They are not BIGBANG’s dongsaeng or iKON’s hyung. They are just WINNER
[TV리포트=김예나 기자] Three years have passed since their debut, and during that time, they have released two albums and produced a number of no.1 hit songs. They are the first boy group that YG Entertainment created in eight years after BIGBANG. That’s why they have been at the center of media hype. However, they mainly focused on doing promotions in Japan, and their break went on longer than expected. To make things worse, their position was somewhat weak caught between BIGBANG and iKON. Their debut concert was long overdue, but they have so many things to offer at the concert. This is how the year 2016 has been for WINNER, who is trying to win back the attention they received when they debuted.
WINNER first solo concert in Korea was held at the Seoul Olympic Gymnastics Arena on March 13 under the title of “WINNER EXIT TOUR SEOUL”, following the concert on the day before. At the concert, they performed hit songs from their debut album “2014 S/S” released in August 2014 and their second album “EXIT:E” released in February 2016.
WINNER performed 25 songs in 150 minutes. There were performances by all the five members together as well as solo and unit performances. They focused on revealing their hidden charms. Spectacular lighting and screen images added fabulousness to their performances. WINNER members performed songs in various genres ranging from hip-hop to ballad and dance music.
◆ A Medley of Parodies of YG Artists from GD to PSY
The first unit performance was by SONG MINHO and LEE SEUNGHOON. They sang “OKEY DOKEY”, the song SONG MINHO performed on Show Me The Money 4, and “GOOD BOY” of G-DRAGON and TAEYANG. They freely showed off their swag on the stage. Then, it was KIM JINWOO’s turn. With his hair dyed red, KIM JINWOO sang G-DRAGON’s “CROOKED” using a standing mike and charmed the audience.
Then, the five WINNER members appeared on the stage dressed in afro-style and sang PSY’s “NAPAL BAJI”. They were confident about their retro-style performance saying, “We asked the fans before the concert for ideas. We will put on a great stage that has perfect choreography and make it really fun.” Wearing afro-style wigs and bell-bottoms, WINNER put on a perfect performance of PSY’s “NAPAL BAJI” with their funky dance moves and jaunty rap.
◆ Letting Go of their Hip-hop & Rock Spirit, WINNER Broadens their Spectrum
Leader KANG SEUNGYOON sang “WILD&YOUNG”, a song from his pre-WINNER days. His rock spirit took hold of him, making him prance around the bridge stage in between standing seats. SONG MINHO performed “FEAR” and turned into MINO – the rapper that he was when he was doing Show Me The Money 4.
NAM TAEHYUN sang his solo track “I’M YOUNG” in a mellow tone. Afterwards, he performed “PRICKED” with SONG MINHO and channeled the feelings of two men desperately in love. Then, the three vocalists of WINNER – KANG SEUNGYOON, NAM TAEHYUN, and KIM JINWOO – sang “Girl”, “My Love By MY Side”, and “Don’t Worry” for their ‘80s and ’90s hits performance. During the performance, KANG SEUNGYOON played the guitar and KIM JINWOO, the cajón.
◆ Using What They Learned, WINNER Pulls Off Dressing and Acting as a Female Part
WINNER brought special fun to the fans by playing pre-made videos during the concert. In the video, they parodied tvN’s hit drama “Reply 1988” and showed that they have confidence in their acting skills. NAM TAEHYUN proved that he has learned a lot on tvN’s “Actor School” and transformed perfectly into Dukson, the female lead part played by Hyeri.
Another video revealed how WINNER felt after their debut. A member confessed, “It was hard being judged by people all the time. But then, I came to think that we have to work harder. I always put members before myself.”
◆ After a 17-month Break, Have a Lot in Store for 2016
They have received a lot of a media attention since their debut in August 2014. However, they had been on a break for a year and five months. During their break, YG boy groups swept Korea’s music scene. There seemed to be no limits to BIGBANG’s popularity, and iKON, who debuted a year later than WINNER, released a series album in and appeared on variety shows as regular cast members. In between BIGBANG and iKON, WINNER was lost. But WINNER will not stop. They have launched a project named “EXIT MOVEMENT” for 2016. They mean to find happiness by doing well as a group.
KANG SEUNGYOON noted, “You can ask me again and again, and I would answer that the most important thing to me is members. We as a team can complement each other and make up for each other’s weaknesses. I have trust in myself and I love myself. I want to fulfill my potential to the fullest. Until the very end, I will keep on loving WINNER and enjoy doing music.”
WINNER will hold concerts at the Kimg Daejung Convention Center in Kwangju on March 26, at EXCO in Daegu on April 2, and at the KBS Hall in Busan on April 23. They will also appear on JTBC’s new variety show titled “Half-moon Friends”(tentative) and show a different side of them.
2016. 3. 13.
