POPSEOUL!

He’s smiling!

David Choi, a song writer, producer, and now singer, has got to be one of the most down to earth person I know. We decided to meet at a coffee shop to start the interview. Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect. His videos made him look aloof yet approachable so I just kept a clear head to find him already waiting for his caramel macchiato.

We sat outside and the first thing I noticed was his smile. Yes people, David Choi actually smiles, a lot. Unlike his videos where he usually is expressionless, in person he has many different ranges of emotion and if anything he made it easy for me by starting the conversation that led to the interview.

Here’s the interview below.

P.S.: How’d you start?
DC: When I was 16, I was in history class and a kid brought in a cd and played it for the class. until then I never thought about creating. I mean I played the violin and piano and read music but never created. That night, I [used] my synthesizer piano and composed my first instrumental.

P.S.: When was your big break?
DC: I entered a workshop at 19 held by ASCAP and Warner Chappell’s music’s rep was there along with other different producers. At the end she took me to her office wanting to hear some more of my work and then I got signed as a staff writer.

P.S.: When was your first youtube.com video post?
DC: February 2007 I posted up for fun and to experiment. I had no intentions of becoming who I am now.”

P.S.: Do you still feel awkward smiling in front of a camera?
DC: It’s not that it’s awkward it’s more like you smiling in front of a mirror. If you smile it is fake. I mean do you smile in front of the mirror? (P.S. not really) It’s like looking in front of a mirror and saying “hey guys”.

P.S. Where do you get your inspiration for your music?
DC: Everywhere. From real life experiences, other people, life, just about everything. Song writing is writing about everything not just personal life although you do that too.

P.S.: What song is closest to your heart?
DC: Kina and I talked about this and it’s harder to explain/talk about that because you already put your heart into a song and put it out. It’s hard y’know.

P.S.: Since you brought up Kina, the question people have been asking is, are you and Kina together?
DC: (laughs) Kina’s a good friend. You can put I’m single.

P.S.: Then I have to ask, what kind of girl is your style?
DC: I’m not picky. I look though for a good personality before looks because you can look great but be stupid and it’s just not cool.

P.S.: What was it like working with Wongfu on the music video?
DC: They’re amazing guys. They’re good friends now even if we don’t work together were just good friends because of the way we are. Great guys, really talented down to earth, you can’t say anything bad about them. They are all different and complement each other.

P.S.: Can you describe each of them in one word?
DC: Phil: Awesome. Ted: Nice. Wes: Cool.

P.S.: So you recently posted up a video of you and Paul Dateh, how’d that come about?
DC: We met at Kollaboration last year and have been in contact with him since. He is extremely talented. The best violinist ever, I think. He’s a really good guy and down to earth. I don’t say someone’s talented often but he is very musically talented.

P.S.: You’ve already collaborated with Kina, do you want collaborate with anyone else in the future?
DC: We’re actually collaborating on a new song. [as for collaborating in the future] it depends on how I feel and [our personalities need to click]. It’s worse when it’s for business/work because it takes away from [that process]. I got burnt out collaborating with over 50 people in two years.

P.S.: Are you working on a new project?
DC: Just new songs I have written. I have about 30 songs but slowly recording my 2nd album. I won’t record all of them but recording them.

P.S.: What’s different about this album from your first one?
DC: Less rushed (laughs) I’m taking my time and am going to feel it more.

P.S.: Do you listen to Korean music?
DC: Not really. I just listen to the ones my friends listen to, like that one song “…baby baby baby” and “lolli lolli lollipop”.

P.S.: What do you think about the Korean artists like Se7en, Rain, BoA, the Wondergirls, who are trying to break into the American market?
DC: There are two sides to it. The positive: good for them that they’re trying to achieve success. They’ve been able to collaborate with big producers. But just b/c you’re big in Asia you can’t move in. I think they way they managed to do it was wrong. As an artist, I think they need to interact with fans. I like the grassroots thing and I like interacting with them. I think they forgot to do that.

P.S.: What do you think about their music?
DC: The problem was that they tend to make it sound too American and people don’t like that anymore because it’s too processed, too synthesized, to corporate.
I mean I would love to see an Asian make it, I mean I am Korean.
The music is what connects people. I don’t want to see myself as a product or celebrity. I’m just a normal guy who does smile all the time and wants to make an impact.

P.S.: So you’re heading out to Korea sometime near the end of this year what are you looking forward?
DC: Going to my home home country. I’m Korean so I got to go. To meet the supporters in Korea and talk with them. Meet family, I haven’t seen my grandparents since I was five. (FYI: it’s his first time flying out to S.Korea)

P.S.: So how’d you get albums to be sold in Korea?
DC: A company contacted me and wanted a sub publishing deal. I was all for it and so agreed.

P.S.: What kind of Korean “things” have you seen/heard of?
DC: I heard about Epik High through Far East Movement, haven’t listened to any of their songs though. I watched “Old Boy”, I really liked it, twisted and disgusting. I remember this one from awhile back WangCho and Byul. I listened to a little bit of H.O.T. (starts singing part of Candy). I wasn’t really interested in Korean Entertainment.

P.S.: Any Influences by people as you were growing up?
DC: Everyone was a n influence. Everyone is a product of your past. I am who I am today because of my past. It all has to do with who I am now.

P.S.: While discussing the difficult nature of contacting “bigger stars”.
DC: If you want a real connection but if you have a label it’s hard to have a close connection. That’s why I do it all myself and it’s the only way to do it. I’m totally myself in the videos and in person. Maybe I smile more in person. =)

Fun random facts about David Choi
Boxers or Briefs?
Hard Candy or Chocolate (dark)
Favorite Color: Green. It’s calming.
Favorite Food: Korean, you want to know why? Because it takes a long time to prepare. For hotdogs you just cook the hotdog and stick it in a bun but when you go to a Korean restaurant they give you banchan. And each one takes like 20hours to make (I’m probably exaggerating because I don’t know how to make them) each with it’s own recipe then there is the main food with its own recipe. And it’s healthy.
Favorite Drink: Sweet Leaf Tea’s Pomegranate green tea
Favorite celebrity: Don’t really have one. They’re all normal people to me. I have people I respect like Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Bill Gates, b/c they all have done a lot for the world. I respect people who try to make a change.
Favorite Phrase to say on’t really have one but I do love quotes b/c it encourages me throughout the day.
What fortune would your fortune cookie say?:You are lucky. You are blessed.
Favorite Outfit to wear: At home I like to wear comfortable clothes, nothing too flashy. As you can probably tell from my videos. Sleeveless shirts because its open but not naked feeling and it’s as naked as you can feel but covered up there and boxers.

By the way, for those of you who wanted to book him for something, the easiest thing to do, according to David Choi, is to contact him yourself. So go for it! Don’t be shy.

Also to find out more about him check him out and join/follow/friend/subscribe to David on
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