[INTERVIEW] ​Xports News "Lngshot Woojin: 'I spent my trainee days at Big Hit... I auditioned for this because I trusted Jay Park's name' ②"

Xportsnews introduces, in detail, singers who are currently building their fandoms but aren't yet familiar to the general public, or those who are gearing up to step into the bigger spotlight. Let us help you "stan" them.

(Xportsnews, Reporter Myeong Hee-sook) The members of the group Logshot have gathered together, each carrying their own unique story. While they all play a vital role in Lngshot with their spirited energy, their individual backgrounds shine in diverse ways.

"The members of the group LNGSHOT gathered in one place, each carrying their own unique story. While every member plays a vital role in the group with their spirited energy, their individual narratives shine in diverse ways.

Ohyul started at KOZ Entertainment and became the very first trainee and debut member of MORE VISION. Ryul was cast while auditioning for Mnet's Show Me the Money 11, and Woojin also came to MORE VISION, trusting solely in the name "Jay Park" after his time as a trainee at Big Hit Music. The youngest, Louis, born to a French father and a Korean mother, debuted after the shortest training period in the team.

These individuals, who once dreamed their own dreams in different places, have united as LNGSHOT. They stepped onto the stage with the aspiration—fitting for their team name—to pierce through slim odds and land a "long shot" that will turn the tides."

Q. Your self-portrait that breaks the mold is impressive. I heard you learned art.

Woojin: Both of my parents graduated from art school, so there were a lot of art supplies at home when I was young. I used to play with clay and paint on canvases. I even won a silver medal in a school art competition once. I never formally studied art, but my dream was always to be a painter.

Q. You dreamed of being a painter, so how did you become an idol?

Woojin : I was honestly pretty handsome and cute when I was little, so I often got casting offers. Naturally, I began to dream of becoming a celebrity and started my trainee life at Big Hit Music. Later on, as I developed my own style and wanted to pursue music, I heard that CEO Jay Park was creating an idol group. I felt this was the only place for me, so I decided to apply.

Q. When do you feel you are being eccentric?

Woojin: I’ve been a person who thinks a lot since I was young. Even back then, I was often told that I was eccentric. I think that eccentric side of me became even stronger after I started my life as a trainee.

Q. You’re the first person I’ve heard say you don’t have any "stan attraction" (points that make people want to become a fan). Don’t you think you might be lacking a bit of confidence?

Ryul: From what I’ve seen, Woojin has natural talent/star quality. Woojin appeared on Sseudam Sseudam and had a dance battle with our CEO. Watching that, I really thought he was overflowing with charisma. Because he expresses himself well, I think that quality comes through in his dancing, too.

Q. You mentioned you joined MORE VISION solely because of Jay Park’s name—I can really feel your respect for him.

Woojin: If it hadn’t been for the CEO, I would have had no reason to join this company. I think all the staff at MORE VISION feel the same way. He teaches us so much, and I’ve always thought that he’s just someone you can’t help but look up to. He is the same person whether he is working or not, and I respect him not just as an artist, but as a human being.

The fourth member is Louis.

Q. Your "notable characteristic" is your leg length. It seems like you’re the "long legs" member of LONG SHOT. I heard you’ve grown quite a bit.

Louis: When I first joined the company, I was 170cm, but I grew to 186cm in just one year. I don’t know if I’m still growing; I haven’t measured my height since then. When I was in my major growth spurt, my knees hurt so much that I couldn't even run properly.

Q. You debuted at the early age of 15. How did your parents react?

Louis: My parents are happy for me. They were a bit surprised when I first said I was debuting because they didn’t expect me to debut so quickly after such a short trainee period. They had a lot of concerns, like about me living in the dorms and so on.

Q. Has your Korean improved a lot compared to when you were a trainee?

Louis: My conversational skills have improved a lot since the beginning. It’s not that I’ve learned many more vocabulary words, but I feel like I’m able to speak much more fluently during conversations now.

Q. Like you, every single member of LONG SHOT has an "I" (Introvert) MBTI type.

Louis: I’m the biggest "I" among them all. I’m the shyest and most reserved with strangers among the members. Though, I’m trying to express myself a lot more these days.

Ryul: Louis has really improved a lot in terms of expressing himself. In the past, if the other members were in the practice room, he couldn’t even hold a conversation. There was a time he felt most comfortable with me, so he would come into the room where I was sitting on the sofa and just stay there, unable to leave.

Q. The University festival stage was the first day LNGSHOT was introduced to the world, right?

Louis: That’s right. It was also the day our music video and music were released. I was very nervous because it was our release day, and it rained a lot during that festival, too. I still have vivid memories of that stage because there were so many ups and downs—the microphone was acting up, and my in-ear monitor wasn't working.

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Article by 엑스포츠뉴스 (Xports News), reported by Myung Hee-suk.

This is an English translation of the original article.