Chapter 335: Side Story. [LIVE●] Iwol’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 335: Side Story. [LIVE●] Iwol’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ (2)
"I ended up talking so much that I broke the record for the longest solo live in Spark history. I apologize for causing such a commotion..."
"Once again, thank you all for participating! Let’s keep the energy up and keep going!"
"Question! What is the happiest thing a Sparkler has ever said to you?"
"It was, 'Kim I-wol, don't lose heart! You're doing great!' I still think back on those words from time to time."
"Next question. Something you want to do with Sparklers!"
"I just... I want to do everything the fans want to do. Since we’re able to have such precious experiences thanks to all of you, I want being with us to be just as enjoyable for you."
"You asked if there are any over-the-top praise comments or memorable remarks that I thought were particularly impressive."
"I don't think I've ever said anything particularly impressive myself...! Though, I did tell Ju-woo recently that if his vocal cords were an electric guitar, his output is so good he wouldn't even need an amp."
"What are your thoughts on the members who went to the uninhabited island...?"
"...What on earth am I going to do with those guys?"
"Items you want to sell as merch?"
"There are actually quite a few... I really wanted to include a small booklet of each member's training logs in OAHN. I had to give up on it because we couldn't meet the production deadline, but I still want to make that. Also, in the 'End' music video, Seong-bin’s hair is orange, right? That was based on the setting that Seong-bin had been outside the longest. I also wanted to include the diary he wrote leading up to meeting the members while building the air raid shelter... (×3 speed)"
"A question has arrived: 'When are you going to upload a video of you playing the bass?'"
"The audio polishing isn't quite finished yet! I’d appreciate it if you could wait just a little longer!"
"There’s also a question asking if I have plans for a 'Study With Me.' Actually, this question has been coming up consistently since our fan meeting."
"It’s content I’ve been putting off because I wasn't sure if watching someone just quietly studying would be interesting... but should we try it once before Cheong-hyeon and Gi-yeon take the CSAT? I’ll write it down in my diary."
"And perfectly timed, a question came in asking when I started keeping a diary."
"I’ve been writing in one since I was a student. It started as a habit to make sure I didn't forget things I needed to do. Even though I use the memo app on my phone now, I still keep a physical diary alongside it."
"Is it hard for you to do aegyo or watch the other members do it?"
"Not at all! You might be disillusioned to hear this, but since we practice everything to the best of our ability, I just feel satisfied when we get a good result."
"Which do you prefer: being told you sang well or that you danced well?"
"That’s a tough one. I’m grateful for all praise. But since my position is vocal, I’ll choose the former from the perspective of fulfilling my duties!"
"Up to what age are you okay with speaking informally? I was born in '24, is informal speech okay...?"
"Born in '24? You don't mean 24 years old? Is that a typo? Or... do you not mean 2024? If you were born in 1924, as a matter of human decency, I cannot speak informally to you. I am sorry. Please forgive me."
"And we’ve received a lot of questions regarding the bass. Like how I learned, songs I enjoy playing, favorite genres, if I still play air bass... and so on!"
"The tutorials on MeTube are very well-made, so I taught myself by watching those. I like the characteristic 'thump-thump' sound of the bass, so rather than fast tempos or lots of shredding, I prefer songs where the bass firmly supports the other sessions. From a player's perspective, my favorite genre is metal!
As for air bass... I do play it occasionally. Haha."
"You also asked what my hobbies are."
"My favorite is playing the bass. Recently, I started gaming at Seong-bin's recommendation, and I’m having fun with it! It’s a game called 'My Farm,' and just recently, I was able to start producing corn on my farm."
"Ideal type...?"
"I’ve never really thought about it... I suppose someone who manages their own life well seems cool!"
"The next question is asking what kind of shampoo I like."
"I like scents like phytoncide or forest fragrances. But sometimes, a 'Cool Mint' shampoo that makes your scalp feel cold appears in the dorm. I wonder who keeps buying it?"
"I’ll group the 'favorite' questions together! In order: season, color, animal, time of day, and malatang ingredients!"
"My favorite season is autumn. For color, I like black. Among animals, I think squirrels are the cutest. I like the cool and quiet dawn hours, and for malatang, I add a lot of corn noodles and bean sprouts. If there was a noodle press in 'My Farm,' I could make corn noodles there too..."
"Do you like white tuxedos or black ones? Do you prefer a small wedding or inviting everyone? Should we send the kids to an English kindergarten or a regular one?"
"...I think the 'impressive comment' came from this person! For everything else, I’d want to do whatever the Sparkler wants, but I’d like to invite everyone. They say you live happily ever after if you receive lots of congratulations!"
