It’s only been three years since this band made its debut.
It took its first step with its debut album Bluetory on January 14, 2010, and in the three years that followed, it managed to become a group that can sing, compose and act. Starting with Jung Yong Hwa, who became known through his role in the drama You’re Beautiful before his debut with CN Blue, Kang Min Hyuk, Lee Jong Hyun and Lee Jung Shin have all been able to attach the title of ‘actor’ to their names.
This group made it big faster than any other in a greater variety of areas. What helped it become the group it is now?
It took its first step with its debut album Bluetory on January 14, 2010, and in the three years that followed, it managed to become a group that can sing, compose and act. Starting with Jung Yong Hwa, who became known through his role in the drama You’re Beautiful before his debut with CN Blue, Kang Min Hyuk, Lee Jong Hyun and Lee Jung Shin have all been able to attach the title of ‘actor’ to their names.
This group made it big faster than any other in a greater variety of areas. What helped it become the group it is now?
The memories of the past
Before CN Blue’s debut, its saga started when leader Jung Yong Hwa first left a big impression with his role in the drama You’re Beautiful.
Although he was only a rookie, he even managed to be chosen to host the SBS Music Festival in 2009 along with his drama partner Park Shin Hye. This was what pushed CN Blue forward to a different starting line compared to other rookies that year.
As its single I’m a Loner, from its debut album Bluetory, started topping music charts on various broadcasts, CN Blue really became the biggest rookie of the age. It did start off from a different starting point, but that didn’t mean that the members didn’t work hard for their success.
Before debuting in Korea, CN Blue spent some time in independent music industry in Japan. The members talk about it now as they would do any good memory of the old days, but it wasn’t easy to be a musician back then while at the same time being short on money. One time, a burglar broke into their home, but perhaps thinking there was nothing to steal, he simply left after taking a shower.
When I met them for our first interview soon after their debut, CN Blue had said about their days in Japan that they had to really work as a band to live. They may look like fancy celebrities on the outside, but hidden inside were such experiences of pain and suffering.
“We carried our instruments around and sang under the hot sun. In the process, the four of us became closer.”
Don’t acknowledge obstacles are obstacles
It seemed there was nothing that could stop CN Blue, which had swept through the K-Pop scene with its debut. Happiness, however, can sometimes come with more suffering. The band was soon caught up in plagiarism controversies regarding its single I’m a Loner.
It seemed they had become successful overnight, but they had to endure their sufferings and more in the short time they made it to the top. The band prevailed, however; CN Blue stood strong again and released its second mini album Bluelove in May that year.
Before CN Blue’s debut, its saga started when leader Jung Yong Hwa first left a big impression with his role in the drama You’re Beautiful.
Although he was only a rookie, he even managed to be chosen to host the SBS Music Festival in 2009 along with his drama partner Park Shin Hye. This was what pushed CN Blue forward to a different starting line compared to other rookies that year.
As its single I’m a Loner, from its debut album Bluetory, started topping music charts on various broadcasts, CN Blue really became the biggest rookie of the age. It did start off from a different starting point, but that didn’t mean that the members didn’t work hard for their success.
Before debuting in Korea, CN Blue spent some time in independent music industry in Japan. The members talk about it now as they would do any good memory of the old days, but it wasn’t easy to be a musician back then while at the same time being short on money. One time, a burglar broke into their home, but perhaps thinking there was nothing to steal, he simply left after taking a shower.
When I met them for our first interview soon after their debut, CN Blue had said about their days in Japan that they had to really work as a band to live. They may look like fancy celebrities on the outside, but hidden inside were such experiences of pain and suffering.
“We carried our instruments around and sang under the hot sun. In the process, the four of us became closer.”
Don’t acknowledge obstacles are obstacles
It seemed there was nothing that could stop CN Blue, which had swept through the K-Pop scene with its debut. Happiness, however, can sometimes come with more suffering. The band was soon caught up in plagiarism controversies regarding its single I’m a Loner.
It seemed they had become successful overnight, but they had to endure their sufferings and more in the short time they made it to the top. The band prevailed, however; CN Blue stood strong again and released its second mini album Bluelove in May that year.
At the time, they had confessed that they had thought ‘why us?’, but they were able to wash away the pain from their plagiarism debates with their success with Bluelove again.
The CN Blue members’ positive attitudes also helped them weather the storm. At the time, CN Blue had boasted how much tighter their teamwork had become, saying, “Now, no matter what comes our way, the four of us can get through it together.”
The most common reason groups start to fall apart is because although they may have started off successfully, the members start to disagree with each other and enter sharp conflicts. The CN Blue I saw for the last three years, however, was a group that knew how to care for each other, and had a brand of teamwork the members could brag about.
