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Following YUTA’s performance at the Tokyo Dome, we photographed SHOTARO–who was in Tokyo for business– at his hotel just before he checked out! “I’m really going back to Seoul after this!” We caught him in respite between work and relaxation. The column on the magazine will end with the January/February issue, but the web version will continue for a little longer, so look out for it!
――Thank you for today!
Every issue looks fun! (while looking at back numbers)
――We saw on a dTV program (“SHOW YOU” Our journey) that YUTA-san’s mother had bought the issue(MEN’S NON-NO June 2022 special edition) with YUTA-san and SHOTARO-san on the cover.
Ah, yes, that’s right! On dtv! (laughs). She said “I’ve got one for you too, SHOTARO-kun” (laughs).
――The editorial office buzzed with joy for a bit (laughs).
Ha-ha-ha! I was happy too!
What do you look forward to most
when you travel?
――This time I visited SHOTARO-san, who was staying in Tokyo for work, and had a special shoot in a hotel room. To reflect this situation, we called the issue “10 minutes before check-out”.
I’m going back to Seoul later today!
――Last time, we featured YUTA-san at Tokyo Dome before a performance under the theme of “10 minutes before going on stage.” And now we’re featuring you just before checking out.
It’s realistic, isn’t it? I can’t wait to see the pictures of YUTA-kun that you took in the dome (during interview)”
――It seems like you have more and more opportunities to travel and work between Japan, Korea and various other cities. What are you looking forward to when you travel?
The best part of the trip is seeing the scenery of each region; I can really see the different daily life in each area. Even just taking pictures of unexplored surroundings makes me feel brand new in a way. The other thing I look forward to is the food! (Laughs) It’s fun and delicious to encounter things I don’t usually eat! It’s fun and delicious!
――You were also in Osaka for the NCT 127 concert, one of your seniors, weren’t you?
Yes! I went to see the stage. In Osaka, we had takoyaki… and the best ice cream dog ever!
――Ice cream dogs are like a school lunch hot dog bun with ice cream in it!
Yes, yes, yes! I ate it in “Ame-mura”. The calories must be crazy but you have to eat good food when you travel, right? I’m usually restrained but it was a treat for cheat day. The food was so delicious and the lady at the restaurant was such a character (laughs). I really treasure these moments!
Just can’t reduce my luggage!
――Since you spend a lot of time in hotels, have you locked in a routine? What are some of the things that you absolutely must have with you?
I’m basically the type of person who gets anxious if I don’t bring a lot of stuff. Especially with clothes– I always bring a lot of them. When I have free time in my room, I try on different combinations of clothes and think about how to coordinate them. Hotels often have full-length mirrors, so I can try on the clothes and see how they look on me…. Heh heh heh.
――You’re quite the stylish traveler!
No, no, I just said it like that (laughs). I also watch Japanese TV programs. When I get back home, I really enjoy watching Japanese news and variety shows that I normally can’t watch.
――So you are not the fussy type. You must be enjoying your hotel time then.
Rather, I sleep soundly.
――That’s a good thing! (Laughs)
Yes (laughs). Sometimes it takes me a whole day to pack, and my manager has told me many times, “You’ll only be here for five days this time, so think about that. (Laughs) And when I come back, I have even more luggages…. In addition to my carry-on bag, I always bring an empty Boston bag, and I promise to put a lot of souvenirs in it when I return home. I like shopping, so I buy clothes, but the most common thing I buy is food. I always pack a lot of Japanese candy and cup noodles!
――Do you miss those little things when you live in a foreign country?
That’s right. I’ve already had a blast at“Donki” (laughs). But as I get used to traveling more, I hope to travel with less.
――But regardless of the amount of luggage, is there anything that you would definitely take with you?
Hmmmm … oh! A computer! Um, it’s the laptop computer that appeared in our first interview of MEN’S NON-NO! (Laughs)
――Yes, it did make an appearance! I have the impression that you’re always with a computer (laughs).
Ha-ha-ha! (claps hands) I was holding it during the interview, wasn’t I (laughs)?
――(Everyone laughed) It was the first time I saw the interviewee bring it. I thought you might start some kind of formal presentation…!
Right! A little embarrassing~ (laughs)
――Did you not bring it with you for today’s interview?
