amNewYork Metro got an inside look at Wonho’s journey after his first-ever fan event last month, during which he gave an electrifying performance at the Brooklyn Steel.
The South Korean heartthrob, famously known for his musical prowess with MonstaX and as a chart-topping soloist, was fresh off his Korean mandatory military enlistment when he jumped full speed back into his musical career with a fan meetup entitled, “Welcome back WENEE” (the name he affectionately calls his supporters.)
“It’s my first time as a soloist, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve performed in the U.S., so I think every moment while I’m performing this trip will feel like the very first time again. I’m really excited to see my fans after such a long time,” Wonho told amNewYork Metro.
Wonho was formerly part of the K-pop group MonstaX before launching his solo career in March 2020. Shortly after, he had to enter his mandatory military enlistment on Dec. 5, 2022. Throughout this time, his fans, known as WENEE, gave an outpouring of support, promising to eagerly await his return to the stage. It was this pure love that Wonho promised to reciprocate with new and more personal music.
“I’ve come back after a long ‘vacation’ [referring to his military service period as a break] away from my fans, WENEE. Although I wanted to take a bit more time to prepare and show a new side of myself, my desire to see my fans as soon as possible was stronger, so I prepared diligently. I had the chance to meet fans directly through my fan party in Seoul, and I’ve really been enjoying all these shows in the US,” Wonho said.
It is often said that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and for WENEE this could not be more true as they flocked to social media to share their excitement over Wonho’s fan meetup in the United States.
“There’s fans who have supported me throughout all these years and I think I always had a strong desire to show them something new. Now I think whether I show them a new side of myself or something I’ve already shown them before, my fans are always supporting me so I want to just work hard to show them the best side of me. I’ve always felt like that with my fans, so I don’t think anything has really changed even after serving in the military,” Wonho added.
Keeping true to his word, Wonho released his new English single in November and his music video, “What Would You Do,” in Dec. Already heralded a hit by fans, this melancholic piece delves into love and loss, resonating with all of those who’ve had painful experiences in a relationship.
“Sometimes, I think of imaginary situations and use those feelings to create a concept for the song. For ‘What Would You Do’ I thought about what I would do if I didn’t have my fans. I focused on the sad and painful emotions that situation would bring and focused on expressing those feelings in the song,” Wonho said.
“I decided to release ‘What Would You Do’ in English as a present to my fans around the world since it’s a global language. Since I performed at Jingle Ball for the first time as a solo artist, and also my US Fan Meetup, I thought an English single would be best for all of us to sing along together,” Wonho added.
Amid releasing his new music and six city fan events (including Seattle and LA), Wonho also simultaneously performed in iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball tour (hitting the stage in Dallas, Chicago, New York, and Miami.)
While all of the travel can be tiresome, Wonho says it inspires his music, helping to showcase different perspectives on life.
“Traveling is important and it gives me a lot of inspiration. Each trip I go on is different in its own way! Traveling itself gives me a change of pace and I think experiencing new things and being inspired through that is really important. I want to experience and see everything I can so I try to do the most I can when traveling. My favorite thing to do is imagine situations in my head and come up with lyrics that way,” Wonho shared.
WENEE is always at the core of everything Wonho does with his musical career. His interests go beyond the arts with them and delve into their daily lives. Are they eating healthy? What fashion styles do they enjoy? And how are they feeling? These are questions Wonho enjoys discussing when he interacts with them.
“Thanks to my fans, I’ve really learned how to stay positive and to keep showing more of who I am to the people I love. My fans always tell me what they did or ate that day and things that they are interested in, but usually I’m not the type to express those things to others. Since my fans always tell me these things about themselves, I’ve learned through them how important it is to express and share things with people I love,” Wonho said.
“I feel the most relaxed and comfortable when I’m taking a walk and when I read the fan letters posted on my fan café. I like to read them before I go to sleep. I also think reading books helps me feel comfortable, too,” Wonho added.
Being in the limelight, let alone in the music industry, is no easy feat. There are many personal sacrifices that must be made, especially when being a K-Pop idol. Wonho does not take his stardom for granted and looks to express his gratitude for those who’ve supported him throughout the years. When asked what was the most important lesson he has learned throughout his journey, Wonho says it’s about focusing on his emotions and well-being.
“I think I learned the most important lesson right after I debuted. I worked really hard as a trainee and finally made my debut, but looking back, I think I was more focused on my own feelings of trying to do really well. At the time, I wasn’t able to be in tune with the people around me and understand how everyone else was feeling. In the past I was really focused on trying to be acknowledged by others and I couldn’t see how others were feeling. Now, I do my best to not let my own emotions affect my attitude toward other people. I also make sure to see as much sunlight as possible and even though I may sing sad songs, I don’t really listen to sad music. I always try to surround myself with positivity!”
While Wonho is back in South Korea, he promises to keep working hard for his global fanbase.
