“No,” replied Eunjae. He was able to answer that one quickly because it was such an easy question. Of course he wasn't spoken for. Imagine the general furor if the fans thought he was dating someone! But he shoved both hands in his pockets, subconsciously worried that any and all sudden movements might be interpreted as seduction.
Denny put the car in reverse. “He’s spoken for. By Interpol. Because he’s some kind of fugitive trying to dodge international law. They’re probably looking for him as we speak, so don’t get attached.” Suddenly, he put the car back into park again. “And the phone! Did you think I wouldn’t notice the phone? Now you adopt mopey strangers and give them phones? This is worse than the time Mom and Dad adopted that weirdo cellist from church —”
“Her host family had an emergency out of town and couldn’t pick her up from the airport. She stayed for one weekend. I don’t think that counts as an adoption.”
“Yeah, ‘cause it counts as a classic con. I’m shocked you didn’t give her a phone, too.”
“Ryan needed one,” said Jiyeon, “and I had two, so why not?”
“That garbage piece of plastic doesn’t count as a phone! And what are you gonna do when they stop supporting a 4G network around here? I’m losing my mind all over again.”
“It can handle calls and texts just fine. There’s nothing else I need it to do. Not anymore.”
Something unreadable passed between them. Denny looked away first.
Not long after, Eunjae and Jiyeon stood together in the parking lot, having finally mollified her brother into leaving. “Let’s head inside before Interpol detects your presence,” she said.
“Probably for the best,” agreed Eunjae.
Clip from an interview with all nine members of Apollo, filmed in December 2022
The boys are awash in a sea of puppies.
Most are openly elated by this situation. Jesse lies sprawled on the floor in a state of rapture, puppies treading on his face. Not too far from him, Nick and Namgyu are busy comparing two puppies they’ve scooped up and claimed as their own. Each insists his puppy is cuter and more intelligent. Kei informs them in a dreary monotone that the puppies are definitely cuter and more intelligent than they are.
“The puppy interview,” gushes Kazu, grinning at the camera. He’s lounging on a pile of cherry red cushions in a shirt with one too many buttons undone. The comments section is full of jokes about Apollo’s eldest member baring his chest the instant he’s not on South Korean mainstream channels. He jostles Jaehwan, who is seated beside him. “We’ve been waiting to do the puppy interview forever.”
Clearing his throat, Jaehwan says, “Shine bright, it’s Apollo!” The other eight members echo their leader’s words. It’s the group’s official greeting, used for every introduction since their debut.
“Today we’re answering some questions while playing with puppies.” Jaehwan’s smile radiates serenity even as he cuts a pointed glare in Nick’s direction; that was supposed to be his line. Realizing his mistake, Nick laughs nervously. The fans assigned Jaehwan the hammer emoji three weeks after Apollo’s first EP dropped in 2014 and it has never ceased to be an accurate representation of his leadership style.
There is a round of brief introductions. In addition to stating his name, Kei announces himself as a cat person. This triggers a chorus of lighthearted booing from everyone around him. When everyone’s had their turn, Jaehwan gestures at a producer off-screen. “Don’t bother with subtitles. We brought our own translators. If they don’t work, they don’t eat.”
The video splits into three panels, each showing one of Apollo’s fluent English speakers: Ari, Max, and Jesse. Max is paying absolutely no attention whatsoever. He appears determined to teach Apollo choreography to some puppies who keep trying to toddle into Kei’s lap. As for Jesse, he hasn’t moved at all since the last time we saw him.
With his brothers otherwise occupied, Ari becomes official translator by default. From the comments, we glean that this is the fate which usually befalls him. Fans find it extra funny because Ari is well known to be quieter and more reserved than the other members.
The interview questions have been submitted by Apollo’s fans. These are printed on cards which Ari pulls out of a basket and reads aloud. “Do you guys ever fight? What happens if you do?” He looks up, laughing. “I can answer that one. We fight all the time.”
Referring to Jaehwan by the respectful honorific for an older brother, Kei says, “Hyung makes us hold hands when we’re fighting."
“I read about it in a magazine. Holding hands makes it harder to stay mad.”
“Because it makes it harder to punch each other,” Namgyu elaborates, beaming.
Ari pulls the next question, still laughing. “What’s your go-to pickup line?”
Several members express confusion, so Ari explains the question in Korean. Jungwoo is the first to respond. The camera zooms in on Apollo’s resident songwriter, composer, and producer as he says, with a completely straight face, “Your beauty has earned me many enemies.”
The group devolves into instant uproar. Max stands up and proclaims, “Those are song lyrics! And they aren’t even ours! Cheater! Cheater, cheater, cheater!”
Jaehwan raises his voice above the din. His smile never falters. In fact, it only becomes more beautiful and more mesmerizing as the chaos unfolds around him. Firmly he declares, “No pickup lines. We belong to our fans. Next!”
But the camera zooms in on Kazu, who scoffs, “Pickup lines. Sunshines, are you saying I need those? I thought I could get by on my looks.” Animated sparkles twinkle around his face, which is indeed so pleasing to the eye that it ought to be illegal. Kei lobs a cushion at him, unimpressed.
“Ari-yah,” calls Jaehwan. “Next question.”
Goaded by the power of his older brother’s glare, Ari rushes to oblige. “Favorite fanmade sign you’ve seen at concerts and events?”
