Background
K-pop enthusiasts have probably come across the 11-member boy group who took over South Korea by a storm since last spring. The boys of Wanna One each came from different entertainment companies and battled it out with 90 other trainees on the very grueling survival program Produce 101 Season 2.
The Show
Produce 101 is a survival program where 101 trainees participate and face 3 different evaluations. The group battle, The position evaluation, and lastly the debut evaluation. The ranking of the trainees is all based on audience votes, or widely known as the “National Producers”.
Following the resounding success of Produce 101 Season 1, which gave us the girl group I.O.I, Korean broadcasting companies Mnet, as well as CJE&M, decided to make the second season to make up of only boy group trainees.
Produce 101 started the broadcast date on Spring of 2017 with the release of the theme song Pick Me (Nayana) with Lee Daehwi as the center. Being center on the show for the theme song gives the trainees a higher chance at being included in the top 11 because that is the first guarantee to more screen time. That is why trainees not only battle it out on the talents and rankings, but they also try to outshine each other in order to get the center position.
Debut
Wanna One re-affirms their astounding popularity with booked commercials and endorsements left and right, even before their official debut!
The group kicked off their promotions with their debut showcon entitled Wanna One Premier Show Con at Gocheok Skydome on August 7, 2017. This is particularly a huge deal because they are the only group so far to have held a debut showcase here.
Simultaneously, they also dropped their debut album on the same day. Their album 1X1=1 (TO BE ONE) quickly swept the charts right after its release. The title song “Energetic” came at first place on the real time charts on all six major music sites in Korea!
Quickly after their 1st wave of promotional schedules, they released a follow up album titled 1-1=0 (NOTHING WITHOUT YOU), just in time for the winter season. The songs in the album are all fit for the chilly weather. Once again, the album and title song topped music charts inside and outside of South Korea. Wanna One hit another milestone for being the 3rd Korean boy group to sell 1 million copies of their debut album.
Wanna One ended their 2017 with a bang by hosting a December a premier fancon for their fans. They went the extra mile to repay their fans for all the love that they get.
Come 2018 and Wanna One started the year with teasing their fans for yet another epic album. The group painted everything in gold as they dropped the teasers as Wanna One’s golden age Begin. They gifted the fans a heart-warming fan song I Promise You before they officially release their 3rd mini album 0+1=1 (I PROMISE YOU) with the title song Boomerang. Yet again, Wanna One swept the charts.
After their 3rd mini album, Wanna One started preparing for their 4th mini album. But, different from the norm, they revealed that they would be splitting up to unit groups to prepare even better and more intimate stages. In the album 1÷x=1 (UNDIVIDED) we had the chance to hear songs from Triple Position (Kang Daniel, Kim Jaehwan, Park Woojin), The Heal (Ong Seongwoo and Lee Daehwi), Lean On Me (Hwang Minhyun, Yoon Jisung, and Ha Sungwoon), and lastly Number 1 (Park Jihoon, Bae Jinyoung, and Lai Guanlin).
Concert
Along with this album, they dropped the details for their world tour ONE: THE WORLD! Fans were ecstatic as they informed them that they will visit a total of 13 different cities around the world! Wanna one performed in different cities with sold out shows! This world tour is a special one because it is in fact a once in a lifetime chance to see Wanna One as this was their first and last world tour.
A few days ago marked the group’s final comeback. And as they face the final leg of the race, they are surely pouring everything they have in this last chance to repay their fans for all the love and support. Through the final album,1¹¹=1 (POWER OF DESTINY), the members wish to give their fans hope and assurance that someday they will all reunite and meet again.
No doubt, Wanna One really is a unique group that is loved by fans around. You can never go wrong in loving a group with talented, charming, and a variety of skilled members. Even with such a limited amount of time, Wanna One and Wannables spent their days creating happy memories that they will keep with them forever. In Wanna One, only the contracts end, but the relationship will definitely remain the same. We all can’t wait to see what the future holds for the members, but one thing is for sure. Their fans will be by their side, right?
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