'It's a hunger game, we're just not killing each other... One person is going to survive, so you may as well have fun,' the ninth place finisher shares the way he looks the FOX singing competition.
- Mar 31, 2012
AceShowbiz - Heejun Han may not be the best singer in "American Idol" season 11, but he's brought a lot of fun to the show. Explaining his preference to showcase a fun performance week after week, the South Korea-born guy said after his elimination on Thursday, March 29 night, "Honestly, it's entertainment. It's really about laughing or crying. I had to choose one, and I let them laugh, so what's the big deal here?"
On Steven Tyler who criticized him for not taking things seriously during Billy Joel week, he explained, "We had our different perspective. I was trying to give a fun time to America because I thought it was going to be entertaining and it was going to be fun and everything, but maybe he took it wrong. But I can't please everyone, so it was just the fact that I got to show a little bit of my fun side."
However, he refused to be said that he took the show for granted. "If I didn't take this competition seriously I wouldn't have tried out in the first place...hours and hours of auditions and rehearsals and all the hard work," he defended himself. "But I understand from their perspective - this is a singing competition and I feel like I proved myself with yesterday's performance so I'm pretty happy."
Looking the singing competition with less intense approach, Heejun described the show as "a hunger game," referencing to the hit film "The Hunger Games", before adding, "We're just not killing each other." He further shared, "Why do we have to be so serious? One person is going to survive, so you may as well have fun. Stay true to yourself."
With his comedic talent, Heejun was urged by Randy Jackson to pursue a career in comedy following his exit. "He grabbed me and said, 'Dude, you are a great singer, but dog, you have to be in a sitcom'," the 22-year-old New Yorker recalled. Saying he's up for it, he stated, "Regardless if it's a sitcom, movie, or anything, if they are willing to work with me, I'll do it."
He even already has an idea for the plotline for his hypothetical sitcom. "An Asian guy who's trying to go out with a really, really pretty blonde girl, and [there should be] a crazy antagonist in there," he shared. Still showing his great sense of humor, he added that he might consider returning to reality television, but not competition shows, except "America's Next Top Model".
Asked about the judges who decided not to use their "save" privilege for him, Heejun said Jennifer Lopez was actually trying to save him. "Jennifer actually came up to me and said, 'I really, really tried to save you, but they wouldn't listen to me!' and I said, 'It's OK, baby, it happens all the time'," he claimed before jokingly adding, "Those judges suck, but Jennifer is awesome."
He, however, might not please P. Diddy with his comment as he hinted that the guest mentor in the previous week was "kinda drunk when we were having our mentor session." Of Jimmy Iovine who said he wouldn't sign the funnyman, he said, "Jimmy was a great mentor, I respect him a lot. I [just] hope I don't see him anytime soon, because I've been talking a lot of crap about him."
Asked who he roots for on "Idol", Heejun said, "I was rooting for Jeremy [Rosado], Sharon [Magrane] or Erika [Van Pelt]." He went on joking, "But [that] didn't happen so I'm not gonna root any for now. I'm just gonna watch 'The Voice'."
