130815 - STAR CAST : “TREND’S CORE ‘EXO LIFE OF RESEARCH’ PART 1”

'EXO' is a rookie group that has surpassed one year since their debut. A characteristic that they have about them is that they have Korean and Chinese twin groups. Split into two teams, their center for performance was different. Unlike 'EXOK' that promotes in Korea, 'EXOM' concentrated on China. The first time they did activities within Korea was in June with 'Wolf and Beauty.' There is no way but for them to be unfamiliar with Korea yet.

However, it is different in China. They are already on the level of super stars. Last year, at the same time as their debut, at the 13th Annual Chinese Music Awards, for the first time for rookies, they won two awards, Most Popular award and Best Dressed award. They have secured their spot as the trend by winning the Most Popular award again for the second time.

'EXOM' that is in the core of the Hallyu trend. Starting from their performance concept, it is completely different from 'EXOK.' If 'EXOK' is like a group of teen boys, 'EXOM' overflows with masculinity. They have the atmosphere of being a bit more powerful and fierce. They are appealing their rough charms as a manly man. 

'EXO Life of Research' part 2. It is 'EXOM' that 'EXO' sees. The twelve members created a rolling paper for the 'EXOM' members, Kris, Luhan, Xiumin, Chen, Tao, and Lay. Besides themselves, they left a personal criticism for the other eleven members. Let’s view according to 4W 11R(Who, Where, When, What, 11Rolling Paper).

1. Kris

▶ Who : Kris. Chinese name Wu Yi Fan. Because of his god image, he is also called ‘Kris-nim’ as a nickname.

▶ Where : November 6, 1990. He’s Chinese Canadian. He was born in Guangzhou in Guangdong Province and spent his childhood in Canada.

▶ When : He passed the SM Global audition in 2007 in Canada. He went through 4 years of trainee life.

▶ What : ‘EXO-M’ leader and rapper. With his reliable personality, he is known to be taciturn in the group. He also has global language skills. He is proficient in Mandarain, Cantonese, English, Korean, etc.

▶ 11R

Suho about Kris : He is really an unequaled friend. He is simple and honest and is faithful. He is also a fashionista.

Kai → Kris : If he was an animal he’d be a Siberian husky. He looks cool and solitary but to us, he is a lax and cute hyung.

Xiumin → Kris : A person who has the appearance of a reassuring person

Lay → Kris : Cool, cold, passionate, and tall member.

Chanyeol → Kris : Manly and cool.

Baekhyun → Kris : Has a lot of interest in fashion. He’s reliable like a father.

D.O → Kris : He’s cool because he’s tall.

Tao → Kris : My precious hyung.

Chen → Kris : A sharp dresser with fashion sense that is uncommon.

Luhan → Kris : Fashion king.

Sehun → Kris : Always gives to me prettily.

▶ Rolling paper ‘Kris’ keyword : was ‘real man’. Suho, Lay, Xiumin, Chanyeol, etc. praised his masculine beauty. This is confirmed through Suho’s ‘simple honesty’, Lay’s ‘cold’, Xiumin’s ‘reliable’, Chanyeol’s ‘manly’.

Opinions that he is a ‘fashionista’ were also overwhelming. Luhan, Chen, Baekhyun, Suho, etc. evaluated his fashion sense to be high. To the point where Luhan expressed himself with just one word, ‘fashion king’. Baekhyun also acknowledged Kris’ sense saying “He has a lot of interest in fashion.” 

2. Luhan

▶ Who : Luhan. That’s his real name. It means ‘deer of the dawn’. Chinese fans call him ‘Lulu’.

▶ Where : April 20, 1990. He was born in Beijing in China. He’s currently at Seoul Art College as a practical music major.

▶ When : In April of 2008 he was street casted. He was chosen while shopping with a friend in Myungdong. He went through 3 years of training and joined ‘EXO-M’.

▶ What : He’s in charge of vocals. His specialty is reactions. Even if he suffers from getting edited in variety (t/n: getting his parts cut), he is the member who stands to the side and claps until the end.

▶ 11R

Suho about Luhan : Gentleness and strength, he is a member who has both of these things. He trusts in me and is a good-hearted person that I can communicate with well.

Kai → Luhan : Like a deer, he has clear eyes and a cute personality.

Kris → Luhan : His smiling image is cool.

Xiumin → Luhan : The best pair.

Lay → Luhan : He’s a good friend who pays attention to anything.

Chanyeol → Luhan : His appearance is that of a baby’s but as you get to know him, he’s a real man.

Baekhyun → Luhan : Like a baby, he’s pure, nice, and has singing, dancing, and looks.

