SuperM Talks All That! Performance, Acting Firsts, and Fake Fighting Over a Shirt

Korean supergroup SuperM can usually be found performing in arenas all over the world, but on Saturday night (April 4) they graced a different kind of stage. The seven members—Taemin, Baekhyun, Kai, Taeyong, Ten, Lucas, and Mark—were the musical guests on Nickelodeon’s All That! reboot.

Previews for their cameo on the sketch comedy show gave fans major One Direction on iCarly vibes, and SuperM didn’t disappoint. In addition to performing their powerful debut single “Jopping,” they also flexed their acting chops in a short skit with All That! cast members Aria Brooks, Reece Caddell, Kate Godfrey, Ryan Alessi, and Chinguun Sergelen.

Teen Vogue caught up with the members (who are currently practicing social distancing in Seoul) over email to see what they had to say about being on set and fake fighting for the camera — and if they’ll try acting again in the future.

Teen Vogue: Nickelodeon shows are broadcast across the globe, including in South Korea and Canada, where Mark grew up. Are any of you fans of Nickelodeon shows or do you remember watching them when you were younger? If so, what is it like to be in and perform on a Nick show now?

Mark: Every kid growing up in the West [has], most likely watched Nickelodeon at least once, including myself. The TV channel was a part of every child's childhood and it [was] a big part of our day as teenagers. It was really cool to think about all that, and then to comprehend the fact that we were about to actually be on the All That! show. Life's weird.

Baekhyun: I’ve never watched [Nick] when I was younger, actually. But when we arrived, I remember all the staff and cast members were really sweet and told us not to be nervous. It was a really great memory for all of us!

TV: You have all been on dozens of variety shows in Korea and around the world. What was it like to be on your first variety show in the U.S.?

Taemin: The atmosphere on set was really great. And I was so curious about how younger audiences would see us. We’ve been on other talk shows or variety shows internationally, but it was the first time acting in a sketch like this, so it was really refreshing and fun.

Baekhyun: In Korea, I’ve mostly been on talk shows or variety shows that have talk segments, but I’ve never done something with a skit/sketch like this so I was actually a bit nervous! Despite my worries, we all ended up having fun throughout the shoot.

Kai: Going on variety shows are always fun and exciting. It was especially fun to be on it together with the other members, and the fact that we had to act together in the skit… It was fun! But also a little bit awkward, haha.

TV: Kai, one of the actors on the show, Ryan Alessi, said you were "thoughtful" and "kind" and took the time to speak with him about fashion when the cameras weren't rolling. What was it like for all of you to work with the actors on All That!?

Kai: Ryan came up to me after the shoot was done and we talked about fashion and other things. I was really thankful that he did that. Everyone was also really welcoming. And, also, technically we’re the rookies in the U.S., so I’m thankful for these younger veterans welcoming us.

Ten: [Ryan] definitely is right about Kai. I’m also young, but it was really cool to be on a show where the cast is all younger than I am, because I can definitely feel and receive a different kind of energy with them. Next time, I want to ask them what kind of impression they got about me!

Lucas: We don’t have too many chances to meet or hang out with a lot of younger teens, so it was fun to get to know them on the show. I was impressed by how professional they were once the cameras started rolling. If I ever get the chance to, I’d like to learn more from them one day.

TV: Baekhyun, Taemin, and Kai—you all have experience acting professionally. Did you give the other members any tips?

Baekhyun: I didn’t have any specific advice, but I just said it’d be best if we all looked as natural as possible. But because the rest of the members have a lot of experience and wit, it went pretty smoothly.

Taemin: I don’t think I’m really in a place to give acting advice, haha.

Kai: I didn’t have any specific advice… But I think acting and speaking in Korean vs. English was difficult, so I was more in a place to ask for advice there.

TV: Taeyong, Mark, Lucas, and Ten—this was your acting debut! What was it like? Did you learn anything? Do you want to act again in the future?

Taeyong: I realized how hard acting was after trying it out, even for this short skit. But I definitely would like to try again if the opportunity comes up.

Mark: I believe that acting itself is a totally different art form. It was a great opportunity for me to experience that firsthand. Music and acting are different shades of expression so in the end they're both important to me and are both worthy tools for my career in the future, too. I'm absolutely willing to learn more about acting whenever I get the chance to.

Lucas: I’d also like to try it out again! It’s not easy to act out a role that is different from my own personality, but I think it’s also fun.

Ten: It was a really brief acting experience, but I also realized that it was both hard and fun. I don’t know if I’d do a good job in the future, but if one day I had the opportunity to prepare more and try it out again, that’d be fun! I like challenging myself, and acting is a big challenge.

TV: Do you have any other anecdotes to share from your time filming?

Taemin: That day, before we started shooting, we had time to discuss the skit together and changed up some of the lines to make it more funny. That was really fun.

Baekhyun: There’s a lot of us, so when we were coming out from that small door, we were all bumping into each other on the way out. And because we were all nervous, we had some difficulty making sure we didn’t turn our backs to the camera… It felt like that time when I was still a rookie.

Kai: I was actually really nervous and found myself and the other guys turning our backs toward the cameras… That was probably the first time I’ve done that since I debuted. That was pretty hilarious to me.

Taeyong: Before we made our entrance in the skit, we had to hide behind a door. The space behind the door was pretty narrow, so we were all crammed inside there together, but we kept joking around inside that tiny space.

Mark: I also think that part was pretty memorable. I remember how we all had to huddle behind the door, making sure that all seven of our faces would fit the frame and come out on screen. The space was quite tight and so we had to position our spots before shooting. I think rehearsing that shot took the longest out of the whole shoot, haha!

Lucas: It was a challenge for me to try my hand at acting in English. So I remember I kept asking Mark and Ten for tips, and it felt like I was back in school, in English class. That was fun.

Ten: There’s a scene where Baekhyun and Taemin-hyung get into a little argument—that scene was really funny. I was really impressed by their acting on the spot. The whole shoot was really fun overall.

TV: Baekhyun and Taemin, your scripted fight over a shirt was very popular among fans on Twitter, and even inspired a few fun memes. What was shooting that scene like? Was it hard to keep a straight face?

Taemin: I’m usually really bad at holding in my laughter, and this time was no exception.

Baekhyun: I tried to copy the gestures and the tones I’ve heard watching U.S. TV and movies… And Taemin and I were supposed to be fighting, but obviously we couldn’t help but laugh. We don’t actually ever fight, so that scene was a bit funny for us.

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue