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[ohn1m]

WINNER’s Song Mino Is Shocked By The Actual Truth About His Birth Year

On the SBS show “We Will Channel You,” WINNER’s Song Mino found out the real story behind an alleged revelation that had shocked the group!

On the January 31 episode of the show, Song Mino told Kang Ho Dong a story that he has also recently shared on other broadcasts. He explained that the group’s dynamic changed after his mother recently told him that he was born in 1992, rather than 1993 as he had thought.

For many Koreans, a person’s age has an effect on their relationships, and common ideas about age-based hierarchy often influence the way people act and treat each other. In terms of language, people of the same age speak to each other informally as “friends” while those older than them must be addressed respectfully with titles such as “hyung,” and often a more formal speech level is expected.

Song Mino described to Kang Ho Dong how the WINNER members’ dynamic had previously been organized with Kim Jin Woo as the eldest after being born in 1991, followed by Lee Seung Hoon born in 1992, Song Mino born in 1993, and lastly Kang Seung Yoon born in 1994. Since Kang Seung Yoon was born early in the year of 1994, he and Mino were still considered to be “same-age friends.” Therefore, Song Mino treated Kang Seung Yoon as a same-age friend and called Kim Jin Woo and Lee Seung Hoon “hyung.”

He then explained how recently they were at a dinner after a concert with their families and were talking about their ages. His mom had cut in to say, “But you were born in 1992! You’re same-age friends with Seung Hoon! I gave birth to you, so of course I know. You were born in 1992.”

Song Mino explained that this not only changed their relationships within WINNER, but also with his younger sister, who was suddenly two years younger than him instead of born within the same year. When Kang Ho Dong asked why she had originally said Song Mino was born in 1993, Song Mino said she hadn’t told him that much.

Kang Ho Dong asked if there was a way they could find out the truth for sure, and Song Mino suggested that they call his mother. It was explained that Song Mino and his mother hadn’t been able to have a discussion on their own about the matter since it was brought up.

When they got Song Mino’s mother on the phone, Kang Ho Dong asked her about the time she had revealed he was born in 1992.

In reply, she laughed and said that Song Mino was being foolish about that, which shocked Song Mino. She said, “I made a joke but it blew up. I didn’t know that they’d believe it.”

Song Mino said in disbelief, “Mom, because of that, we’ve been acting like Seung Hoon is my same-age friend and Seung Yoon calls me ‘hyung‘ – it’s been a huge deal.”

His mother said, “I didn’t know it would be become such a huge issue!” Song Mino laughed and said, “I’ve been talking about this on television shows and the radio!”

His mother laughed again and clarified that he was indeed born in 1993, as they’d originally thought.

[ohn1m]

[NEWS]  Actress Confesses She Was Bullied In School Until WINNER’s Mino Saved Her

She’s a testament to Mino’s true personality.

Actress Choi Ye Seul may be happy and healthy now with her couple-goals relationship with MBLAQ‘s former member, G.O. But she didn’t always walk a flower road back in the days. She confessed during an interview that she used to be bullied back in school.

During her school days, she didn’t have friends because she didn’t get along with others. She believes people didn’t like her because she put herself out there even though she didn’t have many friends.

“I used to be bullied back in school.

I was bullied, but it wasn’t necessarily that other people tortured me. It was more that I didn’t have any friends.

Even so, I did everything [I wanted to do] like be the class leader, but I think they hated me for standing out too much.”

— Choi Ye Seul

When no one else stepped up to befriend her, she was saved by WINNER Mino‘s kindness. She revealed that Mino was a big help in getting through the dark times.

“During those days, Mino helped me a lot.”

— Choi Ye Seul

Mino reached out to the lonely Choi Ye Seul, getting her involved in his music. Even during school, Mino was always working hard to juggle studies and his passion in life.

“Mino worked really hard during school. He would work on songs at home and send it to me. He asked me for my opinion too.”

— Choi Ye Seul

Ever since, Mino and Choi Ye Seul have been good friends. They recently lost contact due to his busy schedule but she still has fond memories of him.

“The last time I contacted him was during WINNER’s program. We used to call each other a lot.”

