PUBLISHED ONFebruary 20, 2025 6:10 AMByYeo Shu HuiWhile promoting his album Magic Man (2022), Jackson Wang would frequently tell his fans to "find your happiness, find your magic".
However, when reflecting on his own feelings and life during his recent one-year break, the 30-year-old Hong Kong pop star realised that he had never actually thought about what made him happy.
Jackson revealed this when he was a guest on famed Chinese artiste manager Yang Tianzhen's podcast Tian Zhen Bu Tian Zhen, which was released on Feb 18.
When asked what he thought about his own happiness, he said: "As I grew older, I realised that I am not as happy as I used to be. It could also be because I have a more thorough understanding of many things. I believe I would have an even deeper understanding of these things in 10 years."
The former national fencer added that he realised there are many things not within his control and he has the choice to decide how he wants to live around it.
Jackson, who made his showbiz debut in the K-pop boy group Got7, also shared that he manages his emotions and thoughts through self-reflection during his break and learning to live with himself.
He said: "Since I was young, I was afraid of loneliness. When I was an athlete, I used to stay in a dormitory with my team. This resulted in me not willing to face living with myself. During my break, I tried to learn more about myself and realised that it's actually quite nice to be alone. I've also become clearer about many aspects of life."
He added that his latest album Magic Man 2, with the music video for his single High Alone released on Feb 13, is an expression of his inner self, personified through the character Magic Man.
Jackson added: "In the past, I was very excited and passionate about my life and career and faced all of it positively. But I grew older and saw things clearer. It's not that I'm unhappy, things are just how they are.
"There isn't anything to be happy or unhappy about… I just experienced more and came to an understanding that things may not be as perfect as I thought, but it's not as bad either. It's just the reality of life and I accepted it."
Despite everything he's experienced, Jackson said he remains passionate about showbiz.
"I think what attracts me most being an artiste is that I have a space to share my experiences, which I feel many would also have the same in their daily life. I also enjoy performing on stage. I think I am very fortunate," he said.
Got7, which also includes Jinyoung, BamBam, Mark, Youngjae, Yugyeom and Jay B, released their new album Winter Heptagon on Jan 20. Jackson was hospitalised on Jan 26 due to sudden chest pains while preparing for a performance.
The group later held two concerts in Seoul on Feb 1 and 2, their first full-group show since their world tour in 2019.
In 2017, he founded music production company Team Wang Records and in 2020, co-founded Team Wang Design, a high-fashion streetwear brand where he serves as creative director.
Late last year, he and his team released the comic book Under The Castle centering around the characters Pumpkie and Spookie and their adventures in the village's cursed castle. The concept was developed into a horror house attraction at Universal Studios Singapore's Halloween Horror Nights.
Jackson explained he enjoys working behind the scenes because there are less stereotypes about him as an artiste.
"Whether it's design, filming a clip or helping others to film something, I enjoy the process. This has nothing to do with benefitting from someone else. It's something that I like to do and others can see what I have worked on and judge me based on that. That's a process I enjoy."
Jackson was also asked if popularity matters to him. He admitted he thought about it during his break, asking himself if it would still matter to him when he is in his senior years.
He concluded: "I have accepted it… I would be grateful if I'm still known at 40 though I won't chase after it. It doesn't matter if you know me or not. But that also depends on what I'm working on at that point in time.
"That's why I believe popularity is like foam, they are not solid and are fleeting."
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