By Chyenne Tatum | @chyandblack
On March 28, 2021, K-pop soloist Wonho held his second virtual concert, #WENEEDLOVE, to catch up with his fans and celebrate the release of his second EP, Love Synonym #2: Right For Us, which was released in late February. The term โwe needโ is ironically where Wonhoโs fandom name, Wenee, was born, and rightfully so โ this two and half hour live show was nothing but a back-and-forth lovefest showing just how much Wonho and Wenee need each other.
I can't wait for you all to see my show!#์ํธ #WONHO#WENEEDLOVE pic.twitter.com/puHgbF0All
— WONHO Official (@official__wonho) March 28, 2021
After a seemingly long 60 second countdown leading up to the show, Wonho opened with the soft pop-ballad, โFlash,โ as he sits in his dressing room and slowly makes his way to center stage, all virtual eyes on him. Sporting a shorter, more mature haircut, the singer radiated comfort as he bared his soul to the thousands of viewers watching at home.
wonhoโs flash is such a beautiful song the amount of feels it gives is just too much ๐ฅบ๐ pic.twitter.com/TZW4mdbG1I
— monsta x loops (@mxloops) March 28, 2021
Following the opening song, Korean entertainer Kim Minjung stepped out as MC for the night and interviewed Wonho on his feelings about the concert and even read all of the gushing comments that were pouring in from fans worldwide. Wonho proceeded to introduce himself first in Korean and then again in English, revealing that he was very nervous to show Wenee this concert. His awkwardly shy and flustered nature only fueled his charms as he eventually became more relaxed on stage.
Before heading off to prepare for the second song of the night, Wonho prepared and memorized saying โI love youโ in 10 different languages for all his fans to understand, and at that moment, it was clear that he would sing his praises for Wenee every chance he got.
He learned I love you in so many different languages for us ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ#WENEEDLOVE #์๋๊ฐ_์ํ๋๊ฑด_์ํธ
— Wonhoโsโท fan account (@wongust_d) March 28, 2021
The next song he performed was โBest Shotโ and everything about it oozed an effortlessly cool nature. From the smooth choreography to the lingering โover-the-shoulderโ glances, he knew he was the shit in his teal suit and he wasnโt wrong.
THIS PART RIGHT HERE #WENEEDLOVE pic.twitter.com/n2aB4Gm485
— @mohaesus (@kyunthnkr) March 28, 2021
Shortly after the performance, an exclusive rehearsal video played and revealed a very focused (but still playful) Wonho as he and his dancers practiced the songs a week before the show. Even as he continued perfecting the choreography, the singer couldnโt help but steal flirtatious glances at the camera, knowingly sending all of Weneesโ hearts into a frenzy.
As he transitioned back into the live stage, Wonho traded in his suit for a comfy yellow hoodie and his signature pair of shorts โ call that gymcore. โLost in Paradiseโ was very cute and bouncy in comparison to the previous songs and it was always good to know that Wonhoโs bubbly personality could outshine the sun and his yellow hoodie combined.
anyway i have very strong feelings about wonho in this sunshine yellow hoodie, so cheerful and bright ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ pic.twitter.com/UkJnr1n9jt
— Duke (@duke_lazy) March 28, 2021
Afterward, he rejoined Minjung to take a break and react to fansโ comments on his concert so far. One comment read, โYou look good,โ and Wonho simply smiled and replied, โI know.โ The once nervous performer was now replaced with a more confident and comfortable version of himself and that is simply Wonho at his best.
He went on to watch videos fans sent of themselves dancing to his songs and he hilariously tried to mimic their choreography side-by-side with the videos. Arguably, the sweetest parts of this segment were his facial expressions as he was visibly astonished at how advanced his fans are in dancing. He even suggested that Wenee could help him out with creating choreography for his next album, so who knows? With Wonho, anything is possible.
WONHO AND KIA IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU @makdoonqie pic.twitter.com/s3tImOmefq
— hunter (@sweetenerhyungs) March 28, 2021
Next, he sang the English version of โLosing You,โ his most emotional track on the setlist, and the song that introduced him as a soloist back in September. Decked out in a glitter headset and two gold chains, Wonho delivered a sincere performance as the cracks on the screen behind him finally started to crumble โ symbolically showing that the walls around his heart were down and letting his vulnerability shine through.
In the next Q&A video, he was asked what kind of Wonho he wants to be remembered as and he answered, โSomeone that everyone likes and as someone that is kind.โ All of his answers highlighted the genuine and thoughtful person he is and always strives to be, but just when you thought your heart would melt from his soft spoken words, he would quickly turn the tables into something much more sinister.
๐ฐMore than you would expect, someone who is a lot more calm & quiet & Iโm actually a very shy person…the tone of my voice tends to be much lower when I usually talk…I think Iโm just overall a shy person.#WENEEDLOVE #WONHO#์๋๊ฐ_์ํ๋๊ฑด_์ํธ@official__wonho pic.twitter.com/glOry4AJig
— Molly Fan Account๐ฐ (@molly_madd) March 28, 2021
Clad in tight leather pants, a black top with one mesh sleeve, and the other rippling arm left sleeveless, Wonho brought out all the thirst traps as he performed โDevil.โ His sultry aura was so palpable, it was almost suffocating and yet, he did nothing more than manspread in a chair and occasionally display erratic movements to the beat of the track. In case it wasnโt obvious, this entrancing performance was not for the weak.
i will never shut up about the devil performance #WENEEDLOVE #์๋๊ฐ_์ํ๋๊ฑด_์ํธ https://t.co/oOtEPEWQ72
— wonho loops (@babieloops) March 28, 2021
Wonho: Lee Hoseok:
I choose you. I choose violenceโฆ#WENEEDLOVE. #WONHO pic.twitter.com/13cNXHWNgW
— ๋ฏธ์นด์ธ โจ (@monbebepabu) March 28, 2021
Still dressed in his seductive black outfit, Wonho and Minjung started the next talking segment called โInside Out,โ a segment where Wonho explained all the things that were on his mind on a given day. At the top of that list, of course, were Wenee. He continuously showered his fans with love and appreciation during the Q&A and they reciprocated that same energy, proving that a healthy relationship between fandom and their idol is one of the most precious relationships an artist can have. โBecause of Wenee, my confidence is up to the heavens,โ he smiled.
Wonho went on to perform his next two songsโ โLoseโ and โWith Youโ โ and even included a recording of Weneesโ fan chant over the tracks to replicate the feeling of a live audience. It was Wonhoโs first time performing the English version of โLoseโ and it was clear that he worked hard in studying English to communicate with his international fans more efficiently.
For the last three songs of the night. Wonho premiered an extended version of โOpen Mindโ from his first album, which included a new dance break before the last chorus. And for his encore, of course, he ended on a happy note with โAll About Youโ and โWe Needโ โ the former ending in a ring proposal to Wenee as he laughed at his cheesiness.
https://twitter.com/molly_madd/status/1376045145431236608?s=21
Wonho tried so hard not to laugh after showing the ring but immediately failed#WENEEDLOVE @official__wonho pic.twitter.com/7XK7WdSEgK
— caribebe (@neonnightlites) March 28, 2021
As the show came to a close, Minjungโs words from earlier in the concert rang true and perfectly summed up the nightโs event: โWonho in front of Wenee has no fears.โ He could comfortably share his thoughts, his feelings, his wishes, and know heโll be accepted for who he is, no changes required.
Have you listened to Wonho’s Love Synonym yet? Hear all about it in our recap!
Thumbnail Courtesy of Starship Entertainment
