They assertively state that the relationships between their members are better than that of any other team. Seeing how they cut off each other’s words, interrupted each other, and used an endless amount of jokes here and there during the interview, I felt like I was watching my little brother with the friends he brought over to our house. I’m bringing out a story that couldn’t be more truthful than this. I even received a request to talk about sensitive topics under an anonymous name. Now, Infinite, show us your bravery~
Q: Your currently promoted song, ‘Man in Love’, seems to be a bit more free and softer than previous songs. The support from female fans is incredible for this song.
Sungyeol: We wanted to show a fresh, romantic, and soft kind of guy. If we showed more fierce songs through our past ‘angled group choreography’ in the past, I’d like to think that we have a free and warm feeling now.
Sunggyu: People probably like L the most. As someone who sees L’s popularity, I feel thankful, and I think I would’ve liked L if I were a girl.
L: I think the popularity is definitely thanks to me. (Laughter) But don’t they like us because we have seven different charms? Each of the members has their charm, so our group’s charm is the synergy effect that forms when we’re all together.
Q: When I saw the performance, Sungjong’s hat really left an impression. How did he start wearing it?
Sungjong: Our stylist noona first brought the hat and put it on me, then started saying that it looked really nice. She put in a variety of colors and made me a feathered hat. Although the hat is a bit heavy, I’m okay since it’s to show a better side. But a lot of my hair falls out before they secure the hat on with bobby pins.
Q: The crew for the drama, “When a Man Loves (남자가 사랑할 때)” by MBC, stated that they were happy because “We got promoted thanks to Infinite”.
L: The original title of ‘Man in Love’ was ‘When a Man Loves’, but we saw that it overlapped with the drama title later on. It’s good if it’s a win-win situation for both of us. If the drama crew likes it, I ask that they call us to participate in their OST.
Q: Is there a song that you want to show off about the most from this album?
Woohyun: I personally wrote and composed the song ‘Beautiful’. It’s a song that I made a year ago, but it wasn’t easily put into the album even though I edited it over five times, which is why I wanted to give up on it. However, after my CEO constantly declined it, he put it into the album after one word from our songwriter. In the end, the original song basically went in.
Sunggyu: That’s because that songwriter is the chairman of our office. (Laughter) Anyways, even I felt proud that Woohyun’s song went into the album. This is because I saw the process of him getting lectured and going through pain for it.
Q: You really became a singer-songwriter. Hoya and Dongwoo personally wrote raps since a long time ago, right?
(By upset Mr. A): We continuously wrote raps since pre-debut, but the problem was that our names weren’t registered correctly for the copyright process in past songs. I hope things like distributions and registrations are sorted better since it’s creations that we personally make.
Q: When you think of Infinite, you think of ‘angled group choreography’, so how much do you guys practice? What’s the most important part in group choreography?
Sunggyu: In the past, we did nothing else but dance for a month, but since our schedules are quite tight lately, we honestly practiced for ‘Man in Love’ a day before music video recordings. Our choreography came out the day before our music video shoot. We practiced all-night, and learned any altered dance moves at that moment.
Woohyun: Synchronization is most important in angled group choreography. Although the choreography is important, there are many parts where you need to find your spot or match up in a line, so it’s only possible if you have good teamwork.
Hoya: I used to originally do freestyle dances to hip-hop beats, but since we started doing ‘angled group choreography’ after debuting, my hip-hop friends teased me and said “you look like a robot”. Although I felt skeptical about my dancing at times, the public’s reaction seemed really great. We were worried about it too, but we decided on having synchronized choreography for just the middle, and show our own charms during other parts. That’s why we’re currently showing more free dance moves in ‘Man in Love’.
Q: The members that dance the best are definitely Hoya and Dongwoo, so who’s the “black hole”?
Sungyeol: I‘m taller than the other members. The angles are important in synchronized group choreography, so I often think it’s a bit too much when I have to bend down a lot to show the same position as the other members. There needs to be a coolness to group choreography, but I feel like I’m the black hole in that area.
Sunggyu: I don’t think it’s just because you’re tall. (Laughter)
Q: In April, it’ll be exactly 3 years since you debuted (T/N: interviewer got it wrong). After 3 years passed, what changed the most?
L: First off, our dorms changed. Also, the amount we can spend on food increased, and our faces became matured as well. (Laughter)
Sungyeol: When we told said that we were going to the convenience store before, our company told us to lose weight and wouldn’t buy us it, but now they buy us everything beforehand.
