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[Video: a hand donning a silver watch reaches up to knock on a white door. After a couple seconds, it swings open, revealing a young man with high, prominent cheekbones and a mop of ashy-blue hair. He’s dressed casually in a gray hoodie and black joggers, and is wearing a pair of round, wire-framed glasses. He looks delighted to see the cameraman.]
“Johnny, my man! What’s up?”
“Hi, Mark! I’m here with your 73 questions, I hope you’re ready.”
“Yeah, I am! C’mon in, dude.”
“Thanks! So let’s jump right into it. What have you been up to this fine morning?”
“Uh...nothing much, actually. I did a bit of cleaning and I just got done making breakfast.”
[The camera moves, showing the interior of a large, modern apartment.] “That sounds so nice. And what did you make for breakfast?”
[Mark smiles, beckoning for the interviewer to follow him. He leads them into a large, airy kitchen.] “Coffee, fruit, and half a bagel.”
“Simple yet delicious.”
“Yeah! Hey, you want a bagel?”
“Oh, yeah, sure!” [A hand reaches out to accept the half of a bagel Mark hands over.] “Thank you. What flavor is this cream cheese on here?”
“Strawberry.” [Mark takes his own bagel and bites off a chunk.] “So good.”
“And what's your go-to breakfast food?”
“Usually this.” [Camera pans from Mark eating his bagel to the plate of fruit on the kitchen counter.]
“That’s a lot of different fruit I see. Do you have a favorite?”
[Mark reaches down and takes a square of watermelon.] “This right here.” [His cheek bulges when he pops it into his mouth.]
“And fruit aside, is there a breakfast food you cook frequently?”
“I’m not the best at cooking, so I gotta make do with whatever I can just toast, cut, and microwave, y’know?”
“But if you could cook well, what breakfast would you make yourself?”
“Oh man, I’d go and make myself hash browns and bacon. Like, every day.” [He pauses.] “Oh, and eggs! Like, sunny side-ups. I really wanna know how to cook one of those.”
[Mark moves out of the kitchen and begins walking down a hallway, bagel still in hand. The camera shakes a little as it follows him.]
“So Mark, you’ve just returned from a world tour. What’s your favorite country you’ve been to while touring?”
“Korea, hands-down.”
“And what country would you like to tour in, but haven’t yet?”
“Argentina. I’ve never been there before.”
“What’s the best part about traveling the world?”
“God, the sights. Every country’s got something so beautiful about it. Hard to beat that.”
“And the worst part?”
“Figuring out time zones.”
“What do you miss the most while going on tour?”
“My bed .”
[They walk into the living room. A ring of couches and loveseats surround a plush white rug under a glass coffee table, just across the floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls are adorned with art pieces depicting song lyrics and abstract paintings. A tall bookshelf rests against the wall adjacent to the windows.]
“Mark, I’ve gotta say, your living room is gorgeous.”
“Thanks, man.”
“And it’s got a great view. What part of living here in LA do you enjoy the most?”
[Mark gestures at the windows and cityscape below.] “The weather. And food.”
“And I heard you’ve lived in quite a few places before. What were they?”
“Vancouver—the one in Canada, Seoul, LA, and I spent like three months over in New York for a bit.”
“And which city is your favorite place to live in?”
“I think they’re all pretty neat, but like, in their own way. It’s hard to compare.” [He turns and walks over to the couch.] “C’mon, sit with me.”
“Thanks. Okay, if you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?”
“Hawaii.”
“What’s your ideal vacation destination?”
“Singapore.”
“Do you prefer to travel alone or with people?”
“With people, like, I can’t be left alone, I’ll get lost so easily it’s not even funny, dude.”
“Is there someone you always travel with?”
“My partner, Jeno. He’s not here right now, but imma have to grab him soon. He’s basically like my non-work manager. Keeps my life all nice and tidy.”
[The camera pans to the side of the living room, where a couple guitars rest on a stand.]
“Those are some beautiful guitars. How often do you play them?”
“Like, every other night or so. As often as I can, really.”
“And I’ve heard that you’re also well-versed in many other instruments. Is that true?”
“What?” [Mark breaks into laughter.] “No! Oh no, I’m not! I’ve played some other instruments growing up, but that’s about it.”
“Which instruments did you play?”
“Well, guitar, obviously, a bit of piano, and I haven’t touched a flute since like, middle school.”
“Do you currently own a flute?”
“Nope.”
“Alright, now how would you describe yourself in three words?”
