Kim Min Jung of Umamiya

The channelAPA.com exclusive with Umamiya continues. We’ve been profiling each member of the female group including Cathedral Leung and Winnie Wu. This time it’s Kim Min Jung’s turn.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIM MIN JUNG’S BACKGROUND:

Kim Min Jung was born in Seoul, South Korea on June 27, 1986. Priding herself that she was able to sing before she could talk, Min Jung won her church’s talent show at the age of 5. Kim talked about how there wasn’t really an event that “sparked” her love of music: “I have lot of fire and passion and they’re so bright.  I’m always smiling and singing.  The fire was inside me when I was born and continues to right now.”

She was discovered at the age of seven in a shopping mall in Seoul by talent scouts from the JYP Entertainment Academy. Min Jung explained how working with the JYP Entertainment Academy was very difficult compared to her other friends, “I have many, many friends at my regular school, and when everyone’s studying, I have to do many hours of dancing, singing, and training.  So they’re all studying together and I have to do alone time because at same time, I am doing other things.” Along with working hard, the people Min Jung encountered were hard to work with as well. She talked about how the girls were not all nice: “They were snobs to me. Everyone’s thinking they are number one, so it was a very hard time.” During her 10 years of training, Min Jung took more than three times the average length of time in the Academy developing her singing, dancing, and acting skills. Min Jung, 24, takes it as a positive thing by explaining that so many girls were graduating without a great deal of training, leading to a lack of experience. “I am very lucky because I was training ten year.  So I have a lot of experience training.” As a result to the ten-year training, her status was placed on “indefinite hold” at the Academy.

Min Jung’s parents repeatedly compared her to her younger prodigious brother, whose guitar playing skills made him an internet sensation. Never feeling quite good enough in her parents’ eyes, Min Jung chose to move to the United States to become a leader in S-Cube’s new girl group. Despite the fact that S-Cube was nearly bankrupt in Korea, she was later discovered by S-Cube in a local Noraebang.  Min Jung is the self-proclaimed “diva” and leader of Umamiya. Compared to the JYP Academy, Min Jung likes S-Cube more because, “he can see my talent in singing and dancing.” Though she does have to practice more than she did in the Academy, Kim knows it’s necessary if she’s supposed to be the leader.

If Kim had to ability to go back in time, she would choose to tell her younger self to believe in herself and have more confidence: “Before, I didn’t know I am special, I kept thinking maybe other people  can do it better. But now I have training, and I know I am more special than I thought before.”

ON UMAMIYA:

When it comes to the other girls, Min Jung says they “look too old to be 26.” To her, Kitty Karaoke is very energetic and friendly. She’s sometimes too nice and too loud: “Sometimes, I want her to be quiet, but she cannot do it.  She is always singing.” Min Jung shares her thought that they might have used AutoTune on Kitty as well.  Mari.kris.am.i is the domineering one out of the group. Kim tells the story about how Mari.kris wanted a cigarette: “I have to get the cigarette for her.  Sometimes she does not have a lighter and I have to go out and looking for match for her.  Very bossy.” She went on to tell about how Winnie “WWII” Wu isn’t a real gangster: “She looks like baby when she smiling.  How can baby be a gangster?” To Min Jung, Winnie is all talk and no walk. Min Jung called Cathedral Leung out the most in the group even going as far as asking why she is even in the group. She stated that everyone in the group had something about them to get in the group, but “Cathedral has nothing.” When asked what the funniest thing about Umamiya was, Min Jung once again called Leung out by stating, “Cathedral trying to be a pop star.”

Min Jung told me that she helped write the group’s Hot Sour Spicy Sweet—well, almost. She actually helped the English speaking people write the song. For her, Umamiya will be touring within a year across USA and Asia. Within five years, she sees herself owning a business with Umamiya’s name on it and her picture. A memorable moment she has is when she let the fans words really get to her.
“I hear many fan loving us, but maybe we are not too skinny.” So Min Jung stopped eating and just trained. That is, until she passed out from exhaustion. This also connects to the hardest thing about being a member of the all girl group. “Sang Song Sung very serious and very strict.” The group’s manager had even yelled at her for fainting in the first place.

