Lay - 141030 Shanghai TV: “Lay: Very happy to be called Zhang Yixing”

""Star Room Escape" will be presenting EXO’s Chinese member, Lay for two continuous weeks. The show has yet to air, but Lay has already won 10th position on #Challenge the Star’s Intellect# interactive trending topic, based on his huge online popularity. Participating in a variety show as an individual for the first time, to him, the happiest thing is, everyone calls him by his given name Zhang Yixing, and not celebrity name LAY.

No feelings during competition, I was completely dazed

Reporter: Do you think “Star Room Escape” is fun?

Lay: It’s too great, it should be the first time in mainland China that there is a real variety show like this, and it’s a competition stage variety show, exceptionally interesting, exceptionally novel, exceptionally fun.

Reporter: Participating in the variety show as an individual, is it any different to participating with the other group members?

Lay: Firstly I am very happy, everyone changes my name and calls me Zhang Yixing, people can’t forget their roots, my name is Zhang Yixing, my celebrity name is LAY. Because when I was younger and participated in events, after they gave me the celebrity name, I was honoured to join the group EXO and participate in the group’s activities, bringing this music to the friend-like fans all over the world, to me this is a type of honour. But with participating in this activity this time, the greatest difference is that everyone who addresses me changes my name to Chinese, I am very happy.

Reporter: How did you think your performance was?

Lay: All over the place, I was completely dazed

Reporter: Actually, you aren’t very confident?

Lay: No confidence, I thought I would be eliminated at the first stage, you must pay attention to the first stage, that was the meaning of unbelievable.

Reporter: The first stage is on a very high platform?

Lay: Yes, at the end that board only has a pair of shoes remaining1, I nearly couldn’t remain standing on it.

Reporter: Do you have a fear of heights?

Lay: I don’t really like overly high places, but I’m a boy, can’t be scared.

читать дальшеSeeing Jun Ru-jie, wanting to give an encouraging hug

Reporter: This chapter’s main is Wu Jun Ru, what is your impression of her?

Lay: I really like Jun Ru-jie, I’ve seen many of her interviews and movies, she is one of my role models to learn from.

Reporter: How do you rate her performance on the silver screen?

Lay: Her image on the silver screen, no matter what movie it is, are always decisive roles, with her this movie will be even more colourful. Jun Ru-jie is also someone who is very grounded, gradually becoming the movie queen of today, I feel that I should learn more from Jun Ru-jie, meeting her this time, I felt very emotional.

Reporter: Do you feel that her image in real life is in line with her image in movies of being a comedic aunt?

Lay: Not to say comedic aunt, but I feel that she’s very direct, and definitely a very very good elder sister, if I could, I would like to work with Jun Ru-jie.

Reporter: I heard that while recording for the show you asked Wu Jun Ru for a hug of love, but both times you didn’t get it fulfilled?

Lay: I haven’t been eliminated yet; sometime later, before elimination, I can always ask for a hug of encouragement.

In challenging each stage, conceeding questions to others, not disappointing people who are good to me

Reporter: In the time during the second stage, it was very very nerve-wracking, Ye Zu Xin was sweating all over, but at the end when someone was eliminated you applauded.

Lay: I only applauded after Ye Zu Xin ge ge made that difficult decision. Not to say that I felt good that Jie Jie fell down, but that because Zu Xin ge ge must have found it very difficult to make this decision, I can understand, I am also a Libra, Libras find it very difficult to make decisions, so I feel that him making a decision like this isn’t easy, so I applauded for him. In the instant that Jie Jie fell down, I was shocked, while Gu Xiao Dong teacher was describing it, suddenly she fell down, I looked at Guo Xiao Dong teacher, and looked at Zu Xin-ge, so I applauded for him, you’ve worked hard.

Reporter: Do you feel that his decision was appropriate?

Lay: There is no appropriate or not, this is just a game, Ge Ge eliminates whoever he wishes, in any case I had braced myself for being eliminated, so I said to hurry up a little, because standing there is super nerve-wracking, you don’t know how high and scary it is.

Reporter: Is your mindset that being eliminated is also okay.

Lay: It’s just a competition game.

Reporter: So in the third stage, you gave up the chance to answer a question to Gu Xiao Dong teacher.

Lay: At that time it was dangerous again, Jun Ru jie jie conceded a question to save my life again, and Guan Yin jie jie also gave me a question, actually I knew the answer, but the two ge ge were very helpful to me, and really looked after me, so I am willing to give up a chance, and play this game with them, because I don’t want to disappoint the people who are good to me.

Reporter: What impression do you have of the other 4 challengers?

Lay: They are all very kind, very easy-going and approachable, they helped me a lot, and came over to talk to me, letting me feel that I am back in my homeland and feeling very warm, Jun Ru-jie as well, so I felt exceptionally happy, exceptionally warm.

Have a dream, bringing music to the world with my identity as a Chinese person

Reporter: Have you played Room Escape in life?

Lay: I don’t go chasing after this sort of excitement, although exciting, but what if your life is in danger? Better not to play, while living we need to value life.

Reporter: I heard that the group’s work in Korea is very busy, what fun activities do you do normally?

Lay: To me, I feel that I should live fully, among artistes, I feel like I am not outstanding enough, no matter which field it is, I always want to be good, for example I dance well, I need to always maintain my dancing advantage; I sing well, then I need to constantly practice, if there is anything lacking I will push forward, it is never too late to do something about it

Reporter: Normally, within the group, are you more of a leader or a supporting role by nature?

Lay: Supporter, when they have finished speaking, if there is really no one else, just like when there’s no one to lead the pack, at that time I will give some ideas slightly, if someone listens it’s best, but if no one listens then there’s nothing that can be done.

Reporter: In the entertainment circle there are many fields; singing, acting and variety, which segment are you leaning towards in your entertainment path in the future?

Lay: Firstly when I am a celebrity, when I am being a celebrity, I should try many fields, every field will bring me something different, a different inspiration, a different experience. I have a dream, I want to bring music to the world with my identity as a Chinese person.”

(1Note: a metaphor used to mean that there was just enough room on the board to stand)

Credit: traslation, dailyexo.tumblr.com,
Source: Shanghai TV via 兴骑.