EXO Kai shared his true feelings on going solo, EXO's 10th debut anniversary, and more in his recent interview.
Read on to know what the K-pop's "idol of idols" said.
EXO Kai Shares His Thoughts on Being 'Kai' and His Difference with 'Kim Jongin'
As the new muse of luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, EXO Kai sat down for an interview for the brand where he answered questions on his career as an EXO member, solo artist and his life as Kim Jongin.
During the interview, the male idol was asked about his thoughts on him being recognized in the entertainment scene continuously as Kai or through his real name, Kim Jongin.
He said, "It's not that I don't have that desire (for them to know the real me). It's good for a lot of people to know. But of course, I want to protect the name 'Kai.'"
He added, "After living as a singer for more than 10 years, I didn't know where Kai and Kim Jongin starts from. I want to distinguish between the two and differentiate them, but at some point, Kai has no choice but to dig into Kim Jongin."
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The "Peaches" singer went on, "When the name Kai is shaken, a person named Kim Jongin is also affected. So I think (we) should take Kai in a better direction. I try not to become more famous as Kai or give meaning that 'Kai is my everything.' That way, I think I can enjoy it longer. But it's really hard. I think it's hard."
EXO Kai Shares How He Overcome Career as Soloist: 'Satisfaction with myself comes first'
In addition to differentiating EXO Kai and Kim Jongin, the idol also expressed his thoughts on his solo debut in 2020 after working with a group for years years.
EXO Kai said, "I'm originally a person who works with satisfaction with myself, but I was ambiguous when I started my solo career. As I thought it was my first time, I didn't know how to balance, whether I could do this as I wanted, or if this was right. Although I'm a soloist, I wanted as many people to watch me as I was in a group. I had a lot of thoughts."
The soloist added, "In the process, I thought, 'This is what I do.' That's how I made up my mind. If you're centered on yourself, it's easy to have faith in a way. The outcome depends on how much you focus on yourself, but this depends on me."
Kai Confesses True Feelings on EXO's 10th Debut Anniversary
Kai debuted as EXO on April 8, 2012 under SM Entertainment, which means the nonet will celebrate a decade anniversary this year.
Kai said, "I agreed with the saying that there are not many celebrities who can reach 10 years of history. I felt proud. I think it's a big blessing to know that we've been working hard for 10 years and everyone knows and congratulates you."
The singer expressed his love for his group EXO and stated, "I'll continue this job for a long time for 10, 15, and 20 years. But as of the moment, where a lot of people around me congratulate me, I'm more grateful and try to remember this moment meaningfully."
READ MORE: #10YearsWithKAI: 7 Unforgettable Stages of EXO Kai that Prove He's K-pop's 'Dancing Machine'
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Written by Eunice Dawson
