Super popular in Korea, LOONA has made their long-awaited Japanese debut! MERY has gotten an exclusive interview♡
The members said, "We think of the circles in HULA HOOP as paths that connect us, LOONA, with our fans. The lyrics are like a poem too, so please listen to it a lot!”
StarSeed~Kakusei~ : Take note of the excitement as if you’re on another planet, and “cho cho joayo”
The members had this to say about Starseed~Kakusei~: “It contains the hope of bringing out one’s hidden abilities and moving forward energetically."
Let's get to know LOONA's members! Check each members' individual questions♡
• Visual ace "Heejin" × Having both cool and brightness "Hyunjin"
Heejin was the first to debut in LOONA. LOONA’s visual ace, she has dance skills, as she has learned to dance from a young age♡ We asked Heejin these questions:
① When did you start wanting to become an idol? A. "I wanted to become an idol in elementary school, so I auditioned a lot. I started my activities in earnest when I was in middle school."
② Your representative animal is a rabbit, and your color is a deep pink - how do you think it suits you? A. "I think both rabbits and deep pink are a good fit for me, and I think they were recommended because the company thought they are similar to my image."
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Although she seems to be seen as a cool beauty, in reality Hyunjin has a bright personality and this gap is charming. We asked Hyunjin these questions:
① Your clear voice is very attractive ♡ Are there any particular efforts you make for this? A. "I think the basics are the most important thing, so I don’t skip practicing the basics, I firmly stick to it."
② Your representative animal is the cat, and your color is yellow - how do you think it suits you? A. "I think I look like a cat, and I like the bright atmosphere that comes with yellow! But, in fact, when I had an allergy test, I discovered that I was allergic to cats ..."
• Leader "Haseul" × The group’s maknae full of aegyo, "Yeojin"
The leader who pulls the group along, Haseul gave off bright vibes during the interview as well. We asked Haseul these questions!
① Your beautiful and high voice is so attractive! What do you do to make your voice so clear? A. "Rather than on vocalization, I continue to place my efforts on making my voice sound pretty. I like chit-chatting, but I refrain from using my voice too much when recording."
② Your representative animal is a white bird, and your color is green. How do you think it suits you? A. "I think green fits me great! But I've always thought that birds are scary... Someday, through LOONA, I'd like to do a project where I can get closer to birds."
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The maknae Yeojin, youngest in the group and doted on by all. Although she is the youngest, she was passionate with her responses during the interview, leaving an impression of her being very dependable ♡ This is what we asked Yeojin:
① What are the difficult and good things unique to being the youngest? A. "There’s nothing particularly difficult, the good thing is that there are 11 unnies supporting me."
② Your representative animal is a frog, and your color is orange. How well do you think it suits you? A. "To be honest, I wondered how it would go, with the frog. But I've accepted it over time, and I think it has a cheerful image. I think orange is the perfect color for me."
• From Hong Kong, overwhelming visual "Vivi" × The versatile "Kim Lip" who got attention even from her solo song
The only member hailing from Hong Kong, ViVi was active as a model in Hong Kong before her debut. Vivi has overwhelming visuals and an attractive figure. We asked her these questions!
① How did you study Korean? A. "I tried to read books, translate on my own, and memorize phrases rather than words. Now, I have no problem communicating with the members."
② Your representative animal is a deer, and your color is pastel pink. How much do you think it suits you? A. "I think the deer's gentle vibe is similar to me. I think pastel pink also suits me well."
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Kim Lip has received a lot of attention even during her solo days, such as her solo song "Eclipse" being included in NASA's official playlist.
① What is difference in appeal between solo and a group? A. “The appeal of a solo is that the concept will have a certain feel that matches you, whereas the chemistry between members is what’s important in a group, so I think fans will also be pleased.”
② Your representative animal is an owl, and your color is red - how much do you think it suits you? A. "Red is passionate and intense, and I think it fits very well. Although, I'm a morning person while owls are nocturnal, so I think that it’s funny that it’s the exact opposite."
• "Jinsoul" with an attractive husky voice × "Choerry" with a gap between her overwhelming figure and cuteness
Jinsoul, who has an attractive husky voice, and also is in charge of rapping. For Jinsoul, who looks cool but has a cute personality in contrast, we asked these questions.
① Are there any artists you admire and are inspired by? A. "There isn’t a specific artist. I get greatly influenced by everyone. Recording myself and checking what sounds good, I make an effort to make our fans happy.”
② Your representative animal is a blue betta fish, and your color is blue, how well do you think that fits you? A. "A blue fish, a blue betta, appears in my solo MV. So I wondered if it was because of that. But when I saw myself dancing, the way my mouth moved resembled that of a fish, so it made sense."
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In contrast to her cute face, Choerry has an overwhelming figure. We asked Choerry, who had a cheerful side to liven up the interview, these questions.
① Secrets to maintaining your figure? A. “I don’t do anything in particular, but since I tend to get puffy easily, I drink tea that’s good for puffiness. I strongly recommend pumpkin and red bean tea.”
② Your representative animal is a bat, and your color is purple. How do you think it fits you? A. "I think purple fits me well, but I thought I wouldn’t get used to having my representative animal as a bat at first. Now, I think bats are pretty cute and I like them."
