It’s been 20 years since XIA Junsu has been active as a singer and a musical actor. He has a special gift for his fans: a new song released simultaneously in both Korea and Japan. The fact that it was first released at the fan meet shows how much he loves his fans.
Q. How long has it been since your last fan meet?
You may be surprised, but this is my first official fan meet as a singer. I’ve done fan meets as a group and as a musical actor, but this is my first solo fan meet as a singer in 20 years. When I heard this was the first time, I was very surprised and thought ‘Is it really the first time?’ (laughs)
Q. Since the fan meet is an event for fans who know and love Kim Junsu better than anyone, what are some things you’ve especially put more thought into?
Since it is a fan meet, I think only fans who really support and love me will be there. It’s my solo fan meet as singer Kim Junsu, but it also is a special occasion to look back on the last 20 years and celebrate my 20th anniversary, so I think it will be a meaningful event where my fans and I can reminisce and celebrate our memories together. We will talk more than at a concert, so I think we will be able to have more in-depth conversations.
Q. What does the title COCOTIME mean?
My fandom’s name is ‘Coconut.’ For 20 years, my fans have been the biggest driving force behind my career as a singer and a musical actor, so I wanted to hold a special event for them. Since I’ve received so much love from the fans, I can’t fully convey that love, but I wanted our Coconuts to be the main character of this fan meet. Hence the name, COCOTIME.
Q. This song was first revealed at the fan meet, and is being released later. How did you create this song, and why did you decide to first reveal it at the fan meet?
Preparing for this fan meet, what I thought about the most was how to surprise my fans and make them happy. At the end, I realized that a new song would make my fans the happiest. So the release date had been set a long time ago, but I performed it at the first fan meet in Japan as a real surprise. I don’t think anyone expected that (laughs). I think you’ll feel what I wanted to say, the feelings I wanted to express through this song. I hope many people listen to it, and most of all, I want my fans to be happy when they listen to it.
Q. The fan meet is an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of your debut. How do you feel about your 20th year?
There are still many more years to spend together, and many more years for me to be active, but looking back, 20 years was a very long time. I’ve cried and laughed. It wasn’t the end of my life, but I’ve had a lot of ups and downs during those 20 years, and there also have been a lot of twists and turns along the way. We’ve been through those times and situations together for 20 years. And I know I’m all the more grateful that I’m able to hold a fan meet to celebrate that and meet my fans there. We can reminisce together at the fan meet, but above all, I want it to be an event where we congratulate each other.
Q. What kind of song is ‘Red Diamond’ and what is it about?
‘Red Diamond’ is a single that includes both the Korean and Japanese versions of the song. I decided to release it as a special surprise gift for my fans who have been supporting and loving me for 20 years, and I hope it stays with them as a good memory. The song is an R&B ballad with an impressive contrast between a cold, dreamy piano intro and a sense of space that fills with warmth as the song progresses. The lyrics compare an eternal heart to a diamond that remains unchanged no matter what.
Q. What are the differences in emotion and style between the Korean and Japanese versions?
I would say ‘Red Diamond’ is a song that is neither too heavy nor too light. It has the right rhythm and tempo, and I love that it sounds like K-pop when I sing it in Korean and J-pop when I sing it in Japanese. It was perfect because I wanted it to be a surprise gift to both Korean and Japanese fans. Seeing how the style and vibe changed despite the fact that I was singing the same melody with my voice, I thought this is the power of music, and there really was no reason not to choose this song. Especially in Japan, this is the first Japanese song to be released in about 13 years since 2010, so it’s even more meaningful.
Q. The fans must have been following all your changes, longer than anyone else. What do you think have been your biggest musical changes and growth points in your career over the years?
It may sound like a cliché, but I think I am where I am today thanks to my fans. My fans have always come to my performances to meet me, whether it was a musical or a concert, whether the stage was big or small. Because of them I had the desire to show different sides of me musically, and have been able to grow. And even though I hadn’t been on air for a while, they still bought tickets to see me and filled up all those seats. I know how grateful I am, so I knew I had to do my best, to really give it my all, every performance, every moment. I felt like I just couldn’t help but do so. I don’t think I can put it into words. I think the combination of those things kept evolving in a good way and has brought me to this point.
Q. What kind of activities are planned after the fan meet and the release of the new song?
After the 20th anniversary fan meet, there will be the ‘Palmtree Island Musical Gala Concert.’ I can’t really say right now specifically what’s coming up, but I think I might release a new song at some point, or maybe I’ll come back with a new musical. When it comes to choosing what to do next, the most important thing to me, and the thing I consider the most, is what activities will make my fans happy. I’ll keep working to make sure it doesn’t remain just as an idea but becomes reality.
