[MAGAZINE/TRANSLATION] 180529 ELLE Taiwan Cover Story – Krystal

The cute reverse charm of chic! Krystal Jung Soo Jung gets hair extensions for ELLE and reveals she is the cutest when drunk

6 years ago, SM Entertainment Agency promoted the documentary movie "I AM.", the quote tagged with Krystal's poster was "To be able to be myself, I am happy."Being an idol not to please others, Krystal has inspired the wish to "Be ourselves". Rather than a goddess that men like, she's actually a woman that women like.

When Krystal appears on the shooting site for ELLE's cover, she laughs chatting with the makeup artists while eating some snacks, while we rub our eyes, making sure we are not seeing things wrong. Just yesterday she attended Piaget's event, she had mid-length hair! But that's right, Krystal indeed changed from being short-haired to long-haired in just one night.
Talking about the reason for her hair extension on ELLE Taiwan's cover shoot, she said it was as relaxed as if she woke up hungry in the middle of the night and went downstairs to buy a pack of ramyun, "Recently I keep having short hair. When I saw the outfits prepared by the Taiwanese styling crew, I felt that long hair would be quite suitable (with the concept) so I wore hair extensions. Wearing hair extensions feels like I did something big that even my mood turned for the better." Her hand unconsciously ran through her hair and said, "I like the length of my current short hair, but I also miss my long hair in the past."
Last year, Krystal cut her hair short for the Korean drama "Prison Playbook". "When Director Shin Won Ho suggested cutting my hair short, I did not hesitate, but when the scissors was really about to cut my hair, I hesitated for two hours before letting the hair stylist cut it." Krystal laughed while saying this is her biggest challenge since her acting career.
Today, she temporarily returns to being long-haired, as if she also took off her simple equipment, returning to her girly self. She lazily lies down on the bed, the bright sun shines through her hair locks and falls on her face. Today the shooting site has a couch and a bed, the camera clicks and snaps, greedily capturing the moments of Krystal when she's off guard.

Blue silk dress (OFF-WHITE); Possession collection - round diamond pendant, platinum round diamond bracelet, round diamond bracelet, platinum round diamond bracelet; Possession collection - platinum watch, ring (ALL BY PIAGET).

Not an innate artist

At the age of 6, Krystal and her older sister living in San Francisco who went back to South Korea were discovered by SM's talent scout at a departmental store; at the age of 7, she was auditioned to be a trainee but since she was too young, she only officially entered the company for training after 5 years.
About her dream of being a celebrity, she waved her hand, "Actually I think I don't have the potential for performance!" She honestly said, "When I was a trainee as a kid, I had to sing and dance in front of a camera every weekend, then the performance will be graded. Whenever during these times I would hide in the toilet and not dare to come out."
At the age of 7, not even the age to have the desire and ambition to be a celebrity, she was selected at SM's audition. To her, being an entertainer is like going to elementary, middle, and high school. It's a natural path that follows. However, she is no longer scared of performing on stage now. Perhaps it's because of those overnight training being engrained down to her bones, on-stage Krystal just looks like she has a natural charm when performing, it's very enticing. "Since I have f(x) members with me, it feels like I can depend them on stage so I feel relieved." She said she has a younger sister-kind of aegyo.

Looking cold on the outside but warm on the inside

Many people say Krystal is very cold, like an Ice Princess. In fact, she's just bad at courtesy and pretense most of the time like accepting ELLE's video interview previously about the Dos and Don'ts of matching outfits. Among the questions, we asked her what she must do before going out, her reply was "Um.... wear socks?" This is not a grand answer a big celebrity would give, it really was incredible.
Krystal is a quiet person but once she makes a reply, she would act as if she ate an honest red bean bun and spills out whatever is on her mind. As such, when she faces a large number of questions from the media and does not know how to reply, she would stutter not knowing what to do.
Her Instagram account also carries this kind of context. Krystal is absolutely not an artist that updates regularly, but those photos of her thinking blankly, selfies, and sleeping unknowingly still holds the feeling of a true lifestyle. Krystal said, "I don't update my Instagram regularly, I often think of updating but I don't know what to update on. I am having my second Instagram account now. There is a period of time when I didn't have any activities, I heard fans really wanted to know about my recent status, so I would communicate with the fans like writing a diary, sharing my status with them, telling them to know what music I'm listening to, what things I'm interested in, letting them know I'm still around."
In the eyes of the fans, Krystal's "chicness" is genuine and cute. She said, "Ice Princess is just a nickname everyone gave me. I am passionate in a lot of things, such as eating, shopping... Every time I see mugs or pretty little things, I will get very excited." She is just not used to fake smiling, when she smiles, it's all genuine.

