My Name is Jung Yong Hwa

10 Asia had a “My Name is” segment on the new YB sensation, Jung Yong Hwa. He talked about his audition, his costars, and band mates.  Below is the interview.

My name is Jung Yong Hwa 鄭容和, meaning “harmonious face”. It was given to me with philosophical ideas in mind. Born on June 22, 1989 in Seoul, Yeoksamdong. I moved to Pusan when I was 2 and lived there through high school, so I think of myself as a Pusan person. Along with my parents, I have a brother 4 years older than me. We all are a cautious A blood type. Like Kang Shin Woo, I tried to correct my sa-too-ri [accent] after moving up to Seoul. When my Pusan friends watched the first episode, they called and said, “Oh. You can use normal language.” Haha.

I auditioned to the scene with the line, “Come sit here and drink this warm tea.” [said to Mi Nam] Honestly, I didn’t act very well. I think the director thought well of me because I played the guitar and was in a band. I even sang our title track “Now or Never” from our Japan album, while playing the guitar.

Because this was my first time acting, the Hong sisters must have been nervous. They would call me over alone to explain the character to me in depth. They would tell me to think about how to play Kang Shin Woo without being too slick or suave. So I tried hard, but I think a little of that came out. The scene where he hugs Mi Nam and yells, “This is my woman!” was a little slick, but I was rather refreshed. Every time I received a script, I would wonder when the confession would come. When it seemed like it was finally happening, I was extremely satisfied to see it.

Because Shin Hye (Go Mi Nam) was born early in 1990, we became friends. I received a lot of help from her because we had a lot of scenes together. Since she was usually in men’s clothes, I would say “Oh, you’re a woman today,” whenever she was dressed like a girl. I had a lot of worries about Geun Suk hyung (Hwang Tae Kyung). Worried that he would be scary. Haha. But he was a good hyung, and let us go when we needed it and held us back when we needed it. I’ve been close with Hong Ki (Jeremy) because we’re with the same agency. Awhile ago, there was a photo with Hong Ki asleep on my knee. It was natural since we’re close and were tired. And we always had a long time to wait.

The pre-debut picture of me at the ski lodge is one with my family and friends. I didn’t expect it to be all over the internet, but thankfully it’s a pretty good picture. The “frivolous Jung Yong Hwa” video that’s on the internet was taken when I was sophomore in HS at a class trip in Jeju Island. Even though I pretended not to like it, I was just goofing around and giving them a chance to take the video. I like the fact that it allows people to see the real Jung Yong Hwa, and not just the character Kang Shin Woo.

The new show “Hunters” isn’t about going to capture a wild boar, but to see the impact that they’re having on our farmers. I’m looking forward to seeing what things are really like, and fully expect the shoot to be difficult.

Our band name C.N. blue stands for Code Name Blue. It came about with everyone in our agency making huge bets. Our goal is to try to be the best in Asia, and to bring something different to the Korean music scene. I’m the oldest in the band. Jong Hyun, who’s on vocal and guitar with me has a manly and a innocent side to him. The drummer, Min Hyuk, is the youngest and has a baby face but an immaculate personality and does most of the cleaning. But that doesn’t mean we make him clean. Haha. Our new bassist, Jung Shin, is the same age as Min Hyuk but does a good job of taking care of the members. Most of all, they all love music.

The members all have been watching the drama and sending me encouragement. When I went to Japan recently, they tried to all carry my equipment, telling me that I’ve been working hard. Haha. It’s pretty easy for me since all I have is a guitar and a kit. The drums have a lot of part and are heavy to carry, but they still tried to carry my stuff. I was touched.

Music isn’t one sided. Our band likes Bon Jovi‘s refreshing style, enjoy The Calling‘s voice more than Placebo, and have interest in R&B and hip hop as well. We even try to follow along with rap. Dance? I want to be good but it’s difficult. It’s probably the most difficult for me.

Via 10Asia