Not anymore, fortunately. (laughs) When I first started, I had received a questionnaire in advance, so I drafted it and thought about how I would answer it, and I was very nervous. Now, I can answer the questions naturally.
――No, but as I wrote in the article at the time, it felt very serious and I had nothing but good feelings about it!
Thank goodness!!! But I still take my computer with me everywhere, like, absolutely everywhere. Even when I don’t use it, I still have it with me (laughs). I can watch YouTube or dramas in my free time, and when I receive a questionnaire, I still try to write and think about it on the computer. However my typing skills haven’t improved at all… I type like this (tapping his index finger) (laughs).
――You looked like you were very familiar with it (laughs).
It takes a really long time! Like, “Y, where is it~?” (laughs)
Motivation at the time of departure
――Speaking of “When you’re on your way to your next destination,” what’s on your mind as you leave your house?
Food….
――Food! (Laughs). In a previous interview between you and YUTA, when you were asked “What do you think about when you dance?” , Yuta replied “Shotaro is thinking about dinner” (laughs).
Yes, yes (laughs). Well, maybe it’s true! I actually think about what I’m going to eat later that day quite often. Even before I left Japan this time, I was probably thinking about what I would eat when I arrived.
――So the stage presence, mental focus, all of those gears start turning right before the show starts?
Yeah maybe. When I leave home, I can really only think about what I’m going to eat. If the food is good, it will be a good memory and you will automatically like the city. So, food is important!
――It’s very healthy from a mindset point of view. Even though the environment has changed, you feel like you have your own pace.
It’s actually important to be able to eat properly in a changing environment! The only thing that differs from the usual is that I will have more things to carry and more things to buy (laughs).
――Is there anything you are consciously paying attention to in terms of physical and mental aspects in order to stay consistent anywhere?
I try to do what I want to do at the right time without overdoing it. I think it comes down to taking the time to relax, but even small things like meeting friends and playing games make a big difference. The secret to staying consistent may be to allocate time for such things and try to switch between on and off as much as possible. When I’m having fun, I can motivate myself with positive Energy; it allows me to be kinder to others.
――I’ll never forget the time when you visited the MEN’S NON-NO editorial department before– you were smiling the whole time, and all the staff were smiling along with you (laughs).
I was able to see the actual process of making the pages in the editorial office, which was a lot of fun; it left a lasting impression on me. Until then, I had only seen the finished product, so I was able to make new discoveries. It’s not often that I get a chance to see the designer putting in the text, so it was a valuable experience for me. I hope to visit again!
Find joy wherever you go.
Cherish your friendships.
――Even so, I heard that you were very nervous about working on TV!
That’s right. Even in my home country, I can’t relax all the time. I am also working on my first TVshow called “What’s NCT! ?“(past broadcasts are now available on Hulu. Currently it’s called What’s NCT! ~“Welcome to NCT Universe”) with SUNGCHAN, another member of NCT. SUNGCHAN and I were very nervous since it was our first time working together in Japan. It was challenging but in a good way– it had me fired up! We had a lot of new encounters with great people including comedians and staff members. One of the most important experiences was when I had to act as SUNGCHAN’s interpreter.
――So the tables have turned! As SUNGCHAN-san always helped you when I spoke Korean.
Exactly! I remembered that “SUNGCHAN always helped me when I was working in Korea”. It was just like my situation two years ago (during the interview). When I came to Korea and made my debut as a member of NCT, I still didn’t know anything and SUNGCHAN, who was like a mentor,helped me a lot. I was able to thank him again, and I think our friendship was stronger this time because he relied on me. I hope I was able to return the favor.
――When you know how grateful you are to be helped, you want to help others as well.
Yes, I have been in the same position. I could understand how he felt. I think he was doing his best under pressure with the language barrier and all, so I was very happy that the audience showed him support. The comedians and performers with whom I worked also supported me a lot, and I am very grateful for that.
――You also had a show with YUTA-san, who is a senior, like you said earlier. That must have been a good experience to have under your belt.