D.O → Luhan : Handsome man.

Tao → Luhan : A precious hyung. He’s funny.

Chen → Luhan : Absolutely has a baby face. But he is a manly and mature hyung.

Sehun → Luhan : As much as he seems young at times, he is a pure and good hyung.

▶ Luhan’s keyword : He is in charge of ‘good looks’ in the group. D.O, Chen, Kai, Baekhyun, etc. acknowledged his good looks. His clear skin and bright, round eyes are his weapons. The nickname ‘Lulu’ with the meaning deer of the dawn fits just right with his appearance.

As much as his outer appearance, his personality is gentle. The members named him ‘soondoongie’ (t/n: innocent, pure) and ‘milk boy’ (t/n: superior and has good genes). Everyone chorused about Luhan that he’s ‘pure’, ‘nice’, ‘pays attention to anything’, ‘cuter personality’, ‘good-hearted person’. Here, Suho and Chanyeol gave a reversal saying ‘he loks like a baby but has the charms of a real man.’

3. Xiumin

▶ Who : Xiumin. Real name Kim Minseok. Nickname ‘muggle killer.’ A figure of speech from the movie ‘Harry Potter,’ his nickname means that he is a magical person that can even make a ‘muggle,’ an ordinary person, into a fan.

▶ Where : Born in March 26, 1990. He was born in Gyeonggi-do, Guri. He graduated from Guri Inchang High School. Instead of entering college, he put his all into becoming a singer.

▶ When : He entered SM Entertainment by winning second place in SM’s EverySing Contest’ in 2008. He lived a trainee lifestyle for four years. Although he’s Korean, he was chosen as an ‘EXOM’ member.

▶ What : With versatile skills, he is in charge of both vocal and rap. Like ‘EXO’s’ eldest hyung(?), he does not have any morning sleep. He is the only member that is a morning person within ‘EXO.’ 

▶ 11R 

Suho about Xiumin : He’s clean, gentle, manly, and a cool member that always does his best.

Kai → Xiumin : Meerkat. Although his appearance is cute, he is a hyung that protects us.

Kris → Xiumin : A cool member that is thorough with his self maintenance.

Lay → Xiumin : A hyung that takes care of his dongsaengs very well.

Chanyeol → Xiumin : He’s clean and hard-working.

Baekhyun → Xiumin : A cute, delicate, and kind personality that is unlike an eldest hyung’s. He thinks of the members a lot and always works hard.

D.O → Xiumin : He takes care of himself well.

Tao → Xiumin : A hyung that will always take care of me.

Chen → Xiumin : He’s neat and honest. A reassuring eldest hyung.

Luhan → Xiumin : He’s clean and neat.

Sehun → Xiumin : Like the eldest hyung, he’s the most adult like.

▶ Xiumin’s keyword : Commonly acknowledged was ‘eldest hyung.’ He has the most adult like personality amongst the members. There were a lot of dongsaengs that follow the reassuring hyung. Amongst those, Baekhyun sent his infinite faith by stating “he thinks of the members a lot.”

A newly known fact is that he is ‘in charge of cleaning.’ There were also a lot of talk about ‘neat,’ ‘clean,’ ‘diligent,’ etc. In reality, Xiumin is the type that enjoys cleaning the dorm. He also enjoys dishwashing. He is the icon of setting an example by cleaning instead of his dongsaengs.

4. Chen

▶ Who : Chen. Korean name Kim Jongdae. Leader of beagle line(Chanyeol, Baekhyun) within ‘EXO.’ 

▶ Where : Born on September 21, 1992. He was born in Gyeonggi-do, Siheung. He graduated from Siheung Jeongwang High School.

▶ When : He passed the SM auditions in 2011. His training period was three months. He is the one that debuted in high gear.

▶ What : Lead vocal. His forte is his storm like high notes. He is the member that has the best sociability skills. They say he sends flower smiles to his sasaeng fans, also known as Buddha Mind.

▶ 11R 

Chen that Suho says : The textbook of kindness. He follows me well but sometimes he gets sulky often. One who has a charm that bobbles.

Kai → Chen : A 6-month-old beagle. Although he’s not as much as Chanyeolie hyung, he’s gradually getting bigger.

Kris → Chen : Our main vocal! His high notes are cool.

Xiumin → Chen : Reliable My Bro.

Lay → Chen : Our team’s vocal that genuinely lets out the highest note.

Chanyeol → Chen : He’s really kind, and he’s funky. My soulmate 3.

Baekhyun → Chen : If you look at him, he’s just funny. He’s an endlessly kind same-age friend and I like him because we match well.

D.O → Chen : main vocal.

