00:02Hello, everybody. Welcome. I'm Brooke Morrison. This is Odyssey. We are live from the LA studios
00:07with Wano. Hi, I'm Wano. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. I'm so happy to actually be sitting
00:14down with you as a fan for a very long time, ever since Open Mind. A very, very long time.
00:22But what a moment for you. I feel like we need to at least mention that, bring it back a
00:27little
00:27bit. What was the Open Mind era like for you? At the time, I really wanted to make a strong
00:34comeback. I wanted to show my fans who were waiting for me my best. It was one of the hardest
00:43times, but also one of the happiest times for me. Amazing. I mean, I love it. I didn't know it
00:51was
00:51one of the hardest times for you. That's crazy. But I'm glad you ended up enjoying it as we did.
00:56What a great moment. But you have so many bangers, honestly. Like, if you want to, better than me,
01:01losing you, all of that. But now we're jumping into core. This is your latest era. And it feels
01:06like one of your most, I would say, personal projects yet. What does the word core mean to you?
01:13It makes me think about my fans again. I would say my biggest motivation.
01:21Okay. Wow. They're like the core. The core of you. I love that. And I heard you were like deeply
01:26involved with every single song on this EP, whether it's, you know, as a writer, composer.
01:32Was there one moment where you realized, okay, like now this is exactly who I am as a producer?
01:37I don't think there was one special moment. But through this process, I'm slowly learning what my
01:48strengths are and what I'm good at. Yeah, for sure. I can definitely feel that. There's usually that
01:56balance with you between, you know, confidence, vulnerability. I think we all see that as fans
02:02listening to your music. Do you naturally write from one side first? I usually start with the
02:09topic or the story. Okay. I think about what I want to say first. And then I build the emotions
02:18around that. Okay. Yeah. So let's look back again at your debut, your solo debut, which what a great
02:26time for all of us. What's something that you don't overthink anymore that maybe you used to a little
02:30bit? Uh, I think it was about having right balance. Since I had to sing the whole song
02:38by myself, I had to think more about how everything fits together. Yeah. Right now, it got better.
02:47It got better. Okay. You feel like it's better. That's great. Because as a solo performer,
02:51every stage is completely yours. It's just you out there on your own. Like, does that freedom ever
02:58feel intimidating to you? Or is it kind of your favorite part? Sometimes I feel pressured. Even
03:05when I'm breathing or moving on stage, people can see me. But it makes me to focus even more.
03:16Yeah. And your fans have watched you evolve through a lot of different chapters. Which version of
03:21how surprised you surprised you the most? I don't think there are any stories I can't put into my
03:28music. I just want to make music that people can enjoy easily. Okay. Has becoming more involved
03:37creatively made you more confident as an artist or more self-critical? I've become more strict
03:47with myself. I think a lot about what I want to make and what I need to make.
03:55Yeah. What you need to make. So you become, I mean, this is, I think, a question that I would
04:01love to ask
04:01you. Is there something that you've recently become, like, more brave enough to even put into
04:06your music? I think as time goes on, you become more, you know, kind of brave as an artist. Is
04:10there
04:11anything now recently that you've realized about yourself? I don't think there are any stories I
04:18can't put into my music. I just want to make music that people can enjoy easily. Yeah. Do you ever
04:26get stuck creatively? No. No? You never get stuck? So even in moments where you're, like, a little,
04:34you know, kind of just in your head. Do you go to the gym? Do you listen to music? You
04:39know, or do you
04:39just keep working until something clicks?
04:43I keep working. I keep working until, until I really can't do it anymore. I think I need to change
04:53that
04:54a little.
04:55Oh, okay. You think you need to change that?
04:57Yeah.
04:57Do you mind me asking why?
05:02Sometimes, no, sometimes, every time, recently, I think every time, every time, I, I had to
05:09change, I had to change something. Yeah. Do it, any, or mind, or everything. Okay. Yeah.
05:20Just, just feeling. Okay. Just a feeling. Yeah, I totally get it. I mean, you do seem over the
05:24years, just very intentional with staying connected with your fans. And has a fan ever
05:29asked you anything or said anything to you about a song that has maybe changed your own
05:33view of your songs? Not really. Yeah. Everyone has different opinions. Yeah. So I enjoy seeing
05:43all messages and reactions. Okay. Yeah. Speaking of, you know, just what fans have to say, is there
05:50any compliment that a fan gives you that maybe means more to you than some of the others do?
05:56Simple things like, you're, you're good or you're, you're sexy. Okay. I really like hearing
06:04those simple words. Yeah. Okay. Good and sexy. That's all you got to say to Wonho. He'll be happy.
06:10If, if future Wonho, 10 years from now, could send current you one text, what would it be?
06:16My song is called Don't Wake Me Up. I will say, are you working hard? Wake up and work hard.
06:28Wake up, work hard. Okay. Love that. So what's something that maybe you've become like completely
06:33obsessed with lately that has nothing to do with music? Fantasy stories and glasses.
06:40Okay. Glasses. Yeah. Cool ones today, by the way. Very nice. Yeah.
06:45And dogs. Dogs. Yeah. Why dogs? I don't know. Just, just feeling is love. And so it makes me,
06:56dogs makes me happy. Okay. Very nice. We love dogs for sure here. If we sat down together again in
07:04two years, what do you hope we would be celebrating? Okay. Uh, something like I, I knew we would meet
07:14again and I've been following you and I hope we can keep supporting each other and stay connected.
07:25Okay. Okay. We got it. Yeah. Stay connected guys. We have to, I mean, speaking of state, staying connected, like
07:31what is one thing you'd probably tell your fans right now? If you could.
07:35Yeah. You know, uh, I always love you. And I always thank you for supporting me. And just thank you.
07:47Thank you everybody. We appreciate it. Well, thank you for stopping by. Had a great time talking to you today.
07:52Definitely excited for your next chapter and everything you have planned.
07:55Oh, thank you so much.
07:57You're welcome.