As for what Min Jung thinks she contributes to the group she proudly explains how she is the only one who can do everything: “I am the only member that can do everything for the pop group.  I can sing and dance with high energy and rap.” Apparently, to her, nobody else can do everything like her. It’s not easy, either. When faced with the question of what she would tell a fan wanting to break into the music like her, Min Jung tells how she should follow the same path as her. “You have to be…maybe 10 years before you can do it.  It’s very hard to do.”

OTHER FACTS:

“You have to bring a good smile when you’re singing for people.  Be very bright and shining for the people clapping and have lot of a grace.” That’s what Kim tells me when I asked how what the best advice she has ever gotten was. This could easily be seen in the pictures she has and her videos online. Her inspirations consist of S.E.S. and Mariah Carey. Along with the piano, Min Jung plays the tambourine, keyboard, and oddly enough – the triangle. When at the karaoke bar, Kim likes to sing R&B. She loves rapping to “Ta In” by the Young Turks Club. Alicia Keys is on the top of her list of Hopeful Collaborations. She’d love to play piano with her and harmonize together.

Along with being able to sing and dance, Kim can draw and do art. If she isn’t singing, you can probably find her playing with a friend at a café. In 5 years, she hopes to enter the world of fashion making shoes and a bag.

Winnie Wu of Umamiya Revealed

Born in Taiwan, Winnie “WWII” Wu makes up the Taiwanese percentage of the Pan-Asian girl group Umamiya. Winnie Wu moved to an affluent neighborhood in California when she was only six years old, only living with her siblings, Wendy “WWI” Wu and Wendell “WWIII” Wu. Winnie graciously absorbed the urban hip hop culture as a form of rebellion. Though they only see each other once a year, Winnie is thankful for the bountiful allowance given from her parents every month. A downside to a life of such comfort is the expectations from her parents to be an obedient and well-respected daughter. To explain the pressure Winnie is under, she turns to rap lyrics and minor crimes. WWII can usually be found bragging about a developing record deal in Taiwan and will probably leave the States once the deal is finalized. In truth, there is no such record deal. If that wasn’t ironic enough, Winnie has never actually seen a real gangsta. She chooses to not leave her well-off neighborhood for fear of “getting shot.” She tends to just hang out at the local Boba shop.

On Music:

On when she first got interested in singing, she explained that she started at a young age. “Some people may have called it just talking or an annoyance or mayhem, but I considered it self-expression.” She lives by the most excellent advice given to her which is, “Listen to what moves you. Everything else is peripheral.” Winnie is also currently doing some “crazy stuff” with a Casio keyboard and auto tune. When asked about what song she would sing at a karaoke, she instantly replied, “Let’s not even go there,” which left me to wonder what song this rapper would choose when put into that situation. Winnie would love to work with Kanye West some day. She explained that she could definitely see a collaboration happening, but “that’s if he could keep up!”

When it comes to Umamiya, Winnie had a pretty big part in the songs. Winnie raps on the tracks and was also instrumental in the lyrics. Winnie expects Umamiya to make a big breakthrough in the music business within a year and recreating the music world within five. If someone was to ask Winnie to describe Umamiya, she would only have five words: “Titillating Audio and Visual Pleasure.” She wasn’t surprised when she was chosen to be a part of the group, “It was natural, and to be expected.” Winnie considers her deep and unabridged knowledge of hip hop and rap along with her deep love of urban culture is very important to Umamiya’s character.

Also see our interview with other Umamiya members: Cathedral Leung

Cathedral Leung, born in San Francisco, California, is the daughter of a Chinatown minister. She once saw her older brother singing and she decided she wanted to do it, too. Ironically enough, her brother would tell that she was the worst singer ever. Leung worked to prove him wrong. Her first song in front of the congregation at her church was “This Little Light of Mine” and when everyone was clapping, she could have sworn people were chanting her name. That was the event that brought Cathedral into the idea of making a career out of singing.

At the age of 16, Leung was discovered at a Chinese Karaoke contest by a leading Chinese record company. She was flown to Hong Kong, but was sent back to her hometown because she lacked sufficient talent and refused to learn Mandarin Chinese (She only speaks Cantonese.) When I asked her what she would say to herself from 10 years ago, she replied, “Cathedral, stop beating yourself up for not being a successful recording artist in Hong Kong.  You will spend many years waiting for them to call, but they won’t call. Instead, become an actress or a policewoman.” In 2005, Cathedral moved to Los Angeles to be closer to the music industry. In the City of Angels, Leung currently works as a Universal Studios Tour Guide and she feels she is closer to the whole entertainment industry. Cathedral, 24, is still waiting for a call from her record company in Hong Kong. Last year, she attended an audition for “S-Cube Entertainment” and was accepted into the girl group, “Umamiya.”

