Epik High exclusive interview with KpopStarz Japan Part 4 (Final).

Continued from Part 3 - Check out Part 1 and Part 2

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◆And this time's album was released on December 24, Christmas Eve! Do you have any good memory of Christmas?

TABLO：Memories... I have many. When I was in twenties, I dated one woman on Christmas Eve... hahaha.

DJ TUKUTZ＆MITHRA：(Laughs looking at TABLO with an expression of "Huh!? That kind of story?")

TABLO：Well... haha...

◆Nice~ those stories are fine too. (Laughter)

TABLO： We ate pasta together. Afterwards, there is no sign that she would take out her wallet. Of course I was determined to pay for it from the beginning. But when the woman thought of it as granted, looking at that, I thought, "I need to earn money well!" (Laughter) And this time, if we hold a live concert on Christmas, I can now buy pasta for all those who come to the concert!

DJ TUKUTZ：For me, when Christmas approaches, my heart is painful and tears well up.

◆Why?

DJ TUKUTZ：Because I come to recollect when I was little. We were very poor, and I didn't have money to go out, let alone go for a date. Seriously. One Christmas, someone gave me a CD as a gift. I remember I was really happy and thankful for that. So everyone, please buy a CD and give it to someone on Christmas.

MITHRA: As for my memories for Christmas... when we were popular, we always had a performance on December 24. I was wondering if there is anything this year, and our album is released. We are watching the results in Korea.

TABLO：So this album is a gift to ourselves as much as it is a gift to fans.

◆Then about the album, please PR something that "we want to convey at least this point!"

TABLO：If you listen to the songs in this album from the first to the last without skipping anything, I believe you will feel like you are watching one movie. In one person's life, there are ups and downs, happy times, difficult times - you can feel all of that, and feel at the end that life is still beautiful. It is that kind of album.

◆By the way, TABLO, you were also a member in the judges to decide YG's next artist iKON's members. How did you feel?

TABLO：I didn't become a judge by my own request, but CEO Yang seems to have considered me someone who can see the talents, so I accepted the request.

iKON's B.I and BOBBY are doing HIP HOP, so I think that's why they were entrusted to me. The CEO seems to have acknowledged EPIK HIGH as producers.

◆As a producer, how do you view your juniors who want to do HIP HOP?

TABLO：I feel like I am looking at ourselves from some years ago. Generally producers or school teachers would give an image that they are not currently at work but those who have worked previously, but we are actively working now, and have experiences as seniors in HIP HOP. So more than the image as teachers, it is fun to work together as "buddies" or "co-workers."

◆Lastly, please share your resolution for your works in Japan and a message to fans.

TABLO：Honestly... we want to have a great hit. When we hold a concert in Japan, just like our concerts in Korea, I wish 90% of the audience would be the popular models. (Laughter) We would also want to be on stage for fashion shows.

◆How about male fans...? (Laughter)

TABLO：For male fans, just like we used to be, they can just buy our albums and listen to them!

All members: (Burst into laughter)

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[Text: Kiyori Matsumoto / Photo: Akiya Uchida]