[ENG] K-wave Magazine interview – Lee Seunggi [Aug 2013]

Download full 79-page August 2013 K-Wave Magazine issue at KBSworld facebook.

K-wave Magazine [August 2013] – Cover Story
English: KBS World K-wave Magazine; Compilation/Formatting: LSGfan

At 27 years old, A Summer Date with Lee Seung-gi
This man’s luminous smile makes you feel as if you could embrace the entire world. It was the first thing I was graced with one evening as he was preparing for a fan meeting and a concert in Tokyo after wrapping up his latest TV drama, Gu Family Book.

Editors │ Kim Jun-Seong, Jeon Hee-jin
Photographer │ Cho Se-hyun (Icon Studio)
Stylist │ Hong Won-hoㆍHair & Make-up │ Lim Hye-kyung

Gu Family Book, an Arduous Story
Our photo shoot with Lee Seung-gi began late on June 26th at a studio in Nonhyundong, Gangam-gu. Gu Family Book had just ended. All of the tension from the past three months of living out his role as Choi Gang-chi seemed to dissipate, and it was clear that he was tired. What was revealed about Lee Seung-gi? He’s a half-man, halfbeast who has a hidden well of energy; that’s what. The moment the camera took focus, his instincts as an actor came to the fore.

Powering the Last Decade of Show Business
Ten years(!) have passed since his debut. During that time, the world has changed, a little at a time. Consider the acting industry—fame is something that can be turned inside-out in a matter of days. The fact that Lee Seung-gi has maintained a healthy public image and worked continuously in such an environment is proof that he takes self-management and self-improvement very seriously.

Kwave: “What were the biggest challenges  you have faced in the last 10 years of show business?”

Lee Seung-gi: “If you start thinking that the going is hard, then it really becomes endlessly difficult. If you instead think of such obstacles as inconsequential, then they really do become nothing to worry about. There hasn’t been a time when I thought that it was too much for me to handle. But I think that that’s because I have always focused on the task at hand and put in as much effort as possible for the people who are important to me.”

Kwave: “Was there ever a time when you wanted to lose your nice guy image and adopt a beast-like image like 2PM instead?”

Lee Seung-gi: “Not really; I just try to be my natural self. And wouldn’t the fans notice if I deliberately changed my image? I think they would. I just try to show myself as I am and not project something that I’m not. Everyone has at least one attractive aspect, and I think that that is what my fans like about me.”

Ah, Lee Seung-gi! Only 27-years old, yet he has the ability to look at himself objectively. This will surely result in a lengthening of the public’s adoration of Lee Seung-gi.

Adored As the Perfect Man
He is advertising’s most preferred male model, the public’s top choice as the ideal date companion, and the celebrity who most would want to go on a vacation with. He was also picked as the celebrity from whom women would most like to receive candy from on White Day. Beyond all this, he sings and acts and has conquered the Korean entertainment TV programs. In short, he is the perfect man who has all the best cards.

Kwave: “Don’t you feel the pressure from being number one in everything? And what do you like the most from singing, acting, and participating on entertainment shows?”

Lee Seung-gi: “Being number one feels good, no matter what the field is. (Laughs) Hmm…I don’t think I prefer one specific field. I try to give my best to whatever it is that I am doing. And I try to keep music close to me no matter what.”

Perhaps Lee Seung-gi’s biggest strength is his way of focusing on every moment. It is easy to see the love he gives to each moment of his life as they play like a sweet melody.

Beautiful and Thrilling Love Everlasting
He is not only loved by the public; Shin Min-ah, Ha Ji-won, Han Hyo-joo, and evenSuji all adore him! Every actress paired with Lee Seung-gi has been able to achieve a good working synergy with him. His focus on his characters has also helped his partners to shine brighter.

Kwave: “What is the secret behind all your successful co-star pairings?”

Lee Seung-gi: “Hyo-joo is a good friend. As for Shin Min-ah, there’s a lot that I feel sorry about because we met when I was too young and inexperienced. Working with Ha Ji-won allowed me to go over a hurdle in acting, and I tried to pour everything I had learned when I was working with Suji. Treating their characters with respect and love was the best thing that I could do. Luckily, all of the actresses I’ve worked with are the type of women men dream about and were also great people, one and all. I am thankful for that.”

Kwave: “Speaking of successful partnerships, what are your thoughts on dating?” (Don’t all interviewers want to find the answer to this question, no matter who the interviewee is?)

Lee Seung-gi: “I want to be in love in a way that is always thrilling and beautiful. Isn’t that what every man wants? (Laughs)”

Getting Closer To His Fans
In early August, Lee Seung-gi will be attending a fan meeting and giving a concert in Tokyo. He is keeping himself extremely busy immediately after Gu Family Book.