On Umamiya:

“Asian Pop with Urban Flava.” That’s how Cathedral describes the Pan-Asian R&B/Pop group of girls known as Umamiya. When she was signed to Umamiya, she felt it was a natural choice, “because I have been a recording artist in Hong Kong for two days.” She jokes that a big help was the fact that she stood behind the title-character in Annie at her community theatre when she was sixteen. Though she did not write any of Umamiya’s songs, her most memorable memory with the group was rehearsing for the music video of “Hot Sour Spicy and Sweet.” She considers herself a team player and on the set she helped the other girls who weren’t picking up on the dancing as well to help them understand. The most fun thing about being in Umamiya is the ability to be creative. Despite the group not getting paid for their work, their manager, S-Cube, always gives them encouragement. The group understands that they all suffer together. Contrary to popular belief, the hardest part for Cathedral is being the favorite of the group. When S-Cube gives her more attention than the other members of the group, Leung can’t help but feel guilty. But she persists through everything because, “I grew up very religious and I know that God will not give me more than I can handle. If it is my calling to be S-Cube’s favorite, while the other gals are jealous, I must endure it.” She thinks her best feature that she has contributed to Umamiya is her legs. When I asked her about the future of Umamiya, the San Fran-native said she sees the group traveling all over the world. She hopes the group receives corporate sponsors like Kikkoman, House Tofu, Mama Sita or Nong Shim Corp. by next year. She would like the group to be on Music Bank or Mnet Countdown. In five years, she would like the group to be doing television shows and movies.

On the other girls:

When asked to describe each girl, Cathedral starts off by saying she likes them all. If she was to get an injury, she believes Kim Min Jung would be next in line as leader. Cathedral tells of a funny story of how Min Jung’s dislike for American food. “Once, we took her to ‘Hotdog on a Stick’ in the shopping mall and we watched her throw up all over herself. She will get used to it.” Kitty Karaoke, according to Leung, uses her sexuality too much. To Cathedral, Mari.kris.am.I is the best singer in the group. Though she was signed to another record label, “she doesn’t talk much about it.” Winnie Wu, the group’s rapper, sometimes comes off as very tough. Leung tries not to get in her way because it’s been said that she used to fight in mixed martial arts (MMA) before becoming a musician.

On her interest in music:

Cathedral has always enjoyed the art of music, saying that it is an expression of the soul. In second grade, she learned to play the Recorder, “just like every other Asian kid.” As far as inspirations go, Leung gets her motivation from nature and Grammy winner Al Jarreau. She also listens to laughter and that gives her the strength to go on. The best advice she was given wad that, “music is a gift you give others. Don’t be afraid to give, even when people won’t listen. You must make them listen.” Her turn-to song when at a karaoke would have to be Judy Garland’s signature song, “Somewhere over the Rainbow.” Her reasoning is that it’s a beautiful song and once she hits that high belt, “I sound really good!” When I asked about anyone she would like to work with in the future, she replied with a whole array of artists: Lee Hom Wang, Jay Chou, Farenheit, Los Angeles’ Band “Seriously”, Brian Joo, Hwanhee, Justin Chon, Chamillionaire, Daniel Wu, Terence Yin, Andrew Lin, and Conroy Chan (“Alive”).  When it came to fans that who want to try and break into the music world, Cathedral gave this advice: “Try not to listen to too many other types of music. You will just confuse yourself. If you sing like a punk rocker, just listen to punk rock. If you like urban music, just listen to Al Jarreau. If you like Asia Pop, just listen to anything from Asia. Every day, I meet people in Hollywood who try to be “eclectic” and listen to tribal music. Why? Are you going to throw a luau and entertain your guests? Or, are you going to be a serious recording artist?”

Other random facts:

Cathedral jokes that her non-musical talents include the ability to stare without blinking for a long time and the ability to turn in really slow motion. She also goes on to tell that if she was not a singer, she would continue her work as a Universal Studios Tour Guide. “I know a lot of television and movie trivia,” she quips. In 5 years, Cathedral sees herself hosting either an entertainment or music television show. She would also like to start a shelter for cats.