“Uh...social, passionate, and chill. Yeah, chill.”
“How do you think other people perceive you to be?”
“I dunno, but I’ve been told by a lot of people that I’m intimidating. Like, I don’t think I am? It’s probably just the stage energy. I’m legit, like, one of the least intimidating guys out there.”
“What’s a common misconception about you?”
“That I don’t know what’s going on in social media.” [He makes direct eye contact with the camera.] “I see y’all. I'm on social media. I know what’s going on, okay?”
“What’s your favorite part about performing?”
“The energy from the fans. It really hypes me up, and it gives me the motivation to perform my best.”
“How do you think fame has changed you?”
“Honestly, not much. I’m still the same guy, just, I dunno, busier. And never in one place for too long. Speaking of which—” [He stands.] “—I’ve actually gotta get packing for this trip I’m going on soon. C’mon.”
[Mark walks out of the living room and turns to enter another hallway.]
“Where are you traveling to now?”
“My brother’s place. I’m gonna visit him for a bit, y’know, see the rest of the family before I head off again.”
“What is your travel must-have?”
[Mark reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone.] ”My phone.”
“Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather?”
“Cold.”
“Vans or Converse?”
“Oh god, please don’t make me choose, man. I can’t.”
“What’s your most frequently-used app?”
“Webtoons.”
“Baseball caps or beanies?”
“Both.”
“What is a music genre that you’d want to try out?”
“R&B. I’ve been wanting to create something R&B forever.”
“What’s the best thing about your job?”
“Making music I love, and being able to share that music and the positive vibes with people.”
“If you weren’t a rapper, what would you be?”
“Probably an author.”
“And what is your favorite literary genre?”
“Realistic fiction.”
“And what’s the last book you’ve read?”
“Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert.”
[Mark enters a bedroom. There’s an open suitcase on the floor half-full with clothes, a couple shirts are laid flat against the bed covers, and the door of the walk-in closet is open.]
“Oh, I see you’ve already started packing.”
[Mark chuckles as he approaches the closet.] “Yeah, I actually started last night, but then I got lazy and just left the rest, like I’ll figure it out later.”
“What’s your favorite article of clothing?”
“Actually, this shirt here.” [He reaches into a rack and pulls out a hanger with a black t-shirt with white lettering.] “My friends got it for me when I was still in high school. It’s old, but I like it.”
“And what’s your favorite accessory?”
[Mark shifts and pulls out another hanger. He lifts it to show off a long jacket with silver buttons.] “A jacket with lots of pockets.”
“Isn’t that just another article of clothing?”
“Yeah, but like, the pockets, dude. Pockets .”
“Fair enough.” [Mark moves out of the closet, the shirt and jacket in hand.] “What usually inspires the music you write?”
“Literally, just my day-to-day life.” [He drops the clothes unceremoniously on the bed by the others and smooths them out.] “A lotta my music is based on things I’ve experienced growing up, things I want to do, things I see, places I go—just everything.”
“Do you ever get writer’s block when it comes to lyrics?”
“All the time, dude.”
“And how do you overcome these blocks?”
“Uhm, I just listen to music, y’know, relax, and try to do everything other than thinking about writing. Right, and that reminds me, I gotta get my notebook.”
“Is it the notebook you keep all your ideas in?”
“Yep! It’s in my studio, wanna check it out?”
“Oh, yeah, that’d be great!”
[Mark exits the bedroom and turns down the hall, before entering another spacious room full of recording equipment, stereos, a keyboard, and a computer monitor on a large desk. A gray couch is nestled on the end of the room, and a single laptop lays charging on the small coffee table before the couch.]
“Wow. Is this the place where all the magic happens?”
“Pretty much, yeah. Welcome to the lion’s den, and oh—watch out for those wires there. Don’t trip.”
“Is ‘lion’s den’ the name of your studio?”
“Unofficially, I guess. My brother made up the name first, and I just got used to calling it that.” [He reaches for a notebook tucked at the corner of the desk.] “And here’s the baby. The brain outside my head.”
“Nice. And Mark, what’s the best part of producing your own music?”
“The freedom of expression.”
“And the most challenging?”
“Making sure everything is up to my standards.”
“Those must be quite high.”
[Mark pauses and turns as he makes his way across the studio.] “Kinda, I guess. But it gets the job done, and I want to give out the best possible music I can create.”
“Of all the tracks you've worked on, which is your favorite?”
“Hmm...I gotta say QTAH.”
