SOURCE: "소리도 못 내고 울었는데"…데이식스 원필, '언필터드'로 꺼낸 속내 [TEN인터뷰]
DAY6's Wonpil is returning with a new album that captures his unrefined, raw self. This first mini-album is deeply imbued with Wonpil's colors that have never seen before.
Recently, Wonpil held an interview at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the release of his first solo mini-album, 'UNPILTERED.'
The mini-album 'UNPILTERED' is his first release in about four years since his first solo album, 'PILMOGRAPHY.' Wonpil focused on naturally portraying his true, unfiltered self in this album.
The title track, 'Highs and Lows,' expresses the complex emotions within Wonpil at the time of writing under the name of 'love.' Wonpil came up with the title himself. He explained, "We endure a lot while living. It's hard to express everything honestly while living in society. We have to hide our struggles and can't show when we're hurting. I wondered what it would be like to have a place where we could open up and speak freely. As I compose melodies and write the lyrics, I listen to the track repeatedly. The synth sound felt like a siren. In that moment, the phrase 'Love Ward' came to my mind." (NB: The literal translation of the title track ('Highs and Lows') is 'Love Ward')
He also shared the story behind choosing the album title. Following his first album 'PILMOGRAPHY,' his name 'Pil' is once again included in the title. Wonpil explained, "I thought a lot about whether to include 'Pil' again. I wondered if it doing it again would be too much since I already used it before. And if I come up with another album, would I include 'Pil' again? After much thought and discussion with the company, we concluded that 'UNPILTERED' would be good. To the public and fans, I might always look like I'm smiling and without pain, so I wanted to show a different side of myself. Everything shown in this album is also me."
Known for his delicate expressions that resonates with listeners, Wonpil is credited on every track in his new album, including the title track. He shared, "I prepared a lot because I wanted to show a new side of myself. I'm also checking the reactions to the released content. I'm grateful that people are responding well. Since only short previews have been released, I'm both excited and nervous to see how people react when they hear the full album. The tracklist order was finalized around mid-January. Since then, I've been listening to it every single night without missing a day. I kept listening because I wondered if people would enjoy it. To be honest, I still feel that way. Both fear and excitement."
Wonpil said he wanted to try various things through this album. He said, "I wanted to hear people say they never expected this kind of music from DAY6 or from me." He added, "I tried to show sides of myself I haven't shown even in concept photos or music videos before. While filming the concept film, although it was acting, I cried a lot. It was my first time crying like that during a shoot, but it was fun."
The new concept film captures a new side of Wonpil that is rarely seen before. He shared, "I'm originally someone who thinks a lot. I often wonder 'Am I doing something wrong?' 'Would it have been better if I said something different?' 'What could I have done to make things better?' At night, I often have these thoughts alone. Even when I cry alone, I hold back the sound. It's been a habit since I was young. Through this shoot, I was able to release a lot of that. I cried out lout and even screamed refreshingly. It made me realize that I can do that too." However, he added, "I still can't do that in reality. I was only able to do it because the stage was set for me."
Wonpil is still in the process of discovering who he is, and this process is fully reflected in the album. The third track is titled 'Already Grown Up.' Wonpil explained, "When you become an adult, you have to compromise with reality. You can't live doing everything you want to do. You have to trim parts of yourself through social life and experiences. That's what the song is about."
What does 'being an adult' mean to Wonpil? He said, "Someone who pretends. Pretending you're not struggling, pretending things are not hard. That's what I think being an adult is. As you grow, you have more to lose, so you develop a sense of responsibility. There comes a moment when you become afraid of losing things." He added, "I don't think I'm an adult yet."
His fellow members not only responded positively to the new album, but also actively shared their opinions. Wonpil said, "I let the members listen to the songs after they were finished. Sungjin Hyung said, 'This is so new. It's really good.' That is a big compliment coming from him, so I thought, 'This works. Okay.' There was a time when I was hesitating before this song became the title track. I played it for Young K Hyung and he told me this should be the title among the seven tracks. Dowoon was also like 'I think it's this one.' We all thought the same."
DAY6, the band Wonpil is in, celebrated their 10th debut anniversary last y ear. When asked about their vision for the 15th or 20th anniversary, Wonpil replied, "I've imagined it a lot. As a joke, we often said we should perform even if we're in wheelchairs and on IV drips. We want to keep making music together for a long time. I'm looking forward to our 15th and 20th anniversaries too. I wonder what kind of music we'll be making then. I want to make cool music even then. Music that is trendy, yet fits that age."
Wonpil's first mini-album 'UNPILTERED' and the title track 'Highs and Lows' will be released on the 30th at 6 PM (KST). Along with his solo comeback, he will meet fans at his solo concert, 'WONPIL SOLO CONCERT 'Unpiltered'', held for three days from May 1st to 3rd.
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