(Translation) “普通の中高生“が韓国に渡り K-POPのニュースターに！ 《T1419》10代男子が叶えた夢

2022.04.11

Three are from Kansai, one from Saitama

　日本人4人・韓国人5人と“異例の日本人率の高さ”が話題の日韓ハイブリッドのグローバルグループ、T1419(ティーイチヨンイチキュウ)。

　T1419 is a Japanese-Korean hybrid global group with an "unusually high percentage of Japanese," consisting of four Japanese and five Koreans.

　2021年1月に韓国デビューし、重厚なサウンドとパワフルで精度の高いパフォーマンスでK-POP新世代として注目を集めている。

　The group debuted in Korea in January 2021, and has been attracting attention as a new generation of K-POP with its profound sound and powerful, highly precise performances.

日本人メンバーは2019年に、ZERO(ゼロ)、LEO(レオ)、KAIRI(カイリ)が16歳で、KIO(キオ)は14歳で韓国へ。“普通の中高生”だった4人は厳しい訓練を経てK-POPのニュースターとなり、2022年3月に念願の日本デビューを果たし凱旋帰国した。

Japanese members ZERO, LEO, and KAIRI will go to Korea in 2019 at the age of 16 and KIO at 14. The four "ordinary middle and high school students" went through rigorous training to become the new stars of K-pop, and in March 2022, they made their long-awaited debut in Japan and returned home triumphantly.

日本から韓国へ渡り世界を目指す若者が増えるなか、彼らはどんなきっかけでK-POPを志し、どんな壁を乗り越え今に至るのか。貴重なデビュー前の写真を見せてもらいながら心境を聞いた。

As more and more young people from Japan come to Korea to pursue their dreams of becoming global stars, what inspired them to pursue K-pop and what obstacles have they overcome to get to where they are today? We asked them about their feelings as they showed us rare pre-debut photos.

(前後篇の前篇。後篇では今後の活動についてインタビュー)

(This is the first part of a two-part series. In the second part, we interview them about their future activities.)

### ――ハードな訓練を経てK-POPの一員となった皆さんですが、この道を選んだきっかけはなんだったのでしょうか。写真をもとにエピソードを教えてもらえますか。(--What was your motivation for choosing this path? Could you tell us your episodes based on the photos?)

**ZERO**　まずは僕から。これはK-POPに興味を持つきっかけになった、BIGBANGさんのライブを観に京セラドームに行った時の写真です。中1かな。サッカーを続けて9年目くらいだったんで、日焼けしてますね。

ZERO Let me start with me. This is a picture taken when I went to Kyocera Dome to see BIGBANG's live concert, which triggered my interest in K-POP. I think I was in the first grade of junior high school. I've been playing soccer for about 9 years now, so I have a tan.

**3人**　初めて見る！

Three This is the first time we've seen you!

**KAIRI**　僕らは色白のZEROくんしか知らないから(笑)。

KAIRI We only know the pale ZERO-kun (laughs).

**ZERO**　ずっとサッカーをしてきて音楽はあまり知らなかったんですが、友だちにBIGBANGさんの曲を紹介してもらった時、すごくカッコイイ！ と思ったんです。コンサートにも行くようになって、とにかくすごくて、僕もステージ上でパフォーマンスが出来たらと思いました。高校1年生の時にK-POPのアーティストになることを目標にダンスを習い始めて。音楽も、BIGBANGさんから始まって他のK-POPもJ-POPもめちゃくちゃ聴くようになりました。

ZERO I have been playing soccer all my life and didn't know much about music, but when a friend of mine introduced me to BIGBANG's music, I thought it was really cool! I thought, "I'm going to do it. I started going to concerts, and they were just so amazing that I wished I could perform on stage too. When I was a freshman in high school, I started learning dance with the goal of becoming a K-pop artist. I also started listening to a lot of music, starting with Big Bang and other K-pop and J-pop.

