WONHO on His Community, the Perfect Ramyeon, and His Newest Single “What Would You Do”

On November 21, the Korean singer Lee Ho-seok (best known as WONHO) entered back into the K-pop industry with his new single “What Would You Do.” Matching the star’s discography, the song easily flows into listeners ears but carries a thoughtful meaning. WONHO’s indestructible bond with his fans served as the muse for the track. However, there are many more intricacies that speak to WONHO’s two-year break from the idol scene. 

Days prior to his solo comeback, EnVi got the opportunity to chat with the pop star over email. WONHO revealed himself to be quite a layered individual. When looking at the idol, people could assume he’s biceps first and talent second. The stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth. WONHO’s answers danced the lines of empathy and cerebral integrity. Furthermore, he understood the weight of his words and was ready to brighten the industry with his music. Ahead, EnVi talked to Korean singer WONHO about his entrance back into the idol industry and his stand-out memories from his career.

Behind “What Would You Do”

During the weeks leading up to WONHO’s release, his new song’s title, “What Would You Do,” remained ambiguous to his fans and music insiders alike. The soloist uploaded cryptic phrases across his multiple social media platforms. “Then tore you apart like it’s nothing” and “put your heart in your stomach” served as a prelude to his dour message. For context, WONHO’s songwriting career dates back to 2015. Plus, he’s gained attention for his composition and arrangement skills over the years. We needed to know what the multihyphenate had planned for his newest release.

Unlike some of his previous songs, WONHO didn’t need to create imaginary scenarios to evoke his feelings. He visualized his life in the absence of his fans and leaned into his raw emotions. “I focused on the sad and painful emotions that situation would bring and focused on expressing those feelings in the song,” WONHO told EnVi. 

Why did WONHO choose to walk down the darker path for his first music release in two years? Time. The two-year pause of his idol career allowed him to press start on his personal life. WONHO expressed, “During the past two years, I was able to lean into feelings and experiences that I was too busy to think about before when I was promoting.” Influenced by his personal break, the Anyang native recommended his fans sit back and let the song wash over them. Wonho mused, “I imagine that they would be alone at home or sitting by the river at night. I imagine that this song would sound more special to them in a more moody situation like that.”

Besides emotion, language played a big part in the new song’s conception. The artist has garnered a large overseas fan base, so he often includes English and Japanese tracks in his albums. WONHO’s fans go by the name WENEE in South Korea and abroad. After his break, WONHO desired to connect to his overseas audience. He explained, “There’s fans from countries all around the world waiting for my new music, so I wanted to come back with a song that can be understood and easily relatable to everyone globally.” 

But in the recording booth, WONHO faced some difficulties. The hurdles didn’t stop him from recording the song in a different language. “I have to focus on perfecting the pronunciation while singing, so it’s harder for me to really focus on conveying the meaning and emotions of the song at the same time,” WONHO added. 

While busy in the recording booth, WONHO put his trust in his production staff to execute the visual concept for this release. During the interview, he took us through some of his favorite visual concepts in his career. The clean, yet deeply symbolic album cover for his debut extended play, Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me, prevailed as his favorite concept. Meanwhile, the song “Open Mind” stood out in his mind because “I showed what I’m able to do best through that visual concept.”

Entering A New Era

When talking about music, WONHO expressed his desire to pivot. He’s not planning on saying a complete farewell to his EDM anthems. But the musician simply craved something softer. “In this new era, I want to make songs that you can listen to at any time of day, so I don’t really want to make music that’s overly strong and loud,” WONHO told EnVi. The artist’s statement may come as a shock to his fans and music insiders. Prior to his mandatory military enlistment, WONHO’s stage performances boomed with icy synths and vibrant bass beats. Meanwhile, his fashion was equally as distinct. Abdomen-bearing half-zip sweaters, French terry shorts, and two-toned hair dye created an edgy rubric for WONHO’s style agenda. 

