Music

Shinhwa star

Shin Hye Sung hits Bangkok

By Suwitcha Chaiyong

• Did you know •

Shin Hye Sung's song "You're Beautiful" was used in the 2009 Korean TV drama A Man Who Can't Get Married.

Internationally successful K-pop pioneers Shinhwa had to put their group on hold recently when they were conscripted for military service. However, lead vocalist Shin Hye Sung was exempt because of a knee injury. He kept busy by releasing his solo album Find Voice in Song, as well as a special Japanese release called My Everything.

The 30-year-old Shinhwa star then began a tour of Asia to meet his fans, and Student Weekly caught up with him in early August on the Bangkok leg of the tour. At his Bangkok press conference, the singer told us about his latest visit to the kingdom and his future plans with Shinhwa.

Question: How many times have you visited Thailand?

Hye Sung: This is my third visit. I went to Pattaya during my second trip to film a TV show.

Question: Has anything particularly special happened during this trip?

Hye Sung: I was worried that there wouldn't be any fans to meet me at the airport, because I'm here alone without the rest of the group. But lots of fans were there to welcome me. I was very happy and grateful.

Question: Which country have you enjoyed most during your Asian tour?

Hye Sung: It's too difficult to pick one country because every place has its own charm. I like Thailand because it's clean and my Thai fans are gorgeous.

Question: Have you ever been interested in pursuing an acting career?

Hye Sung: I'm happy working in music, so I just want to dedicate myself to that.

Question: Do you have plans to work with Shinhwa members Eric Mun and Kim Dong Wan when they finish their military service later this year?

Hye Sung: We haven't made any concrete plans yet, but we'd love to work together again.

Question: How did you feel about auctioning some of your belongings to raise money for the Cardiac Children Foundation of Thailand?

Hye Sung: I felt great. It's worthwhile trying to help sick children and it couldn't happen with my fans. I'd like to do it again in the future.

	pioneer (n): a person who is the first to develop a particular area of knowledge, culture, etc. that other people then continue to develop conscript (v): to make somebody join the armed forces exempt (v): to give or get somebody's official permission not to do something they would normally have to do leg (n): one part of a journey dedicate (v): to give a lot of your time and effort to a particular activity or purpose because you think it is important concrete (adj): based on facts, rather than ideas or guesses auction (n): a public event at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them cardiac (adj): connected with the heart or heart disease

Idiom
on hold: delayed until a later time or date