mino and po for 1st look, june 2020

2020. 6. 6. 22:45

' TWO THUMBS UP '

 

So, a fashion battle between 'best friends'?!

minho. When we first got offered the proposal to do <Mapo Hipsters> my first thought was, "Us?"  Though I did think that it would be fun to tackle the topic of 'fashion', I couldn't help but wonder if the two of us would be able to handle being on a show on our own. And we were the follow-up act for Hodong-hyung's <The Ramyeonator>, so we felt pretty pressured, too. 

 

p.o. I think I asked Min Ho multiple times, "Do you think we can... be fun?" Because in the end we're filming a variety show, and we need to be fun in order to receive love from the viewers. Honestly, I bet none of us, including the staff, initially had huge expectations for the show to do well. We were just doing it and got lucky enough to have some of the things nicely fall into place. "We got lucky," was thrown around by everyone almost as a catchphrase, but I seriously believe it. 

 

mn. We weren't sure what to do in the beginning — we felt lost and disoriented. We decided to carry on with the mentality: "We don't know how this is going to turn out but let's just do our best with the TPO missions." And we would have fun and mess around with the different kinds of scenarios that they gave us, so I think it ended up working out well. And Na PD helped us out a lot too, through his role as our muse. 

 

p.o. The missions that we had to carry out were so much harder than I expected, I wanted to tear my hair out. They were all challenging, but the 'Spicy Tteokbokki Look' mission was the hardest for me. Do you remember the red velvet jacket with the gold stitching? I mean, what does it even mean to express passion and a spicy flavor, you know? I was so deep in thought and in a daze, I think I ended up saying nonsense like, "The stitching represents the fried food," or something like that. 

 

mn. That mission was really difficult. I spent days trying to think and prepare for what I should wear. It wasn’t like I could be too intuitive in the way I express it either... But I was confident that my chances of winning would equal how much effort I put in. You saw, right? I even paid attention to the little details, like the illustrations on the shirt. (Laughs) In hindsight, every single mission was fun.

 

p.o. Wasn't the 'Introducing My Fashionista Friends' special episode really memorable, too? I  desperately made the request to my friends, and I was so thankful that they all happily came over despite how out-of-the-blue it was. 

 

mn. They're people who are normally difficult to meet because our schedules don't align, but it ended up looking like it was pre-planned [because they all came], and it became a special episode with a star-studded cast. 

 

p.o. Exactly. And we got lucky with that too, right? I think we create a stronger synergy by being together. 

 

 

The root of stylishness is challenge and experience

p.o. When I was a kid I loved clothes, and I was really interested in fashion. But at some point — maybe because I had solidified my personal style to a certain extent — I had begun to feel indifferent about it. Once I started <Mapo Hipsters> though, I suddenly got the inspiration to study. I was reading up on fashion magazines and learning about what the latest trends were. It was a lot of fun to battle and come across new items.

 

mn. I'm normally the type to dress however I want, so sometimes my outfits are a bit over-the-top, or I have to go through a trial and error with what I wear. Doing this program gave me the opportunity to sincerely think about fashion and style again. I was actually distancing myself from shopping for a while, but filming for the show has re-kindled my interest. We would shoot in places like select-shops, so all these sparkly items would keep catching my eye. 

 

p.o. I usually lean towards comfortable, clean-cut styles but I think nowadays I've become a bit bolder.

 

mn. P.O used to disregard and deny my sense of style, but recently he's had an eye on my favorite sunflower item! Haha. 

 

p.o. I'm using fashionable words to demonstrate tolerance and open-mindedness between two fashionistas.

 

mn. I've really been into work clothes lately. I often wore an apron to work and eventually it just ended up becoming my style. The pocket is pretty useful too, because I tend to bring around a lot of different things. I think for me, my style stems from what I feel is comfortable. A lot of people ask me for styling tips, or how to cultivate your sense of style. And I guess this is an obvious answer, but I ultimately believe that you need to start by being unafraid to try. Once you try wearing a lot of different things, you eventually begin to realize which colors and what kind of fit suits you. Don't just limit yourself to brand-names. Try everything first. Apparently fashionistas begin with getting rid of almost all their clothes. Even if people tease you, stay persistent! P.O and I went through many trials and errors. 

