winner for elle, january 2019

" WE ARE WINNING NOW! " 

- A release of their second official album, a world tour. Late in the night I met with WINNER, who had just spent the busiest year since their debut. To the four men set to come back soon with a new single, I asked them questions only about the present -- just as they worked hard to prove themselves in the last four years, they'll continue to do so in the future, and in the near present. -

 

YOON

"Are my responses too heavy?" Film camera in hand as he captures photos of himself and his members throughout the course of the photoshoot, Kang Seung Yoon asks this question from time to time during the interview as if to check. With the credits for the WINNER album filled with his name, he is referred to as both a responsible leader and producer. Couldn't this feel burdensome? "It's just something I need to carry. But sometimes, when I see others, I do find myself realizing that I don't know their kind of fun." However, he has no intention of changing his path. "It's from this that the WINNER and me of today exist. And we're planning on continuing to live like this for the time being." Though he claims to easily forget that he's the youngest of the team, that's refuted with his cuteness around the older members. All of that becomes hard to imagine, however, when you see the way his answers are maturely packed with his personal thoughts. After all, Kang Seung Yoon is 25 years old now. It has been a series of years that promised endless possibilities beyond what he has already shown us thus far.

On your current feeling

Not hyper, but not necessarily down either-- kind of just right? I feel a bit empty, too. Not an emphasis on the name of our song.

Have you checked the music charts today

I check when our songs come out. Today, I checked to see if Min Ho was maintaining his place well. I'm also sort of monitoring what kind of songs people have been loving recently.

Something you heard recently

"You look good." A few days ago, I met up with some friends who I had learned guitar with in middle school, and this is what they told me. I did feel that "Yes, I am living well", but personally I thought that I didn't really look all that good, so it was a bit of a conflicting feeling.

Something you want to hear right now

I think if I were to meet a singer for the first time who's my senior, or an unsuspecting person, and they were to tell me, "You're doing well", it would feel like a reward for all the hard work I've done so far. I think it would really touch my heart in a different way than it would if I heard it from the fans or the supportive people around us.

A feeling you recently experienced

Impatience, pressure, feelings that you need to endure in order to receive happiness from the concert, performance, stage, and the like.

Something you're looking forward to the most right now

How will these photos look once I develop the film? As well as the reactions from the single teasers that are going to be released soon.

A recent moment that made you feel that WINNER was one team.

I always feel a sense of belonging. Even in moments when I'm alone, like when I'm in the studio.

If you were to receive 1,000,000 won that you needed to spend immediately

I'd buy a ton of film. Every kind of film, all of them!

The 'Me' right now

A warm person. Even if I'm a bit harsh on myself, I want to be a person who is silent, but always right there in place for the people around me.

Something you want to say

The upcoming single is a song about confidence, about how everyone has a reason to be loved. I hope that our song will receive a lot of love. I'd also like to release a solo album when I can!

 

MINO

Anyone can see that 2018 was a superb year for Song Min Ho, as he ran from variety shows to promotions for his first solo album to a photo exhibition and so on, and none them were restricted to a single field. He who had answered, "Yes," without hesitation in response to the question, "You're very busy, right?", was just beginning to take a seat after claiming first place on a music program only hours before the photoshoot. He had become a hot issue once more from rapping his award acceptance speech. Despite all that, throughout the interview, the phrases Song Min Ho used the most often were, "It's fun," and "I'm happy." It was also in relation to the anticipation of what will unfold for WINNER in the future, or the excitement that comes with an unexpected chance finding you serendipitously, or with an idea becoming actualized. "I have a habit of writing down any word, art, image, object, melody, or anything else new that comes up in m head, in whatever shape or form it may be in. Then, later, if I think deeply about one of the words I wrote down, something interesting comes up." There is no doubting that Song Min Ho's 2019 will also be incredible.

On your current feeling

My current, 'right now' feeling is so good. I'm happy to the point where I'm wondering if it's possible to be even happier than I currently am. I'm both thankful and uneasy, but also feeling anticipation all at the same time. In one word, it's complex.

On today's stage

I seriously can't think of anything when I'm going up on stage. Only that I want to do a great job up there.

Did you check the music charts today

I heard that 'FIANCÉ' hit #1 again so I went to see. I don't really check other people's rankings or songs, though.

Something you're looking forward to

How much more I will be able to experience in 2019. I think about this even more, especially because it's been a time recently where I've been able to personally see the seeds I've sprinkled in several places during my time as Song Min Ho begin to grow well.

A recent moment that made you feel that WINNER was one team

During a fan sign with my members. With solo promotions and WINNER promotions overlapping. I realized that I'm definitely a lot more comfortable when I'm with my members.

Something interesting

As a maximalist, I have a lot of things. I've been trying hard to find a case to store all that stuff.

If you were to receive 1,000,000 won that you needed to spend immediately

I'd make an online order for custom materials right away. I'd be able to make good used out of them.

If I were to explain my current self

Workaholic, a record/goal addict

Something you want to do right now

A nice, deep sleep. Or pay a quick trip to a warm vacation spot using magical teleportation!

