Epik High maps the soul, redefines kpop business model

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

“Why did I choose zero won over 2 billion won? Because things had to change.”

Tablo (29) is as full of assurance as usual. His expression brims with confidence, and he unreservedly answers questions about social issues. He’s also full of conviction about his album, which went on sale on March 27. He openly revealed his relationship with film actress Kang Hye-jung, which heated up the internet earlier this year. On March 11, I [interviewer Park Shi-young] met Tablo at one café in Seoul’s Cheongdamdong.

The Story of Tablo’s Twenties

Tablo’s group, Epik High, is a popular hip-hop group receiving the absolute support of university students. In particular, it appears that their popularity is especially high among top students. Let’s look at that reason first.

Tablo: “If that’s really true, it’s probably influenced by my past history and image [as a master's in English literature from Stanford]. It’s probably also a result of our serious lyrics. That makes me feel good, but also worries me. Among university students, the number of people who think for themselves is gradually decreasing, and I wonder if that means our fanbase is also shrinking. [Laughs]”



Q: How was your twenties?

“In my early twenties, I graduated from graduate school and entered the real world. Forging ahead without a definite plan, I spent the first half feverishly making music and faced failure. The remaining five years, I’ve been busy out of my mind being active with music. But because I’d poured myself out in mind and body during my twenties, I also have a clean slate.”

He also meets the public as a DJ on MBC FM radio. Last year, he revealed in an interview, “The reason I DJ is because I have a sincere hope to be heard by people.”

Q: Why do you feel such a desire for communication?

“Since I was young, I didn’t have many people to talk with. I was a loner. I lived mostly abroad, and felt a lot of racial discrimination. Some people looked at me like I was a bug. Fortunately, my hobbies were reading and writing, so I didn’t really conflict with people that much. Even now, I don’t have a wide range of interpersonal relationships.”

Q: I sense you have distrust for this world that emphasizes networking.

“When I see books or newspaper reports that emphasize the importance of networking, I just laugh. If people aim to cultivate networks, they can’t help but turn malicious. It’s better to spend that time doing your work and taking care of your loved ones and family. I’ve never gained anything from networking.”



Q: What sort of message do you want to convey through your activities as radio DJ or your albums?

“I want to say that you can make things change for the better. Also, I want to tell them that although people think, ‘You have to succeed in order to do what you want to do,’ that’s really untrue. No matter what your circumstances, it’s already possible for you to do what you want. If you say, ‘I’ll do that after I’ve succeeded,’ it’s already too late.”

Q: Isn’t that possible for you because you’re a famous musician? Average twentysomething people are facing growing troubles in the job market.

“My father was an orphan. When he attended school, he’d go barefoot. That person allowed me to become someone who dreams. The environment or conditions don’t matter at all. There will always be adversity in any time. Here, look. If there’s a societal problem, you can choose to do one of three things: run away, create change, or adapt to it. If you adapt, you can’t say anything, because you’ll soon become a reason for the social environment. And there are very few places you can run away to. In the end, you must make change.”

Q: What are you saying should change, and how?

“Even if I don’t talk about a concrete thing, everyone can see that there’s something wrong going on right now. I want to express the message that the people who feel this can come together to discuss and fix it. Personally speaking, after Epik High’s contract came to an end with our management, offers came in for 1 billion, 2 billion won. But I chose zero won instead. I was called crazy, but I thought this was something I had to do, and that I had to make change.”

Q: Why did you have to set up your own company?

“If you look at pop-music chart programs, performers have no choice but to compete. Everything’s a competition. What I’m doing is definitely different from what other artists are doing. The format is different, the content, the goal, the message are all different. But it was frustrating that I had to be shown via the same music charts. We wanted to take on a new challenge with our own formula.”

The conversation naturally turned to Epik High’s sixth album, which went on sale on March 27.

“We released this album along with a book. It contains essays, work diaries, and photos. I think we put out our best album. Not only have we put out the album, we’ve also created a website that we’re operating. We’ve really worked ourselves to death. I’ve even wondered if we really need to do this much. It’s the same price as a CD that someone else spent two weeks making. [Laughs]”

Q: Looking at past interviews, you’ve said, “For people who want to become pop singers, ask yourself if you want to make music yourself, or if you just want to be a person who makes music.” What about you?

“Of course, I’m the former. People who are truly passionate about it are different. When they listen to music, you can tell. People who really love music don’t have to say they want to become singers. Someday, they’ll be one.”



The Korean Twentysomethings of Whom He Speaks

Q: What space or area symbolizes the twentysomething generation?

“The airport. Not necessarily a real airport, but something that continually departs and returns. It doesn’t make sense for them to want a place to settle. They are prepared to leave somewhere.”

Q: A person symbolizing twentysomethings?

“Umm… Big Bang? [The reporter laughs and claps.] Why not Big Bang? It’s an honest answer. Big Bang is like the twentysomething generation, and among them Daesung is most like it. He’s not completely grown up yet, but it seems like he wants to try everything fearlessly, and enjoys whatever he does. Twentysomethings usually don’t know what they want to do.”

Q: What would you like to tell them?

“I’d like them to go to our site, mapthesoul.com, take a look around and make a site like that themselves. And please listen to our music. This album contains music and a book that I hope will entertain people with dreams of their own, even those who aren’t interested in Epik High.”

After the interview ended, I carefully asked about his relationship with movie actress Kang Hye-jung. He answered with an expression that wasn’t bashful, but happy and full of confidence: “The person I’m seeing now is really like my other half. I think I’ve lucked into meeting a person who matches my soul perfectly.”

