Epik High on chilli crab, Bieber and beavers
Who knew the guys from Korean alternative hip hop group Epik High would be such epic jokesters?
The trio, comprising Tablo, 35, Mithra Jin, 32, and DJ Tukutz, 34, are in town for this year’s Skechers Sundown Festival happening on Nov 21.
And they brought their kooky sense of humour with them during an interview with The New Paper prior to their gig.
Since forming in 2003, Epik High has gone from small-time underground group to K-pop mainstay signed to top talent agency YG Entertainment no less.
With eight studio albums under their belt, the group recently embarked on a successful North American tour, performing 11 shows in nine cities, of which five were sold out.
They were last in Singapore last September for the YG Family 2014 Galaxy Tour concert alongside superstar YG Entertainment artists like Big Bang, Psy and 2NE11.
Unlike most bands who don’t stay together for long, Epik High attribute their 12 years together to making fun of each other and even fighting.
“We’re able to stay together and not hate each other because we respect our differences. I think that’s what keeps us together because we’re basically just like any other group of friends,” said Epik High leader Tablo.
And what fun friends they are, with chilli crab, Justin Bieber and beavers being the hot topics during our 30-minute chat.
What’s the question you wish people would ask you more, and what’s the answer to that question?
Mithra Jin: What would you like to eat? And the answer is spicy crab.
Tablo: How long do you want to stay in Singapore? I’d like to stay for just six months. I love it here, everything here is really nice.
DJ Tukutz: How is it that your skin is so good?
Tablo: I just realise what I wanna be asked, “Why are you so good looking?” And then I would just cry and say “Why are you asking me that?”
If your life story could be turned into a Hollywood movie, which actor would you want to play you? And what genre would it be?
DJ Tukutz: Leonardo DiCaprio. Comedy.
Mithra Jin: Samuel L Jackson. Thriller.
Tablo: I would like Toto, the dog from The Wizard Of Oz. I would like a cute dog like that to play me and I’d like it to be an animal movie. I’d like to be a Bichon Frise. Tukutz would probably be just any dog and Mithra would be a bear. I really love animal movies.
What are some of your best memories of Singapore and did you get to try any local food the last time?
Mithra Jin: Nasi goreng, spicy crab.
Tablo: We had spicy crab with Big Bang. They paid. It was good.
What about some places you visited that you really enjoyed?
DJ Tukutz: There were many places we wanted to go to but didn’t have the chance to, like the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool.
Tablo: We went to a big department store and it was really cool... There’s a Universal Studios here? Are you kidding? There’s Shrek? I like Shrek. I love the donkey. I love animals.
Mithra Jin: I don’t really like Shrek. He’s too green.
If you could be the ruler of the world for one day, what rule would you impose?
Tablo: First of all, I would free all animals and then I would make everyone in the world buy an Epik High CD and the next day I would retire. I got money for life! And then I would just go party with the animals that I freed. I’d ride horses, hippos, elephants. Run with deer, swim with the fish.
Mithra Jin: I don’t think there’s an answer better than that.
Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift - who would you want to hang out with for an entire day?
DJ Tukutz: Justin Bieber.
Tablo: I’d rather hang out for a day with a beaver. I’d go to some water near the forest and make the beaver a home together. I would make a beautiful home with a beaver, like a big mansion.
Mithra Jin: Taylor Swift. She’s my kind of girl.
If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring one thing or one person, what or who would it be?
Tablo: I would take the beaver because it will cut the trees with its teeth and it would build a treehouse with me and also the beaver could make fire by biting on the wood really fast and beavers swim so I could hold the back of the beaver as it swims us back home. I have a perfect friend - it’s like a living, breathing Swiss Army knife.
Mithra Jin: Obama. If Obama is around, somehow we will get out.
DJ Tukutz: Justin Bieber. Someone will definitely come and save us. All the Beliebers in the world will come and help us.
Tablo: You guys are going to go home with helicopters and airplanes picking you up and it’s just going to be me and my beaver.
What’s the most epic thing you’ve done outside of work?
DJ Tukutz: Having a baby.
Tablo: I was going to say that! Having a beautiful daughter.
Mithra Jin: Marrying my wife.
Tablo: He said that because she might read this.
FYI
What: Skechers Sundown Festival 2015
When: Nov 21, 4pm
Where: Marina Promenade
Tickets: $118 and $88 from Sistic (www.sistic.com.sg or 6348-5555) or www.sundownfestival.sg
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now