‘All-Kill WINNER”… Yang Hyun Suk Says “I’m Sorry… It Was for WINNER Themselves and Their Fans” (Interview)
[스타뉴스 길혜성 기자] WINNER, a rookie boy group produced by YG Entertainment for the first time in eight years after BIGBANG, is creating an extraordinary sensation. The team (KANG SEUNG YOON, LEE SEUNG HOON, SONG MIN HO, NAM TAE HYUN, and KIM JIN WOO)’s label YG Entertainment is one of the biggest music labels in Korea.
WINNER released their debut album “2014 S/S” at 0 o’clock on the 12. “empty”, one of the double title tracks of the album, is in the No.1 place on nine real-time music charts in Korea, including that of Melon, Mnet, Genie, Olleh Music, Bugs, Soribada, Monkey 3, Naver Music, and Daum Music, as of 8am on the same day. It is a very rare achievement for a rookie singer.
Even though it is extraordinary, WINNER’s success on music charts was already predicted, since they have already built a strong fandom in and out of the country by appearing in a reality show and performing on the opening stage of BIGBANG’s Japan dome tour before their debut. That is shown from thousands of fans who flocked to WINNER events held in Korea and Japan last year.
Then, what does YG’s head Yang Hyun Suk feel about WINNER’s debut, after all his support and efforts?
In an interview with StarNews right before WINNER’s debut, Yang Hyun Suk said, “I’m sorry”, before anything else. We asked why he was sorry.
“In fact, WINNER’s debut was originally scheduled for the beginning of this year, and that was what I told to fans. However, WINNER had to have enough time to write music that can satisfy themselves, as they are a team who writes their own music. That is why WINNER’s debut was delayed. What I could do for them was to establish a system in which WINNER can create their music freely. I wanted them to play within the system as much as they like, and in that process, their debut was delayed to give them more time for better-polished album. I was very sorry to fans, but I thought it was better for WINNER themselves and fans, too, to produce a quality album despite a delay in their debut. I would like to ask for your interest in WINNER’s debut album, for which YG and WINNER have worked so hard. You know what YG is like, we bet everything on music”.
As Yang says, WINNER has now released their debut album, six months behind the original schedule, because improvement after improvement was needed. During that period, fans expressed dissatisfaction continuously. They kept asking, “Why is WINNER’s debut delayed for so long”. However, fans have now made WINNER’s debut song top music charts straight after their debut, showing their unchanged affection for WINNER. This shows fans’ complaints so far came from their deep affection for WINNER.
Music fans are paying keen attention to how WINNER will evolve in the world of music, after taking their first step in Yang Hyun Suk’s trust and fans’ love.
Meanwhile, WINNER will have their official debut performance in “YG Family Concert” of “AIA REAL LIFE : NOW FESTIVAL 2014” that will be held on the 15 at Jamsil Sports Complex’s main stadium.
2014. 8. 12.
