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<추가>/스캔 인터뷰txt/태민 TAEMIN THE IDENTITY 럭셔리 LUXURY 2023년 10월호

교통대란과 비의 콜라보로 두시간반동안 차안에 갇혀있었다. 멀미도 심하고 우산이랑 젖은 자켓이랑 장벽은...

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THE IDENTITY

Taemin, who has become much more mature, stands in front of the camera wearing a Cartier Tank American watch. The moment the shutter rolled, I realized something again.

He is a person with deep eyes that remains the same, both 15 years ago and now.

I took a photo with the Cartier Tank American Watch today, and I was surprised that it matched Taemin's natural feel so well. I know that you usually wear a tank watch.

Cartier is a brand that I personally really like. My wrists are thinner than other people’s. However, Cartier watches wear very stably. Each person has their own unique mood and feeling. I wear it often because I think it suits me well as it can be worn by both men and women. I encountered the Tank American Watch for the first time in this shoot, and although it is a subtle difference, I like it because it has a delicate and sharp feel.

In some ways, Taemin is the same person, but Taemin, the artist on screen and on stage, changes like a chameleon. It may seem a bit contradictory, but do you have your own way of embracing change while maintaining consistency?

When I debuted, it wasn't easy to show my honest side. As time passed, I thought it would be okay to show a more natural side of me. Thankfully, the fans liked it. I'm glad that I still think I'm a good person who deserves love (sigh) Wouldn't it be possible to be consistent because I don't force it? When I work, I try to try new things. However, I personally have my own lines that I never cross.

The standards are clear. How do you reconcile the gaps?

I have a job doing what I love and persuading the public about it. People’s empathy is very important. In a way, the lines mentioned above are created in areas that the public can sympathize with. I feel like I'm swimming in something that will ultimately be divided by a single point. Therefore, it is important to have good rapport with the staff you work with. We boldly try them all, discuss with the staff, and gradually reduce the amount to achieve a consistent tone. It's important to try it first.

It's already fall, around the turning point of 2023. How do you think your time has been so far?

I worked hard on self-care this year. Both body and mind. In the past, I thought of work and life after work as separate. So, the only life after that was my life, and from then on I finally felt like I could rest. That idea was overturned. I felt like I wanted to enjoy every moment. In the end, all the people I work with every day are comfortable and close. I'm more active than before. Originally, I was an introvert who was recognized.

Since SHINee's comeback as a complete group in June, we have been running non-stop ever since. Aren’t you physically exhausted?

I can say this with confidence. I am in the best condition right now. These days, I do aerobic exercise for an hour every day, and funnily enough, the choreography I used to do has become easier. I think it's true that with management, things can get better regardless of age. Singing and dancing are aerobic exercises in and of themselves, so there are times when I feel like I'm going to faint and faint. Running is a really good exercise.

Now I'm about to make a comeback with my solo album. What are you inspired by when preparing?

Considering the artist Taemin, I thought it was time to write another chapter. It can also be seen as an album that reviews the previous chapter before completely covering it. While preparing the album, I was very inspired by Georges Bataille's book <L'Erotisme>. I'm going to talk about a certain emotion. There are times when things we thought were unacceptable become acceptable at certain moments. At that time, if you are a human being, you will have emotions. I said earlier that I always try to do something a little different, and I thought that that feeling was the theme that encompassed this attempt. The exact details are still a secret. But it will be my unique laboratory. I think this will be an album where I walk a tightrope to see how far I can go.

All of the results, including the performances shown so far, were nothing short of spectacular. It has never disappointed me. So, I think there will be a good sense of pressure in this solo comeback. What is your biggest challenge?

that's right. I tried to show a different side of myself in all the albums I've released so far. I think there was also a sense of mission. I always approached it with the mindset of showing more than what I had created. It would be a lie if I said there was no pressure. Among the songs on this album, there is another genre of music that I haven't done before. Would that be another challenge? Rather than showing something similar every time, I thought we should show something new so people would turn their eyes and listen more than once thinking, “Oh, Taemin is doing this.” In that sense, it is music that is a bit of a fresh attempt. You will know which song I am talking about when you listen to it yourself.

In the end, how can you define the music you want to do and the performance you want to show?

I think it can simply be said to be a performance suited to the times. It is important to be trendy but still show your true colors. I think of performance as music and work on it. I wish someone would respect me the way I respected Michael Jackson. In fact, everything I do is primarily for myself, but I think I would be happy and have a great sense of accomplishment if other people remembered and recognized Taemin's performance in this era.

How would you describe Taemin Lee in one word?

A racehorse that runs like crazy while only looking ahead. Someone once expressed it that way, and it stayed in my memory for a long time. I want to work for a long time and I don't want to stop. I think this is a really important time. As a musician named ‘Taemin’, my homework is to create a musical color. I want to be alive and well, and I want to remain present and ongoing forever.