• With plenty of brightness, LOONA's biggest jokester, "Yves" × Mood maker and trendsetter Chuu
Yves, who has a beautiful appearance and is the character in charge of jokes at LOONA. We asked Yves these questions!
① LOONA's jokester! What keeps you upbeat? A. “Honestly when it comes to meeting different people while alone, I’m on the shy side. But when I’m with the members I’m very comfortable and we have good chemistry, so I just turn into the jokester character.”
② Your representative animal is a swan, and your color is burgundy. How do you think it fits you? A. "I have a nickname of ‘apple’ among fans. The name “Eve” and apples are closely related, aren’t they? So, I like burgundy. Swans have an elegant image, so I think that’s the kind of image the company expected from me at first. Except, I actually can’t swim…”
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Chuu, who has a cheerful and talkative personality, and is a mood maker. We asked Chuu, who was popular on SNS even before debut, and who makes trends, these questions!
① Any tips to make trends? Such as creating the “Chuu heart” that was popular among K-POP idols? A. "I'm just doing various things with the hope that I’m pleasing the fans. I think it came up because I naturally thought like that.”
② Your representative animal is the penguin, and your color is coral, how well do you think that fits you? A. “I’ve always liked penguins, and I’ve always thought they were cute, so I’m happy. With coral, I wondered if it would suit me, but over time, I started thinking that it fits me.”
• Quiet healing character Go Won × Olivia Hye who has overwhelming dance skill
Go Won, who has graceful facial features like a doll, and a quiet aura to her. We asked these questions to her:
① A fan of "OH MY GIRL" ♡ What kind of idol do you want to be? A. "I want to be the idol I dreamed of, and be somebody who gives energy and hope to fans."
② Your representative animal is a butterfly, and your color is Eden Green, how do you think that suits you? A. "We often wear fluttering outfits, which I think resembles butterflies, and I like that. For Eden Green, I like colors like yellow, but yellow is Hyunjin's color, so I think I wanted to also like Eden Green."
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Olivia Hye has overwhelming dance skills despite her cool and calm vibes. We asked her these questions.
① Not only for having the makings of an idol, but also famous among fans for being a PC gamer! How long do you play PC games? A. "I used to play a lot of games. I’m the type where when I start one thing, I concentrate on it until I reach the end. But lately, I’ve often been practicing singing and dancing, so I don't play games that often."
② Your representative animal is a wolf, and your color is gray. How well do you think that suits you? A. "At first I didn't have the image of a wolf at all, but I noticed the wolf within me through my solo song, and now I like it. I think gray suits me because I don't really like to stand out."
Let's get to know more about LOONA's charm! We asked for their thoughts about the group and the members♡
Q1. How would you like Japanese fans to support you?
A.
Go Won: We can’t meet in person now, so I’d like to meet Orbits, who’ve sent us lots of fan letters, soon.
Olivia Hye: Personally, I think it would be interesting if the "Hula Hoop challenge" became popular on SNS. Even though we’re apart, I want to connect using SNS and interact with my fans. By the way, I can spin a hula hoop around my neck.
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Author: Though the current conditions mean they can’t meet fans in person now, they really want to meet Japanese fans as soon as possible! I was able to feel that ♡ As Olivia Hye says, why don't you support LOONA by adding a hashtag #LOONAHulaHoopChallenge (#LOONAフラフープチャレンジ) on SNS?
Q2. What are your future goals after making your debut in Japan?
A.
Vivi: Our goal is to have a fan meeting where we can meet in person, and, more than anything, to have a concert in Japan.
Chuu: I always check the messages sent by Orbits! So I would like to meet in person and return my gratitude. I would like to show "HULA HOOP" at a concert.
Olivia Hye: When we are able to go to Japan, I would like to go see them in person, have a concert, and see how happy Japanese Orbits become.
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Author: The words that are overflowing from each member were all "I want to please the fans." As Vivi and Chuu say, let's hope that concerts and fan meetings in Japan will take place soon ♡
Q3. What is your favorite phrase or favorite Japanese part for your Japanese debut songs "HULA HOOP / StarSeed ~ Kakusei ~"?
A.
Choerry: I like “hitomi wa Andromeda'' (your eyes are Andromeda) from Hula Hoop. I like the Japanese words “umai” (delicious/great) and “pekopeko” (onomatopoeia for being hungry).
Chuu: I want to emphasize “chou chou joayo” from Starseed ~Kakusei~ because it’s cute having Japanese and Korean mixed together. I like the Japanese word “mokumoku” (silently working on something).
[T/N: The more common definition of “mokumoku” is stated above, but there are various alternative usages, such as being the onomatopoeia for smoke/clouds flowing past, or an alternative onomatopoeia for chewing (“mogumogu”), and it’s not clear which definition Chuu is referring to.]
Heejin: I was happy when I came to understand the meaning of “kakusei” (awakening). At first I thought it was “gakusei” (student), but it was interesting when I understood it after learning Japanese.
