Jung Kook makes the most of the time of his life.
From your song Still With You, I really liked the lyrics, “Though our footsteps may be out of step.” People would usually sing, “Then let’s keep them in step,” but you sound so cool accepting they are out of step.
When I wrote the lyrics, everyone was having a hard time due to Covid-19. We and ARMY couldn’t see each other, so we felt distant from each other. I wanted to say, “Though our footsteps may be out of step, I will walk with ARMY.”
Do you write lyrics from imagination or experience?
Coming up with a story requires a lot of imagination. I really envy people who have that. I am very poor at drawing, but there are people who can draw their imagination so well. I’m not one of them. Creating something is hard for me.
You said you like to be in a dim room with scented candles lit.
Yes, I immerse myself in that gloomy mood. When I’m like that I play sad music and enjoy that depressing feeling. I play gentle music when I’m in the car at night, and exciting music during the day. Sometimes trendy songs, sometimes old songs. I am not quite sure about my feelings either. There are times when I don’t really care for a certain song, but when I listen to it again after some time, I like it so much. That’s why I listen to music randomly.
If you are a time of the day, what time is it now?
Two in the morning.
Why?
It’s an uncertain hour. In uncertain hour? Please elaborate. For me, yes. Because I go to sleep around four in the morning usually. So around 2am, I debate whether to go to sleep or do something. That’s the time of my life right now. I have a lot of thoughts. Thoughts about what I should be doing, and thoughts about my reality. So yes, it’s two in the morning.
You seem to be always pushing yourself.
I can’t be relaxed when I am not doing anything. When I’m not working for a long time, I get anxious, so I need to be doing something. I tell myself, “Today I should really live just for myself only and not worry about other things,” but soon I find myself busy doing something already. So, I think to myself, “I’ll be like this anyway, so why not work a little harder.” I work out even when I hate to, and when I think of a melody, I run to record it right away, and when I feel like writing lyrics, I sit down and write. And when I see an English book, I take it and read it for a while. I try to do a lot of things here and there. I don’t really go deep into any of that, though I wish I could. That’s how I’m living now.
If you were to draw a self-portrait, what would you look like these days?
Well... a cracked hexagon.
Please explain.
I always want to be perfect and aim higher, and I think I do have the talent. But at the same time, I think I am lazy. I have two characteristics that contradict each other. I want to climb higher, but, at the same time, I don't work hard enough to do so. I heard the hexagon is the most perfect shape. But I am a hexagon with cracks. It’s not perfect. It wants to be perfect, but it has cracks.
If you were to colour it?
Grey? Some achromatic colour.
A colour that can become anything.
Yes. Or the opposite. It has not become anything yet.
That’s surprising. They say you’ve accomplished everything, looking at BTS and looking at Jung Kook. But inside your mind you still have the thirst. Is that what’s driving you?
I want to go higher. But at the same time, I’m not anxious about it. My life has never been the way I wanted it to be, and I know I have many shortcomings, but I have the confidence that I can do this. So, I’m not worried.
Where is “higher” in your mind's eye?
When I think of myself as fabulous.
When you become a hexagon with no cracks?
Yes, I think I would be at the top when I'm happy about myself. If I'm happy about everything right now, I wouldn't want anything. I wouldn't want to go higher. When I'm like that, that's when I would be at the top.
We say ring out the Old Year and ring in the New Year. What do you want to throw away and what do you want to bring in?
I want to throw away laziness and trivial thoughts. I want to have patience.
By the way, when you debate whether to go to bed, or do something else at 2am, what do you usually end up choosing?
I usually choose not to sleep and find something to do.
Feature editors: Kim Eun Hee & Sohn Eun Young; photographer: Kang Hyea Won; stylist: Lee Ha Jung; hair: Park Nae Ju (Bit&Boot); make-up: Kim Da Reum; 2nd production: Kim Kyung Min; set design: Choi Seo Yun, Son Ye Hee, Kim Ah Young at Da;rak; outfits: Louis Vuitton
*Read the full digital edition of Augustman Malaysia Jan/Feb 2022 issue on Magzter, or purchase a copy of the print edition on Shopee.