Thread by @orrery_nim

Idol Olympic - "Meeting Park Chaewon: An introverted, quiet child makes it all the way to the Billboard Chart"
Interview recorded Jan 28
#LOONA

What kind of person is Park Chaewon?
> I think I'm quiet, calm, and kind of introverted. But when I'm with the members, I really like teasing and messing around, and I think I enjoy talking with people too.

There's been some good news lately! With US Radio charts.
>We've been on the charts for 3 weeks straight now, and we've made it to the top 40. So I'm really moved by that.

Apparently, only BTS, Monsta X, Blackpink, and LOONA have made it there.
>What's so unbelievable about this is that the sunbaenims you mentioned are such accomplished people, so our name coming after theirs, I think like, "is this a lie?" It really doesn't feel real.

Another impressive thing I heard with LOONA is entering Billboard's main album chart top 200.
>Yes. With the members, we found out while we were just eating at our dorm. So we were like "huh?"

At first we just think "the fans probably made an edit."
So when we ask the company staff, "did we really make it on the charts??"
They say "you really did it!!"
So when they congratulate us too, that's when it feels a little more real. And we're just so thankful.

How was your childhood?
>When I was young, I was really shy around strangers. I was really bashful. I had a hard time speaking out, I was just a quiet child, I think.

Because of your slightly introverted personality, some might wonder, "did she dream of being a celebrity?"
>While watching idols, I'd enjoy dancing/singing, but in secret, alone. But in front of people, should I say I was still embarrassed to? It was that kind of feeling.

Go Won: But as a fan, I went to a Oh My Girl concert once. They were so cool, and I thought, "I want to go onstage and meet fans too."
Interviewer: Like, "I'd like to be on the shining stage too"
Go Won: yes, yes.

Didn't LOONA have a concert too?
>We did a showcase too, and when we did our concert, we did it at the same venue that Oh My Girl did theirs at. I had only watched from the seats before, but being onstage singing and dancing at that spot, I choked up a bit, I think.

I'm curious about what you went through as you prepared to debut as LOONA.
>I started going to singing and dancing lessons, and the academies would offer chances to go to auditions. I attended those auditions.

Go Won: How I found this one was, there was a big banner ad on the street for LOONA. Then I gained an interest in LOONA in general, and I saw the performances of the earlier members, and their MVs, and told myself that I'd like to join this company.

Go Won: So I auditioned here, and luckily, the timing worked out really well, and as the 11th member... Almost as soon as I joined the company, they gave me a song,
Interviewer: One&Only.
Go Won: Yes, One&Only.

Things moved really fast, so by the end of January my MV and song came out, and we debuted as a full group in August.
Interviewer: You must've had some uncertainties in debuting so quickly though, things moved so fast.

Go Won: I started dreaming of this pretty late on my life, and I did keep thinking that I wasn't ready. My dancing felt lacking, my singing felt lacking, but in that situation I got a song to record.

Go Won: At the recording room I had to sing, but I was so scared that I couldn't sing/say anything. So I remember crying a lot in the recording room.
And while dancing I had to wear a dress and dress shoes/heels, and I found that I couldn't.

Interviewer: Everything must've felt so foreign.
Go Won: Yes, internally I was strongly thinking, "Oh I want to do this and that and show them something good," but it was so awkward, so none of that came out on the outside.

You must've practiced a lot. To make up for the gap.
>I first thought that I needed to raise my confidence. Even for dancing, I thought that I was not good enough, so I asked the members too. Yves told me that at first she really wasn't sure about me early on.

She had mixed feelings about me so she would teach me things personally. So she tried to empower me, and I have lots of memories of learning directly from her back then.

I really thought that the members were all so perfect, and that I would ruin everything, so I think I got a lot of help from the other members.

Interviewer: your favorite performance as LOONA?
Go Won: Butterfly - I have a part where I'm lifted in the air, you see.

I'm the one being lifted, but in reality the members below me are putting a ton of effort into that.
Now they raise me up easily, but at first I was so scared, my legs trembled so much as I was lifted.

The members said "just trust in us and go up" - and doing it like that was how the choreo was completed. So I really like Butterfly.

Your happiest moment?
>Doing concerts, or doing the fanmeetings? In those moments I really feel like I'm directly interacting with the fans. During rehearsal I'd wonder "why am I so tired today?" but when I see the fans, energy just comes out of nowhere.

Any plans for the future?
>Having comebacks more often in the future, and getting a music show win again.. 😁
So that when people ask "do you know LOONA?" others say "Yeah I do know LOONA" - I'd like for us to make the group more well known

>And I'd like for the members to all make content that suits them personally.

Final words?
>I'm a much better person than you might think! 😁 I seem quiet and stuff, but I'm good in conversations and like talking. Let's try getting to know each other 😁

And to our Orbits, I always want to see you the most, I love you the most, and I think you always make me someone special, so I'm thankful. Let's see each other often, Orbits. Thank you!

According to the channel, eng subs for this video will be uploaded between Feb 1-3 (KST), and there are supposedly more interviews with LOONA members to come.