a second hometown. I continue because I dream of growing here."
There was also talk about Takuya as an actor. Asked about difficulties acting in Korean, he admitted, "Normally, people around me praise my Korean, saying I speak well. But when acting and portraying a Korean character, it's hard to be perfect, so I always worry about that."
He continued, "I pay attention to pronunciation when talking with close acquaintances. I read books and work on expanding my vocabulary. Honestly, acting in Japanese would be easier, but there are many friends who act and work like me. I think, 'If not me, who will do Korean-language acting?' So I keep challenging myself," he said.
Takuya also said that acting as someone who cannot speak Korean was even more difficult. Referring to The Daechi Scandal, he laughed, "My character in the drama was a Zainichi Korean exchange student who had to be unable to speak Korean. I've always tried to speak Korean well, so I'd never tried to speak poorly. The director said, 'It would be better if you were less good at Korean,' and that was hard in a different way. I learned by talking with Japanese friends who played characters who couldn't speak Korean."
Ahead of filming his next work, Takuya spoke about the kinds of roles he wants in the future: "Reading comments, many say 'romance would suit him.' But I'm now 35. Of course I would do romance, but if there's a character I want, I tend to prefer the opposite. I want to try action and noir genres, and if we go to extremes, I'd like to try a yakuza-type image. Recently I practiced action for audition preparation. I'm good at being hit," he joked, adding, "But what fans want to see is probably a pretty image. If the opportunity arises..." he added with a laugh.
A former idol, Takuya is still recognized for outstanding vocal ability. Asked about his feelings on the label 'singer,' he said, "On broadcasts the title 'former singer Takuya' follows me, but I don't have plans as a singer. Ironically, after leaving the idol group I got opportunities to sing on broadcasts. Recently I sang on shows, and even though I don't have plans as a singer, the support and responses to my onstage appearances make me think I should open my mind to singing little by little. Not only as a singer, there might be opportunities to show myself on stage."
Takuya debuted as a writer earlier this year with the calligraphy book Pieces of Kindness. Regarding this, he said, "I've always wanted to publish a book. In the calligraphy book I included small everyday emotions and phrases like 'small but certain happiness,' hoping readers would share emotions with me through copying them. I enjoyed finishing this book. Going forward, whether essays or books, I'd like to publish in Korean. I'm uploading essays on my YouTube videos now, and maybe those could become books later."
He also said, "I'm not afraid of challenges. Coming to Korea itself was a big decision and a challenge. I like trying various things and I continue diverse activities now. I've acted so far but don't think I've firmly established myself as an actor. I feel I'm still in the process—challenging and growing. I'm continuing to audition. Later, I hope to be an actor remembered by the public for a long time with a version of myself that has grown."
He even hinted at a positive possibility of holding a fan meeting, saying, "So far as a broadcaster—variety shows and YouTube—I've been active in various ways. Ultimately, the image I want to remain in people's minds is that of an actor. I have a next project and continue to challenge myself. I will keep challenging until the day I can present myself as 'actor Takuya.'"
[Photo] OSEN DB
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