South Korean boyband Boys Republic look like rebels with their nose rings, tattoos and biker jackets in promotional shots for their third EP, BR:evolution.
In real life, however, the pop quintet are no bad boys, as revealed during an interview with The Straits Times in Seoul earlier this year.
All five members - Jo One Junn, 27, Choi Sun Woo, 24, Lee Su Woong, 21 , Park Sung Jun and Kim Min Su, both 23 - profess to having been obedient, well-behaved children who never played truant.
But growing up being such goody-two-shoes has left them with some regrets, they say.
Leader Jo says: "If I could go back in time, I would play soccer. I really love soccer, I would have pursued a career in sports."
Choi's social life suffered because his parents wanted him to focus on his studies. He says: "I wish I had more time to interact with my friends back then."
In fact, Jo says that the most "revolutionary moment" in his life was joining a boyband.
"I never thought I could become a K-pop idol. Now I can dye my hair, put on make-up and dance on stage," he says.
Debuting in 2013, Boys Republic was touted as music giant Universal Music's first K-pop boyband. They went on to release three EPs - Identity (2013), Real Talk (2014) and BR:evolution (2016).
Convincing their parents to let them embark on careers in K-pop was a challenge.
Park did it by showing his parents what he was not good at.
He says: "During my junior high school days, I studied really hard for my final year exams. I even got the school's top student to study with me.
"I showed my mother my lacklustre results to prove that I wasn't cut out for academics. I told her that I was going to focus on my dancing and she supported me."
Choi faced objections from his parents initially, but managed to win them over in the end.
He says: "When I first wanted to be a singer, my parents tried to discourage me by saying there are plenty of people out there who sing better and look better than me.
"But after I became a star, they tell me that I am the most handsome."
• BR:evolution is available at CD-Rama outlets and digital platforms such as KKBox, iTunes and Singtel AMPed.