Lee Jong Hyun, who recently held an interview with enews, even said, “I can be happy with my acting and singing thanks to my members.”
Happiness wasn’t too far away for this group. Just the fact that they had someone to support them by their sides when they hit hardships made them happy.
CN Blue’s special connections with acting
CN Blue is a group that has unusually close ties with acting. Acting helped CN Blue stand where it is today.
As stated before, CN Blue’s roots are actually in acting. Before the band’s official debut, the leader Jung Yong Hwa made it onto the small screen with a role in the drama You’re Beautiful.
CN Blue then went on to hit many big or small obstacles, but it also climbed to the top faster than any other armed with the inertia it had used to break through the hardships.
The reason CN Blue could step outside of its limits in genre with band music and gain more popularity across a wider group was its many acting attempts.
Unlike other groups which only have a few members act, all of CN Blue’s members, starting with Jung Yong Hwa’s and leading into Kang Min Hyuk, Lee Jong Hyun and Lee Jung Shin’s acting debuts, took up acting to cause a synergy effect with their singing and acting.
Many idols have been hit by controversies about their acting, but the CN Blue members have never met such criticism. Kang Min Hyuk, who is appearing in the Nation’s drama KBS2’s Unexpected You, and Lee Jong Hyun, who appeared as Collin in the much-loved SBS drama A Gentleman’s Dignity, are playing their parts with no worries. Some viewers even mistook them to be rookie actors.
Viewers still have Lee Jung Shin’s acting to look forward to, because he was the last member to take up acting and still has yet to make his debut.
Lee Jung Shin was cast for the drama My Daughter So Young (tentative title), which is to air following the conclusion of Unexpected You. Though his skills haven’t been proved yet, many officials say that since the CN Blue members all received classes in acting, Lee Jung Shin also will show off a brand of seasoned acting.
It’s an age where most singers can act, and CN Blue, which can sing, act and do everything in between at the same time, can definitely be called the ‘multi-dol’ that represents the K-Pop trend of 2012.
Photo credit: Hea Jung Min, FNC Music
The CN Blue members’ positive attitudes also helped them weather the storm. At the time, CN Blue had boasted how much tighter their teamwork had become, saying, “Now, no matter what comes our way, the four of us can get through it together.”
The most common reason groups start to fall apart is because although they may have started off successfully, the members start to disagree with each other and enter sharp conflicts. The CN Blue I saw for the last three years, however, was a group that knew how to care for each other, and had a brand of teamwork the members could brag about.
Lee Jong Hyun, who recently held an interview with enews, even said, “I can be happy with my acting and singing thanks to my members.”
Happiness wasn’t too far away for this group. Just the fact that they had someone to support them by their sides when they hit hardships made them happy.
CN Blue’s special connections with acting
CN Blue is a group that has unusually close ties with acting. Acting helped CN Blue stand where it is today.
As stated before, CN Blue’s roots are actually in acting. Before the band’s official debut, the leader Jung Yong Hwa made it onto the small screen with a role in the drama You’re Beautiful.
CN Blue then went on to hit many big or small obstacles, but it also climbed to the top faster than any other armed with the inertia it had used to break through the hardships.
The reason CN Blue could step outside of its limits in genre with band music and gain more popularity across a wider group was its many acting attempts.
Unlike other groups which only have a few members act, all of CN Blue’s members, starting with Jung Yong Hwa’s and leading into Kang Min Hyuk, Lee Jong Hyun and Lee Jung Shin’s acting debuts, took up acting to cause a synergy effect with their singing and acting.
Many idols have been hit by controversies about their acting, but the CN Blue members have never met such criticism. Kang Min Hyuk, who is appearing in the Nation’s drama KBS2’s Unexpected You, and Lee Jong Hyun, who appeared as Collin in the much-loved SBS drama A Gentleman’s Dignity, are playing their parts with no worries. Some viewers even mistook them to be rookie actors.
Viewers still have Lee Jung Shin’s acting to look forward to, because he was the last member to take up acting and still has yet to make his debut.
Lee Jung Shin was cast for the drama My Daughter So Young (tentative title), which is to air following the conclusion of Unexpected You. Though his skills haven’t been proved yet, many officials say that since the CN Blue members all received classes in acting, Lee Jung Shin also will show off a brand of seasoned acting.
It’s an age where most singers can act, and CN Blue, which can sing, act and do everything in between at the same time, can definitely be called the ‘multi-dol’ that represents the K-Pop trend of 2012.
Photo credit: Hea Jung Min, FNC Music
