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Wonho
South Korean singer (born 1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lee Ho-seok (Korean: 이호석, born March 1, 1993), known by his stage name Wonho (Korean: 원호), is a South Korean singer under Highline Entertainment.[2][3] He is a former member of South Korean boy group Monsta X under Starship Entertainment.[4] In 2020, he made his solo debut with the EP Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me.[5]
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Career
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Early life and debut
Prior to his official debut, Wonho became part of a project group called Nu Boyz, alongside his labelmates #Gun, Shownu, and Joohoney, formed under Starship Entertainment in August 2014. The quartet uploaded multiple tracks to the label's channel on YouTube, including performing at the opening show of the Starship X concert on December 5, 2014.[6]
In late December, Starship Entertainment and Mnet launched a survival competition program called No.Mercy.[7] On the final episode of the show, Wonho was selected, alongside six other contestants, including the Nu Boyz's members Shownu and Joohoney, as a member of the label's new boy group Monsta X.[8]
2015–2019: Monsta X
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Wonho debuted in Monsta X, a hip-hop boy group, upon the release of their first extended play Trespass, on May 14, 2015.[8][9] Wonho was a vocalist in the group and beginning in 2017 regularly participated in writing, composing and arranging songs for the group.[10][11]
Since 2018, Wonho has featured in several photoshoots for magazines, as well as partnering with some brands and promoting campaigns by various fashion magazines. He has appeared alongside his groupmates on several occasions, including Nylon, alongside Shownu in January 2018 and GQ in August,[12][13] in both Ceci Korea in June 2018 and MAPS, with Minhyuk in December,[14][15] lastly, Grazia, with Hyungwon in March 2019.[16] He also participated in the collaboration project, with Elle and Tom Ford, alongside Shownu, in promotion of Tom Ford's latest perfume line in August 2019.[17] He also made solo appearances, such as a feature in Dazed in November 2019.[18]
Wonho has been recognized as the Korean celebrity who focuses on fitness and physical training, while in several interviews surrounding his photoshoots, he has talked about healthy habits, and emphasized the importance of exercising.[19] In October 2018, he partnered with Under Armour, as part of the collaboration with Dazed, to promote an active and healthy lifestyle.[20] He again promoted healthy lifestyle, as part of a photoshoot for Elle's "Body Challenge" campaign, in May 2019.[21]
On October 31, Starship Entertainment announced Wonho's departure from Monsta X following allegations of him not paying back money he owed to a friend,[22] after rumors about the illegal use of marijuana when he was younger surfaced on social media.[23][24][25]
2020: Solo debut with Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me and first solo concert
On March 14, Starship Entertainment released an official statement announcing that the investigation made by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's narcotics investigation team had been concluded; Wonho had been cleared of all allegations and the rumors were false.[26]
Wonho signed with Highline Entertainment, a subsidiary of Starship Entertainment, as a solo artist on April 10.[3] The agency announced that he would be promoting as a solo artist and producer going forward.[27] On May 6, Maverick revealed through a Twitter post that they had signed a management agreement with Wonho for his international activities.[28]
On August 9, Wonho announced the release of his first solo EP Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me.[5][29][30] On August 14, he then released the pre-release English-language single "Losing You", along with its music video.[31] "Losing You" gained praise for showing Wonho's all-around musicality, including his vocals, participation in the songwriting, composing, and producing of the song.[25][32] The album was released on September 4 with the title track "Open Mind", accompanied by a music video.[28] Wonho had his debut showcase the same day, hosted through V Live.[33][34]
Wonho held his first solo concert on September 27. Due to restrictions from COVID-19, the concert was held online through the streaming platform LiveXLive.[35] During his concert, Wonho announced his first comeback, with a new EP, which was originally intended to be released by the end of 2020, although without a set date. He pre-released a song from the upcoming EP "Flash" through his concert.[36][37]
2021: Love Synonym Pt.2: Right for Us, second concert and Blue Letter
Wonho's second part of his first EP Love Synonym Pt.2: Right for Us was released on February 26.[38] All five songs from the EP debuted on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart, occupying twenty percent of the entire World Songs chart for that week.[39] He held an online concert WeNeedLove through LiveXLive on March 28.[40][41] He released the music video for the song "Ain't About You" for the album in May in collaboration with Kiiara.[42]
On June 15, his American manager, Eshy Gazit announced the launch of a new label venture Intertwine, in partnership with BMG, with Monsta X and Wonho as the first two artists involved in the partnership.[1]
Wonho released his second EP Blue Letter on September 14, with the lead single "Blue".[43]
On October 27, he released his debut Japanese single album, with the lead single "On the Way ～Embrace～". He had released a Japanese version of his song "Lose" in August in anticipation of his Japanese debut.[44] Then, on December 1, Wonho released another Japanese single "White Miracle".[45]
2022: Facade, first musical and first solo tour
Wonho made his comeback with his first Korean single album Obsession on February 16, with the title track "Eye On You".[46][47] Wonho released his third EP Facade on June 13, with the title track "Crazy".[48][49]
From June 3 to July 24, Wonho appeared in his first musical with Equal, a two-person play where Wonho performed as Theo, a bright and cheerful country doctor who struggles to save his friend Nikola, who is dying from an incurable disease.[50]
Wonho began his first European tour, called "Facade", in August. He held shows in Munich and Oberhausen, Germany on August 28 and 31, respectively, Madrid, Spain on September 2, and London, England on September 4.[51]
On August 19, Wonho released the promotional single "Don't hesitate" through Universe Music for the mobile application Universe.[52] In September, Wonho announced the release of his second single album Bittersweet on October 14, with the title track "Don't Regret".[53][54]
On November 23, Wonho announced a final concert Everyday Christmas before his mandatory military service.[55] It was held in two separate time slots while live-streamed globally on the BigC platform on December 3.[56]
2024–present: "What Would You Do" and first studio album
On November 22, 2024, Wonho released his first single since his discharge from military service, an English song called "What Would You Do".[57] During December, he participated in the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour.[58]
On June 27, 2025, Wonho released the single "Better Than Me", a song inspired by early 2000s pop groups like M2M and NSYNC.[59] It is a pre-release single in anticipation of his first studio album.[60]
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Personal life
Wonho enlisted for his mandatory military service as a public service worker on December 5, 2022.[61][62] He was officially discharged on September 4, 2024.[63]
Discography
Extended plays
Single albums
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Promotional singles
Other charted songs
Music videos
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Filmography
Television shows
Radio shows
Music video appearances
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Musicals
Songwriting
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All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association, unless stated otherwise.[100]
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Tours and concerts
European tour
- Facade European Tour (2022)[51]
Other tour
- Welcome Back, Wenee (2024)[102]
Offline concert
Virtual concerts
Awards and nominations
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See also
Notes
References
External links
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