One day before the big festival, members representing M.I.B, CNBLUE, SHINee, INFINITE and the singer Ailee met the press to talk about their expectations and the first time in Brazil for most of them.
The Press Conference took place on June 6th, the day before the Music Bank in Brazil concert in HSBC Arena. M.I.B’s KangNam and 5Zic, CNBLUE’s MinHyuk and JongHyun, Key and JongHyun from SHINee, INFINITE’s DongWoo and SungKyu, and Ailee were present at the event. Unfortunately, the event did not have any members from B.A.P and MBLAQ since they would only arrive in Brazil after the conference due to their busy schedules.
The event was conducted in a relaxed way by KBS’ anchor, Jeong JiWon, using the questions sent previously by the press. Some fans, chose in the organization’s fan raffle, were also allowed to attend the event.
The host started by thanking the artists for travelling so far away to disclose about the K-POP and the World Cup, wishing that more artists could come and meet with the Brazilian audience.
The first question is to SHINee. This is your first time in Brazil. How is it?
JongHyun: Yes, this is my first time in Brazil and I think the landscape is pretty beautiful. This make us forget about the fatigue and I am really, really looking forward for tomorrow’s concert.
Now the question is to Key. Did you prepare any special performance?
Key: We toured around South America but did not come to Brazil. So we prepared a very special performance to interact with the Brazilian fans.
Any more tips?
Key: Ahhhh... Hmmm... It has something to do with interacting with the audience and with some collaborations.
We will look forward to it! Now to CNBLUE. Many of them are asking about your plans for this year, do you intend to come and perform in Brazil?
JongHyun: We are promoting our new album and we are in a tour. Now we are preparing a solo show for Brazil.
MinHyuk, did you know you had so many Brazilian fans?
MinHyuk: We already passed through many countries in Latin America but we did not had the opportunity to play in Brazil. I hope that, seeing all this energy from Brazilian fans, we can prepare a show.
Can we expect a special performance tomorrow?
MinHyuk: Yes, we will have a special performance. YongHwa will be a host tomorrow, so I believe this will be a great opportunity and a good memory also.
We will wait for CNBLUE’s then, and for YongHwa as a host. Now to INFINITE, we got to know that SungKyu prepared a special performance.
SungKyu: Yes, I am preparing a very special performance. In fact, I prepared a Brazilian song to perform tomorrow and I got praises for my pronunciation saying it is really good. (laughs and clapping from the attendees)
Have you already heard some Brazilian words?
DongWoo: I heard him singing and I did not know if his pronunciation was really good but the moment I listened the Brazilian speaking, I realise it was indeed very good. (laughs)
INFINITE is well known by its choreographies. How did you learn the new ones?
DongWoo: We have to put aside all the bad thoughts, like “I’m bad at dancing”. The choreographies express a lot of love, so with love we can learn.
JongHyun (SHINee), what did you think about this answer?
JongHyun: Listening to this I am rethinking about my career. I think I will debut again. (laughs)
Let’s wait for an excellent performance from INFINITE. M.I.B has been here for a week already and did some sightseeing. Which places did you like the most?
KangNam: We hang out in many beaches, went shopping, but what I liked the most were the BEAUTIFUL women. Muito bonitas! Te amo! (laughs)
Here KangNam speaks a little bit in Portuguese, saying “very beautiful” (muito bonitas) and “I love you” (Te amo). Also, when he said “BEAUTIFUL”, he actually used the word “bonita” in the press conference.
Comparing to Korean women, what the Brazilian women has as the most beautiful thing?
KangNam: Han??
(5Zic explains the question to KangNam)
KangNam: Ahhhhhhh! Girls in bikinis! (English) (laughs and clapping) Te amo! (laughs)
What do you expect from tomorrow’s show?
5Zic: I am really nervous and anxious about tomorrow’s show; by the fans energy, I believe it will be a great show.
You had interviews with many Brazilian medias and today you will appear in a famous News. How do you feel about it?
5Zic: We stayed pretty much at the hotel, so we could not really feel our popularity. However, we are glad about it.
Now let’s talk with the long anticipated Ailee. (claps)
Ailee: Olá! (hello, in Portuguese)
This is your second time in Brazil. Are you preparing any solo show here?
Ailee: I was really thrilled the first time I came, together with Kim Hyun Joong and BaeChiGi, and I really wished to comeback so I am really happy. About the solo show, this is something I did not even achieved in Korea yet, so I do not know if I would gather fans enough. Maybe it would work in Brazil?
(fans and some people at the press exclaimed it would work)
Ailee: Thanks! (clapping)
Many people call you the “Princess of K-POP”. Why do you think they call you that?
Ailee: In fact, I do not know. However, I believe is because I am one of the few solo artists in Korea. I think maybe when they release more solo female artists I would become queen? (laughs)
This is the 7th international Music Bank and some of you already took part in the festival, some don’t. How are you feeling about this? Can JongHyun from SHINee start answering?
JongHyun: The biggest advantage of Music Bank is being able to give music an even bigger meaning and being able to perform alongside many other artists.
And you, Key. What do you think?
Key: Another advantage is that in a show that is exclusively ours is hard to gather fans from all over the world. However, in Music Bank it is possible and it motivate us to work even harder.
JongHyun (CNBLUE), it must be funny for you to meet JongHyun from SHINee here. Do you have anything funny to tell us about you two?
JongHyun: We are very good friends. On April 1st (April’s Fool), JongHyun changed our names in one of that fan websites; a lot of people got confused (laughs)
What do you think about the Music Bank, MinHyuk?
MinHyuk: I am really grateful because this is a great opportunity to disclose even more about K-POP. I hope next time we can come to Brazil with a solo show.
SungKyu, you have learnt some words in Portuguese for the show here in Brazil and we know you are fond of the country. Can you tell us more about it?
SungKyu: To learn a new language, in this case Portuguese, is one of the positive sides of Music Bank, besides interacting with the fans and other artists.
What about you, DongWoo?
DongWoo: We thank the fans for always giving us their love and support. Moreover, to be able to contact them closely is one more advantage of Music Bank.
In Korea, most of M.I.B’s fan are women but here in Brazil it seems the quantity of men and women as your fans are the same. What do you think about it?
5Zic: Really... I think that independent of the gender, everybody likes us and I was surprised about that.
What do you think about it, KangNam?
(5Zic and KangNam discuss a little bit)
KangNam: I was really happy to see that even our male fans screamed our name. Yes... The women are really bonita (laughs) Te amo! (in Portuguese)
M.I.B got here before us. Did you get used to the Eastern time already?
KangNam: No, I am still sleepy (laughs) Te amo! (in Portuguese)
Ailee, can we look forward to a special performance from you tomorrow?
Ailee: All my performances special, aren’t they? (laughs and clapping from the audience) I am joking! I also prepared a Brazilian song to you. I hope you have fun with me!
We are finishing. Is there anything else you want to say?
JongHyun (SHINee): I am really sad this conference is ending so quickly but I hope to see you at the show tomorrow. You will have fun! (clapping)
KoME would like to thank Mix JukeBox, KBS and NoiX for making our presence in the Press Conference and the show possible.