Onewe (Korean: 원위; RR: Wonwi; stylized in all caps; pronounced[wʌnˌwi]) is a South Korean alternative rock band composed of five members: Yonghoon, Harin, Kanghyun, Dongmyeong and Giuk (formerly known as CyA). The members originally formed under the name M.A.S 0094 (Make a Sound 0094).[1] They released their first single "Butterfly, Find a Flower" on August 13, 2015 under Modern Music. In April 2017, they moved to RBW and were renamed MAS. In June 2018, it was announced that the band would redebut under the new name Onewe. The band officially made its re-debut on May 13, 2019, with their first single album 1/4.[2][3]
Formed in May 2015, M.A.S 0094 was an independent group that performed and covered well-known songs in public with all profits going to charity for comfort women victims. The proceeds of their first single, "Butterfly, Find a Flower", released on August 13, 2015, also went towards charity.[4][5]
M.A.S 0094 released their first EP, Feeling Good Day, on March 25, 2016.[6] The EP contains six tracks, including the lead single "Feeling Good" and their single "Butterfly, Find a Flower" that was previously released.
They officially debuted on August 2 with their song "After 15 Seconds" which was performed on the music program The Show.[7][8]
In November, the band held a performance called "Masland". They also released the single "Starlight".[9]
On December 30, M.A.S 0094 performed as a session band for Mamamoo's performance during the 2016 KBS Song Festival.[10] On December 31, they were the only Korean act to participate and were the finale performance in the Hello Starlight Forest New Year's Eve Concert held at Changsha, China.[11]
2017–2018: Make Some Noise, survival show and rebrand as Onewe
On January 6, 2017, the band released their second EP Make Some Noise. The EP contains six tracks, including the lead single "Make Some Noise" and "Starlight".[12] In February, they held a concert in celebration of 200 days since their debut.[13]
In April, the band signed a contract with RBW, moving from Modern Music to RBW and shortening their name to MAS.[14] Also that month, Dongmyeong represented RBW in the reality television series Produce 101 Season 2.[15] Dongmyeong later was eliminated in 68th place during episode 5.[citation needed]
MAS participated in the reality television series The Unit during October. In the 7th episode, Harin (52nd), Yonghoon (58th), Giuk (59th) and Kanghyun (61st) were eliminated. Dongmyeong made it to the finale where he was later eliminated (16th).[16]
In December, MAS joined the RBW debut project RBW Trainee Real Life – We Will Debut along with pre-debut team RBW Boyz (now Oneus). They later held a concert for the project's second season entitled We Will Debut Chapter 2 – Special Party in the same month.[17]
In June 2018, RBW revealed that MAS would re-debut under the name "Onewe".[18] In September, they released a pre-debut single and music video for "Last Song" along with their labelmate Oneus.[19] On December 23, they held a Christmas concert entitled Studio We: Live #1.[citation needed]
2019: Re-debut and Japan debut
Onewe made their official re-debut on May 13, 2019 with the release of their first single album titled 1/4, with the lead single "Reminisce About All"[20]
They made their indie debut in Japan on June 7, releasing a single album containing the Japanese versions of the songs included in 1/4.[21] It made Tower Records Japan's "Top 10 Best-Selling Japanese Singles released by Korean Artists" for the first half of 2019.[22] They later held their first Japanese concert, called Prologue, on June 8.
On June 30, they held a concert entitled Studio We: Live #2 "The Name of the Star I Live On".[citation needed]
On August 29, the band released its second single album 2/4, with their lead single "Regulus".[23] On the same day, Onewe made their music show debut on M Countdown.[24]
On October 13, they held a mini concert entitled Studio We: Live #3 "Fallin' Good Day". On December 29, they held a Christmas mini concert entitled Studio We: Live #4 "My Own Band Room".[citation needed]
2020: One and major releases
On April 2, 2020, the band released their third single album 3/4, with the lead single "Q", composed by member Giuk and featured Hwasa. The single entered the Billboard's World Digital Song Sales at number 12.[25]
Onewe's first full-length album, One, was released on May 26. The album includes tracks from previous releases along with three new songs, including the title track "End of Spring".
On September 12, Onewe held their first on-tact live concert entitled O! NEW E!volution.[26] On September 24, the band pre-released their lead single "Parting", along with a music video.[27] "Parting" was then included as the lead single of the band's first demo album Studio We: Recording which was released on October 15.
