Part 1
GQ: Dark circles under your eyes…
VI: I always look tired, but I’m not. I just look like I am.
GQ:You never thought about doing any more solo promotions? ‘어쩌라고.’(What Can I Do?) seems like it’s still really popular.
VI: No, I never thought about extending the promotions. Maybe I’ve matured but I feel that a shorter and more powerful promotion is better.
GQ: Maturity…as in your music?
VI: Hm…it’s the first time for me to produce my own songs and write my own lyrics and looking back at it shows how much work I’ve put in. I can feel that I’m a singer because of the impression it’s left me. Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It’s not a burden to me.
GQ: Is Justin Timberlake still your idol? You used the phrase “sexy back” in one of VVIP’s verses.
VI: You can write that it’s because I still like Justin. Sexy back means sexiness. Did Strong Baby give off the same sexy feeling as my song now? I write it according to the feeling I get.
GQ: You thrust your hips a lot in this dance choreography
VI: I wanted to show that ‘I’m sexy’. I wanted to do things that other male solo artists hadn’t done before, such as choreography that has a tempting allure. The eyes, hands and body movements are important to make the dance sexier. I wanted to do things that had never been seen before so a lot of research went into it. Oh, even though I like Justin, but during Strong Baby I did more research on Craig David for reference.
GQ: Daniel Craig has a fantastic body and oozes out male appeal
VI: Yeah, because he’s the new James Bond. I did a lot of research on him too but during the promotions, I focused mainly on Johnny Depp. There’s a mysterious charm about him just by the way he looks, talks and moves.
GQ: Like that bad boy/rebel image?
VI: Yeah, yeah..Women like this kind of rebel image in men because there’s a thrill in it, especially for those who are tired and burdened with their lives. I think so too because who wouldn’t like this type of men? It’s a person who has both an interesting personality and charm to them and that’s why I chose this image.
GQ: What would happen if you grew a moustache?
VI: I thought about that since my hair grows fast. I could if I wanted to, but I’m the maknae in the group. Growing a moustache wouldn’t really coordinate with the group dynamics.
Part 2
GQ: G.O.D.’s Kim Tae Woo is also the maknae though
VI: Yeah, but he’s different. I still want to be the cute maknae of the group so rather than growing out my moustache and saying that I’ve matured and that “I’m a man”, I would rather show people how I’ve grown up little by little through my personality. I want to hear people say, “Oh, he’s matured. He’s a grown up now”.
GQ: Your body looks bigger and stronger & you look taller off stage. You don’t look like a teenager either. Is it because you wear insoles…
VI: Haha, please emphasize that I look taller (in the magazine)! Everyone’s talking about insoles nowadays, saying that it’s a male necessity. To tell you the truth, I always use it because for people like me that started dancing at a very young age, it’s more stable for me if my heel is pushed back a little. I wear it because it can make me dance better. But of course, since I wear it, my legs look longer too...
GQ: Are you satisfied with your solo album?
VI: I’m 80% satisfied with it. If I had more time, I would be able to perform better
GQ: Compared to your songs, did you feel more regret about your performances?
VI: Yes, very much.
GQ: Your performance on stage looks a bit rigid. It looks like a really well prepared dance choreography that you’ve practiced endlessly. What about the dance moves that you do on the spot?
VI: If I had more time, I could’ve utilized the stage more and turned it into my own but since I used all my energy writing and producing songs, my mind was blank when it came to my performances. That’s what I regret the most.
GQ: To be exact, it seems that there’s a feeling of being compressed
VI: That’s because the members of my group are the ones who know me the best. They’ve watched me grow the most, so only my hyungs can see the things that other people can’t. It may not just be 1 thing, but 10 other things. I want to be able to fill in all the voids. I want people to say, “Ah Seungri will do whatever he can.” I want to become this type of person: “Once Seungri has said it, he will go ahead and change/do it.”
GQ: A perfect Seungri..
VI: You will be free once you are perfect. The gauge will keep rising until it hits 100 and then it will be free. If I can let people see a Seungri without any faults for once, then everything I do after that will be a perfect Seungri. For example, when someone does something really, really good one time but has a little mishap later, people will still say, “Ah, that person is not like that. He’s a good person. Don’t you know what he did last time?” It will become like that. Once you have achieved perfection, the rest will be “free”. After that, you can do whatever you want so in order to reach my 100 potential, I have to have a resilient attitude.
