 |
|
[TV Daily reporter Kim Jin-seok] Wonpil of DAY6, long known for songs about youth, turns his voice this time toward pain. Announcing a solo return after four years, he framed the comeback around a promise to make music that endures. Released on March 30, Wonpil’s solo mini-album Unfiltered is his first solo record since his debut solo album Filmography in February 2022, giving the comeback extra resonance. Rather than polishing his image, he said, he aimed to capture himself plainly and honestly. The seven-track record features the title track Love Ward and includes Toxic Love, I’ve Become an Adult, Up All Night, Step by Step, Not a Million Flowers, and Piano. At a press meeting, Wonpil said the new album would feel very different from his first. “I’m nervous about showing unfamiliar sides of myself,” he said. “Please give it a lot of love.” His tone mixed excitement and apprehension. Explaining the shift, Wonpil said he wanted to present something distinct from Filmography. While working on DAY6’s 10th-anniversary album, he found himself wanting to try new approaches. “Because it’s my album, I was free to focus only on myself,” he said. That freedom, he added, is what allowed him to pursue new sounds. He was candid about his satisfaction with the result. “I still want to make new music,” he said. “I didn’t rest on my laurels. I have no regrets, but to move forward I need to begin another project.” At its core, Wonpil said, the album is about catharsis. He resisted being boxed into a single genre and wanted the record to serve as an outlet for listeners who find it hard to speak their true feelings. “I didn’t hide my sense of loss; I expressed it honestly,” he said. “This project helped me untangle a lot inside me.” On the title track Love Ward, he used love as a vehicle for release. Wonpil prefers lyrics with layered meanings; the phrase Love Ward lingered in his head and became the song’s starting point. He also admitted that after his military service, his view of DAY6—and the expectations that came with it—changed. “That pressure and responsibility caused stress without my even realizing it. I wanted to show only my best side, but the company and I aligned on a direction, and this song came out of that,” he said. His attention turned inward as he leaned into raw emotion. He deliberately wrote lines that show him breaking down—phrases he said he normally would avoid. “I’ve Become an Adult is my story,” he said. “Piano came from a fear of being forgotten.”
He said he opened up because he isn’t someone who can just smile through everything. Though he worried fans might be concerned, he wanted to be sincere in his music. “I can’t always show only my best side, but I want to be a good person,” he confessed. Asked how he hopes fans will approach these personal songs, Wonpil said he hopes listeners won’t worry so much and will use the music as an outlet to release what they’re holding inside. He also laughed that this was his first time doing a solo interview alone and that he was enjoying the experience. On the question of his musical identity, he admitted ambiguity. His tastes change, and he doesn’t yet know how a future solo album might sound. “The public ultimately defines an artist’s color,” he said. “I’ll keep filling records with songs I love and let listeners shape my identity.” Wonpil stressed that whether with DAY6 or as a solo artist, he wants to make music that ages well—but also recognizes the need to create work that fits him at 40 or 50. “I want to make music that doesn’t feel old even after 10 or 20 years,” he said, voice steady with conviction. When asked which track might follow the success of Good Luck, he pointed to I’ve Become an Adult. He called Good Luck irreplaceable, tied to a chapter of his life that can’t be replicated. Still, he believes I’ve Become an Adult can offer comfort. “Becoming an adult often feels like pretending—acting like everything’s fine or holding back pain to accommodate others. I hope this song brings people solace,” he said.
He described Love Ward as a track meant to let listeners clear their minds and shake off built-up emotions, like emptying an emotional trash can. On reactions that the Love Ward music video echoes rock-ballad sensibilities, Wonpil said he couldn’t help but feel inspired by the past, but he didn’t use it as a direct reference. The dramatic scenes felt necessary for the song’s flow. “Acting wasn’t so much hard as it was fun. Wearing prosthetics and fake blood made me feel like I really became that person. It helped me immerse myself; it felt oddly powerful,” he recalled. Although he came back on March 30, the music industry’s big comebacks are slated for April. Wonpil said he only realized that later. “There are some huge groups returning, but worrying about them won’t make my music better,” he said with a grin. “April in Korea will be exciting—listeners will have a rich month.” He is also set to hold solo concerts at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium from May 1 to 3. He admitted some hesitation at the thought of performing a gymnasium show alone but said he’s both nervous and determined. Playing a large venue at this moment carries pressure, but he wants to prove himself. “I’m preparing hard. I want to give My Days what they love,” he said, referring to DAY6’s fanbase. [TV Daily’s Kim Jin-seok news@tvdaily.co.kr/Photo credit: JYP Entertainment] |
| News tips news@tvdaily.co.kr See more articles by reporter Kim Jin-seok |
