By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
August 29, 2023
Kim Sejeong has a busy few months ahead of her, but the singer and actress is excited about her packed schedule. She’s the female lead of “The Uncanny Counter” – the second season is currently airing on Netflix – and is prepping for a concert tour to promote her first full-length album “Door,” which will release on September 4. In an interview from Seoul, the busy entertainer said she maximizes her time, even when she’s on the road. “I usually write lyrics while traveling,” said Kim, who also starred in the popular K-drama “Business Proposal.” “It’s fun to write lyrics inspired by travel because I feel like the concept of travel is quite similar to life in terms of new challenges. I’ve written tracks for this album over the past two years, so I believe my trips have been blended into the lyrics.”
Kim keeps fans posted on her work and travels on Instagram. For updated tour dates, check out Twitter. This interview was conducted in Korean and translated into English.
Q: How did you decide which countries you would visit this fall for your concert tour?
A: I knew that there were a lot of international fans who support me, but unfortunately there wasn’t the right opportunity to meet them. However, after “Business Proposal” aired, I could really feel that so many international fans were waiting for me. That led me to decide, “It’s time to visit them in person.” Among countries with fans who have supported me even before “Business Proposal,” Asian countries [like] the Philippines and Indonesia came to my mind. So I decided to visit those countries with this tour.
Q: Have you been to Manila before?
A: I have been to Manila for a performance, but I only had time to perform so I did not get to travel around the city, which was a bummer. When I visit Manila this year, I would love to hear passionate cheers from my fans. In addition, I want to try famous Filipino foods like kangkong, liempo and pusit.
Q: Even as a skilled dancer, were the action scenes in the second season of “The Uncanny Counter” challenging for you?
A: In fact, those action scenes helped my dancing in many ways. [Smiles] Also, with the experience of filming [the first season] of “The Uncanny Counter,” I felt less pressured mentally. One challenge from this season was filming several action scenes in midair using wires. On the other hand, I am a big fan of wire stunts, so I felt like I could work around it quite smoothly.
Q: Where are some of the places you filmed “The Uncanny Counter 2”?
A: This season was special because we filmed in Gimje, which is my hometown. We got to make many memories at the set, including my family preparing meals for all staff members. I didn’t have enough time to sightsee during filming for this drama, but I always try my best to visit the best restaurant around the region [where I am filming].
Q: Were you working on “Door” while you were filming any of your shows?
A: I started preparing for the album about a year ago. There were times when filming and album preparation schedules overlapped. But since I have worked on the album long before the drama shot, it wasn’t too challenging for me.
Q: What was a trip you took that stands out?
A: When I was a [K-pop] trainee, I traveled to Chuncheon by train with gugudan member Nayoung. We experienced a lot of things and made many memories, such as planning things ahead of time and then randomly deciding to go to the outdoor water activities center. I still remember it clearly as a fun trip.
Q: What can your fans expect from your album?
A: I hope fans could look forward to different vibes and voices for each track and the stories I tried to convey through lyrics. Also, I would appreciate it if they could take a closer listen to the album [that will] show a new side of me!
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A: I think the mindset of, “Let’s think of life as travel.” That led me to feel refreshed about daily activities and to remember all good events and bad things as pieces of memory. I always strive to be a person who views a day through the eyes of a traveler if I’m having a dull day.
Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: I’d choose Paris, Osaka, Seoul, Jeju (South Korea) and Lombok (Indonesia)!
Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: I’ve never been to Spain and Switzerland and I’d love to visit those countries one day. I also wish to travel to Europe. I hope to visit and enjoy natural sceneries around different parts of the world.
Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A: I always pack a film camera, video camera, Bluetooth speaker, diary and a translating machine.
Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
A: I would choose a trip to Lombok island, Indonesia, as my best vacation. I encountered a turtle on Lombok island. I believe that turtle was a symbol of fortune, and I feel like the turtle shared good vibes that still protect me today. On the other hand, I grew to prefer not traveling with a tour program. Because there are certain schedules to follow, I didn’t get to search and find my own interests, which eventually created fewer memories and made the whole trip less unique to my own experience. It is because I usually put more emphasis on who I planned the trip with rather than on a certain trip or location.
© 2023 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
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