“We missed you” WINNER, an emotional concert after 3 years… YOON unveils unreleased song
[뉴스엔=황혜진 기자] Group WINNER has finally reunited with their audience.
On July 25 and 26, WINNER’s official channel posted photos with the captions, “It’s been a while, we missed you. Let’s see each other again tomorrow,” and “So happy!”
The released photos feature WINNER’s leader YOON, members JINU and HOONY smiling brightly together after successfully completing two consecutive concerts. They held their solo concert ‘IN OUR CIRCLE’ on July 25 and 26 at Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul.
WINNER originally planned two concerts on July 26 and 27 in collaboration with their agency YG Entertainment. However, due to all tickets selling out at lightning speed as soon as sales opened, they added an additional concert on Friday the 25th, holding a total of three shows.
This concert marked WINNER’s first face-to-face meeting with INNERCIRCLE (WINNER’s fan club) in 3 years and 3 months. Previously, WINNER held their solo concert ‘THE CIRCLE’ in April 2022 at the same venue. That performance was especially meaningful as it was JINU’s and HOONY’s first stage appearance after completing their mandatory military service (JINU on December 31, 2021, and HOONY on January 14, 2022).
This performance, held after more than three years, was equally special because it was WINNER’s first solo concert since YOON ended his “military hiatus” (military + hiatus). YOON enlisted as an active-duty soldier on June 20, 2023, and served diligently in the 6th Infantry Division before being discharged on December 19, 2023. Ahead of this concert, he practiced tirelessly with the members and even surprised fans with a transformation to the blonde hair they had long wished to see.
On July 24, just one day before the first concert, WINNER shared via Weverse Live, “We will even go up to the second floor. No matter where your seat is, don’t worry about seeing WINNER well. After doing our rehearsal today, we can confidently say you will be able to see WINNER closely wherever you are. WINNER will come to find each and every one of you.”
On the day of the first concert (25th), YOON also appeared as a special DJ on SBS PowerFM’s ‘2 O’Clock Escape Cultwo Show,’ showcasing his close friendship with the radio team. DJ Kim Tae-gyun said, “Tonight at 8 p.m., WINNER has a concert. It’s the first day of their stage, and even though he has to perform later today, he came here. I’m grateful.”
According to audience reviews, WINNER delivered powerful live performances of their signature hits that topped music charts, including ‘REALLY REALLY,’ ‘LOVE ME LOVE ME,’ ‘I LOVE U,’ ‘FOOL,’ ‘Different,’ ‘Empty,’ ‘Don’t Flirt,’ ‘EVERYDAY,’ ‘ISLAND,’ ‘MILLIONS,’ and ‘AH YEAH,’ proving their unmatched live prowess.
Amid a variety of solo stages from the members, YOON also unveiled his unreleased song ‘Homeless’ for the first time, drawing explosive reactions. Previously, YOON included his self-written track ‘SWEET HOME’ in WINNER’s 4th mini album ‘HOLIDAY,’ released in July 2022, expressing his heartfelt promise to always return to fans no matter how long it takes. According to YOON, ‘SWEET HOME’ was written by imagining a world where fans, who are like a warm home to WINNER, were gone. The official track is expected to be released through YOON’s upcoming solo album in the second half of this year.
WINNER, who earned their name through the survival program ‘WIN’ in 2013 as Team A, officially debuted in 2014 with the album ‘2014 S/S’ and is celebrating their 11th anniversary this year. Over the years, they have expanded their musical spectrum through constant evolution and diverse musical styles, never limited to a single genre. As they firmly declare in the lyrics of ‘FAMILY’, “Before the long years, we’re still chicks” and “Let’s protect WINNER forever”, their long-lasting success is supported by the fans who serve as both a sturdy fence and a warm haven for the group.
2025. 7. 28.
