humans-of-seoul:

“연예인과 팬은 친구나 가족처럼 매일 보고 쌍방으로 교류하는 건 아니지만 초등학생 때부터 종현한테 영향을 많이 받았어요. 그 친구가 얘기하는 작가나 시를 이해하려고 책을 읽어 보기도 하고, 어떤 노래를 듣고 무슨 느낌이 들었다 하면 노래를 이해하려고 그 가수에 대해 찾아보기도 하고요. 그러면서 다양한 문화생활을 할 수 있었던 거 같아요. 종현의 인터뷰를 보면서 제가 생각하지 못했던 점을 배우기도 했어요. ‘사람을 이해한다’고 하잖아요. 근데 그 친구는 ‘이해’보다는 ‘인정’이라는 말을 좋아해요. 포기한다는 의미로 ‘그래. 너 인정해’ 이러는 게 아니라 상대방을 있는 그대로 받아들인다는 뜻에서 인정이라는 말을 쓴 거죠. ‘아, 저렇게도 생각할 수 있구나.’ ‘저런 생각은 배우면 좋을 거 같다’ 그 친구를 보며 느낀 이런 사소한 것들이 모여서 지금의 제가 만들어진 것 같아요.”

“The relationship between a celebrity and a fan is different from a relationship between friends or family, where you see each other every day and interact with each other. But since I was in elementary school, I was influenced a lot by Jonghyun. If he talked about a certain author or poem, I would read books to try to understand, and if he said he felt some way while listening to a certain song, I’d research that artist to try to understand the song more. While doing that, I was able to learn about a lot of different topics. Through watching his interviews I was also able to learn about things I had never even thought about. You know how people say you should try to ‘understand others.’ But he liked the word ‘accept’ rather than ‘understand.’ Not like, ‘Fine, I accept you,’ like you’re giving up, but ‘accept’ as in you are fully accepting the other person as they are. ‘Oh, I didn’t realize I could think like that too.’ ‘I think it’d be good to learn about that type of thinking.’ I think all the little things I felt while watching him made me into the person I am today.”