### **ラップ、ダンス、“言語”担当のLEO (LEO is in charge of rapping, dancing, and "language")**

**LEO**　僕も高校1年生の時に初めて行った、京セラドームでのiKONさんのライブがきっかけです。圧倒されましたね。何万人ものファンがペンライトを振って会場が一体となっている光景が衝撃で、グッときました。それまではK-POPのグループ名を知っている程度でしたが、このライブを見てから僕も目指そうと思うようになりました。

LEO I went to my first iKON concert at Kyocera Dome when I was a freshman in high school. I was overwhelmed. The sight of tens of thousands of fans waving penlights in unison at the venue was a shocking and moving experience. Until then, I only knew the names of K-pop groups, but after seeing this concert, I decided that I wanted to be a K-pop group too.

**LEO**　僕の「夢を叶えるまでの1枚」は、これを持ってきました。2019年の7月、初めて韓国に行った飛行機の中です。右がKAIRI、真ん中がZERO、左の半分しか写っていないのが僕です。この時の写真がこれしか無くて(笑)。

LEO My "one piece until my dream comes true" came with this: on the plane to Korea for the first time in July 2019. KAIRI is on the right, ZERO is in the middle, and I am only half of the picture on the left. This is the only picture I have at this time (lol).

### ――3人はこの時、どんな思いだったか憶えていますか？(--I was wondering if the three of you remember what you were thinking at that time?)

**LEO**　韓国に行ったらどうなるんやろ!?  っていう好奇心でしたね。

LEO What would happen if I went to Korea?  That was my curiosity.

**KAIRI**　僕は自分の夢を叶えるために行くんだ！ という覚悟が大きかったです。

KAIRI I am going there to make my dream come true! I was very determined.

**ZERO**　この頃は実感が湧いてなくて……。ワクワクもしていたけれど、海外に行くのも初めてで、不安もありました。

ZERO I wasn't really feeling it at the time....... I was excited, but I was also anxious because it was my first time going abroad.

**――このあと、3か月違いでKIOさんが合流したんですね。**

--After that, KIO joined you three months apart, didn't he?

**KIO**　はい、僕は2019年の夏休みの間だけ体験みたいな形で韓国に行って、そのあと正式に行ったのは10月くらいでした。

KIO Yes, I went to Korea only during the summer vacation of 2019 as a kind of experience, and then I officially went there around October.

### **ボーカル、ダンス、“笑顔”担当のKAIRI (KAIRI is in charge of vocals, dance, and "smile")**

**KAIRI**　憧れをもったのは僕が最年少？ かもしれない。お母さんの影響で、小学校1年の時にはもう2PMさんのファンで、特にJun.K先輩を尊敬しています。お母さんはニックンさん推し(笑)。2PMさんのラッピングバスの前で撮った写真があります。この時はまさか自分が韓国でデビューできるなんて思っていなかったですよね。キッズ向けのヒップホップのダンススクールには通っていましたが、K-POPのスクールには高校1年生になって通い始めました。

KAIRI Am I the youngest person to have admired you? Maybe. Because of my mother's influence, I was already a fan of 2PM when I was in the first grade of elementary school, and I especially admire Jun.K senior. My mom is a Nickun-san fan (lol). Here is a picture taken in front of 2PM's wrapped bus. At that time, I never thought I would be able to debut in Korea. I attended a hip-hop dance school for kids, but I started attending a K-pop school when I was a freshman in high school.