— Choi Ye Seul

This isn’t the first time Mino’s kindness shined through his love for his friends. BLOCK B‘s P.O also revealed that Mino decided to quit training in solidarity after P.O was eliminated from their past agency.

Thanks to Mino’s friendship, Choi Ye Seul finished school with a bright future. She now focuses her all in her acting career and her YouTube channel with her beau, G.O!

cr.

[ohn1m]

WINNER Announces New Travel Reality Show

WINNER is going on a vacation!

On January 21, YG Entertainment revealed that WINNER will be traveling to Jeju Island for their new reality show “WINNER Vacation – Hoony Tour.”

“WINNER Vacation” will premiere on January 29, with new episodes being released every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. KST. The show consists of eight episodes, and it will be available through Olleh TV’s mobile application.

On the show, Lee Seung Hoon will transform into a guide for the group. He will be taking his fellow members to famous eateries and places on Jeju Island.

Furthermore, the members will also receive various missions. Whoever completes a mission first will receive a badge, and the member with the most badges will be rewarded at the end of the show.

Check out the teaser here.

cr: soompi

[ohn1m]

The Art of Being Mino

The South Korean hip-hop star wowed critics and fans alike with his solo album ‘XX’; but is he any closer to discovering who the ‘real’ Mino is?

Mino's journey is an ongoing one and 'XX' is a chapter that marks an artistic coming-of-age on this wild ride.

Understanding Song Minho is kind of like catching lightening in a bottle; impossible to do but the idea itself is so dazzling, you need to give it a shot anyway. Tall and blonde with bleached eyebrows and sharp features, Song–better known mononymously as Mino–cuts quite the intimidating figure. He’s intelligent, polite and forthcoming on every answer and there’s an elegance to him that’s instantly appealing. There’s one little thing that proves to be more charming than any of this, however, and it comes in the form of a little note he sends on email after the interview; “Thank you for your interest!” it reads cheerfully, accompanied by a smiley emoji. “I hope we do it again when Winner’s back!” It’s simple but sweet and suddenly there’s yet another dimension to the chic, fierce rapper we’re used to seeing onscreen.

Before sitting down with Rolling Stone India for a conversation in December, the 25-year old musician’s schedule through 2018 included the release and promotion of a full LP with his band Winner, a Japan tour, a more extensive Asia tour, a series of performances across his home country South Korea, starring roles in several variety shows and a feature on YG Entertainment labelmate and his senior Seungri’s viral hit track “Where R U From.” November was busiest for him with the release of his first solo LP XX, a 12-track feast of hip-hop, tradition, emotion and culture. December finally closed with yet another single with Winner and a series of year-end performances in Korea.

While a bit of a break is warranted after the whirlwind of activity, Mino confirms he has no plans to take it easy in 2019. “Winner will release a full album this year,” he reveals cheerfully. “I cannot talk about our plan in advance, but we are preparing a surprise gift with a great musician!” The four-member K-pop band are working on their upcoming third LP and have already begun their tour schedules in full force– they’re currently on a six-city run of the United States with stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New York.

Over the past year Mino has embraced the avant-garde with ease, stepping away from his swag-heavy hip-hop image and slipping into a more elegant avatar.

As an artist, Mino is full of surprises with an evolution that’s been thrilling to map. He started his career as a rapper in South Korea’s vibrant underground hip-hop scene back in 2010 (when he was just 16) but success took a while to come along. He debuted briefly in 2011 with a group called BoM before its premature disbandment in 2013, and then finally signed with leading music label YG Entertainment as a trainee. In 2014 he got his big break after participating in TV channel Mnet’s reality-survival program Win: Who Is Next and ending up as a member of the winning Team A–which would go on to form Winner and debut that same year. He shot to fame quickly this time around, gaining attention as a solo artist after finishing as runner-up on the fourth season of South Korean hip-hop survival competition Show Me The Money in 2015. With several eyes on him, he wowed with a more bluesy, melancholic persona on Winner’s 2016 EP EXIT: E. That same year he and YG Entertainment labelmate Bobby announced a duo project titled MOBB, which showed off a completely different, swag-heavy, fun-loving attitude, but in that EP he included “Body,” a solo single that blended sex and passion with angst and regret. Winner’s discography as of late has been bright, tropical and electronic-pop and he’s able to adapt to it effortlessly as well. His career trajectory spells ‘chameleon’ and even in times of trial there’s a sense of chill around him, as though deep inside he knows everything’s going to work out.

