The boys from the hip-hop boy group Topp Dogg are a week away from their first showcase in Europe!
We had a chance to ask them a few questions. Check out the interview below!
AMP: Please introduce yourselves to people who don’t know you yet.
P-goon: Hello! I’m P-goon, leader of the unique and talented hip-hop group Topp Dogg. We have twelve members in total, who all have very special talents and personalities. Nice to meet you!
Hansol: Hello, I am the cute and sexy guy Hansol! (laugh) I’m in charge of vocals, dance and stage choreography.
Bjoo: I’m the sexy and happy guy B-Joo. Nice to meet you! I’m in charge vocals and dance in Topp Dogg, and I also make choreography together with Hansol.
Jenissi: I am Jenissi and I’m in charge of cool and powerful rap!
Kidoh: I am Kidoh, and I’m in charge of rap and also producing in Topp Dogg.
Gohn: Hello. I’m Gohn, and I’m in charge of vocals and songwriting.
Hojoon: I’m Hojoon, in charge of vocals and dance. Nice to meet you!
Sangdo: Hi, I am romantic-guy Sangdo (laugh), with soft and powerful vocals.
Nakta: I am Nakta, in charge of being tall (laugh), and vocals in Topp Dogg.
Xero: Hello. I am the charismatic guy Xero and I’m in charge of explosive dance, vocals and rap.
A-Tom: I am the lively maknae A-tom, in charge of rap.
Yano: Hello. I am Yano, Topp Dogg’s other maknae, in charge of powerful and fast rap.
AMP: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear “Poland”?
Kidoh: It’s a beautiful and green country, with really nice architecture, where we really would like to go if we have the chance.
Bjoo: Yes, and it seems like we have many fans there, so we are very curious to learn more about Poland.
AMP: Do you know any Polish food that you would like to try?
Hojoon: I don’t really know many traditional Polish dishes, but I’ve seen some pictures of food that looks similar to Korean foods, so it would be interesting to try in what way they taste different. Like pierogi looks like Korean mandu (만두), and kotlet schabowy seems very similar to Korean/Japanese Tonkatsu (돈까스).
Yano: And it seems like Poland is famous for sausages too, so I would want to try that too.
AMP: What place in Europe do you want to see the most?
Gohn: We have so many places in Europe we want to visit, besides Paris, Milan and London, where we are going now on our Europe-tour. Poland of course, but also cities like Berlin and Barcelona, and also Scandinavian countries would be cool.
Xero: Yes, there is so much we want to see and do, so it’s hard to say one thing.
AMP: Which song do you enjoy performing the most and why?
Hansol: I like “Keep Smiling” a lot, because the melody is great, and it creates such an awesome atmosphere when we are performing. It matches really well with Topp Dogg.
AMP: What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?
Hojoon: If I wasn’t a singer I would probably still work with art in some way, maybe teaching dance. But I also have a high level grade in Kendo (explained as similar to black belt), so maybe I would have chosen to pursue a career on that path instead.
Sangdo: I never really thought of doing anything else than singing… But maybe I’d like to run a coffee shop, or something like that.
A-tom: I never really thought of it either, but I guess I would probably be a university student.
AMP: What were your impressions when you first met one another?
Sangdo: My first impression of Hojoon was just that he was a really cute dongsaeng (laughs). My first impression of Kidoh as a trainee was good – a person with a good mind. Yano was really good at rap, but also really cute, like a baby (laugh).
Hansol: When I first met Bjoo I was surprised because his style and personality was very similar to me, so we became very close quickly. My first impression of Nakta was that he was tall and handsome, kind of the visual of our team, but the first time we met he insulted me (laughs)! When I first met Gohn-hyung I quickly realized was that he was a very kind and supportive type of person, not just to me, but that’s his personality. And of course that he was very good at singing.
A-tom: My first impression of Pgoon-hyung’s was quite cold and chic, and Xero-hyung too. But Jenissi-hyung’s impression was very warm and sweet when I first met him.
AMP: If you were to star in a movie, what movie or genre would that be?
Hansol: Because I really like horror movies myself, it would be interesting to try acting in one!
Hojoon: I would like to play the role of a psychopath (laugh).
Sangdo: I would really like to try anything – from a family drama to a thriller!
AMP: What is the hardest thing about being a k-pop idol?
Yano: During promotions of a new song, it’s a lot of hard work and little sleep. But I think it’s the same for many other types of jobs as well in Korea, not just idols. When we don’t have promotions, we still practice a lot, but then we get enough sleep and have more normal schedules.
Hansol: Apart from physically hard, of course what makes idol life special is that the happiness of our fans is something we have to think about every day, and make sure that they don’t become sad because of our actions. And every fan is so different, from person to person. What we say or do, if its acceptable, encouraged or hated, there is never something ALL fans agree on. So I think for us idols, we always have to make what seems to be the safest choice, and this can sometimes be hard.
Bjoo: But of course, the positives still outweigh the negatives, otherwise we wouldn’t do it. We love our fans truly and genuinely; they are a great source of strength, support, and inspiration – professionally and personally.
AMP: What are your plans and goals for the future?
Jenissi: Ultimately, of course, our dream is for Topp Dogg to become a great group, with many fans all over the world. We would love to travel and perform in so many more cities and countries, top charts, and win many awards. Many members are also passionate about their individual projects and activities, which show the diversity and individuality in Topp Dogg, so while working towards the larger goal we hope to show more of those sides.
AMP: Please leave a message for Asian Music Polska readers and your Polish fans.
P-goon: Thank you Asian Music Polska for this opportunity to talk to our fans in Poland, and we really hope we get a chance to see you all in the future!
Xero: Please continue to love and support us! It really makes us grow as artists and makes us always want to work harder. Thank you!
AMP: Thank you!
A big thank you to Topp Dogg and STARDOM / HUNUS Entertainment for the interview opportunity.