The members of TOP Media's boy band 100% kicked off the new year in Japan with their 2015 HAPPY NEW YEAR LIVE event held in Shibuya, Tokyo on January 10.

Just as with label mates TEEN TOP, the group rose to fame under the tutelage of Shinhwa’s youngest member Andy Lee. 100% debuted in September, 2012, with mini album WE, 100% and have enraptured fans with their energetic performances ever since. In July 2014, they released “U Beauty” and showed off a fresh, new side of themselves.

After their New Year's performance in Tokyo, the 100% members had an opportunity to sit down with KpopStarz Japan to give fans the inside look at what's in store for 2015.

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◆Firstly, great job at the concert! We saw the first performance and the structure was great. Please explain the structure of this live concert.

ROCKHYUN：This time, our live concert was structured with four seasons with the theme of four seasons. Among the concerts we have held in Japan so far, we came here twice last year. So we wanted to show something new this time. The song choices were also considered in that way. The best is for everyone to enjoy it, and we thought it would be good to have a theme. So we thought about performing 100%’s songs, dividing up into four seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter. That’s how this “HAPPY NEW YEAR LIVE” came into being.

◆Did you discuss among five people and decide?

ROCKHYUN：Yes, five of us discussed to decide the theme and the songs.

◆This time, you put much effort in your dance performances. How did you come up with the structure?

CHANGBUM： We have done many performances in Japan, but those who come often really do come all the time. So we wanted to show something different, something new. After searching for what we can do, we realized that we had never had pure dance performance. So we decided to prepare a performance with just dance this time. So two of us danced, and then three, and included a battle-like flow. In the end both sides accepted each other and five of us danced together. That’s the story we prepared.

◆You also got down from the stage into the audience.

HYUKJIN：For that, we didn’t especially plan to get down.
JONGHWAN：It was just too fun, so we ended up there.
CHANGBUM：We wanted to meet fans.

◆I see! It was not discussed beforehand.

CHANYONG：No, it wasn’t.
JONGHWAN：It was very fun.
ROCKHYUN： Around twice or three times? We went down.

◆This time, it was focused on live and had many fulfilling contents.

CHANYONG：(In Japanese) Thank you.

◆Questions on the live concert will end here. Next question, these days there are many family concernts in Japan, but what kind of family is your agency TOP MEDIA?

HYUKJIN：Our agency is full of men, from trainees to artists. There are around 12 trainees but they are all men. There are TEENTOP and boy groups like ours, so I think it’s viewed as somewhat masculine…
JONGHWAN：It’s masculine.
CHANGBUM：It’s masculine. It’s like the army. (Laughter)
JONGHWAN：Around 40 people are all men.
CHANYONG：I would like to receive much support from women.
All: (Laughter)
CHANYONG：That’s the honest heart.
CHANGBUM：We are all like brothers. We are good friends, like siblings, and spend time a real family.
HYUKJIN：From now on I’d like to spend like a brother and a sister.
All: (Laughter)

◆Please introduce each other’s voice and RAP, starting from CHANGBUM

CHANGBUM：Maybe I should close my ears (Laughter)
JONGHWAN：CHANGBUM is a rapper. So he is good at sharp rap. The kind that goes dadadada!
HYUKJIN：Very rhythmic.
CHANGBUM：(In Japanese) Thank you (Laughter)
CHANYONG：And he is good at dance. (In Japanese) Until here
All: (Laughter)
All: (Laughter)

◆Next, about CHANYONG.

CHANGBUM：CHANYONG is different from me. If I am a high-tone rapper, then he has a low-tone one. He is good at moody, cool rap. (In Japanese) Until here.
All: (Laughter)
CHANGBUM：I’m just kidding. (Laughter) And he is better at vocal than I thought. I am also like that. in our group, rappers are not so bad at vocals. But CHANYONG is better than me at emotional expressions.

◆Next about ROCKHYUN.

CHANYONG：Since ROCKHYUN is the main vocal, so he is good at singing. (In Japanese) Until here.
All: (Roar of Laughter)
ROCKHYUN：(（Bitter smile）
CHANGBUM：ROCKHYUN’s voice is very attractive, and makes others fall in love. So-called “heavenly voice.”
JONGHWAN：ROCKHYUN is also good at emotional expressions like CHANYONG.
CHANGBUM：And his volume is great.
HYUKJIN：He is the main vocal, but also he is good at dancing.
JONGHWAN：He has been a trainee for the longest time.
ROCKHYUN：(Applaud with smile)
CHANGBUM：He’s the best.

◆Next HYUKJIN

CHANYONG：The tone of his voice is the best.
ROCKHYUN：Great at high note.
JONGHWAN：His role is to hit the high note.
ROCKHYUN：Even though he is a man, his voice is very sensitive. That seems to be his greatest strength.
CHANGBUM：His voice is sensitive, and his vocal is very charming and attracts people.
CHANGYON：But that’s only until teen.
All: (Roar of Laughter)
CHANGBUM: Puberty is over (Laughter)

◆Lastly, about JONGHWAN

CHANGBUM：JONGHWAN is vocal. That’s it.
All: (Laughter)
JONGHWAN：(Bitter smile）
CHANGBUM：JONGHWAN has his greatest strength in the mid- or low key, something that OCKHYUN or HYUKJIN cannot express. Most parts of our songs are dominated by JOHNHWAN’s voice.
ROCKHYUN：His voice is very sweet.
CHANGBUM：Yes, sweet.
ROCKHYUN：Very sweet. I think it’s a voice that women would love.
CHANYONG：He also plays the guitar, and his voice and the sound of the guitar match so well.
CHANGBUM：So when he wants to tempt women, he uses guitar and singing.
JONGHWAN：That’s a joke! (Laughter)

◆Lastly, please share your goals in 2015.

CHANGBUM：We 100%’s 2015 goal is to show up to the public more. We want to appear on TV so much, to the extent where we have no time to rest. Each member’s individual activities, or our activities as a group. Also our work in Japan. In Tokyo, and places outside Tokyo, we want to hold solo concerts with full house. We also want to be the greatest star, who could go around not just Japan, but in Korea, and Asia, or the whole world.
HYUKJIN：Within 2015?
CHANGBUM：Yes, within a year.
JONGHWAN：That’s so tight!
ROCKHYUN：Really there is no time to rest!
HYUKJIN：We need to clear each place each month!
CHANGBUM：Right. We cannot rest.

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(text：Kyuyon Kim / photo：Mao Ishikawa / direction：Kiyori Matsumoto）