Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook (You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook / 유희열의 스케치북)

Hello, it's nice to meet you.

Welcome to Sketchbook, everyone.

I'm Yu Hui Yeol.

Hang on a second.

I'm honestly quite hurt.

I thought as I stood up in the audience,

I'd get a cheer and an applause as enthusiastic as...

the one you gave Park Hyo Shin last week.

Do you know...

what also hurt my feelings just now, too?

I thought no one would recognise me like this,

but someone said that my head was massive.

For the past eight years,

I've never once looked at the stage from up here.

That's why I wanted to know what it was like as the audience,

and now I've finally seen it for myself.

Today's first guest is actually a newcomer,

which, to be honest, is quite surprising...

even on my part.

Please welcome Kang Ta of H.O.T.

Thank you.

Just like his name, Kang Ta,

he came to make an impact.

Please welcome Kang Ta.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kang Ta.

This is the first time you're here on Sketchbook.

That's right.

What's it like to be here? - I'm very nervous.

Long before Sketchbook even aired,

I was away working mostly in China.

It's nervous to be here right now,

but I was happy to have had...

such a warm welcome, so thank you.

Every time I say something like this,

I'm amazed at how fast time has passed by.

Did you know...

that it's been 20 years since he debuted?

I'm known as one of the zoolites of Korean idol singers.

Some refer to me as Earth's first organism...

or as an ammonites.

How old were you when you first debuted?

I was 18, a junior in high school.

Currently, I'm 38.

It really has been long.

H.O.T. was Korea's first idol boy band.

But only after five years in action,

when you were at the pinnacle of your career,

the group disbanded.

Since you were loved so much by your fans,

you must have suddenly felt empty.

When we disbanded, this is what I initially thought.

I thought that at least one fifth of our fans were mine.

That's quite understandable.

There were five of you. - I released a solo album,

but sales weren't even close to a tenth of H.O.T.'s.

It took me at least two years for reality to sink in though,

and I worried about all sorts of things.

That's why, after much consideration,

I went to China in pursuit of a new career.

That's right. You worked in China for quite a long time.

Yes, I worked there for over 10 years.

How long has it been since you released an album?

Before I joined the military in 2008,

I released an album, but not one ever since.

That was eight years ago.

What took you so long?

From a business standpoint,

I didn't know if it was right to release one.

I had to think of whether or not it'd be a smart investment.

Well, you're an executive now. - Right.

So... - He's on the board.

He's one of the board members of SM Entertainment.

That's why my focus has been on what would benefit the agency.

So instead of releasing albums here,

I went to work abroad...

and do things that I thought had more promise.

However, now you're back with a new album.

The song "Regular Customer"...

is the lead single of his new album and...

Hui Yeol, it's "Diner". - I'm sorry.

I'd be the regular customer there...

at the "Diner". - My gosh.

I'm so sorry.

I bet that someone will release a song by that title.

"Regular Customer" isn't bad.

Lim Chang Jung who's watching this...

might just start working on a new song by that title.

Doesn't it fit into his set list?

"A Glass of Soju", "The Love I Committed"...

and "Regular Customer".

Don't you think that tells a story?

Anyway, I heard that this is the only show you're appearing on.

This is the one and only chance we get to here you sing live.

So...

Come on.

Could we hear you sing it right now?

Okay, I'll sing a few lines.

Let's give it up for Kang Ta.

Thank you.

There are many male idol singers. - Yes.

Can you usually tell who can make it big?

Do any of them particularly stand out to you?

There's one group that I've been paying a lot of attention to...

from a long time ago until now. It's Bigbang.

Even though they debuted a long time ago...

Yes, they did.

They're still improving in every sense.

That's right. - They keep getting more powerful.

Hence, I think they're very impressive.

Among the younger musicians in my agency, I have to talk about EXO.

People tell me that I sing "Growl" when I get drunk.

In front of your colleagues? - Yes. When I get wasted.

I don't sing any songs when I'm only a little drunk,

but I sing "Growl" non stop when I get very drunk.

So do you sing "Growl" like this in front of your colleagues?

Well...

That's not how the song goes.

Don't underestimate me.

"Growl, I growl". That's how it's sung.

This is...

I've never seen that dance before.

To be honest, I can't picture Kang Ta singing "Growl".

Show us. I'm going to make you prove everything.

I must see it.

Please give him a big hand. - Goodness.

Everyone, please welcome Chen, Baek Hyun and Xiumin.

Thank you.

We have three more special guests here with us on Sketchbook.

Let's welcome Chen, Baek Hyun and Xiumin of EXO!

Shall we say hello together? In 1, 2, 3.

We're one! Hello, we're CBX. - We're one! Hello, we're CBX.

EXO's new subunit, EXO-CBX, is here with us.

These boys must make you feel at ease.

Yes. They also give me energy, so I enjoy performing with them.

You look much happier now. On the other hand, these boys...

seem very down. - Gosh, no.

No, no. - I see dark clouds up here.

No. - Not at all.

You guys look so nervous, which is very unlike you.

What does H.O.T. mean to the three of you?

They earliest memory I have of H.O.T. is...

seeing those badges with their faces on them.

I see, those badges. - Yes, we had those badges...

as well as their posters at home.

I think my mum was their fan.

Then I'll ask you guys another question. Please be honest with me.

I want to know whom you looked up to as your role model.

I'll start with Baek Hyun. Who was your role model?

Super Junior was my role model.

What about you, Xiumin?

It was TVXQ.

How about you, Chen?

My role model was Kang Ta.

Yes. - Oh, my.

An anonymous viewer sent us a question for EXO,

saying that we have to ask you guys this when you're here.

"I want to ask EXO." - Yes.

"You sang 'Hope' by H.O.T. as the finale of the SM Town Concert."

"Did you actually want to sing it?" That's the question.

Why did you send us a question like this? It sounds pathetic.

We're so grateful when younger artists sing our songs.

However, I was wondering if they actually wanted to sing it.

So I wanted to ask them how they really felt.

Tell him how you felt. - If they actually...

didn't want to sing it, I'll suggest to have the finale song changed.

Right. - Yes.

To be frank, I think it's too late to discuss this.

Now, the concert only feels complete...

after we sing the song, "Hope". - I see.

If we don't end the concert with it, it will feel incomplete.

How did you feel when you sang it for the first time?

"Hope" is a bright and hopeful song, so I liked it very much.

What is your favourite part of the song?

Let's join hands together and look up at the sky

I love the lyrics of this part.

What about you, Baek Hyun?

Let's join hands together and look up at the sky

What about you, Xiumin? - Xiumin.

That's the intro.

That's the postlude. - They like the intro and postlude.

I like the lyrics of the park Xiumin just sang.

I see. They are the first unit group of EXO.

They are literally the blockbuster unit group.

That's what their agency says.

Is there any special reason why you three made a team?

Our group has many members, and we all are good friends.

But there are some people that you get along with especially well.

And the three of us just hit it off and get along very well like that.

And one day,

we thought we'd make a great unit group.

So we suggested it to our agency.

And your agency accepted it. - Yes.

I was so glad and proud when they eagerly suggested...

something that they've always wanted to try and sing.

I hope others will continue to suggest things like them, as well.

What are doing right now?

He's hosting the show. - I'm the host here.

I want them to continue suggesting many ideas...

so that they can show many things to their fans.

Okay. - EXO as a whole is great, too.