“Oh, I saw this person on ‘Moteki’ (Japanese drama)!” WINNER, while reading last month’s Barfout issue, is chatting using Japanese language from time to time. They, who said are watching Japanese drama or reading manga a lot, are a group of 5 guys who got a chance to debut from the survival project between A Team and B Team called ‘WIN: Who Is Next’ designed by YG Entertainment, which houses BIGBANG and 2NE1. Prior to debut, they performed in the opening stage of BIGBANG’s Japan six Dome Tour that started last November. The members are realizing that they started getting support from the audience. As soon as they are done with the performance at Tokyo Dome, Kang Seungyoon, Nam Taehyun, Lee Seunghoon, Kim Jinwoo and Song Minho were asked what they think about the debut and Japan Tour, and they said they are both excited and anxious about their future, that they will come out to world, but they are not conceited and objectively know their reality. However, they could not stop showing how happy they are and sometimes they joke around showing their shining looks and eyes.
Even a picture at a party can make everyone excited…(SeungHoon)
Jinwoo: I still cannot believe that I can now stand here, and I am surprised. As the tour continues on, I feel the cheers getting greater, so we could grow up thanks to fans, and I feel more thankful every time I stand on the stage.
Minho: I think we should keep this moment in mind that we were on the huge stage like dome tour before our debut. We are on our senior, BIGBANG’s concert, but I am dreaming of WINNER’s dome concert.
Barfout: Exactly what did you learn from the stage of dome tour with BIGBANG?
Taehyun: After our opening stage, we change our clothes and we watch BIGBANG’s performance at the wing part of the stage and there was the moment that G-Dragon took off his sunglasses. Even that gesture created shouting. I learned that appropriate time and simple act can be that cool and nice. Also, it looked so natural. I wished we could acquire experience and have that kind of composure.
Seunghoon: I have been a BIGBANG’s fan since long time ago (answering in Japanese)
Everyone: ohhhhhh! (laugh)
Seunghoon: Sorry, I will do better in Korea from now on. (laughs) I have been enjoying the concert as audience by singing and dancing together, I always thought they look so good and cool. Now I am trying to find how I can add that to my own style.
Barfout: For example, what did you learn from this tour?
Seunghoon: I learned that when a photo of you is being taken, you do not always have to make large movement, and I found how they can be wonderful with just simple and stationary movement. I thought now I have to show the beauty of chastity.
Barfout: As you look back at ‘WIN: Who Is Next’, at the moment when A Team’s debut as decided after the competition with B Team, how did you feel?
Seunghoon: Seriously, I cannot put it into words. As I got complicated feelings, I could not help crying. We all did our best, but we were sorry for the B Team that we had competition with, and also I was happy that now we got the chance to show our songs to the world… It was an unforgettable moment.
Barfout: Among those songs released on October 28th, ‘GO UP’ was a self-composed song, right? It was for the final mission while you were competing with B Team. How did you make this song?
Seungyoon: We actually were going to go with ‘TODAY’, but the boss didn’t like that one. (laughs) He wanted us to change it, so we made ‘GO UP’. Because I was making it not knowing who was going to win and knew neither the happiness of winning nor the sadness of losing, I titled it ‘GO UP’ to say ‘Let’s all go up together’ including B Team. It is the song with hope meaning ‘no one loses’.
Barfout: I see, did anyone else compose a song too?
Taehyun: Yes. For me, it is more like I am recording my feelings as a form of music, like a song about headache when I get a headache or a lovely sweet song if I feel like someone is lovely. Thus I never worked like I have to get this done.
Barfout: As you do not think you have to finish in time, do you have any song that you have been making not finishing up?
Taehyun: Well, I have more songs like that. A person’s feeling changes all the time. I have to write it based on what I feel, but if it changes, I could not finish a lot of songs because of that.
Barfout: It seems that you will work in and out of country after debut, what kind of artists you would like to be?
Jinwoo: First of all, each one has his own unique point, for example, Seunghoon dances, and Minho beatboxes. As we show them to fans, I hope the fans will see our real sides. Each one has their own colors and they come out more and more, so they might find them interesting. Also, those five unique people look good also as a group, so I would like everyone to develop their own strength and keep on it.
Seunghoon: I think not only women but also guys of various ages and appreciative celebrities like BIGBANG. With our great songs, I wish we could be a group that even our lifestyle gets attention to the point only a photo of us at a party would make everyone excited due to our fashionable outfits.
Minho: It is hard to answer at the last because everyone speaks so well. (laughs) Though we haven’t debuted in Korea yet, I want to be Korea’s representative group and national artists so we can be well known all over the world (with his thumbs up). We will do our best.
View the solo photo scans of Kang Seung Yoon and group photo scans of Winner, HERE
Translation by Heejoo@WINNER_UAN
Photo scans by @5KI2NE8
Interview scan by @AeuyTLiN
WLSY 