K-pop star Joshua rose to fame in Seoul but forever reps L.A.: ‘It’s where my roots are’
As I delve into the captivating journey of Joshua, a California-born K-pop sensation now thriving in Seoul, I am truly inspired by his resilience and determination. His tale is one of dreams realized and the power of unity, as he found his calling in Korea with the support of his fellow bandmates and fans, aptly named Carats.
Joshua didn’t anticipate being asked to identify Los Angeles accents during the Zoom interview he participated in from Seoul. It was a national holiday in South Korea, but Joshua Hong (who uses his first name) chose to take time off to discuss his group’s upcoming world tour. The unexpected quiz caught him off guard.
“OK,” Joshua calmly says as he preps to pronounce the oncoming words flashed before him.
For approximately 11 years now, a 28-year-old artist has been on his K-pop adventure, having relocated from LA to Seoul to join the internationally acclaimed group Seventeen. In Korea, they have become chart and award show titans, achieving international stardom with their No. 1 spot on the Billboard Artist 100 Chart last year, and consistently placing in the Top 10 of Billboard’s 200 albums list. This weekend, they are back in LA for two sold-out shows at BMO Stadium as part of their fourth world tour, known as Seventeen Right Here.
As I prepared to pen my review on this latest Los Angeles-based flick, I couldn’t help but worry that my familiarity with the City of Angels might have faded over time. I fretted about potentially missing out on some local idiosyncrasies or iconic landmarks that make LA so unique.
Joshua reflects on how everything seemed much larger than he had remembered when he revisited his old haunts in L.A.,” he muses. “It appeared smaller to him now, and he felt unable to grasp the maturation that L.A. had undergone.
Following the popular TikTok craze, it’s been noted that Californians often omit the “t” sound in their speech, a phenomenon referred to as “flapping.” Eagerly addressing the pronunciation of California landmarks such as “Monterey Park,” “Santa Ana,” and “Sacramento,” among others, he notices the smaller cities of Southern California. Although the accent may be controversial, it’s common for non-native speakers to pronounce words phonetically. For instance, Wilshire Boulevard is often mispronounced as “Will-shai-ur” instead of “Wil-shur,” a fact that becomes evident to many outside Los Angeles.
“Wilshire Boulevard in K-town!” Joshua proudly states correctly.
Raised in Los Angeles, Joshua is well acquainted with Koreatown and the downtown district. Prior to achieving international fame as a K-pop star, Joshua was a student at Magnets High School located downtown, regularly attending church in Koreatown and participating in his church’s praise team, sparking his passion for music. In his spare time, he would frequent Disneyland, Six Flags, and the beaches with friends.
He reminisces, “I have many fond memories. I’d often spend time with my friends, both inside and outside the church.
During weekdays, his typical schedule involved attending school and then frequently stopping by Quickly’s in Chinatown or a eatery in Koreatown for boba. Occasionally, he would practice with his choir group instead, while on other evenings he’d dine out with friends at various Mexican restaurants downtown L.A. has to offer.
Joshua enthusiastically shares his affection for Mexican cuisine, stating it remains a significant part of him. During his time living in Los Angeles, he admits to having Mexican food nearly every day.
He began listing all the different types of Mexican foods, pausing to clarify if I knew what a torta was since it wasn’t common in Korea. After realizing he was speaking to an L.A. native, he reminisced about all the local food places he would frequent, including Phillippe The Original’s French dip sandwiches (“I always forget to get that when I’m back in L.A.”), King Taco and Wasabi Japanese Noodle House.
He frequently visited King Taco in the past, as he mentioned during a previous interview. His enthusiasm for this popular chain even caught their attention, leading them to extend an invitation for him to drop by whenever he wishes, so he can savor his preferred carne asada and lengua tacos – of course, with some hot sauce on the side.
Joshua was shocked to learn that King Taco had made a video for him.
