[INTERVIEW] Singer K.Will

My name is K.Will. Songwriter Bang Shi-hyuk came up with my name Will. I was a bit concerned by the fact that there is a yogurt with the same name but I liked the future-oriented vibe it gave off. It was also the trend at the moment -- to make such names. J-Lim, G-Soul and then K.Will. My real name is Kim Hyung-soo.
I was born on December 30, 1981. I could have been a year younger was I born just a little bit later so it's a slightly disappointing birthday. And I thought the day would never come but I'm 30 now, although I don't really feel it because I usually hang out with people who are older than me. I'm at a cute age.
I'm an only child. But I think my mother raised me not to be like an only child. I debuted on television through KBS music show "Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter" but she didn't watch it because she was busy watching a debate show. And everyone worried she would cry at my first concert but she told me very cheerfully afterwards that she didn't cry and had a lot of fun. She said it didn't seem like she was watching her own son. (laugh)
When I was young, singers Park Nam-jung and the Seotaeiji & Boys were popular amongst my friends but I remember my mother always listening to pop on the radio. That's why I was able to naturally familiarize myself with rare masterpieces.
I was a shy but an idiotic kid. I was very quiet but for some reason, I would sometimes act rebellious toward my teachers. I also asked questions I shouldn't because I was curious all the time and I think I couldn't turn a blind eye when I see adults acting irrational.
My fan cafe 'Brian Hyungknight’ was created before my debut. It's my nickname from before my debut, when I sang on a vocal team, which I got because I sang a lot of Brian McKnight songs. The cafe is very special to me because my fans there are from those days.
The people I sang with on my vocal team are now talented chorus members or are in bands. I met Kim Jin-ho from SG Wannabe and Lee Hyung from 8eight are my friends from back then too. The members of 8eight also sang the chorus for my TV debut song.
I performed my song "Present" with Eun Ji-won, the original rapper for the song in the beginning but we started to ask other rappers to do featurings too. Of course, it was done by my agency's help. I usually perform a lot with my seniors so I felt quite different when I went on stage with Beast member Yong-jun. He was sweating so much after the performance. I thought he did well but I guess he was nervous because he was rapping for someone else's song.
I used to record a lot of guide songs before my debut but there were many times I did without knowing who the song would go to. I didn't know TVXQ's "Hug" would become a song that would shake up Korea like that and I didn't know "Come to Me" would be for Uhm Jung-hwa. It was a nice rhythmical and groovy song which I even got to star in the music video.
I show my serious side on stage but when I do radio, I sometimes talk too comfortably because I'm with people I'm close with.

Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Jang Kyung-Jin three@10asia.co.kr