Today my role was Ningin’s third cameramen during our interview with the Apop superstar, BoA Kwon. I basically just walked around with a Flip video camera taking candid videos of BoA and her staff/entourage to possibly add a behind the scenes type angle if needed. We brought a pretty big crew in total, two photographers, three cameramen, one audio guy, and of course the interviewer, Jeannette Eng. Seeing how this was BoA, we brought in all seasoned professionals including Eddie Lebron, director of the Megaman Movie that we’ve been helping to promote.

I think we were the 5th or 6th interview of the day for BoA having already met with the likes of Seventeen Magazine, Nylon, and others mostly American media sites. By far we were the biggest production crew, though I thought this was standard for someone of BoA’s caliber. I don’t know how many chances I’ll get to spend time with BoA, so I made sure to get squeeze as much as content as I could with the multiple photographers and cameramen.

I’ve always been a big fan and admirer of BoA. It didn’t really sink in the magnitude of what I was going to do today. Ningin has interview and spent time with many Asian celebs this year, Sung Kang, Jabbawockeez, JYP and Wonder Girls. You’re always supposed to be professional and not act like how a fan would if they met someone famous. This interview was a bit different. There was no big entourage, no concert in the background, no other distraction, just us and BoA. This was easily the most intimate moment Ningin has ever had with an Asian celebrity who by the way just so happens to be named BoA Kwon.

So it wasn’t until I was in the same room with BoA, shaking her hand, talking to her, cracking jokes that it hit me – I’m hanging out with BoA Kwon! It was definitely a surreal, pinch me, I-love-my-job moment. And let me tell you, she’s so much prettier in person!

She’s also very, very nice making us feel really welcomed and at eased. There’s a lot of little pre-interview, post-interview stuff like that during the time Ningin spent with BoA which may or may not go online because of editing. There’s also some really funny and personal stuff that unfortunately will never be streamed because, well, it would offend Asian sensibilities and I’ll just leave it at that. So I have the need to stress how down to earth and cool BoA is in general by sharing with you some of the behind the scenes antics.

BoA opening the Ningin gift bag.

Ningin put together a small gift package for BoA. It was just some really pretty looking desserts, a Ningin t-shirt, and autographed Jabbawockez poster. The original plan was to give it to her after the interview as a surprise but somehow she already saw it and started looking through it. Then we were like, “but BoA… that was kinda for later after the interview.” Then BoA said, “Don’t worry, I’ll act surprised,” with an exaggerated wink. Acting career for BoA anyone?

During the mic test, Peter Chin was holding the boom mic and testing the border of the camera screen by lowering the mic closer and closer to BoA until it entered the frame of the camera. Since we were zoomed in so closely the border was somewhere pretty close to BoA’s head. BoA thought it was going to hit her and defended herself by trying to blow it away. Goofy, but cute! We caught this on tape but Peter, doing his job, kept the boom mic off screen so you won’t get to see that.

Also during setup we gave BoA a dozen things to sign — all of which we’re giving out to lucky Ningin users! A few minutes later she came out saying her wrist hurts. We knew she had injured her wrist recently and were like, did we just make BoA injure herself again?? So when BoA said my wrist hurts now, David Hou, was like “WHAT?!” really loudly making everyone in the room turn around. Then BoA said, “just kidding!” Good job BoA, you got David pretty good! On a side note, her whole staff shares this sense of play in their work. They were really nice and easy to work with, giving us a lot of extra time with BoA. It’s really nice to see BoA supported by good and fun people.

Ok so the interview is going up tomorrow on our special BoA microsite. You’ll see BoA singing some Michael Jackson hooks, BoA teaching you how to sing karaoke “Eat you Up”, and some non-fluff stuff like her thoughts and feelings about crossing over. Look forward to watching it!

Thanks again to all those at SM Town and UMG to help make this happen! Of course thanks to BoA for being a great interview!

Below is a small sample of the photo gallery we’ll be putting up soon.

BoA laughing with Jeanette.

The Ningin BoA Interview Crew from left to right: Jeannette Eng, Eddie Lebron, BoA Kwon, David Hou, Amy Chang, with Peter Chin in the front. Lan was taking the photo. I was speaking with BoA's manager during this =/