Taken from http://asianfanatics.net
For a while, it appeared as if boybands were so over in Mandopop. F4, the quartet that kick-started the phenomenon, were pursuing successful solo careers, while 5566 concentrated on TV hosting. Meanwhile, Energy found itself reduced to a trio from its original five-men line-up.
Then, all of a sudden, Fahrenheit caught up. Its members were as different from one another as chalk and cheese, Jiro Wang, 26, was trained in graphic design but became a model and actor. Calvin Chen, 27, who has a masters in Economics from the University of Victoria in Canada, won a talent search and a record deal. Undergrad Arron Yan, 22, was a popular blogger before he was persuaded to audition for a role in a TV production, while Brunei-born Wu Zun, 28, was a fitness trainer and model before he was talent-scouted by a TV producer and cast in runaway TV hit Tokyo Juliet.
In September 2006, their self-titled debut album hit the No. 2 slot on Taiwan's G Music charts, losing out by less than one per cent to Jay Chou's Still Fantasy. Buoyed by hits such as "I have my young" and "Love's Here", Fahrenheit shifted 80,000 copies in Taiwan within a month and subsequently stayed in the charts for 17 weeks! Their fame also spread throughout other parts of Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
The quartet also boosted their popularity through drama performances, occasionally with a fellow member. Jiro, who first caught everyone's attention in It Started With A Kiss, went on to headline KO One, which also featured Arron and Calvin(who was also in Romantic Princess). The trio recently completed The X-Family, touted as the sequel to KO One. Meanwhile, Wu Zun's romantic Princess became one of the year's most watched series, trouncing even F4 Vic Chou's Sweet Relationship, He is also slated to appear in several movies.
So, what else does Fahrenheit plan to achieve? Listen in!
Jiro"I want to be bad!"teens: Tell us about your role in The X-Family.Jiro: I play four roles here- Xia Tian, who's very straightforward guy; Gui Long, who's a baddie; as well as their counterparts in different dimensions, Wang Da Dong and Zack. Switching between the roles nearly drove the production crew and I schizophrenic! But I like my main character Xia Tian because he is very earnest and righteous. He's also prepared to do anything for his friends. And we are both similar in the sense that we are honest.
t: You have chalked up a variety of roles, which include both serious and comic. How do you pick your roles?I enjoy bringing joy to the audience so i tend to prefer characters that are lively. I love challenges and I would like to play a villian in future. I don't think it will hurt my image. Instead, I think it would be an opportunity to do something different. My dream role is that which Tony Leung played in the movie Confessions Of Pain. I liked that the character is not entirely evil - he simply has his own agenda - and nobody expected him to be the bad guy!
We hear you're filming another TV production...That's right. It's titled Go!Fried Rice. and I'm appearing alongside Danson Tang. The story is about a former juvenile delinquent who wants to achieve his late father's dream of becoming a chef. He also meets a visually handicapped singer and falls in love with her. I enjoyed working on it, especially since i learnt to cook and do tricks such as flipping the wok.
Say, The X-Family also required you to perform some rock tracks. Did it make you miss your rock roots?I have been a fan of rock music since I was in high school, when i got together with some friends to form a band. Although the music i sing now with Fahrenheit is very different from my first love, I take it as a learning experience. In any case, I consider it and achievement to being able to touch our fans with my performance.
Do you mind that Fahrenheit continues being labeled an idol boyband?(Resigned) No, not at all. It's been like that since we made out debut.
What's with talk that you and Wu Zun are at loggerheads then?(sounding bored) I don't know. There's no such thing and honestly, I'm tired of it. It can get quite frustrating sometimes.
Okay. So what we can expect from your upcoming album?There will be more ballads. We hope that these tracks will help display our vocal abilities and maturity. Now that you mention it, I think it's a waste we haven't had time to pursue relationships.
Finally, what do you hope to achieve in 2008?I'm setting my sights on acting. I would like to try new things; it may be venturing into movies or even collaborating with actors from other parts of Asia such as China, Hong Kong or even Singapore. One more thing - I hope to get more sleep. These days, I only get about two hours daily, so I really need a good rest.
Arron
"I'm happier now!"teens: You play a leader and protector of the world in The X-Family!Aarron: [Proudly] That's right! I play Jiu Wu, which I throughly relished. I've always been very righteous even as a kid and I hate to see any injustice. In that aspect, he and I are quite similar.
Do you feel the pressure to be a role model for Fahrenheit fans?Of course. We must be on our best behaviour, especially when in public, since our fans are mostly very young. I don't want to say or do anything that may cause them to misunderstand or pick up the wrong values. I also watch what I say during interviews carefully because I don't want others to think that we are superficial.
Is being an idol a good thing then?I do mind being called an idol. Since young, I've always been interested in acting and music, especially the latter, and I've been working hard at it. So I wish others would eventually get to see the effort I've put in. But I'm not in a hurry- I'm taking it one step at a time.
You're still in university. How do you balance your studies and career?Initially, I could juggle the both without any problems. But as work commitments increased, it became tougher. I had to have a "talk" with my company so i could spend more time on my studies, especially during the exam period. No, my tutors don't let me get away with everything just because I'm part of Fahrenheit. They knew me before I became an artiste, so they don't treat me any differently. Of course, they pay more attention to me, and sometimes it's a good thing. {Laughs} It motivates me to do even better in my studies.
