Super Junior's Donghae and Eunhyuk making waves with first album

The new buzzword in Asia is D&E.

D&E, which stands for Donghae & Eunhyuk, is the highly successful sub-unit of K-pop idol boy band Super Junior.

According to entertainment news site allkpop.com, the duo's first full-length studio album The Beat Goes On, released on March 9, was an instant hit across Asia.

Not only did it top the iTunes album charts in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Macau, but it also cracked the Top 10 in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In China, lead single Growing Pains, a guitar-driven electronic rock number, leapt to No. 1 on China's music chart Baidu King.

Its music video, with its slick cinematography, swiftly emerged as the most-viewed Korean video on China's premier online video portals YinYueTai and iQiyi.

With their current success, it's hard to imagine that when Donghae and Eunhyuk, both 28, are part of the 11-man mega group Super Junior, they are hardly the cream of the crop.

Compared to the other members, they are not particularly outstanding in any way.

The title of top vocalist would invite a three-cornered fight among Kyuhyun, Yesung and Ryeowook, while the most comical members would be Shindong, Heechul and Kangin.

Leader Leeteuk is famous for his hosting abilities and Siwon is known for his acting skills - he starred in the recent Jackie Chan period flick Dragon Blade - and for being Super Junior's de facto poster boy.

Individually, Donghae and Eunhyuk, who have previously released Korean singles Oppa, Oppa (2011) and Still You (2013) as well as Japanese album Ride Me (2014), do not shine as much as their counterparts.

Except when it concerns scandals - they are the two members who invite the most memorable dating rumours.

In 2012, Eunhyuk and female singer IU set tongues wagging when she posted an intimate picture of a shirtless Eunhyuk leaning against her on Twitter.

As for Donghae, he has unwittingly built a reputation for himself as a ladies' man, after being linked to a string of fellow idols from Im Yoona to Jessica Jung to Sandara Park.

We don't know if the two of them are real Casanovas but this much we know: When paired, their combined dynamism is mind-blowing.

At the duo's press conference at the SMTOWN@coexartium theatre in Seoul earlier this month, Donghae said he knew theirs was a musical combination that would mesh effortlessly.

HEIGHT

"Why the two of us? Well, we are both of similar height," he said jokingly to the Korean media.

"No, honestly I think Eunhyuk and I have very similar singing styles. Whenever we performed as Super Junior, we often thought to ourselves that we would work well together."

During a recent interview on Korean web series Loen TV's Ask In A Box segment, the singers showed off their humorous side when they bantered with fans.

When asked "Who is the leader of D&E? Who is the main vocalist, lead vocalist and main dancer?", they left viewers tickled with their deadpan humour.

"You can be the leader," said Donghae matter-of-factly.

"Me?" quipped Eunhyuk.

"I'll let you," said Donghae.

Pondering over who should then be lead vocalist after Donghae was appointed main vocalist, Eunhyuk mused: "Are those (titles) different?" And when Donghae referred to Eunhyuk as the main dancer, Eunhyuk immediately said: "I can't be the main dancer, we have our dancers."

In another interview on Korean Internet portal operator Naver's Starcast programme, Eunhyuk likened his position in D&E to an "attacking football midfielder".

"First, I start off with dancing. Then I move to dancing and rapping. It opens up the road for my vocals. Then, I try to get as many performing opportunities as possible. I am a model player," he said in a mock-serious tone.

Here's hoping that at Super Junior's upcoming concert in Singapore, the duo will display their irresistible candour on stage.

Super Junior World Tour "Super Show 6" in S'pore

WHEN

May 1, 3pm

WHERE

Singapore Indoor Stadium

TICKETS

$138 to $288 from Sports Hub Tix at www.sportshub.com.sg/sportshubtix

This article was first published on March 18, 2015.
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