After his contract with former agency DSP Media ended, SS501 member Park Jungmin who had signed on with a foreigner corperation CNr Media last August has released his first mini album ‘THE, PARK JUNG MIN’ on April 7. Since then, he’s been busy with asia tours and preparing for his Taiwanese drama, but not only did it stop at that, he’s also been highly active with his solo activities.
Park Jungmin who has been busily spending his days across Thailand, China, Japan etc, met up with IBTimes recently at a cafe in Seoul Kangnam-gu Shinsadong’s Garosu street as he shared candid talks with us.
In actuality, Park Jungmin actually dreamt of being an actor rather than as a singer. There were a few times where he’s revealed to many media before that he was advised by his former agency’s CEO to debut as a singer first while also paralleling acting on the other hand. In our interview with him, he divulged to us about him achieving his dreams and the process behind it.
“I think it’d be good if I get to do acting naturally as a process. However, acting just looked like a really vague dream. I had this thinking that actors have a totally different kind of lifestyle altogether”, as Park Jungmin recalled those days of the past. He was first casted when he was in his 6th grade of elementary school but got opposed by his parents and so wasn’t able to do his activities, but in fact it got to become the turning point where he realized that he can be an actor too, and that’s when he really started dreaming about his dreams – officially.
It was when he was in his 2nd grade of middle school that he officially first stepped into an agency. However, it was different from the normal entertainment agencies where they won’t ask for any training fee and all and yet still give training to these star trainees. It was actually a mini institute type of swindler agency which demanded for a full 4-months’ payment of training fee. Despite so, it was in fact yet another turning point of development for Park Jungmin, “I met many of my actor friends then who has since turned into stars now, as we dreamt of a same dream together. That agency institute was located in Apgujeong so everyday when I returned to and fro around it, I got to receive many casting invitations”, as he added.
Park Jungmin who has since transformed from an actor-wannabe into a Hanryu star now possesses a significant amount of fans across Japan, Taiwan, China, Turkey, Arab etc, “It was totally beyond my imagination to have fans from Turkey”, “Turkey fans really wanted to see a performance event in their country and even written a letter of petition to their embassy and I received that invitation”, as he disclosed about one such episode and felt really delighted.
Probably because he’s been receiving so much love from his fans that he hadn’t been able to date any girlfriends at all since his debut in 2005, “There were a few little cases but it was only that. For cases of a passionate relationship was almost zero. Seems like I’ve gotta go grab myself a lover already”, as he laughed off lightly to that with his classic bright smile. He selected his ideal type as an interesting female who could make him laugh heartily.
“I feel that a guy who’s able to courageously and decisively execute any kind of his work at all, and to be able to look after a female during her tough times is really manly”, “And for me, I have the strength to guard by my family members and my biological sister”, as he also talked about his inner thoughts. Especially when he has his family and his fans who are his pillar of support around him, all the more he feels really fortunate.
Park Jungmin, who focuses really hard when he works, gives off that air of charisma with his sense of responsibility. Although so, he is said to have another very mischievous yet cute profile while he’s with his close and bosom buddies.
With regards to his fans who are always there supporting and rooting on for him, he expresses a true ‘thank you’, “Because I have a very good memory, I can remember all my fans’ faces, especially those who visit often”, as we see his unexceptional love for fans.
He who is taking a step by a step forward towards his dreams while also holding on to the love from his fans, Park Jungmin is, indeed -just like his words- a “beautiful youth”.
