Wonho on new album (Blue Letter) + Wonho Kpop Profiles

Wonho | Music video | MONSTA X | K-pop

Wonho on new mini-album ‘Blue Letter’: “It’s a message for those who are having a hard time”

The South Korean singer, behind hits like ‘Open Mind’ and ‘Lose’, says it’s his “turn to give back the the love” to his fans

Wonho has released his newest mini-album ‘Blue Letter’ today (September 14), but the forward-looking artist is already thinking about what’s next. “I’m actually already planning for my next album at the moment,” he reveals over a video call from Seoul with NME. “I’m exploring a stronger, hip-hop sound, and I can’t wait for my fans to listen to it.”

Wonho’s fans are always at the centre of his projects, but especially so on the seven-track ‘Blue Letter’, which represents “a letter [he’s] sending to fans”, who are also known as Wenees. “It’s my message to those who are feeling lost, depressed or having a hard time,” he shares. “I hope they get good vibes and positive energy from listening to my album, and gain strength to overcome what they’re going through.”

While the new mini-album is not exactly a continuation of his first two releases, ‘Love Synonym Part 1: Right For Me’ and ‘Part 2: Right For Us’, the singer explains that he “wanted to convey the same feeling and message of talking about love”.

Wonho shares more with NME about his experience working on ‘Blue Letter’, what the colour blue means to him, and what he’s learnt so far since going solo just over a year ago.

Wonho (Lee Ho-seok) , is a South Korean singer under Highline Entertainment.

(Korean: 이호석), known by his stage name Wonho (Korean: 원호)

He is a former member of South Korean boy group Monsta X, which debuted under Starship Entertainment in 2015.

Wonho made his solo debut on September 4, 2020 with the EP Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me.

WONHO 원호 ‘BLUE’ MV

Hi Wonho! Congratulations on the release of your second mini-album, ‘Blue Letter’! You have been heavily involved in the album’s

production, from the writing, to composing and arranging. Are there any interesting stories to share or challenges you faced in the process?

“My throat was not in its best condition while recording the album, so that was the biggest challenge that I faced. But then again, [that gave me] enough time to try out new genres or different kinds of music, so that was one of the perks.”

How does ‘Blue Letter’ link back to your ‘Love Synonym’ series?

“Both parts of ‘Love Synonym’ talk about love. [The releases] are actually not directly connected as they’re both different, but I wanted to convey the same feeling and message of talking about love. The overarching theme of all the albums is ‘love’, so that’s how they connect with each other.”

The colour blue features a lot in your album covers and concepts. What does ‘blue’ mean to you?

“When I look at my fans, they remind me of the colour blue. I can see the colour blue when I see my fans. That’s how I started using the colour blue [in my concepts]. It’s since become my signature colour… and my fans love it too. Blue is also a colour that’s able to best represent the emotions that I feel, so that’s why I keep using it.

Wonho embraces brightest moments of life in romantic music video ‘Blue’

South Korean singer-songwriter-producer, Wonho, has released his highly anticipated second mini-album, Blue Letter, today. He is set to continue his upward trajectory all across the globe with the release of Blue Letter. The new album, which compares isolation from the world during the pandemic to the blue ocean, is a sincere letter from Wonho showcasing his genuine, innermost thoughts and raw emotions.

Title track “Blue,” an upbeat pop song with a deeper meaning, presents a hopeful message through the use of “blue”–feeling blue and the blue ocean. This track is meant to quench the thirst of its listeners who’ve had strong emotions while being isolated this past year, with lyrics of hope “If you feel the same, tell me. Hold my hand when you’re ready.” With two versions of the song that are both in Korean and English, Wonho’s “Blue” will act as a light at the end of the tunnel. The music video was made with the intention to tell his fans that even the dullest days in life can be turned into the brightest moments through imagination.

Sincerity is an adjective that is so particular to Wonho

something his loyal fanbase WeNee (short for We Are New Ending) will attest to. It’s evident in the music he makes; he’s deeply committed to production, lyrics and performance in equal parts. Wonho is an acclaimed artiste in a musical landscape that isn’t just confined to South Korea — the artistes who dominate that industry are bonafide global stars, and for good reason. He’s been solo since departing from Monsta X in 2019 for reasons that have been amply and unequivocally cleared and put to rest. Wonho’s debut EP, Love Synonym Pt. 1: Right For Me released in September 2020, with the sexy, crisp title track, Open Mind. It also featured Losing You, which is an intimate, heartfelt missive to his fans. The E.P’s second half, Love Synonym Pt. 2: Right For Us arrived in February this year — a triumph, arranged across genres. There was a fantastic, audacious collaboration with singer-songwriter Kiiara called Ain’t About You, and Lose, the opener, had Wonho flexing his abilities as a singer and producer in an entirely new light. Each offering provided a new definition of love — freedom, hope, new beginnings.

Wonho Explores Shades of Blue on ‘Blue Letter’

The color blue is ascribed to many meanings. In English, the color often metaphorically refers to feelings of sadness. But blue is also the color of the summery sky, the ocean, and many other things that are usually positive and hopeful. In Blue Letter (2021), the Korean singer, songwriter, and producer Wonho explores “blue” in all its possibilities. The result is a refreshing and enjoyable work that is short but vivid just like summer.

Wonho Kpop Profiles

Wonho Fandom Name: WENEE (위니; WE are NEw Ending because WE NEEd each other)

Wonho (원호) is a South Korean singer and dancer currently under Highline Entertainment.

He is a former member of the boy group MONSTA X and the project group Y TEEN.

On October 31, 2019, Starship announced his departure from MONSTA X as he wished to not cause trouble to the group following recent allegations surrounding him. The agency continued to take legal action against the malicious claims.

The following day, Starship announced they had terminated his contract with the agency.

Following the announcement of Wonho’s departure, there was a large outcry from fans who protested the decision in multiple ways, trending hashtags on Twitter for weeks and funding billboards and fan projects in various countries. On March 10, 2020, Wonho was cleared of all charges by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Starship announced that they would support his career in the future.

On April 10, Highline Entertainment, a subsidiary of Starship, announced that they had signed an exclusive contract with Wonho as a solo artist and a producer. On May 6, it was announced that he signed with U.S. label Maverick Management.