#### **ラップとダンス担当、マンネのKIO (KIO in charge of rapping and dancing)**

**KIO**　僕はSEVENTEENさんのコンサートに行った時の写真を選びました。この翌週か翌々週くらいにMLD(T1419の事務所)のオーディションを受けたので、夢につながる一枚かなと思って。お母さんとお姉ちゃんと行ったんですが、さいたまスーパーアリーナで前から6番目くらいの席だったから、すぐそこ！ って感じで。パフォーマンスが本当にかっこよくて、バラエティ性もあって、本当に面白かったです。それまでも家族でBTSさんや色んなK-POPのライブに行っていて、これが日本で観た最後のライブでした。

KIO I chose this photo from a concert I went to by SEVENTEEN. I had an audition for MLD (T1419's office) in the next week or two, so I thought this would be a picture that would lead me to my dream. I went with my mom and sister, and we were seated about 6th from the front at Saitama Super Arena, so we were right there! It was like that. The performance was really cool, and the variety was really interesting. My family had been going to BTS and many other K-pop concerts before, and this was the last concert I saw in Japan.

### ――家族からの言葉で印象に残っているものはありますか？(--What are some of the memorable things your family has said to you?)

**KIO**　僕は中学3年生で韓国に行ったんですが、お姉ちゃんとは昔から仲が良くて、「絶対デビューしてね！」って言ってくれて。友だちからも、飛行機に乗った後にLINEで「頑張って」とメッセージをもらってうれしかったです。

KIO I went to Korea when I was in the third grade of junior high school, but my sister and I have always been close, and she said, "You must debut! He said to me, "I'm not going to be able to do this. I was also happy to receive LINE messages from my friends wishing me good luck after I boarded the plane.

**ZERO**　僕たちが韓国に行ったあとコロナ禍になったので、今回の日本デビューで久しぶりに家族に会えました。僕は、韓国に行く前に父が「別にデビューをしなくてもいいから、とりあえず韓国語だけでも覚えて来れば今後のスキルになると思うよ」と負担をかけないように言ってくれた言葉が心に残っています。

ZERO After we went to Korea, I got the Corona disaster, so I was able to see my family for the first time in a long time during my debut in Japan. Before I went to Korea, my father said to me, "You don't have to make your debut, but if you just learn Korean for now, I think it will be good for your future skills.

**KAIRI**　韓国から家族に電話したりもします。でもやっぱり最初はそばに友だちも親もいなくて、言葉もわからなくて、行き詰まることもありました。訓練生時代、僕はダンスや歌の実力で悩むことが多くて、でもつらいと人に言えない性格で、スランプになったりして。その時は本当に、メンバーがそばにいてくれたから頑張れました。日本人・韓国人関係なくメンバーが先に声を掛けてくれて、歌やダンスを教えてくれたり、美味しいものを一緒に食べに行ったりしてやってこれたと思います。

KAIRI I sometimes call my family from Korea. But at first, I didn't have friends or parents by my side, and I didn't understand the language, so there were times when I felt stuck. When I was a trainee, I had a lot of trouble with my dancing and singing ability, but I had a character of not being able to tell people when I had a hard time, and I sometimes went into a slump. I was able to do my best because the members were there for me at that time. They taught me how to sing and dance, and we went out to eat delicious food together.

**KAIRI**　もう1枚、練習生の時の写真を、韓国人メンバーのGUNWOO(ゴヌ)くんから送ってもらったんです。左がゴヌくん、右が僕です。手前に見えている看板が、僕が何度も元気をもらったプデチゲ店。ご飯を食べる時って言語は関係ないじゃないですか。そういうのも良かったのかなと。

KAIRI Another picture from when I was a trainee was sent to me by GUNWOO, a Korean member. Gunwoo is on the left and I am on the right. The sign in the foreground is a pudae jjigae restaurant that has cheered me up many times. Language doesn't matter when eating food, does it? I think it was good for me to be able to do that.

### ――LEOさん、ZEROさん、KAIRIさんが大阪で、KIOさんは東京のK-POP専門のダンススクールに通っていたそうですが、韓国で練習生を始めてみて、内容の違いを感じたり驚いたりしたことはありますか？(--LEO, ZERO and KAIRI attended a dance school in Osaka, and KIO attended a dance school specializing in K-POP in Tokyo. When you started as a trainee in Korea, did you feel any differences in content or were you surprised?)

