In their interview with KpopStarz, TVXQ's Yunho and Changmin fondly reminisced about the road they took to get to where they are.  Close to their heart are the memories of their Japan debut, the challenges they overcame, and the lessons they have learned along the way.  They are one of the few idols who seem to have been chosen to try their luck in the Japan market at the height of their success in Korea.  When one first gets to know this fact, the reality they faced then seemed cruel.  However, that humbling experience is something they cherish.

Yunho shares, "When we first debuted in Japan, we were receiving a great deal of love in Korea. At first, it was very difficult for us in Japan. We went to a country, whose culture we have never experienced. It was a big challenge for us to learn their culture and work hard to show our uniqueness. The language was a large obstacle we had to overcome, but we never gave up. We thought of the people that love us and we genuinely worked hard, which resulted in the TVXQ of today. The fact that we received a great deal of love in Korea and had to start all over again in Japan, gave us a mindset of working hard. Due to that, TVXQ doesn't know how to give up." 

Surely they didn't give up, and the tenacity they had paid off in the end, as they made it to the top of the elite Oricon chart.  That success does not distract them though, as Changmin admits that in such "a place where no one recognized us, we were able to be humbled and return to days when we first started."  He thinks the experience opened their eyes and mind to the world.  More importantly, it was an experience that gave them an "opportunity where we were able to develop our individual skills" and allows them to see that "The world is larger than we think".

Still recently though, at the height of the issues thrown at them by circumstances, they hold certain memories important.  For Yunho, being able to stand on stage again at the Tokyo Dome is something he would cherish for a long time.  And the reason for that is "There were many people waiting for us and thinking of us, and it moved me, and made me cry for the first time."  Seeing those people who stood beside them even when the times got rough makes TVXQ's leader more firm saying, "If I were to go back in time, there is nothing I would do differently. Those were the decisions I made, and every moment I worked hard, so there are no regrets". 

Having stood on stage, also recently, at the Madison Square Garden, TVXQ is made to taste a tiny piece of a new dream - to make it to the US.  Perhaps by now experts on charting unknown territories, Yunho views the US market as authentic. "If there is a good opportunity for us to debut in the U.S., I want to do it. If we were to debut in the U.S., we would have to learn the language and customs. We want to send out greetings with our style."  Having seen how they have maintained their cool image, humble demeanor, Yunho and Changmin definitely have the raw material it takes to succeed in any market - given the right break someday.

Read the full transcript of their interview here.

Source: TVXQ, with permission from SM Entertainment | Interview Q&A Contributor and Translator: KpopStarz Team | Article Writer: Dorothy Advincula