WINNER’s Mino returns with artistic, confessional 2nd solo album

Mino, the witty rapper and lyricist of K-pop boy band WINNER, said Friday his upcoming second solo album is all about showing what kind of musician he is.

Mino, whose real name is Song Min-ho, is set to drop the album “Take,” in the evening, two years after he released his debut solo album “XX” that featured the chart-topping main track “Fiance” in 2018.

“Although I’ve been active in many areas, singing is my main job. Since I’m really serious about music, I tried to take part more in the album and embody what makes Song Min-ho,” the singer said in an online press conference.

“I tried to design the lyrics by taking out the subtle sentiments, or the things in between the massive sentiment that we call love. I made the album so that the listener can relate to it and also think, ‘Oh, this is Song Min-ho, who does music.'” he said.

Mino said he picked 12 songs themed on love from a pool of around 30 songs and arranged them so they would flow well.

It was easy to choose the main track, “Run Away,” since it had a chorus that would hook well while showing his colors at the same time, the singer added.

Apart from the main track, Mino voiced fondness for the final track of the album, “Lost in a Crowd.”

“It’s a song that’s like my diary. I keep a diary and write a lot, and the song began from the notes. It’s a genuine song that embodies thoughts on my present, future, past, us and youth. My favorite part is the lyric ‘I hope you feel OK tomorrow.’ It’s something that I want to tell others and also to hear from others.”

Mino, who has also debuted as a painter and exhibited works at London’s Saatchi Gallery, appeared satisfied with the visuals of the music video for his title track “Run Away.”

The music video, which was partially shown during the press conference, appeared to be a work of abstract art, featuring scenes such as a pair of shoes walking forward and water filling up and flooding a subway compartment.

“The music video may be a bit abstract. I’m really satisfied how the visual aspects came out interesting and fun. One of my favorite scenes is where the pair of shoes run, which is an homage to a film I really like. I felt it depicted sentiment very visually,” he said.

The versatile musician said that both music and painting have become an important part of himself that continues to inspire his artistic identity.

“I feel as if art and music share what they lack. I can express things musically that I couldn’t express visually and vice versa.

It’s good. It’s like they go back and forth,” he said, adding that he tends to solely focus on art or music when he’s working on it.

“When I paint, I don’t listen to music. Even if I listen to music, it becomes disturbing. I just immense myself and concentrate.”

Mino said his goal as an artist is clear: to continue to inspire himself.

“My ultimate goal is to simply explore, to get interested and study things. My goal is to make sure that these embers are not put off and that I continuously provide the firewood for myself and fan it so that it sustains.” (Yonhap)