**ZERO**　日本では一日に1～2時間のレッスンでしたが、練習生になると一日中なので、ダンスの授業が7～10時間とか、圧倒的に練習量が増えましたね。他にも朝から筋トレの授業があったり、僕たちは韓国語の授業を受けたり、色んな内容がありました。

ZERO In Japan, I had 1-2 hours of lessons a day, but as a trainee, it was all day long, so I had 7-10 hours of dance classes, or by far more practice. There were also muscle training classes in the morning, Korean language classes for us, and many other things.

**KIO**　セルカ(スマートフォンでの自撮り)の練習もあったよね。夕飯の前に人がたくさん歩いている街中とかでセルカを撮って、社長に送信するんです。毎日お題が出されて、コンセプトに沿って撮る。

KIO There was also practice for taking selcas (selfies with a smart phone). Before dinner, we would take selcas in the streets where many people were walking around, and send them to the president. Every day we were given a theme and took pictures according to the concept.

**KAIRI**　ペットボトルを持ってCM風に、とか(笑)。

KAIRI: Like holding a plastic bottle and making it look like a commercial (laughs).

**ZERO**　それを練習生の頃にやり続けたおかげか、セルカは上手くなったと思います。

ZERO I think I got good at selcas, probably because I kept doing that when I was a trainee.

### ――日韓の違いで戸惑ったことなどは？(--Did you ever feel puzzled by the differences between Japan and Korea?)

**KAIRI**　生活感のある話になりますが、韓国には何でもシェアする文化があるみたいで、最初に宿舎で実感しました。誰かが買ってきたコーラが宿舎の冷蔵庫に入っていると、韓国のメンバーはみな「家族同然だから」と分け合って飲むんです。僕たち日本人は、自分が買ったものは1人で飲む(笑)。

KAIRI This may sound like a story about life in Korea, but it seems that there is a culture of sharing everything in Korea, and I really felt it at my first dormitory. When someone buys a Coke and it is in the refrigerator in the dormitory, all the Korean members share it with each other because "we are like family". We Japanese drink what we buy by ourselves (laughs).

**ZERO**　実家だったら確かに一緒に飲むから、そんな感じかぁ…と。僕が買った牛乳を飲もうと思ったらもう無くて、「買いに行かなあかん…」みたいなこともありました。

ZERO If I was at my parents' house, we would certainly drink together, so I thought, "So that's how it is.... There were times when I wanted to drink the milk I bought, but it was already gone, and I had to go out to buy some more..." (laughs).

**LEO**　メンバー9人はもう家族みたいな距離の近さを感じます。自分たちはデビューできるのか？ という時代から支え合ってきたので。

LEO I feel that the nine members are close like a family. I wonder if we will be able to make our debut. We have been supporting each other since the time when we were all in the same boat.

**KAIRI**　僕らの家族感が伝わるであろう1枚も持ってきています(笑)。練習生の時、メンバーや事務所の人と一緒にキャンプ場に合宿に行った時の写真。コロナになる前で2020年の頭くらいかな。この時はまだデビューが決まっていなかったので、チキンを食べながらお互いしんどいこととか、これからどう頑張って行こうとか話していました。真剣かつ、ワチャワチャしながら。

KAIRI I have also brought a picture that will convey our sense of family (laughs). (laughs). This is a picture taken when I was a trainee and went to a campsite with the members and the office staff. I think it was around the beginning of 2020, before I became Corona. At that time, our debut had not yet been decided, so we were eating chicken and talking about how hard it was for us and how we were going to do our best in the future. We were serious and chattering at the same time.

### **夢を叶える直前の、僕らの1枚 (One of us, right before we made our dream come true.)**

K-POP界の新星T1419としてデビューするちょうど1年前の9人。

The nine members just one year before their debut as T1419, a rising star in the K-pop world.

» 後篇では彼らの音楽の魅力、これからの展望を聞きました。

"In the second part, we asked them about the appeal of their music and their future prospects.