“Honestly, I’m more of a pop star than a rock star.”
It wasn’t the answer fans might expect from DAY6’s WONPIL. But the music on his upcoming EP made that line click―especially after an early listen to the title track, "Highs and Lows". Built on heavy guitar riffs, gritty synths, and raw drums, the song cuts against what you might associate with DAY6 or even WONPIL’s solo sound.
“This was one of the styles I’ve always wanted to try,” WONPIL says. “It’s my first album in four years since my full-length, so I prepared a lot to show a new side of me. I hope you’ll receive it well.”
"Unpiltered", his first project in about four years since his solo debut studio album in 2022, is the result of a long-built musical thirst.
“Every time I worked on past albums, I kept thinking, ‘Why didn’t I do this?’ This time, I wanted to resolve that. It wasn’t about forcing something ‘new’―I just made the music I’ve been wanting to make.”
The process wasn’t smooth. A tight schedule pushed the songs to the finish line, and even after they were done, the anxiety lingered.
“The album was wrapped by mid-January, and I’ve been listening on repeat ever since. Not because I love hearing it, but because I keep asking, ‘Is this right?’ I’m still feeling both excitement and fear.”
That nervousness led to bolder choices. The title track, "Highs and Lows", ventures into unfamiliar territory both musically and emotionally. “I wanted people to say, ‘I didn’t know DAY6’s WONPIL could do this kind of music,’” he shares. Inspired by a synth tone that reminded him of an emergency siren, he built a new sonic palette from there.
The lyrics are equally unfiltered. “I did worry fans might be shocked. But if I kept sanding it down, the song would turn ordinary―so I left it as is. It’s a song, not me.” He adds, “A ‘life being shaved down’ captures those moments of compromise as you become an adult―when you hear, ‘You can’t do that,’ ‘That’s wrong,’ and you feel yourself getting smaller.”
The music video is just as audacious. WONPIL throws his whole body into an extreme emotional arc―acting through the moment of being hit by a car and the feelings right before death.
“Everything was new and honestly really fun. And I cried. A lot. I’ve never shot while crying like that before. Staying in that headspace made me feel drained.”
This EP is about stripping away the polish and showing himself―feelings and all―exactly as they are.
“People often think I’m always bright, like I don’t carry any pain. This time, I wanted to share a side that contrasts with that image. Everything on this album is also me.”
Since completing his military service and moving straight into DAY6’s 10th anniversary activities, WONPIL has felt both shaken and strengthened. Rather than chasing change, he chose to be more honest.
“I want to keep bringing you new music. I’m already itching to make more and share it.”
WONPIL’s candid confession set to music―EP "Unpiltered"―drops on the 30th at 6 p.m.
Photo: JYP Entertainment
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)