[Intro omitted]

Q: You’ve been showing your singer-songwriter image since your solo album that you wrote&composed was released last year. What does showcasing your own songs mean to you?

Music had been my hobby before debuting, after debuting I kept being asked why I didn’t write my own songs, despite being a singer. So I played my songs around and the response was positive. I wanted to tell the stories I couldn’t tell during f(x) promotions. I use music as a way to express my life.

Q: It seems like it wasn’t easy to show who you are. Your image on your Youtube channel ‘What The Pineapple’, where you upload videos you’ve made, is very natural.

Ah, you’ve seen them! A few years after debuting I felt like people had made their own images of me. Some people would call me ‘strong’, others would call me ‘surprisingly quiet’. Since there are people who see me for who I am, I feel like I got greedy. A greed to say ‘Now It’s really me’.

Q: Why did you choose to film with your friends at home or at a broadcast station with no help and upload to Youtube?

I do it because I can! If I tell my company that I want to do something, they’d say ‘If you can do it, go ahead’. Idols can write songs and make videos too, yet there are lots of stereotypes about idols.

Q: What are they?

Idols wouldn’t do that, if you’re an idol you’d like this and that, there are lots of similar ones. It’s a certain label.

Q: Now it’s rather K-Pop Star and not ‘idol’. Do you personally consider yourself a K-Pop star?

The K-Pop star name is awkward. No matter what I do, my sister would jokingly tell me ‘Stop acting like a K-Pop star’. I consider it one of my careers. When I entered the company I wrote down what I can do in my personal files. In my files, [I wrote that I] can be a K-Pop star and do other things.

Q: Celebrities and all sorts of friends appear in your ‘What The Pineapple’ videos. What do you have in common with your friends?

We can empathize. Although we have lots of common interests, we understand each other more. When someone has a problem, we’d say ‘It’ll be alright’, rather than being vague, we mean that no matter how you’re feeling, we understand why you’re having a hard time.

Q: You seem like the type who isn’t afraid to speak their mind. If you have an opinion, do you say it?

Anyone can have their own opinion. They have the right to express it too. There was a shocking case in Orlando not too long ago. Seeing that the criminal chose a famous gay club as his target, it seem like it was even hard to show support. Someone posted a memorial on their own SNS and deleted it. Seeing that makes my heart ache. I feel like it’s a problem that people can’t share their stories when something happens.

Q: Then what should they do?

When you’re stressed you can party or go shopping too. But that is rather a temporary cover than a solution. When something painful happens, I think that I have to find the reason why I feel that way.

Q: ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Borders’ are songs that say it’s okay to be who you are and that give others strength. Was there a memorable reaction to them around you?

I look at the comments sometimes. Especially when ‘Border’s came out, a lot of fans would say ‘thank you’ and I’m thankful too. Before that I was too shy to talk to others when I was sad or worried. But this time I wanted to make a story about those feelings.

Q: Do you think that people are too shy to talk to others when they are sad or having a hard time?

If I look around me, male friends have a harder time talking about their feelings. They’re too embarrassed to talk about fights with their girlfriends or if they want to talk about their problems. But don’t fails or mistakes make you embarrassed? While trying [to talk to others], we always learn something anyways. Actually that’s something my dad says, haha.

Q: By the way, it’s been a while since you’ve seen your family in the US, right? Have you thought about what to do when you meet?

What I really want is just to be at home with my family, where everyone is doing what they’re doing [as usual]. Meanwhile I’d say ‘Mom, I’m hungry!’ and I’d want to hear my mom’s voice yelling from the other side ‘Alright, dress up and eat’. Now, because of the time difference, even if I want to tell them something, it takes 2 days since we have to set a time.

Q: If your family comes to Korea, where would you go?

We’d go to east chicken galbi. Even if my sister lives near the LA Korea Town, she says it tastes different. She would order ‘Amber! I want chicken galbi! I want bossam!’ (t/n: bossam – wrapped-up kimchi). Seeing that, I think if my family all comes to Korea, we’re good.

Q: Most of your fans are in their teens or 20s. How does it feel to know that you influence others, younger than you?

It’s a burden. Honestly. But I have things to be responsible for, friends, parents, family and fans..

Q: But that burden doesn’t keep you from doing what you do, right?

Obviously, I do pay attention to it! I don’t express my feelings rapidly on my SNS either. I sometimes go up to those around me and ask ‘I wrote it with this meaning, how is it?’.

Q: Your starred in ‘Real Men’. It’s been a year since it aired, how does it feel if you look back [to it] now?

I haven’t looked back yet. Even yesterday a friend made fun of the moment when I was crying and made a speech mistake, ‘Forget it’!

Q: Haha. The aftermath is still going on?

But I do feel like something has changed. Before, I’d pay attention to be behavior and be careful, but after ‘Real Men’ I become more confident.

Q: Why?

Could it be because it got me recognition? I felt like from that moment, more people became curious about my story and wanted to hear it. Same with this interview. Before, people wouldn’t ask me what I’m thinking. Receiving and looking at the questions, I felt like besides my thoughts and opinions, I had to start talking more clearly. Thus, I’ve thought of various things.

Q: What else is different?

I’m not Korean, but Taiwanese-American. Although Korean is my third language, I’m always afraid of making speech mistakes. However, my mistake, ‘Forget it’, brought many good opportunities. After that, I’ve started to think that it’s okay if I get it wrong, let’s talk comfortably!

Q: f(x) has surely had a big change. It’s down to 4 members, with which you had your first solo concert in January.

During the month of preparing for the concert, the members, dancers, staff members stuck together everyday. Ah, I suddenly really want to see my members. Lately I contact my members a lot. Not too long ago Krystal suddenly told me that she’s sorry, that she didn’t feel her member’s gratitude when she was young. It made me think, ‘Wha, we’re all grown up now’.

Q: How would you define the members one by one?

Luna’s nickname is puppy, Victoria’s is queen, since she’s obviously a queen; her behavior, words, all have to have an aura to them? Krystal is a princess! I she says ‘Amber, buy me this!’, I buy it, if she says ‘Amber, I’m hungry!’, we go out to eat together.

Q: Then what sets you apart in f(x)? Besides the llama or koala nicknames!

The air? It doesn’t mean that you can’t live without me. People breathe normally. Even when people aren’t conscious, I’m still at my place, thus, I’m the air!

Photos by fxtown0905

Trans by hearteumi@functionlove.net. Take out with credits, if translating to another language please link back to functionlove.net. Thanks.