“When we went to restaurants there were people who asked for our numbers.” Of course. Gazes that will make you tremble, charismatic soft laughter, they carry all attributes that can make a woman swoon. The guys who have the looks that can make for an idol group are skilled three member rock band the Royal Pirates. The global members that make up the band have all drunk American waters.
They seem to look similar to something else. How did “Royal Pirates” first meet and how did they come to be here? “When Moon and I were in middle school we went to the same school and the same church. At first our personalities were so different we didn’t get along but I casually went to his house to play and our prospective future grew when Moon said “I want to make music”; from then we’ve been doing it together. We met James in college through mutual acquaintances when making videos for youtube with just two members wasn’t enough. We wanted a good looking person, and we got one. (laugh)” (Sooyoon)
The reason they started making music sure has it’s charms. Member Moon’s encounter with music began when a church hyung of his got scammed. “In my childhood there was a guitar playing hyung who passed the time at church. At that time I left a game console I had in his care to sell, and he sold it. But the place that hyung sold it to gave him counterfeit money. That hyung was sorry, so he gave me his own acoustic guitar. I first got into music when I played my first guitar.” Sooyon and James also met music in their childhoods. “I went to church and saw the drums for the first time. I was in sixth grade and as soon as I saw them I wanted to play. Since I was just a kid then, I didn’t learn but when I got into middle school I started learning earnestly.” (Sooyoon) “I started playing the trumpet in fifth grade. My starting music must have been a difficult investment for my parents. Incidentally at that time my teacher gave me a trumpet as a present. That was the start of music. I started off in bands when I was in middle school. I started in a heavy metal band. (laugh)” (James)
They left America, which they had spent so much of life and came to Korea three years ago. How is life in Korea? “It’s been about two and a half years since we came to Korea. Since we had no friends here it’s been lonely. The process of going from band members to celebrities was a hard one.” (Sooyoon) “It’s uneasy. The unease you feel when you’re in your twenties and have an uncertain future? That type of thinking.” (Moon)
For Moon and Sooyoon, who moved to America when they were young, adapting to life in Korea wasn’t easy and they’ve faced some difficulties, but for James, who is still unsteady with Korean, that difficulty is even greater. “We’ve been busy for a year and a half so I haven’t been able to go back home. Of course I miss my family and I miss the restaurants that I liked going to… I miss everything.” Presently, Moon and Sooyoon’s families both came back to Korea but James is living alone. The three are living life in the agency dorms and spend five to six hours of the day practicing and exercising, slowly getting used to life in Korea.
They
like hip hop duo Dynamic Duo, respect America’s Paul McCartney, want to
be like Yoon Jongshin, and are jealous of G-Dragon. They are still an
unfamiliar name to the public but in order to be Korean musicians and
celebrities they are working determinately. “We want to experiment with
music, and work in various areas, become charismatic musicians who are
full of creativity and self confidence. We want to make a mark with our
color and music. This year we want to let you listen to as much of our
music as possible to that we can build up a repertoire and have a small
performance.” (Moon) “We’re also practicing a lot to make self-composed
songs, so that ‘Royal Pirates’ can one day capture first place.”
(Sooyoon) “Presently I am studying Korean and I want to be perfect at
it. I also want to perform a lot. My only thoughts are to quickly stand
on stage.” (James)
From youtube stars to Song King Cho Yongpil’s “Super Rookie”. Royal Pirates, who wish to face the challenge with their own music. “Rather than simply a flower boy band, we want to stay for a long time as a skilled band.” I support them in hopes this dream of theirs will come true.
cr. Kim Ahreum
