There are K-Pop fans across the globe who share the same passion. But on online platforms, it is hard to know about each other’ stories and K-Pop life. Even if we are in the same fandom, it is hard to get to know each other. So at Kpopmap, we started the Kpopmap Fan Interview Project to get to know more about K-Pop fans from different countries: more about their K-Pop life and tastes and to give them the opportunity to share with our readers about their favorite group(s) and bias. Dane from the Philippines is the next fan to answer our questions. She is a fan of CIX, and her bias is YongHee. Check out how she entered the fandom, the songs and content she advises to new fans, and much more! Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from? Hi! My name is Dane, and I am from the Philippines. How and when did you enter the fandom? I was actually an EXO-L in my early years of knowing K-Pop then I became a Once. After diving more into Hallyu, I stumbled upon this survival show called “Produce 101”. I fell in love with the debut group called Wanna One and supported them until post-disbandment. Since I really wanted to get updated with every single member, I followed each of their careers. Not until JinYoung’s company announced he was debuting in a group called CIX. I immediately fell in love with their fresh music, talent, visuals, and personality but I wasn’t that vocal about them. When ‘Jungle’ era came, I finally decided to fully support them in my stan account. What are the reasons why you love your favorite group? It has almost been 3 years since they first debuted, but their discography has so much to offer to just about anyone who enjoys listening to music that you’re bound to find at least one song you’ll immediately love. Their staple is definitely a more urban RnB and pop sound, but they have also delved into rock, electronica, deep house, ballads, and loads more. What’s amazing is that they managed to pull it off so well no matter the genre simply because of their musicality. Other than the fact that their voices are very pleasant to listen to, these boys can definitely get their groove on whenever they’re singing on a track. Who caught your attention at first and why? Bae JinYoung of course since I was a Wannable. His dedication to his career as an artist really attracted me. he truly embodies what it means to be a performer on stage because the growth that he showcased during his Wanna One days up until now was staggering. He was always very good on stage but coupled with other CIX’s talented members that complement him in just about everything else, he truly shines when he’s in CIX. JinYoung puts a lot of effort into giving his best performance and eventually receives great results during comebacks. Then there’s his visuals which a lot of people would describe as something out of a romance manga. People are kinda obsessed with his small face but he’s also classically handsome and added with a good amount of charisma whenever he’s performing, it’s only natural that eyes will be constantly drawn to him. Who is your bias, and why? Kim YongHee is my bias! I originally stanned CIX because of JinYoung, but when I got to know their names, I decided to stick with YongHee until now. In case everyone did not know, he has the shortest training period out of all the members, but his enthusiasm for improving his talent snatched my heart. He admitted that it was very hard for him during their debut days because the others were essentially more experienced than him or fast to pick up on dancing and singing, which made him feel like he has to work even harder to catch up. Now, he remembers choreo easily and has improved so much. It was a great inspiration for me. Every non-fan will also think he is the only cool member (like in a no-nonsense manner) of CIX, just like how I imagined him to be, but the funny thing is he isn’t. He has the most hilarious personality, and his members agree he has a 4D personality. He would sometimes randomly spout out interesting trivia out of nowhere, and even his members admit to him being more on the eccentric side. What I love most about him is his sweet comforting voice that constantly melts my heart and also his kindness. He’s very polite, and he treats everyone around him gently, which is a testament to his soft heart. He radiates this angelic aura that I’ve never encountered from any idol before. Like his visuals have a balance between a cutie and an actor. Sometimes he gives off a very adorable vibe, but he can definitely pull off charismatic, as was proven when they first debuted because I remembered him being the second member to catch my eye (after JinYoung) in the movie star music video. Quite an impressive feat seeing as he was still a fresh rookie at the time. Can you recommend a title track and a B-side track for new fans? I would personally recommend their latest release Japanese release called ‘Pinky Swear’ and the B-side would be ‘Ice’ from their “Be Ok” album. Can you recommend a fancam, V Live, cover video, cover dance, or individual content video of your bias to our readers? This was when the CIX hyung line was doing a live when they thought of covering songs and Yonghee’s confidence just skyrocketed in this clip. FIX went nuts and asked for an official cover! The song he sang is titled ‘Comfortable’ by Simon Dominic, GRAY, & ONE.
— 차차 (@nskjrdjrd) August 6, 2021 Can you also do the same type of recommendation for the group? I would recommend their ‘Love Me Right’ Dance Cover, ‘Euphoria’ Vocal Cover, and ‘Good Evening’ performance because these really highlight their talents in dancing, performing, and singing.
