COOL BLAZE / SEVENTEEN DOKYEOM
- dokyeomglobal
- Jul 28
- 8 min read
DOKYEOM surrounded by a sea of mint-colored water on all sides. And a glimpse into the deep heart of Dokyeom, known as the 'Happy Virus'.
ALLURE: The long-awaited journey of Joshua & Dokyeom begins! What were you thinking about last night?
DOKYEOM: I was so excited because I've never been to Maldives before. There are still so many places I havent visited, so I was even more excited because I don't usually travel often. I also came fully prepared for water activities.
ALLURE: This duo apparently has a name, I heard Dokyeom came up with it?
DOKYEOM: It’s a nickname that fans really like, "Kyeomshu Set". I once uploaded a photo on SNS with Joshua hyung and captioned it "Kyeomshu Set", like a hamburger set. That's where it all started.
ALLURE: This year marks SEVENTEEN’s 10th anniversary. How do you feel looking back on your 10th anniversary activities?
DOKYEOM: The members and I spent a long time preparing for the 10th anniversary album. 10 is such a meaningful number, I hoped this comeback would be meaningful to the fans as well. I think we succeeded, and I felt so happy about it. The album and music chart results were amazing too thanks to our fans’ efforts & supports. I'm really grateful. I'm glad that we were able to maintain this for 10 years with the 13 members, and I'm grateful to the members too. We made a lot of memories. We started our 10th anniversary activities meaningfully from the Jamsu Bridge and ended meaningfully.
ALLURE: Which activity stands out the most to you?
DOKYEOM: The performance at Jamsu Bridge. It’s a place where people often go for a walk, so performing there, surrounded by a sea of people, felt really special. I could see people even far off in the distance, and I was really moved by the atmosphere. Everything is still vivid in my memory. After that performance, we had a birthday party the next day, which I remember well because it was also the day the song was released.
ALLURE: Was there a time when the members celebrated together?
DOKYEOM: We had a listening party, and we invited staff and close acquaintances to our 10th anniversary party. It was a moment to reflect and celebrate the past 10 years. It felt like all our memories were passing by before my eyes. It was such a great moment.
ALLURE: SEVENTEEN keeps setting new records. It must be emotional every time a project ends.
DOKYEOM: Absolutely. I think I'm moved by every moment, it can't be helped. We give love and receive love. That’s the essence of our job, I think.
ALLURE: I’ve been meeting many SEVENTEEN members lately, and everyone is so fun when we talk.
DOKYEOM: We’re all so different, right? Our personalities are really diverse (laughs). Who have you met so far?
ALLURE: It's faster to count who we haven't met. This is our 2nd time with you. You probably didn't know, but Allure was overflowing with praise for you that whole month.
DOKYEOM: Was it when we did the shoot in DSQUARED2 underwear? That was really great. I could've done even better if I had prepared a little more. I can do it again. It was fun. Please invite me again, Allure!
ALLURE: This time, we’re traveling together. As Maldives is a resort island, so we're all stuck on a small island. Do your travel styles match well with Joshua?
DOKYEOM: It's our first time traveling together, but I think we'll get along well. Shua-hyung and I have similar personalities. We're both the type of people who make others feel comfortable, so I think we match well. We're both the considerate types.
ALLURE: Dokyeom changes day by day. When we first met, you seemed so calm that I wondered if you were the same person I'd seen on variety shows.
DOKYEOM: Right? I'm the type that shy at first. But Shua hyung and I both have a wild side, so we go all out when we’re together. That side of us is gradually appearing now, we even made up a signal to stop for when the jokes are too much.
ALLURE: What do you do when you don't have schedules? I’m curious about Dokyeom's daily life.
DOKYEOM: I think I live a pretty normal/simple life. I exercise, watch baseball, eat delicious food while watching movies or dramas, take vocal lessons, and occasionally go for walks. That's it. It's all very quiet. I don't meet friends that often either. My daily life is very calm.
ALLURE: Your daily life is quiet, but your job is so dynamic. It seems balanced.
DOKYEOM: That's why I think I feel more dopamine in the sense of the dynamic thing. When I'm alone, it doesn't happen. But when I'm with the members, my energy shoots up, and I become a totally different person.
ALLURE: Watching SEVENTEEN's reality shows, we get lost in the weirdness (wild energy). The recent NANA bnb with SEVENTEEN is like that too.
DOKYEOM: It's really weird, right? (laughs). I gained 2.5kg after filming NANA bnb. But I was so happy. I was so grateful to Na PD for letting us eat well and rest well. Those who watch GOING SEVENTEEN or NANA bnb think we're really extroverted and sociable. But if you see me alone like this, I'm not like that at all, right? When I'm doing a schedule alone like now, I sometimes not sure what to do. Maybe it's because I'm so used to being with members. When I'm with members, I just want to make them laugh.
