IVE Jang Wonyoung Esquire June 2026 Interview Full English Translation

 

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IVE Jang Wonyoung — Esquire June Issue Interview

 

Q. How was today’s shoot?
This was my first shoot with Esquire, and I was so happy that my first meeting with the magazine was together with Bulgari. The fashion editor divided the concept into day and night, with a train as the backdrop, and I really liked that too. I’m looking forward to seeing the final results.

 

Q. With the train concept, the photos felt very lyrical and romantic.
Actually, I’ve never properly ridden a train in Korea. I don’t really have many chances to, and I tend not to go to crowded places. When I travel, I usually go by car. But in movies or animations, trains are portrayed so beautifully, so I’ve always wanted to ride one. I never imagined that my first train experience would be during a shoot with Esquire.

 

Q. What about trains overseas?
I’ve taken the Shinkansen before. I’d really love to ride one of those beautiful trains in Europe, or Switzerland — the kind that looks like it belongs in a movie.

 

Q. Whether it was during today’s shoot or even right now as we’re talking, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an unlovely side of you. People sometimes get irritated or zone out, but I’ve always felt that you consistently show only a beautiful side of yourself. How do you do that?
I think it comes from a sense of professionalism. I can’t say there’s no fatigue that comes with having every moment exposed. I get tired from my schedule too. But the people who come to see me or watch me are mostly people who like me and support me. In front of those people, even if I’m having a hard time, I want to show them a good side of myself first. And if I can give them strength, I want to repay them for that. Also… when you live so busily, time seems to pass so quickly that you don’t even have time to focus on the fatigue. (laughs)

 

Q. The way you answer and the way you speak give the impression that you have a very healthy inner self.
Even before I started this work, I felt that way. Ever since I was young, I’ve always had confidence that my inner self was healthy and strong. In this profession, there are many situations that can make your mind feel unsettled, but I think I’m still quite healthy in that sense.

 

Q. Physically, you seem like someone with a lot of stamina, and like you don’t get sick easily.
I believe physical health and mental health come as a set. When your mind is struggling, your body struggles too, and when your body is struggling, your mind is affected as well. So I always try to keep that balance. Since every part of me matters, I try to listen carefully so that nothing gets neglected. I know that I am precious to myself.

 

Q. Someone who had met you once said, “She may look delicate on the outside, but she’s someone who would survive even in a disaster.” After meeting you, I understand what that means.
That’s such a funny point, because one of the things I heard most often when I was little was, “Wonyoung would survive even if you dropped her on a deserted island.” It feels like it has a similar meaning to what you just said, and thanks to that, I feel like I’ve come to trust myself again. If a disaster really happened, I feel like I’d have to survive. (laughs)

 

Q. As a side question, among the IVE members, who do you think would be the most reliable in a disaster situation?
Gaeul unnie. In a difficult situation like that, I think it’s important to be with someone you connect with emotionally. With her, our tastes and the way we communicate seem to match the best.

 

Q. We can’t not talk about “Lucky Vicky.” Were there ever days when you thought, “Today, I just can’t be Lucky Vicky”?
Actually, I think the meaning of “Lucky Vicky” has been understood a little differently. It was never about having to be happy all the time. It’s more about my attitude of finding small moments of happiness even in uncomfortable situations. But if I had to choose moments when I feel truly upset, it would be when my schedule ends much later than planned and I lose all of my personal free time. That’s what upsets me the most. On days like that, it does feel a little difficult.

 

Q. Among the interviews I found, there was something you said that really stayed with me: “There is nothing in this world that should be treated carelessly.” How did you come up with such a wonderful thought?
I didn’t say it after consciously thinking it through, so I’m not sure how to answer. As you go through life, the things you feel and the things you learn naturally accumulate, and that forms your sense of self. I think that thought came about naturally in that process. Because truly, there is nothing in this world that should be treated carelessly.

 

Q. Most people would simply say, “You should do your best in everything,” but that phrase felt so precise.
I don’t really like the phrase “doing my best.” I tend to think of it more as doing the work I’ve been given properly and well.

 

Q. Have you seen K-Pop Demon Hunters?
I have.

 

Q. When you first heard the songs from that movie, which group came to mind first?
Um… this is actually my first time saying this, but I thought of IVE. When I heard the song “Golden,” it reminded me of our song “I AM.” I was the only one who felt and thought that way at first, and this is the first time I’m saying it out loud. But when people around me started saying the same thing, I realized a lot of people felt it too.

 

Q. Especially in “Golden,” the way the melody rises really felt like IVE.
That’s right. The color of the song is really similar.

 

Q. So I looked up which IVE song received the most love overseas, and it was “I AM.”
Oh! Really?

 

Q. Based on what I found, yes. Even looking at last year’s Lollapalooza performances, the singalong seemed loudest during “I AM.” I watched videos from Lollapalooza Paris and Berlin, and it’s still amazing to see international audiences singing along to almost every song. What does that feel like in person?
Even while performing on stage at the time, I was so surprised. Seeing people whose lifestyles and languages are completely different from ours know our songs so well and sing along to them — I thought it was so wonderful that we could exchange emotions through the stage and through music. We may have more differences than similarities, but the fact that we were connected and able to meet through the names IVE and DIVE felt like such a lucky thing.

