Make no mistake: 11 years in the entertainment industry has done nothing to dampen Joshua’s appetite for life. Or his energy level, for that matter. We are on hour seven of our Vogue Singapore cover shoot; a gruelling affair which required Joshua to perch on a table top, hold a squat as well as various other cumbersome positions to showcase his physicality. Despite it all, his smile never falters. It’s fair to assume that his ceaseless stamina stems from all his years as a member of a K-pop ensemble.
Widely regarded as a performance powerhouse, Seventeen is known for their three- hour concerts that encompass a never-ending encore; the last of which took place under heavy storm and hail conditions that was hardly a deterrent for Joshua or the rest of the group. Despite this, it is clear to see that something has shifted for him as of late. When asked to sum up the Joshua of today, his response comes instantaneously: “Confident, happy and amazing,” he beams.
It is a state of being that is relatively new for Joshua. “To be honest when I was younger, I didn’t really think about taking care of myself or my body. I didn’t eat a lot of fruits or vitamins,” he quips. “I think I’ve reached a point in my life where I am now aware of my physical limitations.” This has translated to a rejig of his regimen and diet, which now involve managing his pace during rehearsals and also loading up on vitamin juice alongside probiotics. The biggest change, however, lies in the upkeep of his mental health.
“I find mental health to be just as—if not, more—important than your physical health. That’s the biggest takeaway I’ve learnt throughout my time in the industry,” Joshua asserts. “The nature of modern-day life can sometimes lead to people undervaluing and deprioritising their mental health. If there’s a message I could leave for my fans, it is for them to understand that there is nothing weird about seeking help or going to therapy. As someone who goes to therapy, I find it instrumental in helping me develop a positive and healthier mindset.”
Granted, the emphasis Joshua has placed on his mental health comes in the wake of great change. With Seventeen being in the midst of their enlistment period—four of 13 members are presently serving in the military—the pressure is on the remaining members to make adjustments in their absence. The fickle nature of the entertainment industry often makes this a crucial turning point for most K-pop boy groups; a case of sink or swim, if you will. Joshua, however, remains unfazed by this turn of events.
“I think I’m a really adaptable person. I deal with change really well,” he says. The quiet ease and confidence that Joshua radiate —which also gained him the moniker ‘gentleman’ by fans—further cements this. “I left LA and came to Korea at a really young age. It was tough, but it didn’t take me too long to get used to Korea’s culture and standards. I think it helps that I am, by nature, a very open person, whether that is to new experiences or feelings.”
It certainly shows in the direction Joshua is taking with his solo endeavours. On the music front, he divulges that he has now moved into producing music as well; uncharted territory for the vocalist that hints at an exciting new project. While he insists that he can’t talk about it just yet, his hunger to continually develop and explore shines in the sheer enthusiasm of his response. Sonically, he is looking to diversify into a wide variety of genres including R&B and into other fields of the entertainment industry as well.
“I thought that I should use this time to learn a different craft and I’ve always been interested in acting so it made sense to me,” Joshua muses. “I would love to star in something like Wednesday or Modern Family. This whole experience is so interesting to me because I’m more nervous when I am performing in front of my teacher than when I go on stage.” He pauses to ruminate on this further, before adding: “I get so anxious, which is really new for me. It’s through this whole process that I felt like I could branch out into different parts of myself that I didn’t know before.”
At the heart of it, that is precisely what makes Joshua such a compelling entertainer. While he holds an iron-clad awareness of who he is as an individual, he harbours a zest and inquisitiveness for what he could be, and continually attempts to uncover new facets of himself, as shown in his ever-growing body of work. Fashion, for one, has been a point of interest for some time, with Joshua attending shows for Fashion Week over the past couple of seasons. On his wish list is Giorgio Armani, which he feels is very much in line with his personal style. He also expresses a novel appreciation for watches since his inaugural visit to the Watches and Wonders event in Geneva as a guest of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Then there’s his entry onto RedNote. Joshua joined the Chinese social networking platform a few months ago, marking his first foray into the market by doing covers of popular Chinese songs. To some, his decision to do so might seem random. But as
with most things Joshua does, it was a well-thought-out gesture. “I’m the type of person who puts 100 percent in everything I do. For me, RedNote is another way to express gratitude to my fans,” he explains. “It’s not easy for me because I have to play the
guitar while singing in a language I’m not good at. But at the end of the day, I want to be genuine. With Seventeen, I feel like our sincere feelings and emotions are what truly connects us with our fans. And that matters a lot to me.”
As Joshua continues to embark on the many new roads he has set out for himself, it is clear to see that his sincerity as well as his capacity for curiosity and whimsy are coming with him. No matter which hat he decides to wear next, one thing remains clear: it will be an authentic expression of who he is at that moment. And that, in itself, is enough.
Photography Jang Duk Hwa
Styling Nicki Lee
Make-up Gayeon Son
Hair Eunhee Kim
Producers David Bay and Mi Kim
Styling assistant Kelly Kim
Photographer’s assistants Meanki Yoon and Geonwoo Byun
Hair assistant Sungwoon Lee
Get your copy of the June ‘Embody’ issue of Vogue Singapore online.
