Prior to the "Shoot of Asia" basketball exhibition game (presented by Bench in partnership with SBS), the Korean team, Rising Eagles, held a press conference to discuss the anticipated match against the Philippine team.
The attendees included the 11 players: SHINee's Minho, NCT's Johnny, 2AM's Jinwoon, Su In, Eun Seok, Kim Taek, Dae Hee, Tae Jin, Seung Hoon, Chan Woong, and Kyu Min. Also present were coach Seo Jang Hoon, assistant coach Chon Tae Poong, and team manager 2NE1's Sandara Park.
Dara, who has a well-known image in the Philippines, was asked about her thoughts, emphasizing that even as she represented Korea, her love for Filipinos is there and has always been there.
Head coach Jang Hoon, on the other hand, offered a glimpse into the Rising Eagles' preparations for the match. "Despite our busy schedules, team Korea has devoted our time to do practices in between."
Jinwoon later added that the team practiced extensively in Korea in preparation for the competition against the Philippine team, Kuys Showtime.
"One of the best things that we have is actually the love we all have for basketball," assistant coach Tae Poong added.
When Minho and Johnny were asked about their experience being a player on the court and being an idol on the stage, Minho shared, "As an idol myself, whenever I go on stage, we really have to make sure that our performances are perfect, so we truly devote ourselves. While being a player, the nervousness is always there, and, of course, the practices have to be there."
He added that maintaining his mental ability to switch between these roles involves relying on his group's teamwork and drawing energy from within.
Johnny agreed with Minho's sentiment, noting that the nerves persist both on the court and on stage. He then explained, "When I'm on stage to perform, I exert all my energies towards the audiences who come for my shows. And for being a player, during the competition, I really get energy from the audience who come and cheer as well."
During the Q&A, allkpop had the chance to ask Tae Jin about the specific mental cues he uses to stay focused under pressure and how he balances the team's drive to win with the goal of entertaining fans.
He answered: "First of all, as we all know, our main job is not really to be an athlete but to be a celebrity. Actually, our motivation and our goal to be on the court is really to show everyone that our love and passion for basketball is not small."
"But we have to also stay concentrated. The one voice that really holds us together among all the voices we hear on the court is basically our head coach, Seo Jang Hoon's voice. Once we hear his voice, that really puts us on the ground and helps us focus," Tae Jin added.
Check out some photos from the conference below! [Photos by Sofia Sayson]
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