“Are you serious!?” he says. “I’m going to check that out when I go to L.A. I like King Taco.”
He playfully hinted at a potential team-up between them, saying, “That’d be awesome if we ever worked together! Let’s have a special menu item named after me – ‘The Joshua Special’!
Yet, things aren’t exactly how they were for the previous Los Angeles resident. Once a denizen of downtown, he lived in close proximity to what he recalls as Staples Center, now known as Crypto.com Arena. He openly acknowledges that he’s yet to fully adapt to the name adjustment.
He expresses surprise, sounding somewhat dubious. “It’s strange,” he remarks, “to think of the Crypto.com Arena instead of the Staples Center, a name that feels deeply ingrained in my memory.
Despite a significant gap since their last performance at Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as Staples), the band members – Joshua along with S.Coups, Jeonghan, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The 8, Mingyu, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino – have been engrossed in tour preparations. This tour commenced last month in Seoul and is currently touring North America.
Joshua enthusiastically remarks, ‘It’s been some time since our global expedition,’ he says, expressing his eagerness to encounter new fans. ‘They’ve been anticipating us for quite a while now,’ he continues, hinting at their long-awaited reunion. ‘I can hardly contain my excitement about the preparations we’ve made for this tour and meeting them,’ he adds.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but reminisce about Seventeen’s electrifying performance in Los Angeles, a little over two years ago, during their Be the Sun tour and at the LA3C Music & Food Festival. It was truly special to witness Joshua’s heartfelt farewell speech at the Kia Forum, where he paid tribute to his high school buddies, a tradition that’s continued from the past two world tours. It’s always touching to see him acknowledge those who’ve been there since the beginning.
He expresses his longing by saying, ‘I miss my friends.’ In Korean culture, there’s a term called ‘gohyang chingu,’ which refers to friends from your hometown. His colleagues occasionally gather with their old school buddies. Unfortunately, I don’t have that here in Korea. What I miss the most is the companionship of my friends.
Despite having a busy itinerary during his tour, Joshua intends to make an effort to catch up with his friends. The bustle of L.A. brings back memories of Joshua’s younger days when life was more straightforward.
He admits that due to his current engrossment, he often finds himself overlooking aspects of his past. However, when he returns to Los Angeles and reconnects with old friends, it triggers memories of joyful moments from his school days and his time spent in L.A. altogether.
2012 saw Joshua, then 16 years old, encounter a representative from the K-pop industry at the annual Los Angeles Korean Festival, a gathering that showcases Korean culture and cuisine. He remembers harboring some skepticism towards the recruiter, who urged him to record an audition video for submission to Pledis Entertainment, Seventeen’s management company.
Initially, things seemed unclear as she provided an hotel address for our meeting, he chuckles. I headed to the hotel, where we shot the video together and then sent it off to the company. They promised to reach out if they needed me in Korea.
At first, Joshua harbored doubts about relocating to South Korea, but he decided to give it a shot for a month. Despite experiencing homesickness frequently during his training phase, he was surprised to find himself undergoing dance training for several hours each day, as he had initially thought he’d debut as an acoustic singer. With no prior dance training, Joshua quickly adapted to the choreography. However, he continued to grapple with both the language barrier and adapting to the culture. On his first encounter with his fellow performers, he extended a handshake instead of the traditional Korean bowing gesture. He also encountered a cultural faux pas by bowing to an executive with his hand in his pocket, which is considered disrespectful in Korean custom.
Joshua expressed that he had journeyed to Korea all by himself, leaving his family behind in L.A. He admitted feeling quite isolated due to the absence of companionship. He anticipated the challenges ahead, stating that everything seemed competitive and there was no one supporting him. This, in essence, was how he felt.
He acknowledges that his fellow Seventeen members and staff played a crucial role in assisting him as he adapted to life in Seoul. “They were friendly and guided me through the hardships. This support boosted my self-assurance and alleviated the feelings of loneliness and homesickness I initially experienced in Korea. It was very beneficial.