ALLURE: Speaking of today, you're with Joshua. Do you remember when you first met him?
DOKYEOM: I saw him for the first time at an evaluation meeting when we were trainees. He gave off the vibe of senior from church with a guitar. He sat on his guitar case and sang Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning" with this super gentle/kind voice. When we were trainees, we would bicker and he was the kind of hyung who would tell us to stop bickering, like saying "Guys, don't do that". But he adapted super quickly! That’s just how trainee life is like (laughs)
ALLURE: Do you still think about your early debut days?
DOKYEOM: Sometimes. It was really tough. If I were to go back, I would tremble. At that time, I was really tense and disciplined about every moment. I was scared of the time where I spent each day not knowing what the future held. I was able to endure that time with them members and made it this far. I feel lucky.
ALLURE: When did you start feeling confident?
DOKYEOM: I've always had confidence, because I am with members who worked hard from the beginning.
ALLURE: Are the members the source of your confidence?
DOKYEOM: My confidence comes from the members and our fans. It's the fans' reactions like, "What is with this group's songs?" that made SEVENTEEN who we are today. There was a growing response, like "This group is good at songs like this". We climbed slowly, but when our songs and albums continued to rise, it made me feel really proud.
ALLURE: Do you like the process/journey?
DOKYEOM: I do. Of course, it may have been long and difficult. But looking back, I think I made more memories along the way because of the process. That journey made SEVENTEEN what it is today.
ALLURE: What roles do you and Joshua play in SEVENTEEN?
DOKYEOM: What roles do we play? (laughs) I'm not the leader types or problem-solvers, but I'm the kind who can make the members laugh. I think Shua-hyung is like that too, as the eldest, he is someone who's both dependable and gentle, always looking after the younger members.
ALLURE: What kinds of memories do you want to make with SEVENTEEN?
DOKYEOM: We have these regular monthly meeting. I once hosted a Harry Potter-themed meeting which was super fun. I want to do that again. Maybe an Avengers theme next time, or take family photos, or going to an amusement park in school uniforms. I also want to dress up as grandfathers and take photos. But the members were like, "Makeup for that takes 2 or 3 hours!"
ALLURE: You're all busy with individual activities these days. How do you keep in touch with each other?
DOKYEOM: Some members are overseas, some are performing. We have a group chat for schedules. We keep tabs on each other through that. We talk all the time, but it feels like it’s time to gather again soon.
ALLURE: Anyone jealous in the group chat about your Maldives trip with Joshua?
DOKYEOM: Not yet, but I'm sure they will be! I'm going to flood the group chat with pictures.
ALLURE: If you could bring just one member to the Maldives, who would it be?
DOKYEOM: Just one? (thinks for a while) Jeonghan-hyung. I miss him.
ALLURE: What's something Dokyeom personally focused on these days?
DOKYEOM: I took good care of myself because I wanted to do well for this Maldives shoot. Technically, I'm on a break. I suddenly had free time after being busy all the time, so I didn't know what to do. I'm reflecting on how to spend my upcoming days. I don't want to let this time to just pass by.
ALLURE: We're now entering the second half of the year. How would you rate your first half?
DOKYEOM: I'd say 92 points.
ALLURE: Why not 100?
DOKYEOM: Because nothing's ever perfect (laughs) This year has gone by so quickly. We're already filming for the August issue. I need to use the remaining time to rest well and turn that into energy to work even harder.
ALLURE: As a vocal member of the team, when do you feel the most joy or fulfillment?
DOKYEOM: When I'm singing on stage, and see fans smiling. There are moments when it's really visible to me. I feel truly happy when fans enjoy my singing. I also feel great when my condition, expression, and my sound come out right. When all of that comes together, it is a burst of dopamine!
ALLURE: What's the word that made Dokyeom really happy recently?
DOKYEOM: "Your hair suits you well." (laughs) I was worried it was too short, but thankfully the fans liked it.
ALLURE: Haha! There are a lot of choices like that, right? How do you balance it out?
DOKYEOM: It's a kind of challenge, in a way. I'm usually not that firm in my opinions, and I'm someone who listen to opinions well. But I thought I should be decisive this time, so I cut it boldly. But right after I cut it, I
started to worry like, "Is this really okay?" I was relieved only after hearing that it was good.
Disclaimer: This interview was published by Allure Korea and has been translated into English by Dokyeom Global. Reposting or translating without proper credit is not allowed.
DOKYEOM's August Cover Issue for Allure Korea (4 versions)
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