“And you collabed on stage with TY at your show in Seoul last month. What was that experience like?”
“Oh man, it was unreal . Like TY’s a great dude, and I’ve always looked up to him as a rapper and an artist, so being able to work together with him was like one big dream come true, y’know?”
“Is there anyone you’d like to collaborate with in the future?”
“Definitely HAECHAN, for that R&B album.”
[Mark picks up the laptop from the coffee table and turns, walking out of the studio.]
“And Mark, if you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?”
“Always knowing the right things to do and say, under any circumstance.”
“Are you more of a morning person or a night owl?”
“Night owl.”
“What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”
“Cookies and cream.”
“White or blue?”
“Blue.”
“Would you rather have no eyebrows or no eyelashes?”
“Oh, man. Uh, eyebrows.”
[He turns into the hallway, and walks back into the living room.]
“So Mark, true or false: you started writing music when you were 10 years old.”
“True.”
“True or false: you only eat cereal while producing music.”
“False. I don’t eat anything when I produce, I’m so paranoid it’s gonna get my equipment dirty. I do eat cereal when I take breaks, though.”
“True or false: you sleep with a giant watermelon plushie.”
“False. I don’t sleep with the plushie, it’s actually over there.” [He points at one of the loveseats as he passes the area. A large watermelon plushie is resting on the cushion of the seat.]
“Okay. True or false: you’ve never owned airpods before.”
“That’s true.”
“True or false: you rap in your sleep.”
[Mark laughs.] “True! In English and Korean, oh my god. I think my friends might even have a recording of that somewhere. So yeah, that’s true.”
“Is there another language you would like to be fluent in?”
“I think French would be pretty cool. And Chinese.”
“What is the best advice you’ve ever received?”
“Ah, Jeno told me this when we first started going out, but uh, take care of yourself and your body. Yeah. Self-care is important.”
“If you could give any advice to your 12-year-old self, what would it be?”
“Don’t worry too much. Put your heart into what you do, always remember what you’re working hard for, and you’ll figure out how to solve any problem that comes.”
“Wise words to live by. And what is one thing everyone should know about you?”
“Um, that I’m not that big on receiving fancy gifts. Like I have literally no idea what to do with them. Just give me like a watermelon or something.”
“Has anyone ever actually gifted you a watermelon?”
“Oh, yeah. My brother, my manager, my friends—I think everyone I know has given me a watermelon at some point.”
“And what do you actually do with the fancy gifts?”
“I put them in this room here. C’mon, I’ll show you.”
[Mark enters a large room resembling an office, with a large desk, computer monitor, microphone, and a couple beanbag chairs. There’s a glass display case along one of the walls, filled with trophies, pictures, trinkets, and expensive-looking gadgets. Some are still in their packaging.]
“Wow, that’s a lot of gifts.”
“It’s a lot, yeah.” [He takes a piece of candy from a crystal bowl nearby.] “Chocolate?”
“Yes, please.” [Mark tosses the chocolate, and a hand snatches it out of the air.]
“Ay, nice catch, dude.”
“Thanks!” [Mark grins and swipes another chocolate before walking out of the room.] “Receiving food from Mark Lee, what a treat."
[Mark turns and smiles wryly.] "I see what you did there."
"Caught red-handed. What is the strangest rumor you’ve heard about yourself?”
“That I eloped and got married when I turned 21. That was—” [He snorts out a laugh.] “God, I don’t even know how people make up things like that, like are they for real? It was funny to read about for sure, but I did have to do a lot of explaining to my parents.”
“What is the grandest outfit you’ve ever worn?”
[Mark stops before the living room, juggling his laptop from hand to hand.] “That gold-accented tux I wore to the Billboard Music Awards last year. It matched my hair, when I had those blonde highlights.”
“That was a gorgeous look. What is one habit you’ve always kept?”
“I write down everything I need to do, otherwise I'll forget it.”
“And this leads to my last question for you: when were you supposed to pick up Jeno?”
[Mark freezes, a look of utter shock and mortification overcoming his features. He jerks, almost dropping his laptop as he begins speed-walking down the hall.]
“Oh, shoot! Oh, man, I totally forgot about that! Oh god, I gotta go pick him up now. This has—” [There’s a dull thud offscreen.] “Ow. This has been great, Johnny, but I really gotta go now. Have a good one!”
“You too, Mark! Oh, be careful!”
[Thud.]
[The screen cuts to the signature white ‘VOGUE’ ending clip.]