"Someone asked about the food I’m best at making and the food I’m worst at. Also, what dish I want to try making and if anyone taught me how to cook!"
"I’m good at frying skewered pancakes. I can make other dishes as long as I have a recipe. It’s hard to call it 'cooking,' but I want to try making soft tofu. I remember being fascinated when I learned how to make tofu at school. For the record, portal sites taught me everything I know about cooking."
"There’s also a question about my favorite and least favorite subjects?"
"I liked Social Studies and Culture the most, and I found Math the most difficult. I invested the most time into Math during every exam period."
"There were quite a few questions about jjolmyeon too. Like, 'Do you actually like jjolmyeon, or do you just eat it?' or 'When was the last time you ate jjolmyeon?'..."
"At this point, someone must have spread a rumor that I love jjolmyeon. I just eat it if it’s on the menu! The last time I had it was the day before yesterday!"
"The next question asks for a book recommendation and a memorable quote."
"It’s a bit embarrassing, but I’m not actually that fond of reading... You’re asking why I wrote 'reading' as a hobby on my school record? That... doesn't everyone do that?!
The book that comes to mind right now is Max Horkheimer's Eclipse of Reason. I can't be sure if these were the exact words, but the sentence 'Individual subjects endowed with reason tend to be reduced to a shrunken ego' was very impressionable. I’ll try to read more books in the future."
"This time, I’ve gathered some 'This or That' questions. I have to choose between: Mint Choco vs. Anti-Mint Choco, Pouring vs. Dipping sauce, Hawaiian Pizza Pro vs. Con, Cats vs. Dogs, Sea vs. Mountains, and Cheonjiin vs. QWERTY!"
"I can't eat chocolate, so I’ve never tried Mint Choco. The color is pretty, though! I like sweet and sour pork either way, but I think Dipping is better for a group since it leaves the option to soak it. I like Hawaiian pizza, and between cats and dogs, I like dogs. Between the sea and mountains, I prefer the sea. For my keyboard, I use QWERTY!"
"There are more 'This or That' questions. Meat vs. Seafood, Sashimi vs. Grilled Fish, Bone-in vs. Boneless Chicken, and for dessert after pork belly, Fried Rice vs. Cold Noodles."
"I’ll go with seafood, sashimi, boneless chicken, and cold noodles! Looking at the list, I guess I tend to prefer things that don't make my stomach feel heavy."
"A question also came in asking if I read webnovels, and if so, what the most interesting plot was."
"I read a lot of fantasy. Lately, I’ve been focusing on novels where a being called an 'Absolute God' appears."
"Next question: 'I'm curious what you've eaten over the past week!'"
"We all eat mostly the same things. Salad for breakfast, a free meal for lunch, and salad or health food for dinner. Though, we skip dinner during promotion periods to manage our weight. For my free meals, I had spicy stir-fried pork and jjolmyeon!"
"The thing that made me laugh the hardest recently?"
"The moment my 'My Farm' assets exceeded 3,000 won. I had been barely avoiding a deficit for a while. I was worried I’d have to sell off my household goods, but the harvest went well, so I was saved."
"Someone asked if we’re going to hike a mountain to see the sunrise on New Year’s? Did one of the members mention this episode? ...Ah, Seong-bin said it on Bubble Pop?"
"Thankfully, more people have been recognizing Spark lately, so for safety reasons, we’re going to refrain from early morning hikes. Sunrise spots are dark, narrow, and crowded. If any of you go to see the sunrise next year, please show off your photos!"
"If you could have chosen your own stage name, what would it have been?"
"As you can tell from my name, I don't have much of a sense for naming things. But if I had to pick one, maybe Il-wol (January)? Because Il-wol feels more like a beginning than I-wol (February)! ...You don't think so? I'm sorry. Usually, you all tell me that whatever I say is right... if you don't think so, then I must be wrong. I will work hard as I-wol."
"Name three of your own charm points! Saying you don't have any is forbidden!"
"First, I have good stamina. Even the members acknowledged this. Second, my voice doesn't get hoarse easily. I think my vocal cords are quite sturdy. Third, I know a lot of Web Cell functions...?"
"A scary question asking me to reveal a 'dark history' moment from my school days has arrived. To think I have to reveal my own flaws with my own mouth... I suppose this is the price I pay for not living a perfectly spotless life as a student."
"There was a time when the transition period for spring/autumn uniforms ended and I should have worn my summer uniform, but I was the only one who went to school in long sleeves. It was the first time I ever got a demerit point, and I was so embarrassed."
