Sweeping No.1 upon debut… One year after [Come Back WINNER ②]
[OSEN=박소영 기자] ‘WINNER, Miss them?’
That was a question asked by YG’s head producer YANG HYUN SUK. Inner Circle fans answered loudly, “Of course, YES!”
WINNER swept the music scene upon their debut with title track “empty” of their debut album “2014 S/S” released on August 12, last year. They got nickname of “monstrous rookie” and rewrote the history of Korea’s music scene. Now, it has been more than one year since we first heard the new songs of WINNER.
As WINNER debuted in the second half of 2014, fans could see them in a variety of music awards after the release of the team’s debut album. Since the team received rookie of the year awards and song’s awards in “Melon Music Awards”, “MAMA”, “SBS GAYO DAEJEON”, and “Gaon Chart Awards”, they could present special performances at the end of last year.
Then, the members of WINNER concentrated on individual careers. Leader KANG SEUNG YOON left a big impression as an actor by playing the title role in web-drama “We Broke Up”. The youngest member NAM TAE HYUN also began his acting career by acting in web-drama “Midnight Fantasy” and SBS TV’s “Midnight Diner”.
SONG MIN HO shook off a stereotype against him in Mnet’s “Show Me the Money 4”, to be recognized as a talented rapper. LEE SEUNG HOON focused on studying more about music, and KIM JIN WOO has recently completed shooting for Korea-China web-drama “Magical Cell Phone” which will be aired soon.
Fans were able to see WINNER members in a variety of channels, but they wanted to see performance of the complete team WINNER. They craved for good songs like “empty”, “COLOR RING”, and “Don’t’ Flirt”. Fans were sorry that the team has released no new song since their debut.
However, that was the same even for YG’s senior singers. Even they had to wait for new releases. So, WINNER waited, too. Finally, now, after more than one year from their debut, WINNER has become the one to come back.
President YANG HYUN SUK excited fans at the end of last month, by posting an image of WINNER’s logo with a phrase “Miss them?” The question “Miss them?” was interpreted to mean “They will come back soon, so wait and see”.
YANG has also directly mentioned WINNER to media outlets. On the 3 this month, YANG met with the media after the debut concert of iKON, “WINNER’s younger brother”, to say, “WINNER achieved success with their first album and they will achieve even more with their second album. They will present a surprising outcome. I have all the plans for WINNER, so fans do not need to worry about them”.
Rookie idol groups usually do not leave from the music for more than a year, because they have to aggressively build fandom in early days of their career. However, WINNER is working hard for success of their second album for a long time and fans are waiting for them with firm confidence.
Fans’ shouts that “We wait because they are WINNER” are resonating the Hongdae (Hongik University) area.
2015. 10. 14.
