01 November 2006 Japan Radio: Love FM The Request Show Interview

01 November 2006 Japan Radio: Love FM The Request Show Interview

To hear the interview: http://www.n-canny.com/others/1.11.06%20-%...pan%20Radio.mp3

DJ: Song playing just now is John Hoon's Sirius.

DJ: Lets us welcome our guest today John Hoon! Nice to meet you. (In Japanese greeting)

JH: Hello, I am John Hoon.

DJ: You speak well in Japanese, I am learning Korean, u want to hear “Hello, I am Sachico, nice to meet you”

JH: Wow, you are good!

DJ: I am happy to hear that! Jeong Hoon speaks good Japanese, how does he practice?

JH: Actually now I am still learning, I am only at the beginner’s level; but during the recording of the album, I realized that is very important to really understand the lyrics and meaning, that is why I paid extra attention to pronouncing the words.

DJ: Korean and Japanese pronounciations have wide differences and some are quite difficult.

JH: Korean and Japanese really have many differences. For example, if you speak in Japanese but with Korean way of pronouncing, it sounds weird, that is why I specially take note of this when I start to learn Japanese.

DJ: John Hoon’s listening skills is good, especially in the areas of differentiating pronounciations.

JH: I think I am not that good. Please don't praise me in that way.

DJ: We are very happy to hear John Hoon solo album on the radio. JH clear cut, soft voice plus his accurate Japanese pronounciation is touching when we listen to his songs. We also want to thank John Hoon for letting hear such a beautiful voice.

DJ: Yesterday you had a 2nd activity at Japan North Kyushu, what was it all about? What are your feelings towards it, can you tell us?

JH: First of all, this is my debut in Japan, I had a Concert cum Hand-Shaking Session at Tokyo first. Yesterday I went Fukuoka the first time, for my debut-making activities. I was very nervous, initially I keep hoping even if there is only one person or maybe more people will come to my debut and together with my supporters, I definitely will spread the happy atmosphere of the performance stage to everybody. In the end, many people turned up, not only fans from Fukuoka but also fans from other parts of Japan came specially to see me. Shoppers there also watch me perform. Everybody below the stage listened to me attentively, I am very touched and happy and it motivates me to want to perform better.

DJ: John Hoon really is a diligent, serious person, not too bad man! Yesterday at the event, John Hoon singing was great! During the interview, he not only sang in Japanese, but he also truly understood the lyrics and meaning, and sang with his heart and feelings, it is very touching!

DJ: As a singer cum actor, now John Hoon is starting to be active in his singer promotional events, so he will become very busy. Please take care of your health, do not fall sick because of fatigue.

JH: Thank you everyone.

DJ: John Hoon has officially made his debut in Japan and released 5 Stella Lights. What does the name of the CD mean?

JH: 5 Stella Lights actually refers to the 5 songs in the CD which have 5 different types of star lights. Every star has different shine and colour, just like the 5 songs have different meaning. Then the 5 star lights (5 songs) gather and form into John Hoon. The other meaning is that it also encompasses John Hoon hopes of becoming a shining star.

DJ: This theme is really very romantic; it completely fits the John Hoon now.

JH: Thank you.

DJ: As for the songs, those that have love stories and other different feelings, when you sing you have to express yourself with strong emotions, it must have been difficult!

JH: Now I am 26, so I have some experience in relationships but a lot or a little I am not sure. But I use my love experiences as a basic fundamental to express the different songs’ feelings and mood. Like I said just now, using Japanese to convey the lyrics is difficult for me, but good thing there are many Japanese staff helping me in all areas then I can finish recording this album smoothly.

DJ: This time the Mini Album 5 Stella Lights comes with a DVD, inside the DVD there is Sirius MV and also scene production videos, I watched a little just now, the acting is great!

JH: PV? I didn't really act.

DJ: No no, you are too modest. When you were holding the camera taking pictures, looking in front, it seems as if there is really someone there, the kind of eye expression really feels like acting.

JH: Although is only joking, to have higher cd sales, I did put in effort to act.

DJ: The good result is out, so there is surely no problem!

JH: Thank you.

DJ: The John Hoon we see in the scene production video and the John Hoon we normally see is the same.

JH: Yes that's right.

DJ: The free things also include next year calendar.

JH: I feel a little bad about the photos on the calendar. As the photos are taken very long ago, they are not done in one day. Some are taken in the day, some in the night, my face in the day and night feels different, that is why the photos look different. I dont like some of the photos but they are still chosen. Some of them look weird, so I feel a bit shy, ashamed towards them. Sorry I feel like L aunty. (Jap-Chinese Translator does not know it means.)