Part 3
GQ: The clubs are starting to play your songs. How does it feel hearing your songs at the clubs?
VI: It’s weird. When I enter a club and hear my song being played, I feel like it’s not really my song and when I see people dancing to my song, I feel like jumping up on stage and treating them to drinks.
GQ: We hear that you pass out once you drink.
VI: I’m not the type that won’t drink but I will drink once in awhile. I seem to drink a lot nowadays and I end up being really cute. I’ll greet other people and will even introduce people I don’t know to others, like asking them, “What’s your name?”, “This is XXX”, “Introduce yourself and get to know one another.”
GQ: Yet you’ve never had a scandal before
VI: I’m a professional at it, so that’s why I’ve never had scandals before. Have you heard any about me?
GQ: When you were performing in your musical ‘Sonagi’, you said you saw your ex-girlfriend in the audience but the public never saw her.
VI: I was careful and professional about it so our relationship was never found out, but perhaps it’s time I had a scandal? Unlike other artists who’ve had scandals before, I won’t hide away from reporters. Instead, I’ll go up to them and tell them directly, “I’m contacting XXX. Release the news”. Once they know that I know, it will just become hearsay. It’s a psychological effect.
GQ: It seems like everything you say becomes a hot topic, but for others it’s relatively normal. When it’s Seungri’s, it automatically becomes interesting.
VI: If a person hides the truth or says something fake on variety shows or interviews, it will still be found out no matter how careful they are. I’m not the type of person to act one way in front of the camera and another when it’s off. What you see is what you get. During shows and interviews, I want to tell people exactly how I feel and I thought that if I am honest and straightforward, then people will accept my words for what it is, but that’s not how it works. My way of thinking is too naïve.
GQ: The actress, Kim Hye Soo once said in our GQ interview that “Being blunt is sexy ‘Oh, Kim Hye Soo is that kind of woman’ Will people accept that? My bluntness becomes stupid when people aren’t prepared to accept my way of speech”
VI: It’s not a bad thing. Why can’t males and females adults talk about topics like this? God created it for a reason so what can you do? Few years ago, a lot of girls felt embarrassed when people said they’re sexy. They would ask, "What’s wrong with this guy? Is he a pervert?" Nowadays, the reaction is better because lots of people will say thank you after hearing the words, “You’re sexy”.
Part 4
GQ: Since you’re so blunt and straightforward, have you heard words that you didn’t like through your company and your peers?
VI: Hm, how should I say it..if the majority of people said I did something wrong, then I must be wrong, and I will think ‘I didn’t even mean it like that, why are you treating me like this?’ But if a lot of people say that I’m wrong and it’s not good, then it must be not good. I will say, ‘Okay’ and then tell myself that this cannot happen again. I have to grasp it and change it for the better.
GQ: Why are your members always talking about Seungri?
VI: To be honest, if I wanted to, I could talk all night about my members too but I won’t do that. I’m the type to tell stories while letting myself go. I can’t talk bad about other people due to my image because people will say “Oh, Seungri is talking about XXX behind his back. Seungri likes doing that”. But when other members talk about me, the situation becomes “Ah, so Seungri is like that”. It becomes so that members can talk about me but I can’t…
GQ: Why does it become “Ah, so that’s Seungri’s words”
VI: That’s still a mystery but people think that Seungri has a lot of stories, is interesting and special. Lots of people believe that and when I’m with G-Dragon hyung and T.O.P. hyung, everyone will start talking to me first, haha.
GQ: It must be tough always being labeled as the backstabber and ‘the maknae that doesn’t know much’, especially when you are making music as a man.
VI: Oh…yeah. Like that time when T.O.P. hyung talked informally on how I don’t know how to grill meat. I felt sad at one point. Why did he have to say that before my solo album was released? But I guess I have to solve that problem myself. What can I do though, he’s my hyung. I can’t tell him not to talk about me and I can’t get angry. Besides, people need to hear this kind of things to say “Ah that’s Big Bang indeed. The things that Big Bang says are interesting.” The hyungs need my stories otherwise they won’t talk a lot, so tell me what I can do.
GQ: This will affect your style of music though
VI: That…that…yes, it will. The effect is there but what can I do? I can’t do anything about it.
GQ: The problem can’t be solved with a simple explanation either.
VI: Yeah, even if I explain it now, people will still say “Oh he’s that kind of person”. I can’t take back what was said already.
