When I left Korea in early March, I wrote a blog entry comprised of lists: best debuts, best singles, least favorite entertainers, and favorite entertainers. For the latter list, I ended up ranking Key as #1. I included a quote from him from a 2009 issue of Dazed and Confused, where he stated, "I can't hide who I am. I can't say things I don't mean, say that I like things I hate, or hate things I like. And more than anything, I can't lie to myself." Those were some big words (not literally, just in terms of scope) for such a young, fairly inexperienced singer, so I took note of it and said that he would be one to keep an eye on in the future. I did wonder whether his refreshing take on stardom and the kpop industry was the actual truth or something he just said in the moment to make himself appear more mature.
It's been months since that interview and Shinee has remained a popular fixture in the Korean music industry. They've gone from cutesy boys in jeans and t-shirts who casually stalk their older female friend to leather pants-wearing, slick-hair styled, winged (YES, I SAID "WINGED") pop stars. At first, it seemed like SM was priming Shinee to be the next DBSK for the younger generation. All the cards were in place--cute, sweet leader; adorable dancer; hot vocalist; modelesque" rapper; extra pretty boy.
I call Key the "extra pretty boy" because that's what he seemed like at first. He had a decent voice but lacked leading vocal chops. He was an okay rapper but Minho clearly had put his stamp on that role. He wasn't innocent enough to be the cute one and he wasn't hot enough to be the hot one. He was pretty and a little strange, doing everything better than average but not standing out at anything.
Eventually, when he started being more open about his flamboyant nature, it appeared to be one of those amusing but clearly very staged kpop personas. He didn't seem any different than Jokwon or Heechul in that respect. But the more he went on these shows and showed this diva-esque nature of his, the more I started to really get the feeling that this wasn't a persona at all--it was his actual personality.
It's been intriguing to watch his growth through interactions in the music industry, and this latest controversy is another eyebrow-raiser. In case you missed it, the boys of Shinee were interviewed for the most recent issue of GQ Magazine (Korea) and each answered about a dozen questions individually. Scanning through the other members' pages, there were a few, "hmm, interesting" or "okay, cool" moments.
Then I got to Key's Q&A session. My eyebrows disappeared beneath my bangs.
Maybe there is something about this kid that provokes the interviewers into asking more intense questions. Or maybe the interviewers now know that Key of Shinee has an infamously loose mouth and is willing to spill on topics that are usually glossed over with the usual white lies or embellished pleasantry. Whatever the case, I'm really surprised that SM even allowed parts of this interview to be published.
The issue that has all the Kpop world atwitter (in both the original and technological sense) is where he discusses his working relationships. One of the most common questions from interviewers to anyone in a multi-member group is, "how close are you with the other members?" The usual answers: "We're like sisters/brothers. I can't imagine my life without them. I love them like family", "We each have something invaluable to the group. Together, we make our group what it is. Without each other, we're not as strong", and the like. That's why it's so heartbreaking for Kpop fans to witness the sometimes nasty endings of their favorite groups (ex: Fly to the Sky, HOT, DBSK...oh, hey there, SM!).
So instead of giving a typically sweet, "awwww! That's so cute!" response, Key took the road definitely less traveled. "They are not family and they are not my closest friends. There’s no way I could explain them. “Member” is the best word for them. . . .If we become too close like family, I feel like there will be a problem. You will begin to think about your relationship instead of the person. We only meet for work so the "we have only a work relationship" is the best description. I’m not being cool and distant."
Really, my face looked like this: O_O Except bigger. And more ridiculous.
Key's statements have no doubt landed him in a lot of trouble with the fans, who have already started complaining that he was in a "b*tchy mood" or that he is always the most selfish. Others have tried to gloss over his bluntness, assuring other fans that he surely didn't mean for it to come out that harsh and that he definitely still loves the other members. And still others, like myself, have given him a pause, nod, and a surprised, "Hmm, kudos to you, Key."
I like Shinee. Really, I do. I think they're cute, talented, and amusing to watch on variety shows. Did I assume they were all bff's? Yeah, I probably did. After being around four other people so often and after going through so much with them, you'd assume that you'd form your own little family. So it was a little disappointing to read that things are not as hunky-dory in Shineeland as we had previously thought. It's not to say that I think there is any weird drama going on--they clearly get along. We just shouldn't be expecting them to all retire to the country together when they're old and wrinkly and can't do the Ring Ding Dong dance anymore.
So what are the consequences of such statements? You anger some fans. You cause doubt in others. And, in a larger scope, you cause anyone who read your comments--fans of yours or not--to start questioning their own favorite group. Do Key's statements represent a very singular, unique view in the eyes of the entertainment world, or are they more common than we think? Either way, his interview has opened a whole box of uncomfortable questions that fans usually avoid asking themselves.
So what do you guys think? Is Key:
a) desperately seeking attention?
b) just in a bad mood?
c) honest and mean?
d) honest and honest?
P.S. When I first read the article in GQ, I was in the same room as Dean.
Me: Oh, SNAP! Guess what Key just said!
Dean: "Hello, everyone in Korea? Yeah, you're all fat."
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cre:newsn
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