— cix loops (@cixthinker) June 26, 2021 Can you share with us one of your favorite lyrics? Probably the entirety of ‘Cinema’. It likens being in love and that experience of being with someone to like a movie. My favorite line would probably be “We are touched, excited, and overwhelmed” because honestly, that is my experience stanning CIX. Every day is like that, as cliche as it may sound. What I absolutely love about ‘Cinema’’s lyrics is that the lines that the members were singing correlate to their experiences before debuting with CIX (Bae JinYoung’s fans waiting for him to debut in a new group, BX and SeungHun’s uncertain future after leaving YG entertainment, and how YongHee and HyunSuk are new to the entertainment industry). ‘Cinema’ managed to weave with this metaphor of life being like a film and to this day remains my favorite CIX song in a lyrical sense. Are there any words from the members you would like to share? SeungHun’s Voice VLIVE last February 2020 “Since everything has been hard, I sincerely hope that everything goes well. I hope that everything you are going through now will get better. In the end, you’ll be rewarded and you’ll be happy. Be happy, our FIX, and I love you all!” What is your favorite group/bias influence on your daily life? Among the groups I have encountered before, CIX was the only group that strongly influenced my taste in music. Before, I was only listening to music just because it was mainstream or was recommended to me, but now I was able to find the genres or types of music I like. Maybe this is because of how CIX experiments with music. Also, I really felt very connected to them in terms of mindset and attitude. CIX has been always responsible for the decisions they make. Even if it feels like it’s not gonna work, they’re optimistic enough to push through; It’s the hard work/effort that counts. They’re the only ones keeping me sane in this chaotic world, and I’m very thankful I met these 5 incredible guys. What is your favorite side of fangirling/fanboying? Since I’m still a student, I get so happy after doing my school work because I get to talk about them to my friends. Another favorite side of being a fangirl which I think every kpop stan can relate to is when we get to unbox new merchandise! I have always bought CIX albums/pcs that would be an addition to my collection later on and just feel happy even if I’ve spent a lot for them. Being a fangirl also pushed me to come out of my comfort zone often, I got to showcase my talents more and meet beautiful people that became my besties. What is your best souvenir with your favorite group until now? The best souvenir for me was when they did a mention party on Twitter, and 4/5 of them replied to me! Too bad I didn’t get a reply from HyunSuk, but I’m still happy I get to interact with him through Vlive. Another souvenir would be their recent US tour. I wasn’t there physically yet, but I was able to feel the love from FIX to CIX and vice-versa through the clips/pictures/experiences that were posted online. I’m so glad CIX, and FIX was able to enjoy the tour despite the current situation. Can you describe your bias in only one word? Angel. If you have a chance to cook for the group, what will you cook for them? I’m Filipino, and I want them to try our dishes here, so I would choose Siniging and Sisig. The 5 of them are really good at eating and very appreciative of everything, so I think they would love these dishes! Do you have a dream subunit/unit? (It can be with a fellow member or another K-Pop idol). I wish YongBae (Kim YongHee & Bae JinYoung) subunit would happen because I’m curious about their dynamics on stage. Each of them gives out a different stage presence and style of performance, so it’s going to be new to FIX. They actually did song covers together before that was only once, and the next cover became a corrupted file! Name a variety show/content show that you would love to see your bias on? Tell us why. Not only my bias but the whole group, “Knowing Brothers”! FIX has been begging for them to guest in this show since debut. We really think our boys can keep up with all the jokes, and it would be a great exposure for them to be in other programs too! CIX has the various variety skills that everyone needs, so I’m hoping we could see them on that show soon! What is your favorite way of communicating with your bias? UNIVERSE Private Message, Fan Cafe, Twitter, and Vlive. What do you have in common with your favorite idol? I believe in the saying “If you learn to love someone, you begin to mirror them”. In the first few months of knowing CIX, I think was a very young kid who had no idea how things worked. Eventually, I got to meet people and CIX which helped me a lot in building myself (beliefs/actions). I think had the same case with YongHee. The new chapters in our lives were uncertain, but we really believed in ourselves. Even with fear of messing up, we were able to use this as an advantage to grow slowly but surely. Before I was always hard on myself, going to great lengths that only damaged me but now I learned to grow at my own pace. I really think I (FIX) and YongHee (CIX) helped each other in improving our emotional being in so many ways. Have you ever made a new friend because of K-Pop? Yes! I even became close friends with some, and my life after meeting them has changed. Since we had different life backgrounds and experiences, we could learn from each other and grow. That’s the beauty of meeting incredible and trustworthy people. Do you feel there are any misunderstandings, things that are not well known, or any prejudices about your favorite group from other fans (non-fans)? Non-fans usually think CIX members are very awkward with each other, especially during their rookie days, which I can agree upon. Actually, I didn’t notice this until my fellow FIX pointed it out since I already had the belief that most of the newbies in the industry are like this and they would get comfortable when time passes by, but their relationship wasn’t like this. They took more time in knowing each other because actually, JinYoung’s plan of debuting in a group was sudden. His company only planned to debut him as a soloist. I mostly saw comments like “This group is so awkward; I can’t watch them” “This group has a business/work relationship only” “They’re not funny” I don’t know why most non-fans think like this but for me, their progression felt more natural because they didn’t have to pretend as much. Their comfortable being themselves and since the members said themselves that they are close like family on numerous occasions, I’ll take their word over others any day. Dane’s message to CIX and YongHee: For the group, my only wish for them is to be able to showcase their capabilities to their hearts’ content and continue to inspire people with their presence and music. I hope I can watch them perform and talk in front of me before I die. I love you so much, guys! For YongHee, I really adore you – your talent, your personality, and your visuals are perfect. You are so blessed, and I just wish you the best. I love you. Thank you for answering our questions, Dane. If you are interested in joining Kpopmap Fan Interview Project, please get in touch with us at [email protected] Everyone is welcome to participate.
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