 

p.o. That's true. When we both look back [at what we used to wear] there are a lot of instances that make us wonder why we dressed that way. There's a useful styling tip that tells you to take inspiration from a style icon who you think is cool and shares a similar physique as you. To be honest though, just because you think someone's cool, doesn't mean you should copy everything about them. But I liked the actor Ryoo Seung Bum when I was younger and once bought an entire outfit that he wore, then I said, "Oh my God," and threw all of the clothes into the back of my closet. I think I had to endure painful failures like that in order to develop my personal style. 

 

 

A friendship that ripens with time

p.o. People say it's not easy to form a deep, 10-year long relationship with someone, but for me and Min Ho I think it deepened naturally. I didn't really know it when I was younger, but the more time I spend with him, I sometimes find myself thinking embarrassing thoughts like, "Is this kid and me meant to be?" We got to do things we could only dream of, like being on a TV show together or doing a photoshoot. We're getting the opportunity to do a lot of different things together. 

 

mn. We may have changed a lot over time, but I think our relationship has stayed the same. He's still my "comfortable friend". We were right by each other's side to witness our changes, and we shared moments of happiness as well as moments of struggle. From when we were immature youth, to when we became influential members of society, there were a lot of instances when I strayed and struggled, and Ji Hoon was right by my side to steady me. He's sensible and thoughtful, so he's very good at looking after others. I feel thankful that I have a friend like him.

 

p.o. Honestly, I don't think I'm someone with a strong artistic side. It's actually a quality that I yearn for, so when I see Min Ho I feel a sense of satisfaction. From the artistic side he shows on stage to confidently walking in a fashion show for a renowned brand, I guess I want to say that looking on at Min Ho gives me a sort of relief. I feel really proud of him

 

mn. Aren't we being too cheesy and cringey right now? Haha. It feels a bit awkward because we've never had the chance to be so open and sincere with how we feel about one another. But anyway, I feel really grateful for this relationship, and I hope that it'll continue to last.

 

p.o. When we were younger we had no idea we would be where we are today. 'Cus let's be honest, neither of us were that great, haha. That's what we say nowadays too — that it's so fascinating and surprising how a couple of mischievous kids are getting this much love. It's something to be really thankful for.

 

 

'Galaxy Hipsters' who will continue to become even cooler

mn. Lately, we don't have as many opportunities to communicate with our fans, but I was glad that through a variety show like <Mapo Hipsters> we were able to approach them in a closer, friendlier way. As much as the fans miss me, I really long for them. I'm planning on presenting new and cool sides to me through a variety of different ways, including music, of course. 

 

p.o. We received so much love through <Mapo Hipsters> and it feels both puzzling and really good. When we were filming our variety show I would often say to Min Ho or to the hyungs that I think I'm truly a blessed person. I sometimes also think that I receive more love than the level of my abilities. It kind of feels like I won the lottery. From here on out, not only in variety programs but in other areas, I'll work hard to make sure I present to all of you the side that you want to see from me, the side that you expect. I'll bring to life the vibes of a person who holds a 'Hipster' title, and expand upon my 'coolness' to go beyond 'Mapo' to reach Asia, the world, and even the galaxy. I'll try my best to be someone who is truly 'cool', wherever it may be.

 

mn. Please continue to look forward to the new world we'll continue to make together. 

 

 

 

 

'MAGAZINE' 카테고리의 다른 글

mino for l'officiel hommes, aw 2020/21  (0) 2020.10.09
mino for elle, september 2020  (0) 2020.08.22
seungyoon for elle, june 2020  (0) 2020.05.21
mino for gq, december 2019  (0) 2019.11.21
mino for esquire, november 2019  (0) 2019.10.25