WINNER, “You Think YG Is Dream Company? It’s Frightful Place like Jungle” (Interview)
[이데일리 스타in 박미애 기자] Sweeping No.1 on music charts upon debut, making all songs in debut album enter top places on charts, and dominating top ranks in music shows. This is not a story of an already-popular idol singer. This is a story of WINNER. This story is about WINNER, who has recently unveiled their debut song “empty”. WINNER is YG Entertainment (“YG”)’s new boy group produced by the company for the first time in nine years after BIGBANG. This is why they are called a magnate or monster rookie.
Some have a different perspective on WINNER’s success. They say that the power has come from YG, not from WINNER themselves. Of course, a rookie from a large entertainment agency that has big capital strength enjoys an advantage for performances or PR. However, considering the fact that even EXO had to wait for a year until they become one of the top groups, YG’s power alone does not fully explain why WINNER is creating such a big sensation. We asked the reason to WINNER themselves.
In a recent interview with E-Daily’s Star-in, WINNER compared YG with “Silmido”, a film that depicted harsh training of anti-North spies, as well as with “jungle” where the law of jungle and survival of the fittest rule prevail.
SONG MIN HO said, “When seen from the outside, YG is like a dream company. YG has all the necessary system. You may think it is like heaven, but when you actually get training here, it is simply like a jungle. The company gives us whatever we need, but that’s it. Survival depends solely on trainees’ efforts.” NAM TAE HYUN added, “YG spares no support for not only artists but also trainees. When I say I need something, the company gives it to me. However, the company never says ‘you do this’. You have to grow on your own. Otherwise, you can’t survive.” SONG MIN HO and NAM TAE HYUN seemed to well understand the difference between YG and other entertainment agencies, as they have experience of being trained by different agencies.
Entering YG as a trainee does not guarantee debut as a singer. Trainees go through a harsh training process. They are trained by a tight curriculum similar to that of general schools. Tests are waiting for them every month. YG’s head YANG HYUN SUK himself observes the tests, so trainees feel tension and burden that is greater than that on the debut stage. The eldest member of WINNER, “KIM JIN WOO”, was trained at YG for the longest period of time. KIM JIN WOO had once left the company because the training was so harsh, but he soon came back. He confessed, “I experienced a couple of slumps.” The process of WINNER’s debut was the same. WINNER was formed by winning competition against Team B, the other team of trainees in survival audition show “WIN” aired last year. WINNER’s debut was delayed by ten months compared to the original schedule. During those ten months, they gained hands-on experiences by standing on the stage of senior YG singers including BIGBANG and 2NE1. Those ample experiences made WINNER look like a veteran singer, not rookie, eventually resulting in a successful debut.
LEE SEUNG HOON said, “We worked hard to express ordinary emotions that anyone can have, in our debut album. I think that is why our album is appealing to the public. We will continue to create music that can appeal to the public, with our sincere heart.”
KANG SEUNG YOON said, “We feel burdensome because people have certain expectations for YG and for YG’s senior singers. But, that has given us motivation to work harder. We will take that burden and overcome it.”, asking for interest in WINNER.
2014. 8. 27.