Source

Comments

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

LOL THE FIRST PIC AFTER THE TEASER AHAHA. I'll read your post |:

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

Ok finished, I srsly love him even moar now |:

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

You should read what the person at the source said about Tablo.

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

Just wow, girl.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

Yep, talking shit about Tablo. Not cooooool.

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

And some comments are... no words, I wanna slap them with a tuna.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

I'd slap them with a dolphin!

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

O:?

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

MTE!

[koreansongs.livejournal.com]

... I WAS WATCHING THAT VIDEO, THAT'S WEIRD.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

only if a dolphin comes and beats the shark down so it doesnt kill me.

[uglypricetag.livejournal.com]

Oh bb. To each his own I guess. I don't agree with the 'chase your dreams' view, neither do I think creating one's own label is that revolutionary, but that's just my opinion :/

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

lol nah me neither. doesnt gd have his own?

[uglypricetag.livejournal.com]

have his own label? isn't he under YG? omg i'm a bad big bang fan

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

I thought 21 or what ever was under his contract??

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

lol oh ok.

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

sorry to jump in, but i thought she had a point in some respects. particularly with how he seems to apply his worldview to the rest of the world, without taking into consideration (or at least not noting) that not everyone sees things the same way he does. i respect him for what he's doing (as does she, it seems) but preaching the idea that it's this that's the only route for everyone if they want to achieve happiness or whatever is bound to run into some dissenting opinions.

maybe it's because i understand what she's saying and kind of agree, but i also didn't read her comments as very malicious or rude. it was an intelligent, well thought out opinion.

[uglypricetag.livejournal.com]

iawtc. Tablo's adventurism is admirable, but not of all us have the same resources to work with.

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

Yes. And resources are important - you can't always make something out of just yourself. I know he opposes networking, but I think it's going to be difficult to show people can succeed on their own willpower. Everyone needs someone, in my experience, and the world outside yourself will always be influencing you.

[thund3r.livejournal.com]

you can't always make something out of just yourself
this. this a billion times, this.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

No, I can see where she's coming from too.

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

:) okay. sorry i was just reading the thread and thought she had bashed him terribly or something, but then i saw the post and was like "that's not so bad" so I thought I should say something. xD

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

lol but I think if he saw it he wouldn't be all too pleased. Especially that part about his dad being an orphan :P

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

lol well no one can be all that pleased with criticism, but it's not really free thinking if she just agrees with everything he says, right? she wasn't particularly rude about it, she seemed more like she was anticipating an argument

[missklutz16.livejournal.com]

i love him.

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

:) i like his sincere answer about big bang.

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

:o they did a special stage?

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

ooh i should look it up or smt. 8D

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

:D thanks

[jaesus.livejournal.com]

Oh Tablo. You get more awesome by the day.

[xradiostatic.livejournal.com]

Q: I sense you have distrust for this world that emphasizes networking.
“When I see books or newspaper reports that emphasize the importance of networking, I just laugh. If people aim to cultivate networks, they can’t help but turn malicious. It’s better to spend that time doing your work and taking care of your loved ones and family. I’ve never gained anything from networking.”

omg. i feel the same way. D:
as an artist, people keep pushing networking on me and i hate it. i haven't benefited from it at all really.

i loved this interview. i especially liked his comparison of twentysomethings to an airport and his answer about big bang.

[shamscism.livejournal.com]

he choosed daesung!haha.

[merlinspants.livejournal.com]

ugh they're amazing

[ficcy.livejournal.com]

I LOL'd so hard at this:

“Umm… Big Bang? [The reporter laughs and claps.] Why not Big Bang? It’s an honest answer. Big Bang is like the twentysomething generation, and among them Daesung is most like it. He’s not completely grown up yet, but it seems like he wants to try everything fearlessly, and enjoys whatever he does. Twentysomethings usually don’t know what they want to do.”

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Poor Dae hasn't even yet figured out that he's gay. LOL

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

He doesnt know what gay is yet.

[ficcy.livejournal.com]

Give him year. He's in a group with four other guys. He'll figure it out.

[topisatop.livejournal.com]

He seems younger than 29

[bambinainnero.livejournal.com]

People who are truly passionate about it are different. When they listen to music, you can tell. People who really love music don’t have to say they want to become singers. Someday, they’ll be one

well, not completely true, BUT ♥♥♥

[adiscodance.livejournal.com]

I can't get over how amazing this song/vid is.
Can't wait to get the album whenever that may be : /
I like his BB answer, and I also agree with his YOU have to make the change stance.

[rikayla.livejournal.com]

His answer about the airport, and this: Twentysomethings usually don’t know what they want to do. SO TRUE. ♥♥♥ I'm like that right now, lol.

He's a very intelligent man srsly. Very hard-working. So admirable. ;___; But he makes it sound too much easier than it actually is, haha.

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

OT: I hope they get paypal set up soon on their site, so that I can finally buy the album (as much as I like Epik High's music I won't trust my credit card details for their site). Oh man, I fear that they have lost a lot of international sales because they didn't set up clear payment systems before launching their site.

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

lol they kinda fail @ being net savvy.

[hiimjessie.livejournal.com]

I downloaded, the album because i have no will power and i don't know how i feel about it. It's alright but not amazing or anything -and top gun is a shite song-. Also Mithra was on like two songs that's not enough ;-;

[rainysakura.livejournal.com]

Twentysomethings usually don’t know what they want to do.”

Its really true because it truly defines what my life right now. *sigh* This man is really a matured man and genius. I look highly on him♥