DJ: Let the fans admire the pictures! In the 5 songs, there is lyrics-writer Kyoko-San and producer Akira-San whom have produced impressive work.

JH: Yes.

DJ: What are your plans after this?

JH: I am making my debut tour around Japan, meeting people and I will sing in front of everyone. Then in December, I will hold a concert in Tokyo. I dont have many songs now so I will sing other singers songs. I want to perform on the dazzling stage to express my songs to people.

DJ: Lets us look forward to John Hoon concert in December at Tokyo. You came Fukuoka yesterday, what impression do you have of Fukuoka?

JH: I have heard a lot about Fukuoka before coming, and I have always looked forward to coming. Coming here is like being in Korea, there is sense of closeness to home. The food taste good too. Many Kyushu people are pretty. I feel really happy to come Fukuoka. I will come again if there is a chance.

DJ: Please do come to Fukuoka again.

DJ: As there are many listeners today, please say some things before you leave.

JH: Ever since I make a debut in Japan, there are people who know me as a singer, there are those who know me from Goong, and there are people who probably do not know me at all. Whatever it is, I will work hard, please support me. Thank you.

DJ: Last Wednesday, JH officially made debut in Japan and the album is selling now, everyone, please do support. Before you leave, please introduce one song.

JH: Still Believe.

Searching for 'our alien origins'

Searching for 'our alien origins'

By Andrew Thompson BBC Horizon

Dr Wickramasinghe thinks life could have originated in space

In July 2001, a mysterious red rain started falling over a large area of southern India.

Locals believed that it foretold the end of the world, though the official explanation was that it was desert dust that had blown over from Arabia.

But one scientist in the area, Dr Godfrey Louis, was convinced there was something much more unusual going on.

Not only did Dr Louis discover that there were tiny biological cells present, but because they did not appear to contain DNA, the essential component of all life on Earth, he reasoned they must be alien lifeforms.

"This staggering claim is that this is possibly extraterrestrial. That is a big claim I know, but all the experiments are supporting this claim," said Dr Louis.

His remarkable work has set in motion a chain of events with scientists around the world debating the origin of these mysterious cells.

The main reason why Dr Louis's ideas have not been immediately laughed out of court is because they tie in with a theory promoted by two UK scientists ever since the 1960s.

Space qualified

The late Sir Fred Hoyle and Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe have been the champions of "Panspermia", the idea that life on Earth originated on another planet.

They speculate that life was first brought here on the back of a comet. Over the last decade, Panspermia is being taken ever more seriously.

The US space agency (Nasa) is now increasingly interested in searching for extra-terrestrial life.

Bacteria seem to me to be born space travellers Prof Chandra Wickramasinghe

A new robotic submarine is being developed to explore the oceans of one of Jupiter's moons. This submarine is on test at the moment in a lake in Texas.

Finding life elsewhere in the Solar System would be a vital bolster to the Panspermia theory.

Another section of Nasa is devoted to the study of bacteria found on Earth that can survive extreme conditions.

Finding these types of bacteria makes it more likely that micro-organism could survive the hardships of travelling through space on the back of a meteoroid.

Professor Wickramasinghe explained: "Bacteria have got to endure the extreme cold of space, the vacuum of space, ultraviolet radiation, cosmic rays, X-rays.

"That sounds like a tall order but bacteria do that. From what we know survival out in space is more or less ensured. Bacteria seem to me to be born space travellers."

From another place

Last summer, Horizon had exclusive access to a trip taken by Professor Wickramasinghe to India to investigate at first hand the red rain phenomenon.

He met Dr Louis and together they visited the people who had witnessed the red rain.

He was able to see the recent work of Dr Louis which shows that the red rain can replicate at 300C, an essential attribute of a space micro-organism that might have to endure extreme temperatures.

Bacteria might survive the journey through space

All this has convinced Professor Wickramasinghe that the red rain is a form of alien life.

"Before I came I had grave doubts as to whether the red rain was really an indication of life coming from space; new life coming from space," he said.

"But on reflection and after talking to Godfrey, I think I would now fairly firmly believe that it did represent an invasion of microbes from space."

Many scientists remain highly sceptical, however, but if Wickramasinghe and Louis are correct it will be the strongest evidence so far that the theory of Panspermia might be true.

It also raises the intriguing possibility that if life first originated on another planet then it must mean all Earth organisms, including humans, evolved from alien life.

Horizon - We Are The Aliens is broadcast on BBC Two on Tuesday 14 November at 2100 GMT