Over the past year Mino has embraced a life of avant-garde with ease, stepping away from his swag-heavy hip-hop image and slipping into a more elegant avatar. He seems more comfortable and willing to express himself in ways outside of music. He’s always had fondness for art but now seems to revel in it, regularly posting images of artwork he’s created on Instagram, participating in media projects, exhibitions and editorials. Last year, he displayed some of his own artwork at an exhibit titled ‘Burning Planet.’ The pieces were a combination of installation art with media and performance art which explored the idea of burnouts, stress and humanity’s exhausting pace of birth, work, death. It’s morbid, futuristic and almost prophetical in its warnings about the pressure society puts on young people and quickly gained critical acclaim. Mino remains modest in the wake of all the praise, saying, “I do not know if I have had any talent when I was young, but I painted as a hobby since I was a kid. So I have become interested in art naturally. It was a very good opportunity to exhibit ‘Burning Planet’ with [eye wear brand and collaborator] Gentle Monster. It was a good time to learn and experience many things.”

It’s this artistic and emotional evolution which seems to have had the biggest hand in the creation of XX. “I wanted to give a tweak to my existing image, which I guess has been heavy with hip-hop and rap. I wanted to start afresh,” he stated at a press conference in November, according to a report by the Korea Herald. XX is an extension of his performance art–dramatic, creative with an ambiguous title to boot (he’s explained he wanted his listeners to have their own interpretations of it.)  The video for the lead single “Fiancé” features imagery around birds, dreams, fantastical landscapes and more. In addition to being involved in the entire concept, Mino also contributed to the set design–there’s a giant mural of a bluebird featured in the video which he painted himself. Several fans as well as popular YouTube channels like DKDKTV have attempted to decipher the meanings behind it and he’s thrilled to see all the various discussions. “It is one of the things I enjoy the most,” he says when I ask if he ever watches these theories. “Making parts that can be interpreted in various ways… I love watching them in various interpretations.” Could he tell us which theory got closest to deciphering his work? “I will never tell which one is correct or incorrect for more diverse guesses!” he teases.

“Fiancé” has also been appreciated for its unconventional combination of trot, a form of Korean folk music, and trap. To do this, the track samples Korean veteran singer Kim Taehee’s 1969 track “Soyanggang River Maiden” and blends it with bass-heavy, rolling trap and Mino’s drawling rap. “There was no intention to use ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ from the beginning,” Mino says. “When the song was almost 80 percent complete, [YG Entertainment CEO and music producer] Yang Hyun Suk gave me an idea of putting a part of ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ as a sample source, and it fit perfectly into the message and vibe of this song.” The haunting sample had younger fans enthralled and searching through YouTube to listen to the original track while applauding Mino for putting a limelight on Korean pop culture and history. Because in addition to the retro sound, the music video for “Fiancé” is a fever-dream blend inspired by the Korean Joseon dynasty and modern-day angst. In the clip the rapper wanders between fantasy and reality, dressed as an emperor as he searches the past, present and future for his one true love.

“I was getting to love myself, and everything [about that experience] is in this album.”

Is it possible that with younger artists like him using older genres like trot or paying homage to their history in music videos, it can help young listeners appreciate tradition a little bit more? Mino reveals that wasn’t really his intention at all. “In fact, I considered this song for older people than younger people,” he says, adding his plan was to erase misconceptions about hip-hop and ‘young’ music in the minds of older generations. “Even if the genre of hip-hop is popularized, it is still hard to catch up with higher age. So it seems like sampling of ‘Soyanggang River Maiden’ was a good plan for this song.” “Fiancé” has indeed added to the buzz around rappers defying expectations and stepping into traditional musical and visual territories. Hip-hop no longer has one definition and inspiration can come from anywhere. For Mino, the ideas for “Fiance” and XX came from several fragments of art. “I have so many things inspiring me, so I do not know which one to say first,” Mino says. “Among them, some works of  (Italian painter) Piero Fornasetti, various plants–especially blue roses– and the Japanese anime Devilman were in my mind. However, it’s my inner self that affected it the most. I stayed alone in the studio every time so I could be deeply involved in my work and I looked back upon myself.”

