Singer Kim Jaehwan revealed the behind-the-scenes story of reuniting with Wanna One members through "Wanna One Go."
On the 20th, an interview with Kim Jaehwan, who is making a comeback with the new song "I'll pick you up now" after being discharged from the military, was held at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Kim Jaehwan's new digital single "I'll pick you up now" is a rock ballad that carries a message of love and consolation to always be by someone's side even in exhausted moments.
In particular, Kim Jaehwan will meet fans through Mnet variety show "Wanna One Go: Back to Base," which premieres on the 28th, along with his solo comeback. Wanna One, formed through Mnet's survival audition program "Produce 101 Season 2," disbanded when the project ended in 2019. Against this backdrop, many fans are excited to see Wanna One reunite after about seven years.
When asked about the behind-the-scenes of the reunion, Kim Jaehwan explained, "When I was in the military, I only had light communication with the members. We only exchanged greetings to see if we were doing well, and we didn't have deep conversations about reuniting. Then, around the time of my discharge, talks began to come up little by little and became concrete after I was discharged. The timing matched perfectly, so it was interesting."
He said, "It just felt like the situation and the flow of events were all natural. There were moments when I unexpectedly ran into members on the street while on leave. It felt as if destiny had been decided. Suddenly Daniel was holding a concert and I was contacted and invited to the concert, and after seeing each other's faces for the first time in a while, we greeted each other warmly. Naturally, the distance with members who had drifted apart narrowed and we became closer, and we began talking about a Wanna One reunion again."
Kim Jaehwan said, "It wasn't even 'let's have a meal sometime.' We just ended up eating together. They were somewhere around. It wasn't just me—members would go to a cafe and meet, go to a restaurant and meet, and because those things happened to each other, it became 'let's keep in touch.' We would follow each other's schedules, cheer each other on, exchange comments on social media, and that brought back memories. Then we thought it would be better if we got back together. In any case, it's not enough for us to just want it. We had to hear from the officials who would make our idea come true, and because that sentiment was conveyed intact, the reunion worked out well," conveying a sense of fateful attraction.
He said the reunion was driven by the members' voluntary will. Kim Jaehwan explained, "We agreed together in the group chat to say, 'Let's talk to the officials.'"
He said there is still a group chat that includes all Wanna One members, and he also shared the reaction of Lai Kuanlin, who was unable to participate in the reunion in person. Lai Kuanlin retired from the entertainment industry and is currently working as a film director in Taiwan. Kim Jaehwan said, "He feels sorry for not being able to join. We feel more sorry. We thought that if the reunion had proceeded more quickly, he might have been able to join. Still, from what he said, he is feeling a lot of happiness in the life he is living," adding warmth. (Continued in interview ②)<
[Photo] Wakeone
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