Yves: The pronunciation for “tsu” and “ku” were difficult, so I worked hard on it. “ku” is pronounced more nasally compared to Korean, so I put in a lot of effort to pronounce it cutely♡
Go Won: I like the Japanese word “kirakira” (onomatopoeia for sparkling/twinkling).
Yeojin: I like that the Japanese word “kokoro” (heart) also is in Starseed ~Kakusei~.
Vivi: I like the word “shiawase” (happiness).
Haseul: The feeling of repeating words in “dokidoki” (onomatopoeia for heart pounding) is cute.
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Author: With them taking the challenge of Japanese lyrics, their efforts and feelings of delighting Japanese fans comes through♡ LOONA’s efforts can be felt clearly in either song! We were also told “It sounds cute!”, or “It appears in the lyrics!” about their favourite Japanese words.
Q4. What do you want us to pay attention to in the B-side "PTT (Paint The Town) Japanese Ver."?
A.
Yeojin: It was our first time singing in Japanese, so all the members were careful about their pronunciation. I hope that the efforts will be conveyed to the fans as well.
Jinsoul: The lyrics have the same meaning, but I think the difference in pronunciation is a big point. It's the same song, but the rhythm is a little different, and I sang it with a different feeling. I’d like you to pay attention to those parts.
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Q5. What’s a charm that you think is unique to LOONA?
A.
Haseul: From solos to units, and then to a 12-person group, LOONA took a long time to become complete. That process has a different appeal from other idols, as well as being a new type. That’s why our teamwork is also strong.
Choerry: Our competitive spirit is also second to none!
Yves: The solos and units each have their own charms, and us as a full group also has a charm of its own. I think that’s a distinguishing factor we have from other groups. To someone who had been watching from the various eras, they would wonder, “what kind of combinations would come about when the solo or unit members form a group?” I think that that’s another one of our unique charms.
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Q6. Have you come to Japan before?
A.
Choerry: I've actually been there once for a shoot. There were many wonderful places and so much delicious food ♡, so I definitely want to go there again.
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Q7. “I really love this about a member!” What would that be?
A.
Hyunjin: I like Yves’ jokes ♡
Yves: I’m jealous that Yeojin can act spoiled because she’s the youngest~!
Heejin: I think it's amazing how Jinsoul gets deep into one thing when concentrating.
Yeojin: All 11 older sisters are kind and caring towards me. I'm really grateful to be able to casually talk with them, even when I'm feeling down.
Choerry: All the members are fun, I feel better just by looking at their faces ♡
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Q8. Who’s the mood maker (the life of the party), according to the members?
A.
Everyone is very bright! But I think Yeojin, Choerry, and Chuu are the mood makers. A personality test called "MBTI" is popular in Korea now, and when all the members did it, those three were "ENFP".
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Q9. If you could be another member for a day, who would you choose?
A.
Heejin → Yves: Yves’ arms and legs are very long, so her dance moves are beautiful. That’s why I chose Yves.
Hyunjin → Kim Lip: Her clothes are stylish! I always look at her closet and want to try on her clothes.
Haseul → Olivia Hye: I’m a very loud person, and when I get startled, I scream loudly, but Olivia Hye always stays calm. I think I’d be able to find a different side of myself.
Yeojin → Choerry: I love how she lives her life purely.
Vivi → Hyunjin: I fancy her height and physical strength.
Kim Lip → Heejin: When I was in the waiting room, I heard her say “I see something glittering~”, and I wondered what that was about. Apparently, Heejin’s nose is sharp enough that she could see the glitter on her nose. Her nose is pretty, and I’m jealous of it.
Jinsoul → Hyunjin: I envy her physical fitness and strength.
Choerry → Yeojin: I want to try feeling how’s it like to have 11 unnies♡
Yves → Olivia Hye: Seeing her going out alone and enjoying herself is wonderful. I think it’s nice that she doesn’t care about what others see of her, and lives her life calmly.
Chuu → Yves: She’s strong, and her figure is awesome! It’s my ideal figure.
Go Won → Kim Lip: I admire morning people who can wake up early and go to sleep early. Since I’m nocturnal..
Olivia Hye → Go Won: I don’t think I want to become someone else, but I think Go Won and I have similar personalities. I’m not the type to become overly enthusiastic, and seeing Go Won when she’s relaxing on the sofa makes me feel like she’s similar.
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We look forward to LOONA Japanese activities from now on♡ How about becoming an Orbit?
Charming members of LOONA, You can’t help but to become their fan…♡ How about becoming an Orbit from today on? First of all, listen to their Japanese debut songs, “HULA HOOP / StarSeed ~Kakusei~”, to moisturise your bustling daily life!
And we got a message from LOONA to Japanese Orbit:
“It is disappointing that we are not able to go directly to Japan to make our Japanese debut. But we think the fans were saddened the most. So we brought these bright songs to help overcome such emotions♡ Even with what’s going on now, we want everyone to be cheerful and positive. Even if it feels like we’re sort of close but still apart, we check every letter or video that we get from fans, and remember their names. So please don’t be worried, and look forward to the upcoming activities!”
Together, let us look forward to LOONA’s upcoming Japanese activities, as well as their global activities (in the future).