Cross Gene's Shin Discusses His Early Life And Career During Exclusive Interview With KpopStarz Japan (Part 2)

Cross Gene leader Shin recently sat down with KpopStarz Japan for an exclusive interview ahead of his recent appearance on TV Asahi's 'Shuriken Sentai Ninninger.' 

For Part 1 of the interview, click HERE

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◆When you became a trainee, did your life change? 

SHIN:Yes it changed. I became a trainee when I was in the second grade of the high school. After the school, all my friends went to cramming schools but I went to a practice studio. It was fun at first. I felt like I was different from others and became something else. 

◆Did you start dancing after you became a trainee? 

SHIN:Yes. I wasn't interested in dancing until then but I was interested in singing. 

◆Where you interested in acting? 

SHIN:No, not at all. 

◆When did you start thinking about becoming a professional musician?

SHIN:When I was a high school student. I changed my mind and took the entrance exam for a college where I could study music, but I didn't pass (Laugh). 

◆When was the time you enjoyed the most "romantic attention" in your life? 

SHIN:Well, surprisingly, I am not popular among girls. Probably, I enjoyed the most romantic attention when I was in kindergarten to the first grade. 

◆Are there any experiences you can talk about in your love life that made you grow? 

SHIN:No, I don't have any experiences. (Laugh)

◆What is your favorite experience from your school life?

SHIN:I was in a mountain climbing club and a tea ceremony club, so my school club activities were little different from others. (Laugh) 

◆Which mountain did you climb? 

SHIN:I climbed almost all the famous mountains in Seoul in a year! 

◆What do you like about mountain climbing? 

SHIN:Nothing! (Laugh)

◆Really? So why were you in the club? (Laugh)

SHIN:I thought it could be fun and relaxing. 

◆But didn't you feel anything when you reached the top of a mountain? 

SHIN:No really. (Laugh) I didn't feel anything special. I don't think I learned much from the club activities. 

◆It must be really hard to climb mountain, right? Why didn't you quit the club? 

SHIN:My class teacher was also the adviser for the club so I thought if I quit the club, I would be in trouble (Laugh) 

◆How about tea ceremony club? 

SHIN:I wanted to start a club that I could enjoy in my spare time with out my class teacher telling me anything, so I made the tea ceremony club by myself. However after I started the club, my school hired a tea ceremony specialist from the tea ceremony association so my club became official and serious (Laugh)

◆That is an interesting story! 

SHIN:I made this tea ceremony club with about 10 of my friends but sadly the club doesn't exist anymore. 

◆You just wanted to just relax and enjoy, but it ended up very serious! 

SHIN:Yes.  I used to do like this (mimed a tea ceremony move).

◆Did you like tea ceremonies? 

SHIN:Not really! (Laugh) 

◆Have you ever had any part time jobs? 

SHIN:Handing out flyers. When I was a junior high school student, I had this part time job. 

◆What did you learn from the job experience? 

SHIN:I was very tired and I learned that it is hard to earn money. 

◆Since you used to handle out flyers, If you see other people handling out flyers on the street, are you nice and keep the flyer? 

SHIN:Yes, exactly! I can't just toss the flyer because I know that the person can't go home until he finishes handling out all the flyers. 

◆How did you feel when Cross Gene debuted?

SHIN:I felt great! I was a trainee for 4 to 5 years so I thought finally I could debut! 

◆When you were are a trainee, did you think about quitting ? 

SHIN:Only once, when many of my trainee friends quit all at once, I thought about it but I still had the Cross Gene members with me so I could continue going. 

◆How did you think about acting in a TV drama? 

SHIN:There are many things that are important, but I think my own experience is very important as well. I still don't have much experience, so I still have a lot to learn.  Since I don't have many experiences, I can't play cool characters. Because I'm a singer, I can play a singer's character without any problem, but it is hard to act as a character that I have never experienced. I have to have better imagination and more experiences, so I want to try many things. 

◆Do you like your voice? 

SHIN:I hate my voice!

◆You hate your voice?

SHIN:I wish my voice was sexier. I like a husky voice but my voice is clear so I don't like it.  

◆What was the happiest moment in your music carrier? 

SHIN:Live performances. All of them. I can't forget any of them. I can hear my fans cheering for me and they always give me power, so I think I'm a very happy person. 

◆What made you want to study Japanese so hard? 

SHIN:I don't have any special reason. I learned Japanese just like playing with it. 

◆But you have passed the Japanese language test. Did you study hard? 

SHIN:Well, the second level was easy for me. (Laugh) I passed it after I studied only a month. I received full scores in listening section but I hardly passed character section. 

◆What is your ideal image of a leader? 

SHIN:I think a leader is the person who always stands behind the other members. Leaders can be different in every group, but for me, as the leader of Cross Gene, I think I want to be a leader who can support the members and make them laugh when they are having a hard time instead of standing in front of them and ignoring their unique characters. I think it is important to support them from behind as a leader of Cross Gene. 

◆How did you feel when you heard you were cast in a Sentai drama? 

SHIN:Well, when I went to 12 cramming schools, I had a really hard time. But I did it anyway for my mother. About that time, I used to watch Sentai shows on TV in my free time so I have been a Sentai fan for long time. Before I decided to be a singer in Korea, I started collecting magazines and DVDs about Sentai in Japan. I am very thankful and it is my honor to be on a show that I have been a fan of. When I met the heroes at the filming location, I felt like I had become a kid again and I was very happy. 

◆Who is your favorite hero? 

SHIN:I like Nin Nin Jar the most now. I am his friend and a supporter! Oh and also, I have been singing the theme song for "Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger" since I was little, like "♪Shu Shu To Sanjou! (Here I come!)♪ When I told  Sang Min that I had been cast on Sental, he remembered I always sang this song and he sang "♪Shu Shu To Sanjou! (Here I come!)♪ (Laugh). So I said "why do you know this song?" and he said "because you always sing this song, it's stuck in my head too (Laugh). 

◆What is your favorite transformation pose? 

SHIN:At the filming location, the actor for Gaoreddo from "Hakujuu Sentai Gaoranger" showed me the transformation pose. It is my favorite!

◆What is your next goal in your career? 

SHIN:It has been about four years since I debuted in Korea and I have been through a lot. I still like to be in a spotlight. I want to be famous and I want everybody to know my name, but the most importantly, I want Cross Gene to be successful. 

◆Ok, here is the last question for you. Please tell us what kind of person SHIN really is?

SHIN:Ditto from Pokemon (*one who can transform and be flexible), I think it is a great answer (Laugh).

After the interview, Shin smiled and said, "I haven't spoken very much like this for long time!"

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Cross Gene will release a new song "Love & Peace" on October 7. 

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Cross Gene
Shin Won Ho
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