Joshua believes that the 12th mini-album of the group, titled “Spill the Feels,” which was released on October 14, most accurately portrays his personal journey from California to Seoul.
In the world of K-pop, a mini-album usually includes between four and seven tunes. Much like an Extended Play (EP), this format enables artists to share a larger number of tracks in a relatively short time frame.
The title of the album is a rearrangement of “I Felt Helpless,” mirroring a transformative voyage depicted in its themes: ‘feel blue’ representing feelings of hopelessness and solitude; ‘feel new’ suggesting revitalized sentiments of optimism and liberation; and ‘feel you’, embodying the unity and camaraderie among the 13 band members.
Joshua concurs, “I discovered my dreams in Korea.” He admits that he couldn’t have accomplished it by himself; instead, his team and he collaborated diligently towards a common objective. With the assistance of their fans, known as Carats, they were able to succeed. Despite the hardships, everything turned out incredibly positive as we united together.
Joshua looks forward to taking his group members around the city where he was raised, which happens to be L.A., as it is selected to host Seventeen’s official pop-up events for “In The City.
From November 7th to November 11th, fans (Carats) can experience a pop-up shop showcasing exclusive Seventeen merchandise, themed around the city, along with pre-parties featuring K-pop and EDM music at Club Academy L.A. A rooftop party exclusively for Carats is also on the agenda, as well as visits to collaborated shops, restaurants, and digital billboards displaying special content all over Los Angeles. Additional attractions include the iconic Santa Monica Pier’s Ferris wheel, which will be illuminated in Seventeen’s official colors – rose, quartz, and serenity.
He mentions that he frequented those spots during his youth, and finding them illuminated with our hues is quite a sight. Without a doubt, he’s planning to snap some photos and share the experience with his buddies.
On Friday, the L.A. City Council plans to acknowledge Seventeen’s debut in Los Angeles with an appreciation certificate for their significant impact on music and youth empowerment. Representative Joshua will receive this honor on their behalf.
Despite not intending to return to Los Angeles for a while, the singer dreams of trying his hand at acting in Hollywood.
Joshua is thrilled about the increasing number of Asian Americans being cast as main characters in films and TV shows, a representation he lacked while growing up.
Joshua remarks, ‘I’ve been catching up on Netflix shows and notice an increase in Asian American representation in the industry compared to when I was growing up.’ He finds it exciting to witness this change. ‘It’s thrilling to see so many talented Asian American actors and actresses in Hollywood,’ he continues. ‘In the future, I might consider returning to the U.S., perhaps to give acting a try through auditions or by learning the craft.’
He hasn’t thought about when he would pursue this, as the world tour continues through 2025.
On the other hand, it might happen quite quickly due to the fact that some members are preparing for their compulsory military service in South Korea, which could alter the group’s dynamics temporarily. To put it another way, Seventeen’s Jeonghan was the first to commence his mandatory military service in September.
As a dedicated movie critic, I must say that the versatility of Joshua and his bandmates never ceases to amaze me. While they continue to shine individually and collectively on stage, it’s fascinating to see Chinese member Jun taking a brief hiatus from the tour. He’s seizing opportunities back in his homeland, dabbling in acting and other intriguing ventures. Yet, he promises to rejoin group activities when time allows, making us eagerly anticipate his return to the limelight.
As a passionate cinephile, I’m keeping my lips sealed about my upcoming ventures. Right now, all my energy is devoted to embarking on a global journey and catching as many Carat events as I can, with Los Angeles being a particular focus.
He mentions that the place is his birth town, it’s where his family history lies. He feels a sense of pride in being from Los Angeles and associated with the group known as Seventeen.
Mostly, I’ve kept my LA vibe, flashing a broad grin when informed I aced the impromptu test. Responding in true LA fashion, I simply nodded and murmured, “Sweet,” almost to myself.
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2024-11-06 14:32