GQ: Or you can always not explain and say, “I’m Seungri, the humorous and extraordinary Seungri”
VI: Oh, that’s correct. You’re right. If I have to explain that “it was a mistake”, then it feels like I’ve lost. I don’t know but it’s a scary feeling.
GQ: Will you do that from now on?
VI: I will do it if I have to.
Part 5
GQ: What is the appeal of the modest Seungri?
VI: It would be nice if at least 1/3 of the people in Korea think that I’m modest. Sometimes when I go out and drink with my friends, they will say, “Seungri, don’t be discouraged. I like Seungri. Why do you walk with your head down? Have more confidence, lift your head and walk.” I guess friends understand each other. (To interviewer) Hyung, you’ve seen the entertainment business for so long so you should know how things are. When you see me on T.V, you should know why I’m like that. Oh, I’m getting sad again.
GQ: Hm, let’s change topics then. Your role is different during your solo album promotions and when you’re back together with the group. In Big Bang, you’re still the maknae.
VI: That’s a good balance. If I’m more distinct or if I stand out in front of the hyungs then it’s not balanced. I’ve tried that a few times before but it’s not coordinated well.
GQ: Besides songs and dance, your clothes in the MV stand out the least.
VI: Oh, yeah, because I’m the maknae. All my clothes are picked by my stylist because I don’t have an eye for fashion.
GQ: What a surprise! Don’t you shop with G-Dragon?
VI: I shopped with him a long time ago but now that we live together, I can’t buy clothes with him. Our styles are too different. I like simplicity so it’s…..too different. I want to show people my appeal through my simplicity rather than being ‘I’m good looking; I know how to dress’ that kind of way.
GQ: Don’t you get jealous of G-Dragon’s position? You’ve also started to write lyrics and make your own music.
VI: You mean being Big Bang’s producer? I’m not jealous. It’s such a hard and scary position to be in…G-Dragon hyung is under so much pressure and there’s a lot of hard work involved.
GQ: Yet you’ve been in the same scary position when you were preparing your album.
VI: It was my own album so there was no burden, but if I had to produce for Big Bang, I will tremble in fear. It’s too frightening because if it’s not done well it’s my fault. How can I take on such a position? Only Jiyong hyung can do it.
GQ: I suddenly thought about that time during World Cup…
VI: You mean the elbowing incident? It was a joke but what I want to say now is that I’m a bit sad that everyone failed to see that.
GQ: It looked real though..
VI: Looked real huh, haha. Well...it was real. I made hyung frustrated when I was cheering behind him. Even though I don’t know if I was hit hard but it didn’t hurt. People then started saying that Big Bang wasn’t getting along and that Seungri was being bullied by the members, things like that.
Part 6
GQ: During World Cup…what else?
VI: I’m a human. When I got hit in front of people of course I was angry so that’s why my expression was like that. (To interviewer) Hyung, aren’t you like that too? Haha. But fighting and arguing amongst brothers are normal. Living together can also cause disagreements. I don’t think it will work if there’s none.
GQ: What’s the difference between the songs you wrote and the songs that G-dragon wrote?
VI: Jiyong hyung’s mind can go wild and think a lot of things. This was my first time writing my own lyrics so I only thought about myself, but Jiyong hyung won’t do that. He’ll think, ‘Ah, this type of rap suits T.O.P., this part suits Seungri.’ That’s how he writes lyrics, but I can’t do that yet.
GQ: When we were doing the photoshoot, you used your iPhone to play music. It seems that you like electronica?
VI: Yup, I like the type of music that can make my heart beat and the melody that makes me high but this type of music isn’t popular in Korea, haha. It’s good to listen to electronic music when you’re stressed out because you will feel a release afterwards.
GQ: Haven’t you thought about making this type of music for yourself?
VI: I don’t like to collect music. I don’t want it if only I liked it. I want to make music that lots of people will love.
GQ: When we called you just now, you picked up right away
VI: Me? It’s because I’m not popular.
GQ: Not popular? Seungri?
VI: Today is Wednesday right? Lots of people will contact me on Friday night, male and female. Everyone likes me because it’s always a fun time being with me. I’m the life of the party, really. It doesn’t matter the situation because I’ll always bring the mood up.
GQ: Maybe without much of a substance?
VI: It doesn’t matter as long as you’re there to enjoy the atmosphere.
GQ: A natural born entertainer?
VI: Of course, how else am I an entertainer?
Source: GQ April Magazine via baidu
Translation by: Mystifize @ bigbangupdates
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