 

HOONY

It was fun to hear whatever Lee Seung Hoon had to say that was prefaced by, "It's not a big deal but...", or "It's a small thing but...." He'd ask for a life update before following it up with a plead to get the flu shot, or how he woke up to see snow piled up outside; or how he thinks it would feel like Christmas once Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" starts playing in cafes. And as he said these things I found myself nodding agreement, thinking "Yeah that's right," without me even realizing. But then he'd also begin talking about how, with comeback promotions ahead, he had dyed his hair a plum-shade and went to a restaurant where quite a lot of people recognized him, then he poured his heart out for some time on the feelings he experienced as Lee Seung Hoon the individual versus Lee Seung Hoon the WINNER member. As I was getting curious about the stories that lay deeper within the things he spoke of, I asked lightly if he had any thirst for dancing. "I believe that I have many more talents besides just dance. I'd like the chance to be able to show them all." These were the words of someone who had no doubts about his potential. 

On your current feeling

I'm excited because we're preparing for a single. I catch colds quite easily, but I got a flu shot this time so I've been healthy.

What you did this morning

Gave food to my pet Haute. Checked the details of our schedule in the group chat.

What you looked up in the search bar today

I stopped by at a department store and saw something that I liked so I looked up the price. I decided not to buy it.

Something interesting

I couldn't give a clear answer when someone asked me what my hobbies were, and it made me think that maybe I was living a bit of a boring life. I'm planning on finding a hobby that I can fully immerse myself in.

A recent moment that made you feel that WINNER was one team

Because we aren't a team that has the sharpest synchronizations when it comes to choreography, the formations and feelings of the songs, even if it's the same one, change slightly based on what kind of stage it is. I feel a sort of catharsis when we all fall in sync just by eye contact alone, without any sort of previous discussion. I want to show that when we're together as WINNER, we can go even further.

Something you're looking forward to with upcoming comeback activities

I don't want to be restrained by formalities, and to just have a good time promoting our song with my good colleagues, my fellow singers. The more difficult it is and the more tired you are, the more important it is for you to have fun doing it.

If you were to receive 1,000,00 won that you needed to spend immediately

I wonder what it'd be like to have a meal at a really, super good restaurant. But since we're shooting right now I'll just order a nice parka. It's not like it's going to actually happen, why did I just think about that so hard?

If I were to explain my current self

I'm at a place where I need to polish a bit where I'm at currently, and be able to take a step forward.

Something you want to say

I've decided that my keyword for next year is 'challenge'. As hard as I need to fight in the limited time allotted, I think how hard, how busily we spend 2019 will end up impacting WINNER's future. But of course, I'm someone who better suits the LA style, a life where I can enjoy the evenings.

 

JINU

Thin rings wrap around six out of ten of Jin Woo's fingers. "I just really like thin rings. I end up getting a lot of them as gifts, too." One is a rather big ring with a pink flower on it; another a delicate ring threaded with white beads and a blue rose sitting on top. Upon the question, what kind of person do you think you are right now?, he responded, "I think I"m like a ripe persimmon. I want to be a dried persimmon soon." Kim Jin Woo is satisfied with the present, but he finds himself wanting to escape a bit from people's anticipations towards him. "I want to show a different side of me beside the one-dimensional image that presents just my appearance and my voice. I think it's a natural thought to have because I've lived as myself for so long. Maybe that's why I said that I'm still a ripe persimmon. I'm curious about what it would feel like to get wrinkly but tough like a dried persimmon. It's really something I started thinking about very recently" In 2019, Kim Jin Woo may suddenly appear to us from an unexpected place with a new image. Just like how he surprised us all with the way his voice left a clear thumb-print like mark on WINNER's music.

On your current feeling

Truly "natural". Maybe it's because I haven't put on makeup yet and we have yet to change for the photoshoot, but I feel a bit bare.

What you did this morning

We all had a drink last night because Min Ho had an album release party, so we ate some breakfast to ease our stomachs.

What you looked up in the search bar today

<Inkigayo> because Min Ho was on it. It could kind of look like a form thing to do out of courtesy, and I know that just because I cheer for him it may not make a huge difference, but when people around me do something, I try to keep up with them the best I can.

If you were to receive 1,000,000 won that you needed to spend immediately

Order delicious food to share with all the staff on set right now.

Something interesting

When I realized that I was watching <REAL MEN> not as a variety show like I used to, but rather to focus on soldiers' postures and responses. I like going on variety programs to meet people. If you get closer to new people, your every day and your life pattern can change too.

A recent moment that made you feel that WINNER was one team

When we were filming our most recent music video, and I saw how well they cared for one another without being greedy over individual parts. Carefully explaining to someone the areas where they may lack may seem like an obvious thing to do, but it unexpectedly felt good.

Something you want to hear next year

Maybe it's because I spend with them a growth period of eight years that was filled with much thought, but what my members say to me particularly touched my heart. I'd like to hear things like, "It's a good thing you went for it," or "It's a good thing you did that."

Something you want to say

'No worrying about things that I am not immediately encouraging right now.' Until recently I had decided to stop thinking about anything that I got stressed out about. But of course, it's easier said than done.