"Next, you asked about my preference in casual clothes. And if I were to swap clothes with someone, who would it be?"
"Up until my trainee days, I prioritized convenience above all else, so I mostly wore comfortable black clothes. Recently, I’ve been trying to wear clothes with a nice fit!"
"If it’s a style I want to emulate, I’ll pick Cheong-hyeon. If it’s someone I can swap with and then burn the clothes afterward, I’ll pick Je-ho. If those clothes were actually his taste, I would naturally respect that, but that guy just walks around like that without a single thought... I’ll buy him new clothes after I burn them all, so just give me one chance..."
"Does Spark not have official colors or individual representative colors? I’m also curious if there’s a fixed logo!"
"It’s confusing because our logo is different for every album, right? The basic form is 'spArk' written in a standard font, but we change the style slightly every time to match the album's vibe. We don't have official or representative colors, but since the group name is Spark, we use orange hearts the most."
"You asked me to show six of my favorite photos of the members taken during promotions, including myself."
"I’ll post those separately on the Fan Café! If I show them through the phone, the focus might not be right...!"
"Next question. Does Spark not use custom in-ears?"
"Actually, we all submitted our desired designs recently. I hope we can show them to you soon."
"There’s also a question asking if we have plans to get team accessories like rings or friendship tattoos."
"Tattoos would be difficult because Ju-woo has sensitive skin. If we were to get a friendship item, wouldn't it be something practical? I have a bad feeling that even if we got rings, a few members would lose them."
"Indoor sports other than basketball that you want to do with the members?"
"Since you specified 'other than basketball,' I assume you want to see a different side of us... how about water polo? I’ve never tried it before!"
"I just saw a question that makes my heart ache. 'I'm really sorry for asking something useless, but is there no desk in your dorm room? I always see you using your bed or the living room table...'"
"First of all, you absolutely don't need to feel sorry! Our old dorm didn't have desks in the rooms, but our current one does! However, I’d feel bad for Seong-bin if I made noise late at night, so if I have to use my laptop at night, I use the kitchen table."
"Someone is curious about the atmosphere of each room and what everyone usually does in their rooms."
"In our room, most of the talk is about work. Seong-bin and I discuss schedules or albums a lot. The maknaes' room is noisy. They talk every day, and it’s amazing how their conversation never ends."
"On the other hand, Je-ho and Ju-woo’s room is incredibly quiet, but they play in a strange way. I went in once because I had something to say to Ju-woo, and the two of them were lying perfectly straight on their respective beds having a conversation. Don't people usually face each other when they talk?"
"Now that I’ve said it, I feel a bit sorry for Seong-bin. I should tell him a funny story or something when I get back to the dorm today."
"Following that, a question about the 'pros and cons of being roommates with Je-ho and Cheong-hyeon versus being roommates with Seong-bin.' You also said you were curious about the episode with Seong-bin that I didn't finish during my birthday live."
"My former roommates felt like the ultimate work partners. We could communicate instantly, and Je-ho never felt uncomfortable no matter when I brought up work. Je-ho was very considerate of us in that regard. Now, the room atmosphere is definitely more peaceful than before! Before, it felt a bit like being in an amusement park that never closed..."
"In the live, I think I was talking about making eye contact with Seong-bin while I was on my laptop. Seong-bin bit his lip hard, picked up his notebook, and then put it back down. He asked me, 'Hyung, can't you sleep?' I was so scared that I told him I was suddenly overcome with sleepiness and lay down."
"Ah, a question that every idol is bound to get has arrived. The members' first impressions versus current impressions!"
"First, Seong-bin was so kind that he’s the most memorable. He was practically an angel. His current impression has been promoted to Archangel. He’s an angel, but the boss angel. He holds the power."
"Ju-woo was so quiet that he had a very gentle image, but I’ve come to realize he has something very firm inside him. He’s like an avocado. He has soft flesh on the outside, but there’s a very hard seed inside!"
"Cheong-hyeon is the same. He was the most handsome man of my life, he is the most handsome man, and he will be the most handsome man."
"Gi-yeon is the opposite of Ju-woo. I thought he was a chestnut burr, but he turned out to be a rambutan. I thought he was bristling with thorns, but it was actually soft fur. Above all, he’s incredibly pure. He’s a friend with a heart as white as rambutan flesh."
"Je-ho... My first impression was the Statue of David, and my current impression is a log. That is all."
"You said you were curious about the ranking of Spark's drawing skills."
"Cheong-hyeon is really good at drawing sea creatures. He’s good at mimicking what he sees, so I think he’d be good at drawing things other than fish too."