XX as a whole has been well-received thanks to its use of complex metaphors, puns and double meanings in its lyricism, but for Mino, making this record was about finding his true self. “I got down to work in earnest in the beginning of 2018 for this album,” he says. “It contains various songs ranging from a song written two-three years ago to a song written two weeks before the album came out.” The rapper has written and composed each and every track, taking a dive into his own psyche to unleash several different sides of himself. In a video teaser right before XX‘s release, Mino explained he’d made the album by “grating [his] soul into it” and the result is an LP that is diverse, clever, saucy and undoubtedly one of the best hip-hop albums of 2018. Lyrically, he tackles everything from waiting for a lost love (“Fiancé”) to calling out obsessive fans (“Agree”) and bold eroticism (“Hope”). He gets emotional on “Alarm” and “Her,” exploring heartbreak, his relationship with his fans and self discovery. “I was getting to love myself, and everything [about that experience] is in this album,” Mino tells me. “I got a lot of thoughts and experiences from it and I am so proud of the production process.”

It’s clear from the get-go that wordplay is key; in the vicious introductory track “Trigger,” Mino uses syllables in its Korean title to play on the curse word ‘shibal,’ blazing through verses of self-praise with swagger, while on “Rocket” he drops references to art, Korean mythology and more. It’s the realest taste of what he’s truly capable of and it surprises and delights in equal measure. The impressive roster of collaborators on the record include YG Entertainment’s biggest in-house producers Choice37 and Millennium, comedian and actor Yoo Byung-jae and up-and-coming vocalist Blue.D, among others. There was one artist, however, that Mino was particularly excited to work with. “It was all fun, but working with YDG was extremely impressive,” he says proudly of his collaboration with the Korean hip-hop veteran on “Bow Wow.” “It was one of my dreams from my childhood.”

Mino at a press event for ‘XX’ in November 2018.

With XX being his first massive solo effort, Mino confesses there were hurdles along the way that he hadn’t expected. “The toughest part was familiarity,” he says, adding, “When I listened to songs hundreds of times to make a song, I always got confused. That’s the hardest thing to me.” Working alone means more pressure and he says he finds it more peaceful when he’s working with the members of Winner– Hoony, Yoon and Jinu. “When I work alone… I get sensitive because I am dissatisfied with any result. When I work with Winner, it’s really a load off my mind. Each member has their own roles, and I think we fit in nicely with each other.”

Mino’s journey has been wild, difficult, rewarding and a little messy–we’ve covered a lot of it over the course of the interview, but it still feels like we’re scratching the surface. He seems to agree; there’s a lot more he wants to consume and learn and a lot more he wants to show all his fans, old and new. “I am always thankful to fans who have supported me from the beginning and everyone who has known me since yesterday,” he says. “I will try to put a little more of my own personality and style on next album, and I also want to challenge something that no one expected.” While the search for the ‘real’ Mino continues, XX is a chapter in his story that marks a significant turn; he’s found a balance between the sexy rapper we see with Winner, the exuberant hip-hop dudebro he turns into with MOBB and the expressive poet he is as a soloist. It might not be lightening in a bottle just yet, but it’s pretty damn close.

[ohn1m]

[INFO]  Yang Hyun Suk announces that WINNER has finally finished recording their new album.

cr. x

[ohn1m]

WINNER's Mino Signed in the Most Creative Way, He Did It with a Spray

Mino had his signature on a different surface.

Mino had an art collaboration 'Burning Planet' with Gentle Monster at the end of last year and attended an event for it. Mino who was known for his artistic talent in all directions, from music to drawing to designs, he is one with creativeness too. Mino got himself a spray and started tracing onto a white wall at the event before a rose could be seen appearing through the lines. The end of the line was concluded with him signing it off with his name.

Another of the same drawing was made on a metal door too.

