[INTERVIEW] Kim Donghan for STAR1

Kim Donghan's Stage

"Donghan being in the center is pretty." This is what trainer Kahi said to Kim Donghan (19), who was practicing in EXO 'CALL ME BABY' Team 1. He instantly received the title 'DongCenPre' (short for Donghan being in the center is pretty) and safely made his place in Nation's Producer's heart. Kim Donghan rose up from 79th place to the 30's and ended at 29th place. Nobody expected this dramatic ranking change, but Donghan knew how to intelligently carry out the given stage with the sixth sense and outstanding intuition he was born with.

I assume your life has changed before and after participating in <Produce 101 Season 2>.
Donghan: I just practiced all the time, but now I take photoshoots, have interviews, and experience things I never did so it's all very exciting. It's really cool that people recognize me while I'm on the streets. Long time ago, when I was in a dance team in Daegu, people would kind of recognize me, but whenever I go near the company, people take pictures of me. So I have become more cautious. I used to joke around all the time, but I try to walk calmly now.

Your dramatic rank increase was an issue, what do you think the reason for you shooting up from the bottom is?
Donghan: I covered 'CALL ME BABY' with the dance team before, so I knew the entire choreography. So I practiced more of the face expression, gesture or the feeling instead of the choreo. I watched EXO's videos and tried to get the mood of any face expression or actions they did often. I would like to carefully assume that people who like EXO like me as well.

You did a fanmeeting recently. You have stage experience from the show, but you must feel different.
Donghan: It was broadcasted live on V Live as well. That's why a lot more people were watching. People like me even before I debuted so I was nervous, but people viewed me nicely even if I made a mistake so I was thankful. Also, there were a lot more people who liked other trainees during the PD101S2 performances. But in my fanmeeting, there were lots of people who came to see me so I gained the confidence and comfortably went through it.

I see you changed your hair color to purple. Your hair color changed a lot these past few months, is it to relieve stress or are you looking for something that suits your image?
Donghan: I just wanted to do it. I've never dyed my hair, but after turning 20 years old and going on the show, I dyed my hair for the first time. If you bleach your hair, you can dye it any color so I just wanted to do every color I want so I keep changing it.

Then how do you relieve your stress?
Donghan: I relieve it by watching dramas, movies, or variety shows. I watched the movie <Spider Man> as soon as it came out. I try not to watch much lately. It's hard to control my emotions, and if I get too into it, I feel like I won't have much time so I am trying to cut down on it. so I am watching what I really want to watch, and that's variety shows. I try watch 10~15 different variety shows a week. I like <Infinity Challenge> <Running Man> and <New Journey to the West>. I try not to start a new variety show. Because if I like it, I will fall into it. But I think I watch too much, so I think I should still cut down on it.

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