YUTA on AERA – 2022.09.12 Issue COVER

YUTA on AERA – 2022.09.12 Issue COVER
Released on
Written by Kaori Komatsu
Translated by @cloudNYT

The strength in showing one's true self

What Yuta Nakamoto believes in as an artist

He is currently active as a member of global group NCT 127. He appears in the movie "HiGH&LOW THE WORST X" released on September 9, where he co-stars with artists from the same generation.

INTERVIEW

He took on his first real acting challenge in the movie "HiGH&LOW THE WORST X", a crossover between the popular series "HiGH&LOW", which depicts the friendship and fights of men, and the "Crows" and "WORST" manga. The character he plays is Ryo Suzaki, the strongest man of the emerging Senomon Technical High School.

"Even though Suzaki doesn't talk a lot, he has an unshakable core. I think it's cool how he foolishly carried out his own stance on justice against Amagai, the head of Senomon, and how he will do everything that he can for someone important to him even if it means abandoning himself. I really like him.

Because [Suzaki] didn't have a lot of lines, there were a lot of parts where the script just says "……", so I read the script repeatedly so many times, relied on the lines before and after it, and went through a process of trial and error. As an artist who performs on stage, you have to manage your facial expressions, but while filming on set, Director Norihisa Hiranuma told me, "You can blink your eyes." And then I realized, "Ah, that's right." Or when I'm angry, I didn't necessarily have to show an angry expression. I gained a lot of insight about acting like this."

The set full of warmth

"What left an impression on me was that the set was full of warmth. I was 16 when I went to South Korea. If I went to high school in Japan, I would probably mess around and fight with my friends like this. I felt like I was experiencing my youth.

This is my first movie and it was a work that was completed with the help of a lot of people, including the director, Kazuma (Kawamura), Hokuto (Yoshino), Gouki (Maeda) and Aki(hisa Shiono), who have all participated in the previous film. Of course there were some difficulties, but they were all outweighed by the joy and sense of accomplishment."

Reflecting on the depth of acting

"For the final scene, I think there are various ways that it could have been done. I think that if I delve into acting further, I would definitely be able to give a better performance, but at that time, that was my limit. I did what I could do at that time, but maybe I'd be able to do more in the future. I want to take these frustrations with me to next time."

He said, "I would like to try anything if given the opportunity."

"I would like to try various things if given the opportunity, including acting and music. In terms of music, I've gained a lot from singing the song "Wings" from the movie with Kazuma, Hokuto and Ryoki. It's a big asset."

Talking about the three main cast that he collaborated with on "Wings"

"I met Kazuma for the first time when we practiced for the final scene. At that time, I thought he was a cool person, but once we started talking, I saw that he was very gentle and friendly, and I felt really happy. Since he is the head, I can feel the immense passion that he has for this work. To this I thought, "A man who speaks with his back is a person like Kazuma." [T/N: meaning a person who leads by example without needing words] I feel at ease when I'm with Kazuma, and I think he's a great leader."

The time spent together with friends

"My first impression of Hokuto was that he was soft. But in fact, he has a strong core and firmly holds onto what he values. I think if I were a woman, I would probably fall for this gap (laughs).

My impression of Ryoki has not changed at all since I first met him. In the movie, I spent most of my time with Ryoki, who played Amagai. He gave me a lot of help and it was very fun being with him. I am so glad Ryoki was the one who played Amagai. It was thanks to Ryoki letting go and playing the role of Amagai without hesitation that I was able to draw a sharp contrast for Suzaki.

Right now, I feel very recharged doing interviews with Kazuma, Hokuto and Ryoki and spending time with all the friends I've met through this movie. I want to convey my sincere gratitude to them."

What did you learn from creating this work with trusted artists?

"This is true for any kind of work, but I strongly felt that what I do is something that cannot be done just by myself. The cast members and the director fill in the aspects that I lack in. Although it may be presumptuous of me, I also try to fill in for what others lack in and be of help to them. I think it is with the accumulation of such [interconnectedness] that good synergy can be created."

The wonderfulness of being in a team

"When working with a team, there really are times when you think, "I want to try it by myself." But people have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is because of this that everyone works together to create a piece of work or complete a live performance. I once again understand the wonderfulness of this, and the feeling of gratitude that I have when working as team has grown deeper."

After many encounters with people, when asked about a side of himself that he has recently discovered, he smiled shyly.

"I actually get lonely easily. I used to be the type that thought, "I want to live alone," but I found that I surprisingly feel lonely easily (laughs). Whenever I drink alone at home, thoughts of "I want to talk to someone" suddenly pop up. What am I talking about (laughs)."

"Going to the sauna is when I refresh myself."

"I also go to saunas in Japan. In Korea, there is jjimjilbang with something like bedrock baths where you have your clothes on when you go in. It feels very good. I'd stay there in a daze and refresh."

Being honest with myself

NCT 127 is celebrating the 6th anniversary of their debut. Their fourth full-length album "2 Baddies" to be released on September 16 reflects their team's change in mindset.

"Up until now, the members and I have been working with a "let's take first place no matter the work" frame of mind, but for 2 Baddies, we discussed, "Let's give ourselves some leeway, when we look back on the path we've taken, if we can create a work that makes us feel that something solid has taken shape, then that is enough." We eased the tension a little. However, the feeling that we are the coolest has just become stronger as we accumulated more experience. In everything that we do, experience is very important."

There was also a change in his disposition.

"In the past, whether it be in interviews or in front of people close to me, there were parts of myself that I didn't want to show. However, I've been trying to be more honest with myself recently. Thinking back now, ever since I was a child, I may not have been the type to express what I truly felt. I guess there were parts of myself that were pretending. But now, even if I have my ups and downs, I want to be honest about how I feel.

In a sense, meeting choreographer and dancer Rino Nakasone was a turning point for me."

Not bound by trends

"Rino participated in both our first and second concert. She would often say to us, "Each one of you are heroes with your own different color." These words really gave me a lot of strength. There were times when I would compare myself to my seniors and deny myself, but thanks to Rino, I was able to believe in the potential in me."

From now on, what kind of artist does he aim to be?

"I do not want to be bound by trends or form. I want to find clear meaning in each word of the songs I sing before I show them. I think that works created with one's own thought and feeling are the best kinds of works. After all, I want to be the coolest artist."

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You can still buy your copy of the magazine here.

You can also support YUTA by engaging with the free web version of the interview here.

HiGH&LOW THE WORST X is now available on DVD and Blu-ray with ENGLISH SUBTITLES. Buy your copy now here:

HiGH&LOW THE WORST X is now available on Netflix in over 60 different countries. Watch it now here.

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