I'm pretty sure I just fell in love with Jin all over again. (I know you're sick of hearing this, but somehow after reading this I feel a lot better about a few things. It's kind of like he pulled some of the thoughts out of my head and arranged them for me so that they made sense.) Here's the translation of the interview I just found (from February of this year). [translated by bonjovial]
"Personally, I don't like trying to appear as something I'm not. At work, I just do what I can, without letting it affect me. I think that staying in my natural state makes it easier to utilize my strengths. It's the same in social relationships. Whether it's with a friend or a girlfriend, I think that it's the best when both of us can just be ourselves. I'm not sure why, but being with people that way is just more comforting, or the atmosphere is different... relationships that allow me to be myself are everything to me."
"I enjoy all of it-- singing, dancing, acting. My love for music is influenced by my parents. At home, all we listen to is Western music, and inside that category I started to like hip hop. That's why I always try to infuse a taste of hip hop into my solos at concerts. But, things like that need to be considered with the balance with the other members, too. I don't want to try to emphasize myself over anyone else.
In that sense, I'm not at all the type of person who wants to be out in front. Even if I'm asked about what I aspire to in the entertainment industry, I have no interest in things like "I want to be like this person!" or "I definitely don't want to lose to this person!" My interests are more like -- I want to sing that kind of song, or I'd like to create something like that... Basically, I want to go on doing things that I really wanted to try, things that I can enjoy doing. On that point, I'd like to keep on doing the same."
"I really don't have very big desires. Meeting with my friends and hanging out with them is enough, or just watching a movie is a lot of fun... even in ordinary life, that's just the way I am (laugh). But I think that being able to think of such everyday things as fun and exciting may actually be the most important thing of all. After all, life is built up of and composed of everyday things.
So even if work is going well, if I myself am not happy, there's nothing more sad than that. To go on from there, I think there's no way someone can create something to make others happy if he isn't happy himself. If that person doesn't have their heart in it, I can't imagine those watching can really enjoy themselves, either. Outside of work, I think that the moment someone truly becomes happy is the first time he can make his family and friends -- those that are important to him -- happy too. With a conviction to do anything in my power to bring happiness to those who are precious to me, I hope to go on and find happiness myself as well."