[ohn1m]

Mino hosts exhibition with Gentle Monster in Seoul

Here's your chance to get a glimpse of Mino's artistic sense!

The lead rapper of the rising K-pop boy band Winner, Song Min Ho (widely known as MIno), has collaborated with Gentle Monster for a one-of-a-kind exhibition in Seoul, titled "Burning Planet".

Through the exhibition, Mino and Gentle Monster answer new questions that are thrown toward themselves in a modern life that consumes everything repeatedly, and thus a blackened planet.

A cute dessert symbolising the last energy source and ostrich eggs add to the fun of the heavier-themed exhibits.

The "Burning Planet" exhibition will be available from now until 9th November (reservations are required) and will be housed at 260-1 Seong-su dong 2 ga Seong-dong gu, Seoul.

Opening hours: 5 PM to 9 PM daily.

For this exhibition, only 200 tickets are available per day – 150 via online reservations and 50 via walk-in.

You can now apply for advance booking on the first-come-first-served basis at www.gentlemonster.com.

[ohn1m]

                                                                  YGEX Staff‏  @YGEXStaff 

【#WINNER】 #TGCしずおか2019 に来てくれた皆さん、ありがとうございました 新曲"MILLIONS"はいかがでしたか!? 静岡の皆さんにお会いできて本当によかったです 2019年もよろしくお願いします 「MILLIONS -KR Ver.-」ストリーミング・DLはコチラhttps://avex.lnk.to/winner-millions

[ohn1m]

[INFO] With 1,642,555 unique listeners, MINO's hit single "FIANCE" is now the song by Idol Male soloist with highest unique listeners on Genie beating ZICO's "Artist".

[ohn1m]

Exclusive: WINNER Lights Up New York’s Madison Square Garden + Shares Thoughts On Wrapping Up 1st North America Tour

WINNER ended their first tour of North America with a bang!

On January 29, the four-member group electrified the crowd at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the final stop of the North American leg of their first world tour “EVERYWHERE.” Throughout the night, the members of WINNER were clearly having a blast onstage, joking around with one another during their performances and playfully hamming it up for the audience at every opportunity.

The group also communicated with their fans entirely in English throughout the concert. After kicking off the show with high-energy performances of their songs “Really Really” and “Hello,” WINNER hyped up the crowd by sharing how excited they were to be performing in New York. Leader Kang Seung Yoon started off by exclaiming, “Finally, we arrive here in NYC for our own concert!”

Referring to the group’s pre-debut “New York project” from 2014, Kang Seung Yoon went on, “This was our second visit to New York City, and I had lots of good memories in this city. So I’ve been looking forward to this moment a lot.” He later added, “When I first came to New York, I never dreamed I would be able to sing in this place. Because it was before my debut. At that time, I was just aiming for my debut, so this moment is like a dream.”

Kim Jin Woo also announced, “Tonight is the grand finale of our North America tour. Let’s have fun tonight!”

Each of the four members later took to the stage on their own, showcasing their individual styles through a colorful array of solo performances. Song Mino thrilled the crowd with passionate renditions of his recent solo tracks “Trigger” and “Fiancé,” driving fans wild at one point when he casually tossed his coat aside before jumping into the second verse of “Trigger.”

Meanwhile, Kim Jin Woo performed an emotional cover of YG Entertainment labelmate G-Dragon’s “Untitled, 2014,” hopping off stage in the middle of the song in order to get closer to the audience. Kang Seung Yoon sang his chart-topping 2013 solo debut track “It Rains,” before bringing out his guitar to perform his famous cover of Yoon Jong Shin‘s “Instinctively.”

The WINNER leader also performed a special a cappella cover of Bazzi’s “Beautiful,” adding, “I really love this song, and when I thought about this moment, [I thought,] this moment will be beautiful.” The crowd erupted in screams as he continued suavely, gesturing at the audience before him, “So I chose this song, and yeah, you’re beautiful.”

Finally, Lee Seung Hoon performed both Taeyang’s iconic hit “Ringa Linga” and his own song “Serenade” to the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd.

