“I don’t know till when we are able to release albums but for as long as we are able to, we will do it well. If I get opportunities to carry out personal activities, I would like to try acting and I would also like to do something in the fashion line.”
Be it as GOT7 or as Mark, he is going through his most intense and glorious era.
The day and night of the beautiful creator.
For the shoot Mark, who came out from (the image of) GOT7, looked a little different. He wore skinny pants with a sleek buckles and a suede jacket with ethnic-patterned trims. Excluding the jacket, you don’t see the edges of the silhouette and if one was to describe it in a colour, it would be similar to pure black. The defiant (looking) attire was the best combination with his pale face made by the cold air of February. Right as he walked into the shoot venue, we were talking about Hedi Slimane’s favourite band, ‘The Garden’. Seeing Mark’s silhouette, which overlapped with the twin brothers, made us rub our eyes.
Not too long ago, Mark returned after wrapping up GOT7’s Japan tour. GOT7 overseas tours have solidified itself as the representative shows that would be able to make you feel K-POP vividly. The Tokyo Budokan and Kobe Memorial Hall venues saw ten of thousand of fans fill it up fully. The stages that described the journey of GOT7 meeting their fans through different roads flowing through the seasons seems like GOT7’s biography. For this concert, Mark obtained many ideas from ‘modern dance’. The stage that is able to express the human body in the most beautiful way. “I want people to feel refreshed when watching our stages. I made use of modern dance’s pretty and beautiful moves.”
All this time, Mark has been in-charge of GOT7’s ‘peak’ spots on stage, like firecrackers exploding. Early in the debut days, he who was immersed in martial arts tricking, defied gravity and turned and turned again on stage. Mark has always been under the spotlight. Knowing the fact that he had no prior knowledge of b-boying or dance prowess and only achieved all of that through sheer training during his trainee period, makes his capabilities look even more special. If Spider-Man has an ability to shoot out spider-webs, Mark has the ability to fly in the air.
Mark is also a rapper who has a wonderful voice. His rap contains narrative of his honest inner self. “I like that rapping allows us to talk about our stories comfortably. You also get to be free on stage. I’ve been liking raps with melodies lately. Rap in which you can hear the lyrics clearly. I really like hip-hop. I also like emotional R&B. That is why I divided them into two playlists: extremely sentimental R&B songs and hip-hop songs; I choose between them and listen to it from time to time. I like Ariana Grande and Post Malone. If I get to do solo promotions someday, I’d like to try sentimental hip-hop, like that of Swae Lee’s and Post Malone’s ‘Sunflower’.”
He participated in the writing and composing of songs in the last album. The results of that are ‘Higher’, ‘Think About It’ and ‘OMW’. “I worried a lot before the release (of the songs). I was shaking and nervous but when it was released and the fans liked it, I was really proud.” His perfectionism plays a role in making sure that the final product has a high quality. “To be honest, I always think that I’m lacking so I can’t compose much. And I also take a really long time to write lyrics. When writing lyrics, I write about myself a lot. There are people who like us idols and there are people who hate us. But I wanted to write on how (I) don’t pay attention to things like hate comments. I want to write lyrics in Korean. I too, would like to write it like a poem, using expressions which are flowery and mixed with analogies but it’s hard (laughs).” Born in United States and writing Korean lyrics in Korea, due to his cosmopolitan life, Mark’s lyrics sound honest. He also has interest in vocals. “Although I can’t do it now but I would like to receive vocal training lessons someday. But I can’t sing songs in high keys. Unfortunately, all of GOT7 songs are in high tones (laughs).”
Last year’s promotions ended with GOT7’s <Present: YOU> & ME Edition album. With a total of 28 songs, it was an album that conveyed a message that GOT7 is with the fans. Mark remembers the message he wrote to the fans while preparing for the album as the most precious moment. “As time passes, my gratitude to the fans grow stronger. Truthfully, in the past when we were going to debut, I thought “We should also hit it big like the 2PM hyungs.” Thinking about it now, I think there wasn’t a need to think of it like that. There are also teams that grow slowly.” Not being able to attain massive recognition and popularity, it was natural for him to feel impatient. “All the teams that debuted around the same time as us are all doing really well. ‘Why can’t we be like that?’ I had a lot of those thoughts and concerns. But being able to continuously have opportunities and grow was all due to the fans. And now I think our hearts are a little more at ease.”
To be honest, Mark had a deep slump last year. “‘How long will I be able to be here? Is the road I’m on the right path?’ I pondered over it. And then the Korean fan meeting happened. And then I thought ‘Ah, for the team and the fans, I have to continue.’” Being casted coincidentally while being in high school and coming to Korea, it has been 6 years since he promoted as GOT7. The boy who enjoyed surfing under the dry Californian sun has at some point of time began to stand in the center of the K-POP entertainment. “I knew absolutely nothing when I came. I couldn’t speak Korean and I couldn’t dance even. But the moment where I thought that I should really worked hard was after I stood on the trainee showcase stage. I really liked the feeling from standing on stage so I was determined to debut.” Even right now, his favourite moment from the times of promoting as GOT7 would be when he’s performing. “It’s always the most fun during concerts or fan-meetings. Because we’re able to show at one go all the things we’ve worked hard preparing for. It’s also the moment when all the members are feeling their highest.” The moment that Mark chose was the hardest for GOT7 would be the perfectly in-synced choreography. There was no restricting the seven boys who were staying true to their own (dance) feel to a set timing. The reason why GOT7 received their support first from overseas was because there was no explanation needed for their energy.
Mark is pretty suave lately. As if to prove the words of Demna Gvasalia who once said that clothes are one form of communication and a creative message, Mark shows off an instinctive sense of wearing clothes. Like ASAP Rocky, Travis Scott, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams whom he loves, he will too soon make messages out of clothes and music. He who can’t choose a favourite brand admires the magnificent creativity of fashion every day. Although there is no foundation and is pretty fuzzy, those who hear and see him are shaken1. Looking at how Mark extends his point of contact with those who listen, it’s clear that he is a born artist.
Mark looked at ease throughout the interview. He looked like he’s ready to accept the freedom that comes with expressing oneself compared to the times when he was not used to the unfamiliarity and did not want to reveal his inner thoughts. During the reality show that started not too long ago, <GOT7’s Real Thai>, one could see Mark’s feeling as well as his true self that he only reveals to the people he shares his feelings with. “I used to be really quiet but from end of last year onward I tried to express myself more. I also talk to my members a lot about my concerns. Seeing how I’m more comfortable than I was before, I guess sharing (my feelings) with people is the right thing to do. Although I did think ‘Did I go too far?’ when watching the show (laughs).” As he feels more freedom, his artistic talent will too bloom bit by bit. “Firstly as a group, we always say ‘Let’s do this for a long long time.’ I don’t know till when we are able to release albums like we do now but up till then, we will work hard. If we are given chances to each do our own promotions, I would like to try acting and I would also like to try something in the fashion line. At that time, regardless of what form it comes in, I hope we will have opportunities to meet the fans through concerts. Firstly, since we have a lot of time now. Although I am growing older bit by bit, I am still young. No matter what I do, I will do it for a long time (laughs).” There is no other existence that is anticipated as much as an artist who enjoys his potential. Although our shoot started with Ki Hyeong-do’s poem ‘Traveller’, the clanging clutter in Mark’s heart has seem to already be a thing of the past. We desperately await the various new sense/flair that will he will present at the end of this intense trip.
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Translated by marktuan.net
Credits: GOT7 Facebook (photos), @xciii_leggo (scanned photo + interview)
