Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
November 26, 2019
Hailing from the Chicago area, NCT 127’s John Suh got his first taste of concerts thanks to his mother, who worked for a local radio station. “I was too young to remember who I saw, but I remember myself having a lot of fun,” says Suh, who goes by the stage name of simply Johnny. “(One day), I would love to see Coldplay at Soldier Field. That would be very awesome.” Johnny and some of his band mates took a breather from promoting their EP “We Are Superhuman” to participate in this interview. NCT 127 will perform at the B96 Jingle Bash on December 7 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The band shares their tour photos on Instagram and Twitter.
Q. When you’re in a new city, what are some things you look forward to doing?
Johnny: Because we usually don’t have that much time, I usually like to just go out on a walk and see what the city is about. I make sure I try not to wear earphones so I can listen to the city’s sounds as well.
Yuta: I just simply like to enjoy the particular atmosphere and feel of every city we go to. Every city has its own weather and culture. Same with every country we visit. I feel like I receive some kind of healing just by experiencing all of that. And, of course, it’s awesome to finally see all the fans who are at all these different places.
Q. What are your plans for the upcoming holidays?
Haechan: We’ll be spending the end of the year with our (fandom) NCTzens! We have a lot up our sleeves, so stay tuned and be on the lookout.
Doyoung: I don’t have any special plans, but I want to either throw a party or spend some time with our fans! Even if I can’t be physically together with them, maybe I can do something online so we can end the year together, somehow. (Laughs)
Q. Hailing from countries like the U.S., Japan, Canada and South Korea, what have you learned about each other’s differences and similarities?
Haechan: I honestly don’t feel like there are huge differences, but one thing’s for sure — the food and cuisine we get to try because we all come from different backgrounds is great!
Doyoung: I agree. Because we come from different cultural backgrounds, I do realize that we have an advantage in coming across and understanding a wide variety of cultures. It’s fun for us to learn about different cultures this way.
Q. How old were you when you got your first passport and where was the first place you went with it?
Jaehyun: I think I got my first passport when I was four years old. I briefly moved to the U.S. then and that flight was my first-ever plane ride. And for the five years I lived in the U.S., I remember traveling a lot.
Taeil: My first-ever trip overseas was when I was still a trainee and I went to Tokyo for an SMTOWN concert. Everything was so new and I remember just being excited by everything that was going on around me.
Q. Your fans listen to your music when they travel. Who do you listen to?
Johnny: I listen to all sorts of music on the plane. All the way from K-pop to EDM. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of FKJ and Frank Ocean.
Yuta: I listen to a variety, as well. But these days, I’ve been listening to a lot of Japanese music.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
Taeil: Having an open mind when it comes to accepting different cultures and cultural tendencies.
Jaehyun: I remember this past year while I was traveling for work, I had some time to roam around in the streets. That’s when I thought to myself, “This world is so big. There’s no need to be caught up in a singular way of thinking.”
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
Mark: I would like to see Australia for once! I’ve always heard that the scenery and nature was really nice over there. It would be cool to visit sooner than later.
Taeyong: I’ve been fortunate and lucky enough to travel to so many countries around the world. And because I travel so much, I sometimes think that I’d like to stay and perform more in Korea than travel to somewhere else around the world! (Laughs)
Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
Taeyong: The one that sticks out is when I went to the beach with my family as a young boy. I think it was both the best and the worst vacation memory for me because we all stayed in one tiny hotel room together, but made some kimchi stew in a small pot and laid out in the sand on the beach. I remember playing with the jellyfish in the water with my older sister. I also remember my tooth falling out during this trip. (Laughs)
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items that you always bring with you on the airplane?
Mark: I always bring my glasses, headsets and a book that I may be reading at the moment. I realized that I don’t get to read often during my regular day-to-day schedule, and I figured the time on the plane would be the best time to read for me.
© 2019 JAE-HA KIM
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