Ever since debuting, HANJIN has been providing fans with glimpses into his life through the photos and videos he posts to weverse almost daily—things like what he eats, what he wears, the fun things he gets up to, and just when he thinks he’s looking good. He graciously uploads every one of his photos to let his fans in on everything down to the tiniest things that bring him joy. Eager to bring himself closer to his fans, this rising new artist’s eyes sparkled brighter than ever as he talked all about this hobby of his. HANJIN shoots, selects, and shares his photos with 42, TWS’s fandom, in the endearing way only he can, capturing in pictures the emotions that can’t quite be captured in words.

Discovering a new world through the camera lens
HANJIN: Ever since I was young, I’ve loved being on camera and having my picture taken, but I’ve also always loved being behind the camera and taking pictures of all kinds of interesting things! Photography gives me a way to discover a whole new world. When I shoot, I get curious about the people and things the camera captures and start to see new possibilities. For me, it’s not just about keeping a record of things, but a way of capturing emotion and meaning. Photography eventually became an inseparable part of my life.

The ultimate expression of love
HANJIN: I feel like sharing my photos with others lets me convey emotions and vibes that can’t be expressed in words alone. I can’t take and post photos that much because of how busy I am, but I always make sure to get on weverse whenever I have time because I want to grow closer with 42 by sharing how I’m living and feeling in photos! That’s why, whenever I snap a picture, I think of it as making memories with them. (laughs) Like I said before, “sharing memories is the ultimate expression of love,” and whenever I take a photo and share it with 42, that’s my way of expressing my love for them. Even when we can’t see each other in person, I want them to feel like I’m by their side, always.

HANJIN’s secret to a solid selfie
HANJIN: I want to share a little secret of mine! (laughs) I’ve been taking selfies almost every day since just before I debuted, so now I have over 10,000 photos on my phone! I find the two most important things when taking a selfie are finding the right lighting and the best angle. I like taking photos in natural light, like in the sun, and I try to hold my phone up at an angle a little to emphasize the contours of my face. Sometimes the other members ask me how to take a good selfie. Then I look at the shape and features of their face and talk about what kind of angle and lighting would work best for them. I’ll even demonstrate to them directly how they should take it sometimes. (laughs)

Current obsession: mirror selfies
HANJIN: What I discovered recently is that you can take even more interesting photos by using a mirror or glass, or something else reflective. My current obsession is taking photos in the mirror, so if you look at most of the selfies and other pictures I’m posting on weverse lately, they’re pretty much all shot in the mirror. I take more selfies in the practice studio than anywhere else. My favorite spot to do it is by the window where the sun comes in, though.

When the other members take photos of HANJIN
HANJIN: The other members all have their own style when they take my photo and they all turn out good. But if I had to pick just one person who takes the best pictures of me, it’d have to be YOUNGJAE. He’s really good at capturing me just being myself, plus he knows exactly the lighting and angle I like. Sometimes his photos of me are so good that they surprise me! I really like how they turn out!

TWS as seen through HANJIN’s lens
HANJIN: Sometimes I describe myself as the one who keeps track of all TWS’s memories. I love keeping a record of every moment the group spends together. The photos don’t just make for beautiful memories, but stand as proof of how far we’ve come together, too. The photo that stands out most in my mind is one I took on stage at our debut showcase! I remember being so nervous and my ears turning pitch-red because it was my first time holding a camera in front of our fans. (laughs) In that moment, you could see the result of all the hard work we put in together, and whenever I look at that photo, I can still feel how excited and proud I was. It was also us taking our first step towards making our dream come true.

TWS is always making memories
HANJIN: I think one of the reasons I love taking photos so much is because those photos all represent memories of something. It’s like the message behind our second mini album: I want to make this a summer to remember with 42, filled with laughter, good vibes, and happy times. And I want to capture this whole special summer in photos and videos while I’m at it. And there’s already so many funny stories from the latest round of promotions! There was this one time in the practice studio when we were learning some new choreography, and at one point, we all turned the wrong way like we planned it in advance! (laughs) We all died laughing. Memories like that might just be a small thing, but they’re the kinds of moments that make practicing more fun and bring us closer together.

A special memory to share with 42
HANJIN: We shot part of the video for “hey! hey!” at the beach, and the wide, open, blue ocean and sky, and the whole view around us, and just the whole atmosphere were all so beautiful that I was welling up with emotion. I remember us all running across the beach together like something straight out of a teen movie. I thought I could relive those amazing memories later if I captured them in photos, so I took a ton of them! I really hope I get a chance to share them with 42 sometime.

A one-of-a-kind birthday gift
HANJIN: Before I debuted, one of my hobbies was filming things with a camcorder, like vlogs on my way to school, and editing the video. And I kept making personal vlogs and other videos even after I debuted. Sometime around DOHOON’s birthday, I randomly opened my photos and found a bunch of photos and videos of him, and I thought it would make a great birthday present if I made them into a video! Ever since then, I make a special video for every one of the group members for their birthdays. I keep it a secret and only show it right on their birthdays. They’re always so surprised. They love it. (laughs)

Picking out music for TWS videos
HANJIN: I pick out the background music when I’m editing videos, too. I think the best way to convey emotions is to have video and music together. For example, if I was making a video showing our friendship together, I would probably choose “hey! hey!” as the background music. The lyrics are about a boy who used to be all alone but makes friends with people who have the same dream as him, and they learn to rely on each other as they become one group reaching for a shared goal. It feels like the perfect song to represent the origins, present, and future of TWS. I’d like to keep getting better at making videos and be able to make something like a TWS music video myself in 10 years from now. Haha. I’m half-joking when I say that (laughs) but I really do want to give it a try!

HANJIN’s camera collection
HANJIN: I recently bought a new digital camera! I also have a Polaroid camera on top of that and a bunch of film cameras, so I’ve got over a hundred of my own film photos over my bed at home right now. I always want to look into other kinds of photography, so I would love it if 42 could recommend some good cameras or photographic styles! I’ll keep taking lots of photos and sharing them all with them!

Keeping a record of the little things in life
HANJIN: The photos I post show my everyday life, how I feel, and the things I experience. I hope they let 42 know I’m always thinking of them and always on their side. And I hope that, anytime they’re feeling lonely or going through something rough, they can look at the photos, videos, and messages I post and that they’ll make them feel better. The things I share might be plain and ordinary, but they’re still a record of the little things that make life special. I hope 42 can find hope and joy in the small things in their everyday experiences, too.