Kwave: “What is in store for us at the upcoming fan meeting and the Tokyo concert?”

Lee Seung-gi: “I want to show my appreciation to the fans; they are designed so that I can meet the fans up close and give them a good performance.”

This sort of response will only fuel the fans’ curiosity about these upcoming events. It occurred to me that Lee Seunggi seems to spend his days as if there are 48 hours in each day. I then asked him a random question.

Kwave: “What color best represents the summer of your 27th year?”

Lee Seung-gi: “I’m not sure…it’s hard to choose one color. But if I had to pick, I’d pick blue? It’s a commonplace color…. I want it to be blue, which has a certain depth to it, despite everyone who might think of it as a commonplace color.”

To borrow the words of a poet, “Pain becomes music when it rides a rhythm.” Perhaps the energy Lee Seung-gi exudes every moment is from his waiting and persevering—all of his difficulties coalesced into one fine rhythm. It seems safe to assume that Lee Seung-gi’s star will only continue to shine brightly, and long into the future.

Wahhhh~~~~ falling in love more and more each time~~!!!!

Ah~~ Seunggi making another journalist fall in love with him… again!  The longevity of his beloved status is freaking unbelievable!  KBS so misses having him on their channel!  But as much as I miss 1N2D and seeing him on variety, I’m so glad Seunggi and the hyungs ended 1N2D on a high note, leaving viewers precious memories from 1N2D’s unforgettable golden days!  I love how KBS cable channel still shows their re-runs!  There hasn’t been a show like it since, so loved and impacting people of all ages all over Korea. huhu.

This K-wave Magazine issue has Seunggi all over it!

Here’s an excerpt about Seunggi/Kangchi from the Drama section write-up:

[Excerpt from Drama section]
Winning Over Women’s Hearts

MBC’s Kangchi, the Beginning and SBS’ I Hear Your Voice gained 21.2% and 20.1% of viewer ratings, respectively, placing them 3rd and 4th overall. What is it about these two weekday drama series that has attracted so many people? It’s simple—both of these weekday series feature male protagonists who are designed to win over women’s hearts.

In Kangchi, the Beginning, actor Lee Seung-gi is the hero of the story, a handsome, but deadly, supernatural being who falls in love with a human woman and fights to protect her from his enemies. This sort of story appeals to all women, as evidenced by this show’s immense popularity. Another similar beautyloving monster story that enjoyed great success in Korea was the movie, The Werewolf Boy.

In I Hear Your Voice, Lee Jong-seok (who first caught the public’s eye in the highly popular Secret Garden series) appears as the handsome young hero. Keeping true to a promise he made to her, he uses his mind-reading ability to save the woman he loves from the man who would harm her. In a sense, he is just like the other heroic monsters.

Such characters stimulate women’s fantasies and are extremely popular in Korea at the moment. Shows featuring such characters enjoy high ratings, most likely because women are more enthusiastic about following these shows than men are. This also means that shows with topics that are geared towards men receive lower ratings. One such example is KBS2’s Shark (9.8%, 16th place). This show is a mystery thriller, featuring a main male character’s revenge, but because it lacks romantic fantasy, it attracts less popularity. Lately, dramatic tension does not seem to elicit much viewer interest, so heavy-topic shows like Shark may end up on the list of cursed masterpieces.

And Seunggi again here on this page……………..

And later on with Kim Yuna for KB Financial Group print ad………….

And lastly, closing out the magazine with this……… Niiiiiice~~~!!!

[Teaser] K-wave Magazine August 2013: KBS World 10th Year Anniversary

(video: kbsworld)

Full BTS cut version of Seunggi’s photoshoot~~!!! (Thanks always to Tryp!!)
♪♫♪♫ Will you marry me ♪♫♪♫

(video: AirenVideo)

Images: KBSworld

See related posts:

• Video/Gifs of Seunggi make my day! [KBS K-Wave Magazine]
• Sneak Peek: Seunggi for KBS K-Wave Magazine [Aug 2013]
• Seunggi and Samsonite are chic and sexy for Esquire
• [ENG] Seunggi in AnAn Magazine fashion shoot BTS video
• [Naver Star Column] Lee Seunggi talks acting and variety, singing, the future, and his agency family
• Seunggi talks what to expect for upcoming Gu Family Book
• [Star1 Jan.2013] Lee Seunggi – All About HIM from A to Z ③
• [Star1 Jan.2013] The Possibilities for Lee Seunggi ②

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