(Angry Mr. B): Although we aren’t free lately, the basic fundamental rights of a human are given to us. Even if we wanted to use the restroom back then, they would say “you have to practice, where do you think you’re going?” and wouldn’t let us go unless it was at a designated time. I wasn’t even able to properly see the light back then.
Dongwoo: We even have more freedom in talking as well. Because I used to stutter a lot in interviews during our debut days, my nickname was “Stutter”. But I don’t stutter now that a lot of the regulations are loosened.
Q: From all of your promotions, which song was the most fun to perform on stage?
L, Sungjong, Hoya: Because the more we promote, the more it’s fun, we think that we currently have the most fun right now. Through ‘Man in Love’, we’re able to show a fresh and bright image after a long time, so we have fun during every stage.
Dongwoo: ‘Nothing’s Over’. Because it’s a comfortable song, I think I was able to show a free side to myself. I did random dances on stage wearing my own clothes and shoes, and made various sounds during the live performances.
Sunggyu: Although we only promoted it for a week, I really liked ‘Hysterie’. I personally thought about it becoming the title song, but it didn’t.
Sungyeol: Our debut song, ‘Come Back Again’. I really liked the fact that the concept made you think of Michael Jackson, and the song’s sound was great.
Sunggyu: For our debut song, I have a hurtful memory where I was the center, but had to be changed out due to visual problems. I was the center for the chorus, but our CEO changed the arrangement once he saw comments on the internet that said “he’s ugly”.
Q: Then who’s the center that it got changed to?
(They all combined mouths and pointed to L) Of course it’s him! (Explosive laughter)
Q: Hoya and Dongwoo’s unit, Infinite H, became a big hit. How would you personally grade your promotions?
Sungyeol: (Looking at the Infinite H members) I think just the song was good.
Woohyun: Infinite H’s songs made a higher profit than any of Infinite’s previous songs.
Dongwoo: Hey, Infinite is higher in album sales. Anyways, I liked it because I could enjoy the stage freely through unit group promotions after doing angled and synchronized dances with 7 members.
Hoya: Since we’re members who rap, we felt we succeeded a lot with just the fact that we were able to show ourselves on the camera for a long time. In the past, there wasn’t a song that I was able to say, “This is our style!”, but I really liked this song.
Q: Hoya had the most active amount of promotions with ‘Reply 1997’ and Infinite H, but were there any jealous members?
Hoya: Although I don’t know their true inner thoughts, there wasn’t anyone who openly showed envy. But it’s a bit vague to be jealous, because even though I shot dramas, commercials, and magazines by myself, my amount is small when it’s all seven of us. We recently shot an ice cream advertisement, but it wasn’t centered around me. (Laughter)
Dongwoo: To be honest, rather than be jealous, we just don’t really care. (Laughter) If he does well, he does well, if he does badly, then he does badly. The members without schedules can practice on their own or meet up with friends that they haven’t been able to meet.
Q: Then members who didn’t really have solo promotions, what have you been doing during that time?
Sungyeol: Don’t they say that opportunities come to those that are ready? I’ve been preparing in a variety of things while practicing in my acting and singing.
Sungjong: I mainly practiced the piano and my singing, and when I needed some healing, I went to see a lot of movies with Hoya, L, and Sungyeol hyung. I also rode on a bicycle by myself and went to the Han River for the first round, then to the top of the mountain as the second round. Because I quite like lively activities.
Woohyun: Although we say that we were gone for 10 months, there were still many things we did including overseas promotions. I put my time in composing and writing song lyrics.
Q: Photography seems to be L’s hobby. Does he normally go out to take photos?
L: Since I take many photos normally, an essay book will be coming out soon. When I go to take pictures, I usually go out to the suburbs of Seoul, but I’ve gone to most places. I recently went to the East Sea, but I took a picture of flocks of sheep at Daegwanryeong. Since I go around by myself to take pictures, most people don’t recognize me, so I can walk around freely.
Q: I heard that there isn’t any part-time job that Sunggyu hasn’t done prior to debuting. What was the hardest one?
Sunggyu: Moving the charcoal blocks at a BBQ restaurant. I burned myself a lot, and there were times that I got hurt after dropping things during the hot summer day. Although I went through a lot of trouble prior to debuting, I feel overcome with emotions since we recently moved our dorms to somewhere that we can see the Han River.
Q: Woohyun stated that he would make various dishes for his girlfriend if he gets one, but is he actually good at cooking? Have you made up a dish to serve on “Happy Together - Night Snack Bar”? (T/N: it’s a corner in a show called ‘Happy Together’ where the guests show their own midnight snack creations).