One piece white halter dress (THE ROW, AT ARTHAUS); Pink jacket (CELINE); Possession collection - lapis beads bracelet, black agate bead bracelet, red chalcedony bead bracelet, round rose gold bracelet, round platinum bracelet, platinum bracelet, round diamond and black agate bracelet, round white gold diamond watch (ALL BY PIAGET)

Good mood from traveling

This time when we get to interview Krystal, she was not as cold as everyone says, but rather, she gets amused often; when we treated her to eat some confectionary that can only be bought from Taiwanese convenience stores, she moved the "Whistle candy" to the side of her mouth, whistling a shaky tone, playfully putting on a "Ring candy" on her fingertip, mix-matching the eyeball ring and high jewelry from the lucky draw box, extending her arm out and looking at them with satisfaction. When she tried the chocolate flavored sticks, Krystal glared at us saying, "Do you want me to get unhealthy by preparing all these delicious junk food?" Later she grabs a handful again, saying "I want to bring all these home!" These snacks remind her of the jellies she likes to eat when she was young with the insides filled with sugar, and when chewed, the jelly would melt in her mouth, it was the taste of a happy childhood.
The good mood from returning back from travel was written all over her face. "Travelling always brings happiness. I just came back from traveling to LA, London, Berlin, Stockholm.... I went to a lot of places! Berlin is a place that I have always wanted to visit, so after I fulfilled the wish, I feel very contented. When I went to Stockholm, it was during the winter season, the snow accumulated to my waist, so it was very difficult on this trip, I almost froze to death...." Despite her saying that it was difficult, her face was still smiling.

Strolling to take things off the mind

When Krystal is not traveling, she takes a long walk. "A few days ago I walked for two hours, I didn't want to think of anything, just walk. Sometimes I will also walk in the city but the most common route I take is the river bank of Hangang Park. When I have complex thoughts, I would go for a stroll and my mind would relax. Also, when I take a walk, listening a music is a must."
In one of the episodes of "Jessica & Krystal" filmed with her older sister, Jessica, the younger was driving a car, both of them quietly listening to music and sharing what music the sisters were listening to recently. From that, it was discovered that the songs Krystal likes are all from the 1960s like jazz, funky music, Korean solo artists... The classic jazz player Duke Ellington, Canada band Arcade Fire, and Korean underground musician OOHYO.... are all the artists on her playlist. Although she is only 24 years old, her taste in music is like an old soul. Both the sisters get hyped up and expressed them with their whole bodies listening to music they enjoy. Being beside her older sister Jessica, Krystal is always more relaxed and cuter. "We like to travel and eat good food. Since we can't meet often, so if we find shops with good food, we would take photos and send them to each other, then telling each other what was the taste like." I wonder if Krystal took photos of her favorite xiǎo lóng bāo (pork dumplings) and bubble tea to send them to her sister while she is here in Taipei?

Mixed colour leather wrap around dress (CELINE); Possession collection - turquoise bracelet, malachite bead bracelet, round rose gold bracelet, diamond and black agate bead bracelet, malachite beads bangle, turquoise beads bangle, lapis lazuli beaded bangle, black agate beaded bracelet, red chalcedony beaded bracelet, rings (ALL BY PIAGET).

Work hard to have time to yourself

In a highly competitive industry in South Korea, many celebrities sacrificed their private lives to exchange for their fame and success like exchanging their souls with Lucifer to become a renowned artist. Perhaps she was a trainee when she was still very young so it felt like she has been in the industry for as long as an eternity, Krystal has to learn how to co-exist with fame and not lose herself. "Unknowingly, I think I have found tranquility." She said this when she accepted the interview with ELLE Korea. That is a feeling of getting matured, "Honestly, from my debut since 16 years old till now, I don't think I have too changed a lot. Compared to my personality, it feels like the attitude towards me from the surroundings have changed, there are times when people would toast me a drink, it feels like I have more responsibilities after becoming an adult? I also understood to be responsible for the choices I have taken. However, I am still the same as when I was in my teens. Honestly speaking, I got really hurt from bad comments in the past, but now I'm fine. I'm surprised myself. People around me also felt this kind of change in me. There isn't an aftereffect on my face anymore, and I have become more carefree."
Krystal tries very hard to maintain her self, and to keep her own pace, she has broken the formula of "how girl groups should be like" by becoming a person "like herself". "I strive hard to maintain a balance between work and life, and also works hard to have my own time. Later I found out that I need persistence and diligence to have my own time. When I stay at home, I would catch up with dramas, watch movies, and spend time cleaning up my home. To have my time for myself, I would also go travel often." She said with a pleased smile, "I think I maintain it quite well for now."

Being a different person when drunk

Lastly, we wanted Krystal to reveal a little strange habit of herself that no one else knows, she stopped for a while, saying beforehand that "Will there be someone that says 'Hey! My strange habit is really cute'?"She looks around her and laughed.
"Only a few strange habits will be known by people who are close! People say I become very cute once I drink alcohol My friends said 'You should go on those programs that are filmed while drinking!' You should have said that earlier, next time ELLE will prepare a dozen of beer for the photoshoot. This afternoon, because Krystal does not put up an act, the atmosphere was laidback and comfortable.

Black sling dress (CELINE); Plaid jacket and Plaid mini skirt (BOTH BY BALENCIAGA); Possession collection - black agate beads necklace, turquoise beaded bangle, red chalcedony beaded bracelet, black onyx bracelet; Piaget Rose collection - rose gold ring; Possession collection - rose gold ring, long necklace, ring (ALL BY PIAGET).
PHOTO_ICURA CHIANG
STYLIST_ KATE CHEN, KIM YEJIN
HAIR_ JUNG SUNYI
MAKEUP_ JANG HTYJIN
Text_IRIS YEH
special thanks__PIAGET
Source: https://www.elle.com/tw/entertainment/cover-people/a20947493/krystal-cover-story/