That’s right! That experience helped me a lot. There are so many things that YUTA-kun has helped me with. No matter where I go or what I do, I think at the end of the day, I can have a goodtime by valuing my own connections with people. I would like to continue to go to various places and have many more experiences and encounters. And I hope that I can help the members in the future as well. I can’t talk about specifics yet, but if there were to be more opportunities in Japan in the future…
――You make it exquisitely vague… (laughs)
if there will be more…!
――Your banter with the interviewer is getting better and better (laughs).
Ha ha ha! Please write it in the article for me! Our manager taught me how to answer! (Laughs) She taught me how to say things like this!
――It’s like there’s nothing you can say right now, but it’s a very nice way to tease. like people might be able to expect a little bit of something.
“Hmmm… “it might be~” (laughs), I am once again fired up to do my best in the future!”
When the outfit is cool,
I get excited.
――We are very happy that you liked the styling for MEN’S NON-NO this time. Thanks for posting so many of the previous trad fashion and the animal print look with YUTA-san on your instagram!
I really liked it so I uploaded it! Really, thank you for all the cool outfits. I got my hair done pretty, and I personally really liked the way you styled the setup!”
――Is the “세련된” mood that you talked about before continuing?
Yeah! I’m going back to Korea today, and I tried to keep my styling a little more elegant for the airport!
*We will also share my thoughts on this 3-part look at the end of this article.
Expectations for 2023
――And finally, a message to our readers!
Thank you so much to all the readers who always look at my work. Thankfully, I have been able to write a column for MEN’S NON-NO, and I feel like I have become very close to you all. I hope you enjoy the new image I tried to create this time as well. I’m sure there will be many new things in 2023, so I’ll do my best to show you more of the new SHOTARO so keep your expectations high! Oh, and my father, who used to be a reader, was very happy to hear the topic about himself (laughs)!
――Thank you! Now, you really need to check out.
Yes! I’m off! See you again!
This time, we will introduce
a quick remark from SHOTARO!
Style1
“It has a casual and city vibe, but retro at the same time, a new style that I really like!”
ジャケット￥75,900／キャバン 代官山店 ニット（J.プレス オリジナルズ）￥29,700／J.プレス & サンズ 青山 シャツ（コグノーメン）￥46,200・パンツ（ユウキ ハシモト）￥55,000／サカス ピーアール 靴￥57,200／ラッド ミュージシャン 原宿 イヤカフ（ルフェール）￥19,800／ワームス ルミネ新宿店 リング￥63,800／マリハ スーツケース（グローブ・トロッター）￥346,500／ヴァルカナイズ・ロンドン
Style2
I heard that the stylist prepared this outfit based on my previous comment that I like a clean jacket look! I like this kind of beautiful coloring during fall and winter.
ジャケット￥82,500／ダイリク ベスト￥39,600／エムエーエスユー シャツ￥33,000／ラッド ミュージシャン 原宿 パンツ（ヨンロクサン）￥30,800／HEMT PR 靴（セサ フットウェア）￥48,400／ノウ ショールーム イヤカフ（ルフェール）￥19,800／ワームス ルミネ新宿店 リング￥63,800／マリハ ソックス／スタイリスト私物
Style3
The hats are so cute! All three of the styles in this issue are very vibrant, I like the silhouettes, and they’re making me want to be more fashionable! I hope you readers are as excited as I am!
ニット￥19,800／カイコー シャツ（N.ハリウッド コンパイル）￥31,900／ミスターハリウッド カットソー￥27,500／ダイリク パンツ￥49,500・サスペンダー￥11,000／ファセッタズム 青山 靴（アタッチメント）￥69,300／サカス ピーアール 帽子￥8,690／カンゴール ヘッドウェア イヤカフ（ルフェール）￥19,800／ワームス ルミネ新宿店 ソックス／スタイリスト私物
「RESONANCE」
NCT
NCT is a special group, where the various units NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, and NCT U gather together. With overwhelming performance skills, cutting-edge fashion, and unique, attractive characters, this boy group has countless fans all over the world. Their skills – singing, dancing, and rap – are all remarkable. Once you have seen them, you can never forget them!
Model:SHOTARO[NCT] Photos:Arata Suzuki[go relax E more] Hair:Jihye Oh Make-up: Jiwon Moon Stylist:Yoshiaki Komatsu Movie:Hiroki Honma Cooperation:AWABEES
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