"Je-ho is just okay at other things, but he’s only good at drawing princesses. I heard he became good at it because his younger sister asked him to draw princesses for her when they were little."
"I’m only good at coloring, and I think the other members are all about the same... Seong-bin is a bit... yeah."
"This time, I’ll answer the question: 'Is there a member with a specific verbal habit?'"
"Cheong-hyeon sometimes refers to himself in the third person, but I think the fans already know that..."
"Je-ho often answers questions with another question. If you ask, 'What did you do yesterday?' he’ll respond with, 'Why do you ask?' It’s not with bad intentions; it’s just his personality to ask whatever comes to mind immediately."
"There’s a question asking what kind of drinks the members would be! I’ll answer this along with the question about 'drinks the members often order.'"
"Je-ho is an Iced Americano? The cold and dark vibe seems similar. He actually does order Iced Americanos often."
"Seong-bin is... what do you call that coffee with whipped cream on top? A Cafe Mocha? A Latte? He has that kind of feel. In reality, he drinks a lot of beverages that are good for the bronchial tubes, like warm quince tea or ginger tea."
"For Ju-woo, both his image and the drink he actually orders is a yogurt smoothie. I don't think there’s a drink that suits Ju-woo better than this."
"I think colorful smoothies suit Cheong-hyeon well. But he drinks too many high-caffeine beverages... so he’s in the process of cutting back."
"Finally, Gi-yeon! Doesn't Gi-yeon suit an espresso? That bitter coffee that comes in a tiny cup! These days, he doesn't order drinks at all to cut back on liquid fructose and sugar, but he used to drink fresh fruit juice occasionally."
"Now, I’ll answer the question asking me to personally decide on the members' representative animals."
"I’ll go with a bear for Je-ho. You all know how strong bears actually are, right? They’re very fearsome animals. Seong-bin... I used to think he was a Jindo dog, but now he’s like a wolf. Like those videos that often pop up in the algorithm, 'This child we raised thinking it was an abandoned puppy turned out to be a wolf'—a gentle wolf with glossy fur."
"Ju-woo is like a harvest mouse. The photos of them inside flowers are so cute! When Ju-woo asks the members for a favor, he looks at us with such a wistful expression, and it looks exactly like that."
"For Gi-yeon, I think I said a leopard before, but my character analysis has changed slightly. I’ll go with a baby cheetah. And Cheong-hyeon is a harpy eagle. Forever."
"If you were to film a sentai show as self-produced content, what colors do you think the members would take and why!"
"Seong-bin has to be Red. Red has the image of a leader who is upright and unafraid to take action, and that’s exactly how Seong-bin is to me."
"Blue for Je-ho? The description of someone who doesn't talk much but strangely makes a lot of quips... but having a Blue gives a sense of stability. Je-ho plays that role in the team."
"Yellow for Cheong-hyeon! He feels like the team's vitamin. I’ll give Green to Ju-woo, who loves plants, and Pink to our lovely maknae, Gi-yeon."
"But if we were actually cast, wouldn't we all end up playing Blue or Black...?"
"There’s also a question asking for the members' exact skin foundation shades. We’re idols, and we haven't answered this question yet? That’s a dereliction of duty, isn't it? There were also questions about the members' personal colors and the sunscreens they use, so I’ll answer those together."
"I usually use shade #13. The brightest I’ve used was #11 during What I Want to Say. I’m a Winter Cool tone. But since these shades change slightly depending on the makeup, styling, and site lighting, I think it’s more accurate to explain them in order of skin brightness!"
"Based on whiteness, I’m the whitest, followed by Ju-woo and Cheong-hyeon, who are Summer Cool tones, then Seong-bin, who pulls off both Autumn Warm and Winter Cool tones, and finally Gi-yeon and Je-ho, who are Winter Cool tones. There isn't a single Spring Warm tone...?"
"I use sunscreen from Indenia. I even brought it with me today. I use it almost every day... Mr. Advertiser, are you watching?"
"Spark's preferred movie genres, I see."
"We’ve only watched a movie all together once, and it was a healing movie. Je-ho was half-asleep. Next time we watch a movie, I’ll ask them what genres they like! For now, I personally like human dramas."
"Wait, how did it get to be this time? I feel like I’ve barely said a few words."
"I’ll be able to finish everything today, right...? I’ll try to run a bit more diligently."
—
Max Horkheimer, Eclipse of Reason, translated by Park Gu-yong, Seoul: Munye Publishing Co., Ltd., 2006, p. 207.