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Special Interview Story vol.46
SOL(From BIGBANG)


[SOL's Performance, Which Cannot Be Mimicked by Anyone]

Following G-Dragon, the person that accepted our request for an exclusive interview is Big Bang member SOL, who returned solo after approximately 1 year and 5 months. The two of them are great rivals and yet they are the best of friends. However, their appeal points are vastly different. If G-Dragon represents his world through music, then SOL represents his world through performance.

Last year, SOL released [HOT], containing [Look Only at Me] and [Prayer]. HOT recorded explosive hits, and SOL’s first solo activities were a success. And the new song [Where U At], which was released on October 15th, reached 1st on the charts as soon as it was released, foreshadowing the hit of his first official album.

Finding You

[Where u at] is a song shouting out to a precious person that hasn't been met yet. If you see his MV, you will know this. Although he doesn't yet know her face, he's able to portray the image of him drawing longingly because he's SOL. No, he says that his real feelings are his, now. Also, this song is a project where he has made the first footsteps towards becoming a composer.

If you compare this song to [Look Only at Me], the last released mini album, this song is the total opposite of Look Only at Me. [Look Only at Me], which sings of a man saying, look only at me and don't even look at other men, is in contrast to [Where U at], where he is drawing up feelings of a boy.

G-Dragon's Friendship

If G-Dragon's first solo stage was [Inkigayo], SOL's first solo comeback stage was [Inkigayo] as well. On the music program Inkigayo that was aired October 25th, they both performed not as Big Bang members, but as each different artists on each different stages. To be honest, SOL didn't expect to be promoting [Where U At] in its released stage. However, to repay the fans' warm support, he had a special stage this day. This was the first, and the last, [Where U At] stage performance.

In the interview with the reporter which took place after the TV recording, SOL said, "didn' sleep a wink last night. This song poured its all into performance. There was a part where I made a little of a mistake but if you include the stage setting and everything, it was a very satisfying performance." Also, G-Dragon, who was watching his performance, said, "It was very cool. I know how much SOL worked for this stage, so I was nervous as well," showing the close friendship of the two. As to the question of whether they feel competitive with each other, G-Dragon said, "The styles we seek are different, so we don't feel a rival instinct with each other. For both of us, our styles and our concepts are set in stone, so on the contrary, these stages are very joyful and I think they give each other good influence."

2010 First 1 Question 1 Answer

01. What do you want to do in 2010?
Solo Concert, vacation, experiencing many things

02. The thing you absolutely want in 2010?
Friends...

03. The part you most love about your body?
Eyebrows!!

04. What is a singer?
Through music and performance, a person who moves other people and also provides comfort…

05. The fashion style for this winter?
Fur

06. Way to get rid of stress?
Sleeping!!

07. Where you can most cozily rest?
Hotel!
Even if I sleep and sleep, I'm still sleepy… (laugh)

08. What you're most into right now?
Single activities, working on album

09. The person you want to most meet right now?
BOSS!!

10. The person you're most thankful to right now?
YOU who is reading this!!


As SOL, this is your first interview. This is an interview of a solo singer, not Big Bang member SOL; how does this feel?

- When I'm with Big Bang, there's five of us, so if we concentrate on working hard together, when I'm alone, I try to be more sincere. It's always joyful to talk about personal stuff.

In 2009, you major debuted in Japan. The major debut song [Gara Gara GO!!] reached 3rd on the Oricon charts, and you joined the ranks of top stars even in Japan. What kinds of changes where there?

- There's not much that changed. After the major debut, it was probably the fact that we got to appear on satellite television that changed the most…. (laugh)

Before this, you were photographed happily shopping on Harajuku, etc., is it too far-fetched now (laugh)?

- On the contrary, we just go around like nothing happened (laugh). Now, all the clerks at the stores know me, so they treat me better than before, and now I feel like I have new friends.

It's your 2nd solo song in a year and 5 months, how do you feel?

- My heart is pounding at the thought that it's been a year and 5 months, and I can prepare my own music and my own performance.

This title song, [Wedding Dress], and the previously revealed [Where U At], please give us an introduction to those songs.

- First [Where U At], is the song that I first composed. As I was thinking about the performance, I worked together with Teddy hyung on it. Also, [Wedding Dress] is a song that I made the melody on one of Teddy hyung's tracks. Different from [Where U At], it's more sensitive and it's a good song for heart wrenching lyrics.

With [Where U At], you debuted as a composer. From when did you start composing?

- You can't really call it composing. In the beginning of 2009, I listened to the track Teddy hyung made for me and I loved it so much, so I sang a melody to it, and Teddy hyung didn't let it pass, and pulled it towards a good direction.

G-Dragon also made a solo debut before. Did you guys give each other advice? Also, tell me when you have received advice about composing.

- Since it's a solo album, and because we respect the course that each other seeks, we don't really give each other advice and things like that.

Tell us the concept of the upcoming album.

- I want to do an album that has more unity than the mini album I released last year. The bases of it are HIP HOP and R&B.

The song you most like on the album?

- It's my album, so all the songs on the album are all the ones that I like.

Aren't solo activities lonesome?

- Wherever I go, I think I'm lonely. But, when I'm promoting solo, I talk less.

From a while ago, you've started wearing a pinky ring on your left hand. Pinky rings have a meaning to be a big hope or fashion, or one appealing to himself; what does it mean to you?

- It doesn't really have a special meaning. The brand that I liked since I was little has a ring that fits on my pinky, so I keep wearing it (laugh).

I heard on a Korean show that Big Bang's escape plans were foiled (laugh). If you had one more chance, where do you want to go?

- Okinawa!! Ah, but if this interview is released, then I have to change the place (laugh).

Please say a message to your fans and the KBOOM readers.

- I think it got cold all of a sudden. Beware of colds. I'll work hard to deliver warm music even if the weather gets cold. Thank you!!