A.C.E Talks Exclusively to KOCOWA about K-dramas!

Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed a certain K-pop band dancing around in “Zombie Detective.” Yup, that’s right. That was A.C.E!  Known for their powerful music and stunning visuals, Jun, Donghun, Wow, Kim Byeongkwan and Chan have been making their presence known for the past three years. Their latest album, “HJZM: The Butterfly Phantasy,” includes “Favorite Boys (도깨비/Goblin).” The striking music video plays like a short film. This isn’t surprising, considering that when A.C.E isn’t working on their own music, members of the quintet are doing a bit of acting, as well as performing on the soundtracks of K-dramas like “The Game: Towards Zero.” 

Q: Chan, you’ve already starred in “Twenty-Twenty.” How was that experience for you?

CHAN: It’s a very precious and unforgettable memory. The role of Sohn Bo-hyun was the best fit for me and the personality was the same as myself in real life. I enjoyed every second of the shooting. I am also very happy that I could play this role with great actors, actresses and staff. 

Q: “Favorite Boys (도깨비/Goblin)” is such a great song. If someone were to make a K-Drama based on the song, who would you want to star in it and what would you want it to be about?

JUN: If such a drama is produced, I’d want to play the role of a cynical goblin who cares about and protects the people around me more than anyone else. The plot would be interesting if one goblin goes on a trip to find the other four goblins.

CHAN: I think it’d be nice if we appeared in the drama since the song is about A.C.E. And I think it would be great to develop from A.C.E previous single music video “Stand By You.”

Q: What was it like appearing in “Zombie Detective“?

JUN: It was an unique experience. It was my first time working with other actors in zombie costumes. I remember the staff always were surprised with us in costumes and makeup on the set. 

Q: When you record songs for K-dramas like “The Game: Towards Zero” and “How to Buy a Friend,” how much of the plot do you know before you work on the song? Do the producers tell you what mood they’d like you to convey?

KIM BYEONGKWAN: When we record OSTs, they ask us to sing the song (by describing the emotion) as much as possible, rather than telling us the drama’s plot. We express the theme with our feelings and the song conveys the mood according to the drama’s moment.

CHAN: Rather than a specific scene, we record with the overall theme of the whole drama. There may be songs that fit different scenes for each piece, but I think the recordings that we’ve done so far were not like that, but rather, we were told the theme of the entire drama.

JUN: I worked with Chan on the song “Where You Are” as part of the soundtrack for “The Game.” The atmosphere of the drama was heavy and the lyrics were profound. I asked the composer and producer, “How should I sing it?” and the producer told me to think of how the male lead in the drama looks at the female lead with a sad emotion. That’s how I put my feelings into the song.

Q: When I watch K-dramas or a film, I like to eat along with the characters. Do you do this, too?

JUN: Absolutely. One of my favorite things is to watch a movie with delicious food. It’s the only joy in a hectic life. I’m not picky about food! I eat all the black bean noodles, pizza, chicken and fried rice!

Q: I’m going to name some classic K-dramas. What do you think of “My Love from the Star“?

WOW: It is like a drama that a star gave us as a present. It was never boring and there are so many fun elements, such as romance.

KIM BYEONGKWAN: Top-notch! I remember Kim Soo-Hyun and Jun Ji-Hyun!

DONGHUN: Fantastic chemistry.

Q. How about “Fight for My Way“?

WOW: “No matter what others say, I’ll go my way.” It’s a drama for young people that shows what “my way” is.

DONGHUN: Park Seo-Joon’s wonderful idealism stands out.

Q. What are your thoughts about “Dream High“?

KIM BYEONGKWAN: When I was a trainee at JYP, this drama came out. It was the motivation factor for me to try harder. There are a lot of singers that I respect.

CHAN: How your dream as a star can come true.

Q: I want to thank you so much for doing this interview. What would you like to say to your fandom, Choice?

JUN: My love, Choice! Thank you for being there for us. I hope we can meet again soon. It’s winter now, so be careful not to catch a cold and see you again! I love you!

DONGHUN: Dear Choice! We’re so happy that we have you. Because of you, we can look forward to tomorrow. Thank you for always being an excellent relationship to A.C.E — sometimes like a couple, a friend and family. Let’s continue to make great stories for each other and together. We love you.