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DAY6's Wonpil gets raw, real with his emotions on new EP 'Unpiltered'

Published: 30 Mar. 2026, 08:00 Updated: 31 Mar. 2026, 11:26

WOO JI-WON
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DAY6's Wonpil [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

Wonpil of DAY6 built his solo identity on comfort, with "A Journey" (2022) becoming a New Year's staple for many. This time, he sheds the need to stay bright and hopes his latest music can act as a "trash can" for listeners' negative feelings.

"I want the song to be a trash can where listeners can throw away their feelings," the singer said, describing the lead track "Highs and Lows" of his first EP "Unpiltered," during a roundtable interview with reporters in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on March 24. "Just shake off your feelings [to this track] and move on."

Wonpil returns as a solo artist four years after his first full-album, "Pilmography" (2022), with "Unpiltered" — a portmanteau of "unfiltered" and the syllable "Pil" from his name — meaning "Wonpil without any filter."

While he has long preferred to show only his brighter side, "Unpiltered" marks a deliberate effort to reveal his deeper side, a version of himself with lots of introspection, responsibility and emotional weight.

"I don't think I would have written something like this with DAY6 either, lyrics about falling apart to this extent. But this time, I really wanted to write something like that."

"Compared to my previous album, this one is more subdued. Some lyrics accept reality, some depict falling apart. Back in 'Pilmography,' there weren't those kinds of lyrics; I was trying to give only hope."

DAY6's Wonpil [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

The shift in music style came from a simple feeling: "I felt suffocated," he said.

"I'm not someone who is always smiling and always happy. How could anyone be?"

At the center of the album is the lead track, "Highs and Lows," a concept Wonpil had long envisioned. While the song uses love as a metaphor, its core message lies in emotional release.

"As we go through life, we can’t always fully express our true feelings because we’re constantly navigating social expectations. If we say everything honestly, we might be seen as strange. So we tend to hold things in and endure. I wanted to create music that could help people release even a small part of that."

"Using love was just a way to express it metaphorically. At its core, I wanted it to be an outlet, a place to release the frustration people feel while living their lives."

DAY6 is now recognized as one of Korea's hottest bands, but the group built its reputation steadily over the years, before breaking into the mainstream around 2023 when older tracks like "You Were Beautiful" (2017) and "Time of Our Life" (2019) resurged on the charts — coinciding with Wonpil's military service.

DAY6's Wonpil [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

"After being discharged from the military, I felt like the way people looked at our band had changed. That brought a sense of pressure and responsibility toward music. We write and perform our own songs, but I realized I had been constantly under stress without even knowing it. I didn't use to feel this nervous, but these days I get extremely tense before performances." He also carries personal pain from losing someone close to him.

In many ways, the album became an outlet for Wonpil to express such pressures and feelings — and the process of turning them into music became a form of catharsis.

"I was able to release a lot. There's a concept film we shot as a teaser, and both the concept and the music video felt very relieving. It was refreshing, and it felt like an opportunity to let things go." He even broke down when shooting the video ."I think I was able to pour out things I had been hiding."

DAY6's Wonpil [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

The album is comprised of seven tracks, including "Toxic Love," "Already Grown Up," "Up All Night," "Step by Step," "Hold My Love" and "Piano." Many of them convey his thoughts and emotions, including "Already Grown Up."

"I don't really want to be [an adult], but at the same time, being one is not entirely bad. The song carries the message of just living, pretending to be an adult, and that's very much me. I tried to include as much of my own story as possible."

Despite wanting to be honest about his feelings in the latest album, the process was not without fear, particularly considering his fans, MY Day.

"I was worried that My Day might be too concerned. I worried while filming the music video and concept, and even when I listened to the finished album. But I still wanted to express my feelings through music."

While many major artists, including BTS, are returning to the music scene this March and April, Wonpil remains unfazed.

"Of course they're incredible artists, but worrying about that won't suddenly make my music better. I actually think it's great. April will be really fun. There will be so much music to listen to. It'll be a rich season for listeners."

DAY6's Wonpil [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

The singer is also set to hold solo concerts on May 1, 2 and 3 at Jamsil Indoor Arena, a venue where he has previously only performed as part of a band.

"I'm really nervous. Performing in such a big venue at a time when more people are paying attention to DAY6 comes with pressure, but I also want to prove myself. I'm working hard to prepare, and I want to do things that our fans, My Day, will enjoy."

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]