[JO1] Progress Ruki interview

Handwritten Profile
Name: Shiroiwa Ruki
How are you called by the members? Ruki-kun, Ruki, Rukkun, Shiroiwacchi
Birthday: 1997.11.19
Blood type: O type
Home prefecture: Prefecture Tokyo
Charm point: silky hair
Interests: looking at clothes, bathing
Skill: I’m looking for something new right now
Habit: brushing up my bangs, touching my chin
Favourite music: JO1
Favourite sports: soccer
Favourite food: Yakiniku, Monja (a dish similar to okonomiyaki), Yakitori
Favourite phrase: words that I said, JAM
Your favourite item that you cherish using each day: clothes, bag
A place where you want to go: Disneyland, USJ
Some you admire/respect: There is no one I decided on.
Some words to the fans: I want to meet you soon. Thank you for always. I love you.

Since I was a child, I often watched TV and you could say I was a square eyed kid/addicted to watching TV. However, in the beginning, I didn’t have the feeling that I wanted to become an entertainer. But it was recommended (to me) by my parents and the people around me, so from time to time I was able to do show biz work. When I became a high school student, I felt, too, that I wanted to follow this path properly and I made sure to seriously work hard on it. For a long time, I did various activities, but inside of myself I’ve decided that if the group I previously belonged to can’t become famous, I will resign from work that makes you stand in public and that I would give up on the entertainment world. I left school and focused on the group, but the end was that my dream didn’t come true. I thought “Even if I’m working hard on it, it seems like a dream I can’t make come true” and when I was discouraged, my mom told me about PRODUCE 101 JAPAN. I had no idea about PRODUCE 101 JAPAN and I had decided not to stand in public anymore, so I wasn’t interested. Yet my mom signed me up in secret. Towards the first screening, I was told “Please do it while thinking of it as your very last chance”. But my own feelings were still mixed.
At the time the first episode was aired, I’ve noticed that the responses of the public and the opinion the people around me had changed a bit and I understood that this was a really amazing program. I thought that if I worked hard, something might change, and after writing “I change my life” as my first pledge, my feelings changed. I was also encouraged by the sincere hopes of the trainees around me. I felt that I had to become part of the A class, but when at first it was C class and B class for the re-evaluation, it was beyond frustrating and I cried hidden in the bus. I thought ‘for what reason did I come to Korea?’ But the audition wasn’t over yet, and I thought that I will renew my feelings and go up from then on.
If I had been a viewer, I wouldn’t have noticed myself in the beginning. But I think because there were people who supported me the whole time even from the time when I didn’t stand out, I was able to continuously climb up in the ranking until the final. There is something like a desire that in some way I want to repay the people who continued to believe that I could debut. I have nothing but gratitude for the people who voted for me.
I am shy of strangers. Even for me it’s strange that after becoming a member of JO1 I became something like a talkative character. Because I thought I wasn’t good at talking and there was also the perception that I am hard to deal with. Maybe it was because it was broadcasted that I fooled around the whole time in the dorm during the audition. I am the type who is funny backstage. When I’m talking to the stylist or hair and makeup artist, I can be really funny, but in public I still can’t demonstrate this. Yet I started to like talking. I feel like I’ve changed.
The fan meetings were the first time I’ve met JAM and that I was able to show them performances. It was so much fun. Because this passion was something I haven’t experienced before and for me who was aiming for this world it was the happiest moment. Because I felt it was also an occasion to repay something to the people who believed in me, I hoped that they would return home after watching the performances thinking how cool those were and that they were happy. The moment when the feelings were shared was happiness. The opportunities to be able to do lives were only a few so far, but I always hope to meet JAM.
In JO1, I take a step back and watch the group as a whole. I observe that this member seems a little sick and adjust the balance in an objective way. If Sho-kun and Ren-kun are stepping to the front and lead everyone, I think it’s my role to support this from behind. Among my siblings, I’m the youngest one, so actually I’m the type who wants to be spoiled. However, in JO1 I’m among the older members, so I want to do my best to support everyone. Yet I get spoiled by older members like Sho-kun –laughs- When I’m spoiled, I’m told I’m different from normally, but that’s my true side. Unlike the shy me, Sho-kun is friendly, so I admire him. My body is thin, but he is muscular and so on –laughs- I think both the outside and the inside (of Sho-kun and me) are the exact opposite.
My colour is white or black. Most of the time, it’s either one of these (modes). I am excited when I’m excited but sometimes I also shut myself in at home without talking to anyone. It’s to the extent that I’m also surprised that I have a double personality. There are times when I’m adult like and also times when I become naïve like a child. However, I can control it to an extent. When I perform, I’m doing that in an adult manner and I become sexy and cool. In variety shows or in daily life, I’m not pretending at all. I like both sides of myself.
What is always in my heart is that I can do this work currently thanks to the people around me. It wasn’t just my own strength. I really have the feeling that I’m doing this together with everyone and I must never forget that. I used to have lives with only one person in the audience. The period when it didn’t come true went on, but I wanted to do this, so it feels like a miracle that I’m doing this and that a lot of people are supporting me right now. Because of that time, there is the current me. I don’t want to forget that either.