What was the best thing to happen to you in 2007?Being part of Fahrenheit. After going through so much with my band mates, I know them better now. And i have learnt a lot from them and matured in terms of my perspectives. For instance, I used to be troubled by many things but Wu Zun would comfort me by saying I thought too much. It made me realise that I became an artiste because I wanted to enjoy it, and the pressure won't help me do better. Now i try to see the situation from a more optimistic viewpoint. And i think i'm a happier person these days.
What are you looking forward to in the new year?I hope our second album will be more successful than the first. We spent a longer time working on it and fine-tuning the tracks. We even re-recorded back-up vocals for some tracks. Oh, I'm the only member to have a solo track, and it's a duet with a female artiste from China. It was a good opportunity to push myself further. I'm also appearing in a new TV drama about the adventures of a group of young, aspiring detectives.
Your mates have been frequently linked to their co-stars. Do you envy them?{Laughs nervously} no! it's just a publicity gimmick! But then, you never know, maybe it will be my turn in 2008!
Wu Zun" I don't care what others say about me!"teens: You've been playing the romantic hero for a while now. Do you fear being typecast?Wu Zun: Huh? I wasn't a prince charming in For You In Full Bloom, I was an athlete!( i think that there is a typo error, it should read Hana Kimi, instead?) Yes, I would like to do something different, such as action movies. I dream to become an action hero. Maybe I'll consider a period role too. I actually like the more manly roles, such as the one Mel Gibson played in Braveheart and that which Nicolas Cage played in Face/Off.
Tell us about your role in Romantic Princess.I play Nan Feng Jin, a guy who's very cool and calm, and really focused on his career. Trouble is, he tends to keep to himself and brood over issues. So I had to film a lot of emotional scenes. He thinks too much and adopts different approaches towards different people, so I had to work harder. I had to learn to understand the context of the scene and his emotions in the scene in order to highlight his struggles. It was important that I didn't misrepresent him.
How was working with Angela Chang like?People who don't know her well often feel she's very distant. But once you get to know her well, you will find that she can be as crazy as, for instance, Ella.
Everyone reckons you're the crowd-puller in Fahrenheit...No! Everyone has his own strengths. I am just lucky that my dramas have been well-received. What are my strengths? {Stumped} I don't know. Maybe I'm hardworking?
How do you cope with your life being under constant scrutiny now?{nonchalantly} I don't care about what others say or what the media reports about me. It's also good that my family aren't staying in Taiwan so it's difficult for the paparazzi to disturb them by taking photos or hounding them for interviews. I don't worry about my family reading untruths about me. They have known me for 28 years and understand what I will and will not do.
What was the biggest bummer for you in 2007?While I appreciated that the fans loved my dramas, I didn't like it that i was losing control of my own schedule. I used to be able to schedule my own projects but now others are doing it for me. Still, I try to see the situation as "win some, lose some". I try not to worry about it too much.
Finally, your plans for 2007?I'm looking forward to our concert tour. Yes, of course, we want to perform in Singapore!
Calvin"It's all about having the right perspective."teens: You appeared in both The X-Family and Romantic Princess. Was it tough doing both dramas?Calvin: Actually, i began working on Romantic Princess less than a month after completing The X-Family. The two characters are very different from each other. In RP, I play Nan Feng Cai, who is very smart and enjoys life to the fullest. In The X-Family, however, I play Lan Ling Wang, a loyal fighter who pines for his lover. I found the experience enriching and I hoped that it would help me improve my acting.
Who's tougher to play?Lan Ling Wang, because he's always crying. I spent 10 scenes in the show crying, which was a huge challenge as I'm more jovial and outgoing. To get into the mood, I had to refrain from joking around with the rest of the cast and crew. Needless to say, I wasn't in a very good mood on those days.
So, between action and romance, which do you prefer?I'd have to say romance. It's more light-hearted and I think the audience prefers watching such fun stuff. I hope to work on more of such productions.
You also recorded a solo track, "You're All My Memory", for the soundtrack of The X-Family...It's a cover version of an old hit. Recording it was very tough, especially since i ended up doing 2 versions. I'm so thankful about recording with Fahrenheit now because we can divide up the verses and it's less pressurizing that way.
What with Fahrenheit's new CD hitting the stores soon, do you think it's a bane or boon that you guys have to excel at both acting and singing?I think it's important to be well-prepared and focus on the task at hand. Juggling is a good thing for us as the competition is very intense. Tackling more things means there are more opportunities for the audience to notice our talents. Although I don't mind being described as an idol, I hope that we have managed to show that we have improved. If you ask me, I think multi-tasking is necessary for an artiste.
Are you frustrated that Wu Zun gets all the attention?No. The attention is on Wu Zun now, but it could be due to his TV roles. It's just a matter of timing and how much effort a person puts in, so I don't think it's unfair. Everyone suits different roles and Wu Zun fits his well. It's all about taking the right perspective.
Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:21 pm
