Wonho's Emotional Full-Length Debut Album Journey

the way that you feel. Bending it backwards. We can go faster if you wanna What's up y'all? Ruva Wilson here, hanging out at the Young Hollywood Lounge with K-Pop star, ah, Wonho!

Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Wonho.

Oh my god, an-nyeong-haseyo. Oh, it's good. Thank you. Thank you, baby. I appreciate it. You look incredible. Like

Me too. Ah, thank you.

Wait, how do you say thank you in Korean?

Ah, gomawa.

Gom, gomawa. Oh, yeah, it's good. Pronunciation is good. Ah, look at me. I'm so bad at Korean. Okay, we we got to talk about this full-length album, "Con-gratulations on "Love Syndrome". You actually mentioned that it touches upon uh, themes of self-worth, love, all the different things. Uh, what was the hardest part about your journey?

어, 그래도 저는 이제 그 좀 차가운 감정을 표현하는 게 좀 가장 어려웠고요. 그런 감정을 직접적으로 제대로 느껴본 게 없었던 거 같아서 네, 그런 것들을 이제 좀 드라마나 이런 것들을 많이 참고해서 네.

I love that. That's pretty dope. So, when did you realize that "Love Syndrome" wasn't just a collection of of songs, but it was your story?

어, 그런 것들이 당연히 포함이 되어 있고 근데 이제 이 앨범만으로 저의 그런 모든 것들을 담기보다는 저의 또 하나의 단편이라고 생각을 하고 있어요. 그래서 앞으로도 나올 앨범에서도 계속해서 저의 그런 것들을 네, 스토리들을 보여드릴 생각입니다.

Okay, you know, you know we have to talk about "If You Wanna". That is my song. It goes so incredibly hard. Louis Vuitton, it has like what? Out the pass. Is it you? That's what I like. Vegas cowgirl in the city light. That is my song. "If You Wanna", it is incredible. So, I take us back. I want to know what was the inspo behind it, how are you feeling recording the song?

어, 그냥 이제 말 그대로 가사 그대로를 이제 상상하면서도 불러보기도 해보고 그리고 그냥 어떤 뭔가 좀 그런 여러가지 감정들이 있었던 거 같아. 또 하나의 가사만 또 표현한다기보다는 여러가지 상상을 많이 했고 전반적으로는 무대를 그리면서 애초에 녹음을 시작을 했고 그리고 안무에서는 그런 어떤 직접적인 표현보다는 그냥 우리가 재밌게 하고 놀 수 있는 그리고 리듬을 갖고 놀 수 있는 것들을 표현해서 어떤 뭔가 묘사적인 거는 없지만 예, 그런 재밌는 네.

I love that. You're so pretty. Like you're a beautiful. Like your face is gorgeous. Like I'm I'm literally shocked. I'm just like looking at your nose, your teeth, your big full lips. You're giving Black boy energy. I'm here for it. It's so good.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Okay, back to your music. Um, "Better Than Me". It has really given us like throwback boy bands energy. What was the inspo?

어, 전반적으로 제가 요즘에 좀 꽂혀 있는 사운드들이기도 하고 그래서 사실 그 연장선으로 이 "F You Wanna" 저는 그때 옛날 시절에 그런 사운드라고 생각을 했어요. 예를 들어서 좀 팀벌랜드라던가. 팀벌랜드가 사용했던 그런 베이스 라인이나 그 사운드들이 있어요. 그런 것들 되게 비슷하다고 느꼈고 저는 뭐 그런 것들을 이번 앨범에 전반적으로 담고 싶어서 "Better Than Me"가 네, 딱 그 앨범의 시작이었던 것 같습니다.

Ah, once again, I'm just such a fan. Like sonically, just the body of work. Cha, well done, baby. Well done. So, okay, before we started this interview, I saw you pull up in y'all Wonho rolls deep. His entourage is like 15 plus. It's incredible. And speaking of travel, what is like one thing that you cannot leave home without?

아마 아마도 저는 그건 거 같아요. 카페인 부스터. 예, 운동하기 전에 먹는 카페인 부스터인데 조금 불안한 거는 이게 캐리어가 없으면 여행갈 때 못 가져가요. 이게 아무래도 가루다 보니까 그 세관에서 좀 항상 문제가 생기거나 뺏기기 때문에 무조건 캐리어가 있을 때만 들고 갈 수 있는 건데 이게 없으면 만약에 이걸 안 챙겼다 그러면 저는 공항을 가던 길을 다시 숙소 집을 들려야 될 정도로는.

Just have your entourage go get it. This is how we do it. You don't you don't need to turn back and get it but you're better than me. I can't do caffeine at all. Like it will have me like raging.

그런데도 좀 에너지가 너무 좋으니까 이거는 뭐 타고나는.

I can't do it. I really can't. I really can't. But, uh, back to the album "Love Syndrome". What is one thing that you want all of the fans to receive?

전반적으로 제가 느꼈던 여러가지 그런 뭔가 과정들이나 감정들, 그리고 저 근데 사실은 팬분들과 제가 느낄 수 있는 느낄 수 있는 여러가지 감정들이 담겨있는 거니까 그거를 상상을 해 주셨으면 좋겠고 그리고 그냥 전반적으로 이 그냥 앨범을 예, 편하게 즐기셨으면 좋겠습니다.

Ah, I love that. Okay, enough with the album talk. Let's have a little fun. Okay, we're gonna play this game. This is a speed lightning round, so you have to be quick with it. I don't want any stumbling over your words. I need you to be a straight shooter. Are you ready?

Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this.

All right, here we go. First song you play when you're home alone.

mmm

Who's that? It's me. Ah! Oh my god, I'm screaming! Whoopsies. Clearly I only, clearly I'm only a singles tour. Yeah, yeah. You were supposed to agree to that. So rude. All right, all right. Last time you cried, Wonho.

um, watching on Netflix. Yeah.

What were you watching?

um, "Makeup Survivor".

Is it just makeup? "Makeup Survivor". It it made you cry?

Yeah.

For what?

It's I don't know, just they they she's mom, cry.

The mom cried?

Yeah.

So it made you cry?

Yeah.

Uh-huh. He's not only talented, but he's sensitive. Ah, I love you. All right, quick, quick. Guilty pleasure snack or treat.

Ramen.

Ramen? That's a guilty pleasure? Yeah. Listen, I eat ramen every week. I don't play around. That is not a guilty pleasure. I love me some spicy, creamy vegan ramen. My favorite. Okay, all right, all right. Um, if you could switch places with any musician for a day, who would it be?

um, I want to only just me.

He's like, I don't want to switch places with anybody. I love my life. Wonho, you're an angel. This is perfect. Okay, name three artists who inspire you.

um, Usher, uh, and Timbaland, and Pharrell.

I know that's right. He gave us three Black musicians. You better come through. Clearly their influence is like all throughout your music. In the best way possible. Like you bodied it. Like you did so good. Ah, Wonho, I could literally sit here and talk to you all day long. You're an angel. Congratulations on "Love Syndrome". The album is incredible. Y'all, I'll see y'all later. We're gonna we're gonna continue to chat.