Biography

After four years of recording and touring as part of K-pop outfit Monsta X, South Korean vocalist Wonho made his solo debut after leaving the group in late 2019. Following successful singles "Losing You" and "Open Mind," Wonho swiftly landed atop the Korean charts with his debut EP, Love Synonym No. 1: Right for Me. He has remained a Top 20 favorite in Korea with EPs like 2021's Love Synonym No. 2: Right for Us, 2021's Blue Letter, and 2022's Facade. Born in Sangbong-dong, South Korea, musician Wonho (real name Lee Ho-seok) kicked off his career in the mid-2010s as part of Starship Entertainment group Nu Boyz. After a year with the group, Wonho was selected as a founding member of Starship's new venture, Monsta X, which was formed through the competition show No.Mercy. Through the mid- to late 2010s, Wonho recorded five studio albums and seven EPs as part of the group, regularly landing at the number one spot on Korea's Gaon Charts. Toward the end of 2019, the musician was removed from the Monsta X roster due to a number of money and drug-related charges, which were proven to be false after a five-month investigation by the Seoul Metropolitan Police. With his name cleared, Wonho began promoting himself as a solo artist in 2020. After finding success with the single "Leaving You," the vocalist released his debut EP, Love Synonym Pt. 1: Right for Me, in September 2020, topping the charts in Korea and cracking the Top Ten of Billboard's World Chart. A companion EP, Love Synonym Pt. 2: Right for Us, appeared in February 2021 and also reached the top echelon of the Korean album chart. That same year, Wonho released his third EP, Blue Letter, featuring the Top 20 Korean single "Blue." The album reached number five on the Goan Chart. Obsession, the singer's first single album, arrived in February 2022 and featured the songs "Eye on You" and "Somebody." A fourth EP, Facade, followed that June, debuting at number eight in Korea. ~ David Crone, Rovi