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The added years of life and personal exploration definitely affected the pivot. However, WONHO revealed his new musical interest — guitars. Lately, his social media has been flooded with guitarists. “I think rather than guitarists who are already very legendary and famous. I’d want to work with guitarists who really enjoy their craft, and I think it’d be a fun opportunity to work together,” shared WONHO. Whether it be a full “Cowboy WONHO” moment or a chill acoustic tune, we’ll be seated (front row, nonetheless).

WONHO has been steadily preparing for his visit to North America called “2024 WONHO USA FAN MEETUP <WELCOME BACK, WENEE>.” The tour kicks off in Houston on December 3rd and weaves in between his appearances at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball. With anticipation growing, WONHO eagerly said, “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 for everything that’s to come!”

It’s All About Balance

Once the cameras and bright lights shut off, WONHO takes a moment to unwind like the rest of us. Despite his Adonis-like physique, his self-care rituals consisted of a unique dichotomy. Multiple daily workouts, literature, and a hot bowl of ramyeon (Korean instant noodles) all hold equal importance to the pop star. 

A trendsetter of the “beast idol” concept, WONHO stayed loyal to his intense workout routine for years. He once said he exercises twice a day, multiple days a week. Also, the idol gained a large following for his social media posts that leave his followers blushing. The hobby served as self-care amid WONHO’s idol career. 

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Alongside his athleticism, the “On & On” star proudly revealed his bookworm tendencies. The renaissance man explained, “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 (online fan community). I like to read them before I go to sleep. I also think reading books helps me feel comfortable too.” 

Ramyeon is another form of self care for the idol. WONHO revealed in an earlier interview he cleaned off five packs of noodles, six eggs, and rice in one meal. WONHO offered a few tips to create perfect ramen, so take out a paper and pen. First, he firmly believes the sachet’s instructions serve as inspiration, not law. Then he explained, “Always put in less water than it says on the package. Also, the noodles always tend to get soggy while eating so you should cook them for a shorter amount of time than the instructions actually say.”

WONHO + WENEE

Throughout the entire interview with EnVi, WONHO kept circling back to one topic — his fans. WENEE played a pivotal part in WONHO’s solo debut.  IYKYK, the two syllables stand for a poetic phrase: “We Are A New Beginning.”

From the start, WONHO confidently stepped into daring projects because of his fans unwavering support. Even though he pursues out of box themes, his fans are there for his musical journey regardless. 

When examining his discography, people wouldn’t guess WONHO considered himself a closed book. Each song pulls on the listeners heart strings with situations so relatable it feels catered towards them. Some fan favorite tracks include “Losing You,” “Close,” and “I Just.” “Outside of music, WONHO explained he struggled with expressing himself in the past. “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,” he said. 

A Final Thought

After talking about the present, we wanted to take WONHO back to the past. His career has showcased his work ethic, skill, and loyalty. However, we learned WONHO’s laser focus was a skill that had to be honed over time. Left unkempt, it became too much of a good thing. 

WONHO reminisced, “Rather than during my trainee period, I think I learned an 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.”

He continued, “At the time, I wasn’t able to be in tune with the people around me and understand how everyone else was feeling. I was really focused on trying to be acknowledged by others and I couldn’t see how others were feeling.” 

Over the years, the artist collected coping mechanisms to not get distracted by his own thoughts. “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,” said WONHO. 

After getting to know WONHO, we can confirm he’s the embodiment of thinking before doing. From his breakfast to the language he speaks, he considers the community he’s not only built but the community he will continue to foster. WONHO’s music stands out because of his intense care, but also because of his varied skill set. As a final message, WONHO said, “Thank you for taking the time to read more about me and I hope all readers reading this right now have good luck in whatever they do!”

Want to listen to WONHO’s latest single “What Would You Do”? Check out the song on YouTube here. 

Want to read more interviews with your favorite artists? Check out EnVi’s chat with Travis Japan here!