Tao → Chen : Singing best.

Luhan → Chen : He sings really well.

Sehun → Chen : He’s funky and I really like him. I love you.

▶ Chen’s keyword : He can compress ‘gwiyomi.’ He’s a member that can make one have a mother’s smile on their face by just looking at him. A member with a bright and cheerful personality, he is charge of gags within the team. He has a storm-like sociability skill that allows him to have intimate relationships with all the members.

He’s also a ‘skilled one’ that was able to debut in just three months time. Luhan, Tao, D.O, Kris, etc complimented his singing abilities. Without much modification, they said words like ‘singing best,’ ‘main vocal,’ ‘he’s really good at singing.’ Above all else, he was judged to have a charming high note that he sings with his storm-like vocal cords.

5. Tao

▶ Who : Tao. Chinese name ‘Huang Zi Tao’. ‘EXO’s’ murim master. He started learning wu shu since six and since then has been receiving professional training for around eleven years. He was also a high-jump athlete.  In a Tsingtao region competition, he also has the experience of winning.

▶ Where : Born on May 2, 1993. He was born in China Qingdao. Besides that, nothing else has been revealed.

▶ When : He was casted in China Shantung province Qingdao in 2011. In one year, he was sold-out to prepare for debut.

▶ What : In charge of raps. Self proclaimed Romantic Panda. He is the style that has a lot of tears. He confessed that because he misses his grandmother, he cries one year per day. As much as he is the maknae, he has a lot of aegyo.

▶ 11R

Suho about Tao : He requested that I write down that he’s specialㅎㅎ Our ABstyle son that is really special and his sensibility is abundant.

Kai → Tao : Chick. In my eyes, he seems like a cute baby bird.

Kris → Tao : Cool, loving dongsaeng.

Xiumin → Tao : My homework.

Lay → Tao : Although sometimes he’s out of mind, still cute.

Chanyeol → Tao : Unpredictable. A member that we don’t know where he bounce off to. 

Baekhyun → Tao : He’s really unique. When I look at Tao, I feel as if he’ll suddenly display a supernatural power.

D.O → Tao : ABstyle.

Chen → Tao : A cutie that lives in a four-dimensional world. 

Luhan → Tao : Unique ABstyle.

Sehun → Tao : A friend that is cute and overpasses being four-dimensional.

▶ Tao’s keyword : ’four-dimensional’, ’blood type  AB’. He was the style that we don’t know when or where he’ll bounce off to. He was gaining the hyungs’ interest half-willingly and half not. He was also the hardest homework for Xiumin, whose the most adult like in the team. 

There was also a twist. His extravagant  martial arts skills and athletic ability was a white elephant in front of the hyungs. To the members, he was just a cute maknae. Lay even showed his infinite love by saying that his four-dimensional personality is even “cute.”

6. Lay

▶ Who : Lay. Real name Zhang Yixing.

▶ Where : Born on October 7, 1991. He was born in China Hunan Changsha. There is nothing of his past that has been revealed.

▶ When : He ented SM in 2008. He was casted in a China Wuhan audition. Before debut, he has come out in a Chinese star academy broadcast before.

▶ What : He’s in charge of sub-vocals. He is very interseted in music.음He respects Beethoven and Mozart. He is the role of the healing character within the team. He was also chosen as the most kindest member.

▶ 11R

Suho about Lay : Musical genius. He does not lose to anyone in his area of work. He’s a professional that works hard. An icon of healing^^

Kai → Lay : Unicorn. Lay hyung is always healing~ healing~

Xiumin → Lay : His passion is overflowing.

Chanyeol → Lay : He whimsical and pure.

Baekhyun → Lay : He is the member that is the most innocent and pure amongst EXO. His concentration in all works is oustanding and he can dance, compose, sing, play instruments, and is very passionate. Sometimes when he is too pure, everyone gets surprised and finds it cute.

D.O → Lay : A whimsical charm.

Tao → Lay : He dances well and composes well. 

Chen → Lay : He is a hyung that is tough, considerate, cute and witty. 

Luhan → Lay : He dances well and is a man.

Sehun → Lay : He is a good hyung. He is kind and cute.

▶ Lay’s keyword: He is the representative of ‘healing.’ He was the icon of healing of EXO members. Extravagent eloquence, it wasn’t just because of his overflowing experience. The root of Lay’s healing is from his kind heart. This is from the message of his members that automatically gain pure hearts once looking at Lay.

One can also assume that he has a passion for music that is unlike any other. He shows interest composition, playing instruments, singing, dance, and all different aspects. Whenever he has time, he was aggressive in self improving whether it be by composing or playing instruments.