[FEATURE] 11 Facts That Will Make You ‘Wanna’ Know More About Wanna One

The eleven talented and handsome boys from Produce 101 Season 2, Wanna One became a huge sensation in 2017. The reality show propelled them into super-stardom and their undeniable talent and hardwork cemented them into the K-pop industry just months after their debut in August 2017. By the end of last year, the group had been nominated 32 times in various award shows (including three Daesang nominations) and won 13 of them including Best New Artist in the 2017 Melon Music Awards and Best New Male Artist in the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).

It is undeniable that Wanna One has made a significant impact in the world of Korean entertainment. But for those of you who are still unfamiliar with the group, here are 11 facts about them that might make you wanna know more about the boys!

1. Hot trend & Wanna One’s center Kang Daniel’s original name was Kang Eui Geon, but he changed it because he found that it was hard for a lot of people to pronounce his name. Daniel said in an episode of Produce 101 when asked about his decision to change his name, “It’s very hard to pronounce ‘Eui Geon’, even my dad can’t call my name.” Daniel came in first on the show making him the center of the group with a total of 1,578,837 votes from netizens.

2. Hwang Min Hyun is the only NU’EST member who made it into the top 11 of Produce 101 Season 2. He is known for his silly dance moves (that was already featured in five CFs across South Korea in 2017), his God-like visuals, and for his poetry reading skills! Watch him serenade the hosts of the Legendary Big Mouths segment on the variety show ‘Happy Together’! And a brief glimpse of his silly dance moves as well (1:16:08).

3. Maknae line member Lee Dae Hwi was in fact a former JYP Entertainment trainee before moving to Brand New Music. He was born in South Korea, however, was raised in Los Angeles, USA and even lived in Japan for a few years before settling back in South Korea to pursue his dream of becoming a K-pop star. He is also known for being a talented composer and songwriter from the early days of Produce 101. Daehwi was credited in writing the song ‘Good Day’ which was included in fellow labelmate MXM’s (Young Min and Dong Hyun) debut album as a pre-release track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=turSwG5pBjY

4. The only foreign member of Wanna One, maknae Lai Guan Lin was born in Taipei, Taiwan and lived in Los Angeles, USA while growing up. Guan Lin is known to be a top student in his school back in Taiwan and said to be fluent in English, Mandarin, and Korean. Watch Lai Guan Lin prove his skills in Korean from a segment on ‘Weekly Idol’ (26:05)!

5. The oldest member, leader and ‘mother’ of the group, Yoon Ji Sung, is also considered to be the funniest by many. He admits on a Wanna One special in the show ‘Happy Together’ that he struggled for a period of time to finally get to where he is today at the age of 27. Nonetheless, he said that he is grateful for all the hardships he endured, like everyone else. He is well known for his big reactions and facial expressions along with his famous ‘Ji Sung Clap’. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYLXCC3Bh0U&

6. The one with the rare surname, Ong Seong Woo, is yet another multi-talented member of the group. He is famous for his popping dance, drumming skills, and for being an underdog gag/variety show star! Watch Seong Woo’s impressive visuals and drumming skills in the video for Art Company Hada, along with a video of him impressing the hosts of the Legendary Big Mouths segment in the show ‘Happy Together’ with his funny personality (A little present for OngNiel shippers out there as well). Variety show legends Yoo Jae Suk and Ji Seok Jin even mentioned that Seong Woo is meant for the world of variety and gag shows!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=turSwG5pBjY

7. Kim Jae Hwan started off as an individual trainee (not attached to any company) during Produce 101 and has since come a long way! He is famous for being a busker around the streets of Hongdae and was also in Korea’s Got Talent 2. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist genius, being able to master the guitar, piano, and flute! Watch Jae Hwan impress Doni and Coni of ‘Weekly Idol’ with his skills (19:50)! And did you know that he is also 239cm tall? 😛

8. Most famous for being the ultimate visual of the group is none other than Bae Jin Young. His visuals have been praised by his members, Wannables, and netizens alike for having the perfectly proportionate face. One time in a segment on ‘Weekly Idol’, Doni and Coni were so mesmerised by Jin Young’s small face that they put it to the test. They compared his face size to various small items such as tissue paper and even a piece of pastry!

9. The main rapper and one of the top dancers in the group, Park Woo Jin is well known for being the cutie with a snaggletooth. It has since become part of Woo Jin’s charms since Produce 101 that made him stood out a little bit more! As we see the growth of Woojin over the months, it is quite apparent that he has his own funny sides that are very endearing. Although he is one of the youngest members in Wanna One, his stage presence and his willing personality has attracted the hearts of many!

10. Ha Sung Woon was a former JYP Entertainment trainee before debuting with HOTSHOT in 2014 with Star Crew Entertainment. Though he was the final pick for Wanna One with 790,302 people voting for him, his rise to the top 11 was a journey that both netizens and Wannables find admirable. Sung Woon had always been on the bottom rankings from the beginning of the show, however his advanced dance skills, top notch vocal ability and willingness to go the extra mile in every mission impressed many viewers and eventually brought him to the top. Watch Sung Woon impress his dancing coach in an episode of Produce 101 and was even named one of the best dancers in the show!

11. Last but definitely not the least, you might know Park Ji Hoon for being the creator of the “Nae Maeum Soge Jeojang” (Hangul:  내 마음 속에 저장) aegyo that translates to “I will lock you in my heart”. Since its creation on an episode of Produce 101, the aegyo has gone viral across social media. His adorable looks and talented dance skills put him in the top two of the final 11 in Produce 101 season 2 with a total of 1,136,014 votes. He started off as a child actor in the beginning of his career and is a firm believer in the power of lip balm to help his lips stay moisturised! 😀

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So there you have it! 11 facts about the 11 members of Wanna One; the perfect starting point for those of you who have not been acquainted with the sensational and multi-talented boy group. It is disheartening to hear that Wanna One’s disbandment is inevitable and will happen by the end of this year but until then, let us wish the group all the best in their endeavours in this new year! 🙂

Be sure to catch the boys LIVE in action on 21st January 2018 at Hall 5 Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD City for their ‘Wanna Be Loved’ first fan meeting in Jakarta!

Written by: Esta Wantah

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