Yoon Ji Sung, the former leader of WANNA ONE, wanted to reflect on his past with the boy band and spoke candidly about his mindset following the group’s disbandment. The idol confessed he had long anticipated a decline in public attention once WANNA ONE disbanded in 2019.
Recently, the idol made the remarks during an interview at a café in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. Despite debuting after seven years of hard training and becoming the oldest member of the boy band at 27 years old, the idol never appeared intimidated. Instead, he lifted the atmosphere by being a great leader.
“I debuted relatively late. During my seven years as a trainee, I was always anxious that I might never become a singer. Since life isn’t something you can guarantee, I prepared for graduate school even before debuting. It was one of the goals I had planned. At first, I couldn’t attend because of promotions, but toward the later part of Wanna One’s activities, I felt I could finally commit properly, so I decided to enroll.”
The idol emphasized the importance of gratitude in the present. He confessed he wants to be focused on being thankful for the people right next to him right now, and made a clear distinction between gratitude and nostalgia: “Gratitude and longing are different emotions,” Yoon explained. “I’m deeply thankful to those who have watched me and supported me since my Wanna One days until now, but I don’t necessarily want to go back to that time, nor do I miss it. What matters most to me is the value of the present, doing my best where I stand right now.”
So what did the idol say about the disbandment?
“I honestly thought that once Wanna One’s activities ended, I wouldn’t even receive one tenth of the attention and love I had back then. Because I had already worried about and predicted that outcome, I didn’t feel emptiness or regret afterward. Knowing that, I really gave it my all.”
“I don’t know, it just felt like that would happen. It was instinctive. I thought the other members would all do well, and they really are doing great now, which makes me proud. But for some reason, I didn’t think I would be the same. Still, thanks to the fans, I’ve been able to keep working hard and live the life I have today.”