Woohyun: I’m actually good at it, and when I lived by myself, I often made my own food. I already made up a dish for ‘Night Snack Bar’. Although I can’t reveal it exactly, it’s something that could win 1st place. The dish that Sunggyu hyung showed last time was really unappealing. Korean pancakes with egg and kimchi, that’s a really useless dish. (Laughter)
Q: Sungjong recently became an issue for being a ‘look-a-like to Song Hyegyo’.
Sungjong: Although I don’t personally see it, people around me tell me that occasionally. I’m taken aback because they say I look similar to a really beautiful woman even though I’m a man, and I wonder if this is the right thing. Since it’s become an issue, I hope that I can become friends with Song Hyegyo senior through this chance. (Laughter)
Q: The program where we were able to newly see Infinite’s charms is “Weekly Idols”. I feel like you would have a special thankful heart towards the MCs Jung Hyungdon and Defconn.
Hoya: It’s a program that we’re really thankful towards. When we meet with Jung Hyungdon and Defconn hyung outside of recordings, they treat us really well. Since they try to purposely create more things for us during recordings, it’s definitely much easier to talk than having to record with someone that we don’t know.
Sunggyu: I recently met with Defconn hyung through “Idol Athletics Track and Field Competition”, but he told me that it’s not easy to use the bathroom, and asked if I could turn on some music. So the two of us listened to Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’ in the bathroom together. (Hums to the song)
Q: On “Weekly Idols”, they showed the youngest (Sungjong) abusing the oldest (Sunggyu), but how is Infinite’s ranking in real life?
Sunggyu: We don’t really have a ranking, but if we were to pick, wouldn’t I be the highest since I’m the eldest.
Dongwoo: Our leader hyung isn’t really that forceful, and we’re all the type to just say what we want to.
Sungjong: Probably age order? But truthfully, I don’t even know if I have the role of the youngest. Because I normally act cool and like active things, that’s just how I live. I think the hyungs are sad at me because, “Even though he’s the youngest, he only shows cute acts to the fans, and doesn’t show it to us”, but I only show cute actions to the fans because I haven’t seen them in a long time. Because I only do it outside the dorms, they criticize me and call me “fake”. (Laughter)
Hoya: This is another story, but I purposely talk more when I’m at a recording. Not too long ago, I was really tired, so I didn’t talk for 2~3 at a recording, and the staff members had a misunderstanding that we had bad relationships with each other.
Q: When do you plan to promote “Man in Love” till?
(Agitated Mr. C): We don’t really know about that yet. Because they don’t listen to our opinions at all. So they don’t tell us anything.
Sungyeol: Ah, please make it seem like I wasn’t here during this interview. (Laughter)
Sunggyu: If we do it short, it’ll be around 1~2 months, and we plan to start solo promotions for the members such as dramas or variety shows along with overseas promotions.
Q: If you were to say something towards the public who still confuses Infiniti and Infinite, and ‘The Chaser (Chugyeokja)’ with ‘The Pursuer (Chujeokja)’.
Sunggyu: I completely understand that you could be confused, since even I get confused occasionally. However, I hope that you would think that if there’s Infiniti and Infinite, that “there’s the car brand and the singers as well.” (Laughter)
Sungyeol: My thoughts are the same as hyung’s. While talking with my mom, I would say “The Pursuer”, and my mom would say, “Isn’t it ‘The Chaser’?”. Then we would bicker about which one would be the right one.
Q: If you’re given a bit more freedom, what kind of dreams and hopes do you wish to pursue?
Woohyun: I wish to learn a bit more about music. I would also like to promote with songs that I personally composed as well.
Dongwoo: I hope that each of us could be able to get our own studios. If I work seriously and share that work, wouldn’t it have a deeper exchange than now?
Sungjong: I also want a personal practice room. I want to read books there and practice my acting. Since I’m still young, I would like to try out things in various areas.
Hoya: Doing things that I want to do. There are times when that doesn’t happen even though I’m doing something I enjoy. I also want to try out acting a bit more as well. I would also like to receive a week’s vacation and travel.
L: Besides photography, it would be nice to know how to play an instrument. I’m currently constantly practicing the guitar, so although it’s in the far future, wouldn’t it be possible to put in my own guitar melody in our album?
Sunggyu, Sungyeol: We want to create an album that’s made 100% by our members where L would take pictures, Hoya and Dongwoo would create choreography, Sunggyu would sing, and Woohyun would write the songs.
(Mr. D who doesn’t have his driver’s license): One last thing! The company won’t let us get a driver’s license. I understand that they’re worried that we may get hurt from driving a car, but I want to get a driver’s license.
trans. cr; hyejin @ infinite updates | scan cr; ggumso @ tumblr ; take out with full credits
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