00:00 I was singing but I didn't really know what I was saying all the time.
00:02 I was just mimicking the sounds.
00:04 I think a lot of misunderstandings is because I couldn't speak the language perfectly.
00:09 What ends up happening is I was just anxious all the time
00:13 because I was scared I was going to make a mistake.
00:14 So earlier you've talked about your unexpected entry to the business,
00:27 to entertainment, in the entertainment industry.
00:29 So can you share just a few memorable things that happened to you
00:34 during your first few years in the industry?
00:37 Oh man.
00:38 Um...
00:39 I mean everything was unexpected and new.
00:42 When I moved to Korea, I was not very good at Korean.
00:47 So I had a very hard time really understanding what was going on all the time.
00:53 So I was on TV and I just was confused a lot.
00:56 But, you know, my goal was to become a singer
01:03 and be as well known as possible so that I can make music.
01:06 And so that's what I really focused on for the early years of my career.
01:11 Just really sticking it out, being as positive as I could be,
01:14 and then really focusing on doing music the best I could.
01:18 Was there any challenging part about, as a beginner, the experience?
01:26 Yeah, I mean, I think I was a solo artist, I am a solo artist.
01:29 And so it could be very lonely at times because a lot of it is dependent on me.
01:34 I have to go on a show and explain myself and be fully communicative
01:39 when I don't really have a full grasp on the language.
01:43 And even the music I was singing, I was singing,
01:46 but I didn't really know what I was saying all the time.
01:48 I was just mimicking the sounds.
01:50 And so those were some of the really big challenges that I had.
01:54 And there were always, I think, a lot of misunderstandings
01:57 just because I couldn't speak the language perfectly.
02:00 But I think, thankfully, people were very gracious with me
02:05 when there were misunderstandings.
02:06 And I was always super apologetic in the case that there were misunderstandings.
02:10 So I think that can sound very simple, but in many ways,
02:16 what ends up happening is I was just anxious all the time
02:19 because I was scared I was going to make a mistake.
02:20 So I remember for a large part of my career early on,
02:24 I was just super, super intense and anxious a lot when I was starting off.
02:30 And now?
02:31 Now I feel, you know, I feel a lot more in my skin.
02:36 Naturally, I do a lot more stuff in English,
02:38 which is what I consider to be my first language.
02:40 So it's a lot more easy to get my thoughts across
02:44 and to be very clear when I communicate.
02:47 And so that's great.
02:49 And then in Korea, I think my Korean's obviously gotten a lot better.
02:55 And so I don't feel as anxious or as nervous when I'm speaking to people,
03:02 which has been a good thing.
03:04 So you are into a lot of things, acting, singing, hosting.
03:07 Which do you enjoy the most?
03:10 I think singing is what I still enjoy the most.
03:12 It's what I started this career for.
03:16 You know, when I tour, I love to perform. I love touring.
03:19 I think that's what makes me feel most alive and happy.
03:22 And so at the moment, that is what I still love and enjoy the most.
03:26 Did you ever consider pursuing a singing career in the U.S.?
03:33 I think it was always a dream.
03:34 And it was like, if I could, I would.
03:36 But I just didn't even know where to start.
03:39 And that's why many people turned to YouTube
03:41 because that was the only place that Asian or Asian-American people had an outlet to sing or perform.
03:49 There were not many Asian, Asian-American singers active in the States at the time.
03:55 And even now, it's—there are not that many.
03:58 There's a lot from K-pop, but not Asian-American, unfortunately.
04:01 But, you know, I think there's a bunch of us working really, really hard to change that.
04:06 And we're working really hard to be seen and to be heard and to develop our music and craft
04:11 so that there are more of us very, very visible to many people.
04:15 [music fades out]
04:20 [silence]
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