The group then shifted gears, announcing that it was “time to take it slow.” Kang Seung Yoon jokingly told the audience, “New York City, do you like WINNER’s emotional tracks? Then it’s okay to get a little teary. Don’t hold back.”

WINNER proceeded to launch into fan-favorite ballads “For,” “Raining,” and “Empty,” with the entire crowd bursting into screams of excitement at the very first bars of their debut title track. Before moving on to their song “Movie Star,” Kang Seung Yoon prompted the audience to sing along, saying, “We made this song to happily sing [together] with you guys. Let’s sing together.”

Later on, the group took a break to interact more personally with the crowd, interviewing several fans and asking them to sing parts of their favorite WINNER songs. When one fan mentioned that her favorite song was “Fool,” Kang Seung Yoon sang a brief snippet of the ballad together with her, and the rest of the audience enthusiastically joined in.

After bringing the crowd to their feet with their latest title track “Millions,” as well as their songs “Special Night,” “Island,” “Love Me Love Me,” and “La La,” it was time for the concert to come to a close.

WINNER reappeared for the encore in their “Millions” hoodies, thanking their fans for showing so much passion and energy throughout the concert. “You guys are crazy!” exclaimed Song Mino. “I love New York. I love you guys. Today is awesome.” Kang Seung Yoon chimed in, “Tonight, we’re falling in love with New York City. You guys are amazing.”

He went on to mention that he would do his best to add more English lyrics to WINNER’s songs in the future, in order to make it easier for their English-speaking fans to sing along. “We’re going to try [adding] some English lyrics when we make songs,” said Kang Seung Yoon. “I want to sing together with you guys.”

The four members then shared their final thoughts as they wrapped up their very first tour of North America. Kim Jin Woo confessed that they had been dreading the end of the tour, revealing, “To be honest, we really didn’t want tonight’s show to happen. We were feeling down as we entered the soundcheck, [and] it’s due to the fact that our North America tour ends tonight. I’m sure we’ll be back again, but we felt something heavy in our hearts.”

“However,” he continued, “we are glad to have met many of you Inner Circle on our tour, and we felt loved by you. You make us feel alive. We are very happy and thankful for your love and support. We will meet again. Inner Circle, I love you!”

Song Mino told the group’s fans, “Thank you so much. This tour has left me with great memories. I am honored to have met all of you throughout this tour. Thank you, Inner Circle, and thank you, New York. I love you!”

Lee Seung Hoon added, “It was really cold today, so thank you so much for coming. It has taken a long time [for us] to come to New York, but I am so happy to meet you guys again. We will see you again. Thank you, New York!”

Finally, Kang Seung Yoon remarked, “New York is where we started our first project, and the first place we came to [in] the United States is New York. We’re so proud of being able to do the end of this tour in such a meaningful place, proving how much we have grown over the last five years. Today is a very, very special day for me. Thank you for giving me [a] reason to live as an artist.”

He continued, “I want to tell you my feelings [about] this tour, because it’s the final [show]. This is the last city of our North America tour. Starting from Seattle, we have performed in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Toronto, and New York. It was a great, great experience to perform in many cities. It was a busy schedule, but we were very happy to see you guys, and we cannot wait to meet all of our fans again. Inner Circles of all North America, thank you so much.”

Kang Seung Yoon then teased the release of their upcoming album, saying, “Guys, stay tuned for our new album. Though we’re far from each other, our songs will always be with you guys.”

Finally, before they left the stage, Song Mino surprised the audience by tearing off not only his hoodie, but also taking off the shirt he was wearing under it and throwing both into the crowd. Kang Seung Yoon also took off his own hoodie and threw it to a lucky fan, jokingly apologizing, “Sorry its smell sucks!”

WINNER closed the show—and their North America tour—with an unexpected blast from the past. The group ended the concert with a performance of their song “Go Up,” which they first sang on YG Entertainment’s 2013 survival show “WIN: Who is Next?“, the Mnet reality program that ultimately decided their debut.

Kang Seung Yoon explained that they had chosen to perform the song—which they did not perform at previous stops on their tour—because it was the final concert of their North American journey. The track, with its lyrics about “going up” to bigger and better places, made for a fitting end to a particularly meaningful night—and a successful first tour—for the group.