Wanna One is an all-Male Kpop group formed in 2017 under CJ E&M and YMC Entertainment and later represented by Swing Entertainment. The band is comprised of the top 11 contestants from the second season of Produce 101, a survival reality show which airs on Mnet. They were selected out of 101 trainees from various agencies in the competition. Wanna One members made their debut in August 2017 and quickly became one of the hottest and favorite musical acts in town.
The group managed to secure multiple endorsement deals and soared to the top of celebrity lists in South Korea. They picked up multiple newcomer awards in 2018 including the Melon Music Awards, Mnet Asian Music Awards, Seoul Music Awards, Gaon Music Awards, and Golden Disc Awards. The group released one studio album, 1 11=1 (Power of Destiny), as well as four EPs—0+1=1 (I Promise You), 1÷x=1 (Undivided), 1X1=1 (To Be One), and 1-1=0 (Nothing Without You)—before disbanding in December 2018.
The Profile of All Wanna One Members
Park Woo-jin
Former JYP and Brand New Music trainee, Woojin was born on November 2, 1999, in Busan. He has a younger sister named Park Yerim. Park finished in sixth place at the finale of Produce 101. He was a main rapper and dancer for Wanna One. Woojin is set to debut in a new boyband called AB6IX, alongside fellow Wanna One bandmate, Daehwi.
Yoon Ji-sung
This Wanna One star was born Yoon Byeong-ok on March 8, 1991, in the Wonju area of Gangwon-do, in South Korea. He was a leader and sub-vocalist for the group. Ji-sung was ranked 8th during the Produce 101 competition. Before being signed to the group, he was a trainee for MMO Entertainment. He is also pursuing a career as a solo artist while completing his mandatory military service.
Kim Jae-hwan
Not backed by any agency, Jaehwan is the only participant of that sort that made it into the final 11 of the second season of Produce 101. He came in 4th during the rankings. The former main vocalist for Wanna One was born in Seoul, on May 27, 1996. Jaehwan was once a trainee for Music Works and he has appeared on several television shows such as Korea’s Got Talent, Voice Wars: God’s Voice, and Wanna One Go: Zero Base. He is currently enrolled at Howon University and will be focusing on establishing a solo career in the coming years.
Lee Dae-hwi
Daehwi was born in Seoul, on January 29, 2001. However, he has spent some of his growing years living abroad, in Los Angeles and Japan. He held the position of sub rapper, lead vocalist and dancer for Wanna One. He was ranked third during the Produce 101 finals. Lee will be continuing his music career as a member of the new band, AB6IX. Daehwi is currently enrolled at SOPA. He speaks English fluently and enjoys designing and sewing clothes.
Kang Daniel
Like Ji-sung, Daniel was also a trainee for MMO Entertainment. His position in the group was that of a lead rapper, main dancer, and sub vocalist. He was born on December 10, 1996, in Busan. However, he spent his childhood years schooling in Canada. Daniel finished in first place in the Produce 101 contest. He is currently signed to Konnect Entertainment and pursuing a solo career. Without a doubt, Kang is one of the most admired among other Wanna One members.
Bae Jin-young
Before finishing in 10th place on Produce 101 and becoming a member of Wanna One, Jinyoung trained under C9 Entertainment. He also has a talent for acting, as well as sports. His music career has continued to thrive since he debuted as a member of CIX. Jinyoung was born in Seoul, on May 10, 2000. He has two younger siblings: a sister and brother.
Ha Sung-woon
Sungwoon was born in Goyang, on the 24th of March 1994. He was the main vocalist for Wanna One. He speaks multiple languages and served as a trainee under Star Crew Entertainment for over two years before becoming a member of the group. He ranked number three on Produce 101. Ha loves swimming, playing video games, pool, and soccer. Since the disbandment of Wanna One, Sungwoon has become a member of a different Kpop band called HOTSHOT.
Lai Kuan-lin
Wanna One’s former maknae and lead rapper Kuanlin was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on September 23, 2001. He has one sibling, a sister who happens to be older than him. He speaks four languages: English, Taiwanese, Korean, and Standardized Mandarin. Kuanlin hails from a well-to-do family. He was ranked 7th in the final episode of Produce 101 and is presently signed to Cube Entertainment. He is a member of the Kpop unit, Wooseok × Kuanlin. Being the youngest among the Wanna One members, Lai gained a lot of attention.
Ong Seong-woo
Ranked at number 5 during the finale of Produce 101, Seongwoo was the lead vocalist and main dancer for Wanna One. He was born on August 25, 1995, in Incheon. Seongwoo attendee Hamlin Multi Art School in Seoul and served as a trainee for Fantagio. Prior to becoming a musical sensation, he used to work as a model and a cafe attendant. Ong is set to appear in the upcoming drama, Eighteen.
Hwang Minhyun
The former lead vocalist for Wanna One was born on August 9, 1995, in Busan. He has one sibling, an older sister named Hwang Sujin. Hwang speaks Japanese fluently in addition to Korean. He is allergic to salt and gets allergic reactions from his own body sweat. Ranked 9th at the end of Produce 101, Minhyun currently serves as a member of the Kpop quartet, NU’EST. His other talents include composing music, writing songs, and playing the piano.
Park Ji-hoon
Born in Masan, South Korea, on May 29, 1999, Jihoon held the position of visual, sub vocalist, lead rapper, and sub rapper for the now-defunct Wanna One. He has one sibling, an older brother. Jihoon finished at second place in season 2 of Produce 101. Aside from his music career, he is also a successful actor. Jihoon has been a trainee for Fantagio, SM, and Maroo Entertainment, which he is currently signed to. He released his solo single titled L.O.V.E on March 26, 2019.
See Also: Lord Infamous: Everything About The Life And Death of The Rapper
The Reason Behind Wanna One Break Up?
Fans were heartbroken and disappointed when Swing Entertainment announced on December 18, 2018, that Wanna One would be disbanding on December 31, 2018. The reason for this was simply because of the fact that the band’s contract had expired and there were no talks about renewing it.
The band performed its last concert in January 2019, with the final show ending on January 27. Wanna One’s farewell concert took place at the same venue where they made their debut showcase, the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Since their split, many of the band members have gone on to form new bands, pursue their solo careers, and other passions.
It has been speculated in some quarters that Wanna One members would get back together. This hasn’t been substantiated in any way and to the best of our knowledge, it would be difficult for this to happen.