 

Q. There was also a sound issue during the Paris performance.
Actually, we didn’t even know there was a problem and just kept singing. We were told afterward that the sound going out to the audience had cut off. There was no way for us to know because through our in-ears, we could still hear our voices in the monitor. And even when the music wasn’t coming out properly, the Paris DIVEs were simply singing along with us. It was such an amazing moment.

 

Q. It was also amazing that you didn’t seem flustered at all.
(laughs) We really didn’t know there was a problem. And I’m also the type who doesn’t get flustered easily.

 

Q. You don’t get flustered?
I don’t usually get flustered or nervous. Even then, my mindset was, if the song didn’t come out, we could just do it again.

 

Q. Somehow, I feel like you don’t have much anxiety either.
That’s right. I think anxiety or nervousness comes when you’re not prepared or when you lack confidence. So I try not to create situations where I would feel that way in the first place. And underneath that, there’s also the thought that “this isn’t a matter of life or death.”

 

Q. Lollapalooza was a full hour of completely live performance. What did you feel when you heard you had to take on a stage like that?
Because of the nature of the festival, it’s not only our fans who attend, but many different people who love music. So I felt it was right to approach it differently and perform live. A one-hour live set was, of course, a challenge for us too. But we prepared a lot so that it could become a good challenge, and it was fun.

 

Q. Your state of mind feels somewhat Buddhist. I think people call this enlightenment or nirvana.
Both are correct. Of course, I’m not saying I’m in that state, but I think both words could be used for the state you’re thinking of.

 

Q. How do you know that?
I don’t have a religion, but I like reading books about different religious ideas. I especially like the Buddhist concept of the “middle way.”

 

Q. I heard this tour covers 20 cities in 12 countries. Looking at the world tour schedule, it seemed very packed. It must be a shame to travel so far and not have much time to enjoy the cities.
No, we can enjoy them. For countries where we stay for a longer period, like during a U.S. tour, there’s usually quite a bit of time before and after. Even if there are schedules, there are cases where the itinerary is planned so we can enjoy the country afterward. It was like that during last year’s world tour too, and this time I plan to eat good food, visit famous exhibitions if there are any, and enjoy the places we go to.

 

Q. When I arrive at a travel destination, the first thing I do is take a shower. I feel most excited when I change into comfortable clothes and head out. When do you feel most excited at a destination?
I really like feeling clean too, so I definitely shower first. After getting off the plane and finishing my shower, I finally feel ready to enjoy myself. I’m happiest when I’m clean like that and go out to find delicious food in that country.

 

Q. I heard your approach to diet management is quite unique.
I barely pay attention to it, but… I absolutely don’t eat things that don’t taste good.

 

Q. In other words, you eat everything that tastes good.
I’ve never been a picky eater, even since I was young. I like new foods, new things, and new challenges, so when I go to a different country, I make sure to eat that country’s food.

 

Q. For example, what did you enjoy?
There’s always at least one dish I like in every country. What comes to mind now is Peking duck. The one I had in Beijing was delicious, and so was the one I had in Hong Kong. In Japan, I liked shabu-shabu.

 

Q. Since we’re talking about taste, you once mentioned Mean Girls on Kang Min Kyung’s YouTube channel, right?
That’s right.

 

Q. It was a film I liked in my twenties, so I was surprised that you liked it too.
I think a masterpiece is good no matter when or who watches it. Also, I like those kinds of teen movies — things that are cute and pretty, pleasant to look at and enjoyable to listen to.

 

Q. I also rewatch that movie regularly. Everything about it is really pretty.
I really like it too. It’s also fun to see Amanda Seyfried, Rachel McAdams, and the others during that era.

 

Q. This is a sudden question, but when do you think the most precious moment in the world is?
This moment right now.

 

Q. Right now?
Always, that very moment. The exact moment I’m speaking now is actually already in the past. Time keeps moving. Any event in the world, once it happens, remains forever as a past that can never return. I hate regret the most, so I always think I shouldn’t create things I’ll regret. That’s why the present feels even more precious to me. It’s also why I don’t really agree with the idea that “you have to struggle now to be happy later.” The me right now is still me, so why should I have to sacrifice myself for my future self? It would be better to take care of myself now and be happy in the future too. I hope everyone reading this interview spends every moment preciously, meaningfully, and happily.

 

Q. You said you hate regret. Do you have any recent memories of regret?
I really don’t think I do.

 

Q. Since the 1970s, Bulgari’s design language has been defined by an avant-garde challenge: combining gold, the most precious metal, with stainless steel, which is rarely used in high jewelry. And when Swiss watchmakers were obsessed with technology, Bulgari completed the world’s thinnest Octo collection in pursuit of creating the most beautiful watch. I think all of this suits you very well as an ambassador.
I wore all of those pieces today too. But aside from that, there’s another thing we have in common. Bulgari’s Serpenti symbolizes eternity, right? My name is Wonyoung, and if you reverse it in Korean, it becomes “youngwon,” which means eternity. That’s why my Instagram ID is “for_everyoung.” So either way, you could say it’s a connection that can’t be separated