From November 13 to 15, they held an mini concert entitled Studio We : Live #5 "A Moment in Full Bloom Under Two Starlights".[28]
On December 11, Onewe released their new single album Memory: Illusion, with their lead single "A Book in Memory".[29] Following the release of the album, the band held their Studio We : Live #5 encore concert online on December 13.[30]
2021: Studio We: Live, Planet Nine: Alter Ego and Studio We: Recording #2
On January 23 and 24, they held an online mini concert entitled Studio We: Live #6 "Onewe? or Onewe!". On March 6 and 7, they held an encore concert in Rolling Hall.
On June 16, Onewe released their first EP Planet Nine: Alter Ego, with their lead single "Rain To Be".[31] All 5 members participated in writing or composing the songs on the album, with Kanghyun writing and composing the lead single.[32] The B-side "Aurora" ranked at number one on MTV's 21 best K-Pop B-sides of 2021 list.[33]
The group released a pre-release digital single "Star" on November 23, in advance of their second demo album, Studio We: Recording #2, on December 7.[34]
On December 21, Onewe released a new collaboration single with Oneus titled "Stay".[35]
2022: Planet Nine: Voyager, Great Seoul Invasion, Timeless and Studio We: Recording #3
On January 4, Onewe released their second EP Planet Nine: Voyager with the lead single "Universe_".[36]
On May 20, Onewe released their special album Timeless, with the lead single "Roommate".[37]
On July 12, Yonghoon enlisted in the military to serve his mandatory military service and Kanghyun enlisted on August 2.[38]
Onewe participated in the reality television series Great Seoul Invasion which premiered on July 20 on Mnet. Onewe participated in the livestream auditions on April 15, and pre-recorded for the show before the enlistment of members Yonghoon and Kanghyun, with their last live-audience stage pre-recorded on July 5, a week prior to Yonghoon's scheduled enlistment. Through the show, Onewe produced and released the song "Hippie (Freedom from MM)" as part of the EP Great Seoul Invasion Section 1.[39]
On October 4, the group released the single "Still Here", with a music video released the same day. The song was composed and prepared by Yonghoon and Kanghyun for the group, prior to their enlistment.[40] On October 18, they released their third demo album Studio We: Recording #3 including "Still Here" as the lead single.[41]
2023: Gravity, Giuk solo debut and XOXO
On January 28, the band released their first full-length English album Gravity with the lead single of the same name. The song and album were composed and prepared by Yonghoon and Kanghyun for the group, prior to their enlistment.[42]
On March 9, RBW announced that Giuk will no longer be going be the stage name CyA and will use his birth name, Giuk, for all official activities going forward.[43]
Giuk made his official solo debut on April 20 with his first EP Psycho Xybernetics: Turn Over and the lead single "Time Machine (2020)", preceded by his first solo concert Prologue: Turn Over held on April 8 and 9.[44]
On August 21, Onewe announced they would be releasing their second special album XOXO on August 29.[45] The album contains two unit songs: "Salty Boy" by members Dongmyeong and Giuk, and "Omnipresent" by members Harin and Giuk.[46]
On November 15, Giuk made his solo comeback with his second EP Rise Waves and the lead single "Scratch".[47] In the lead up to the album release, he held a solo concert "Flight1112" held on November 12.[48]
2024: Military discharge, "Memories", Planet Nine: Isotropy, Off Road, Secret Santa
Yonghoon was discharged from the military on January 11, followed by Kanghyun on February 1.[49]
Onewe is the featured artist for "Memories" from Moonbyul's studio album Starlit of Muse which was released on February 20, 2024.[50]
On March 27, Onewe announced their return with their third EP Planet Nine: Isotropy, to be released on April 17, 2024. To commemorate the release of the new EP, the band held their O! New E!volution III concert on May 4 and 5 at Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul, South Korea.[51] Following the release of the album, the band confirmed they had recently renewed their contract with RBW.[52] According to RBW's corporate report, following the conclusion of their initial 7-year contract, Onewe renewed their exclusive contract with the agency for 5 years, spanning from April 1, 2024 until March 31, 2029.[53]
On July 20, it was announced the band would be taking their first global steps with O! New E!volution III in Japan, including four concerts across two cities in Japan: two concerts at Supernova Kawasaki in Kawasaki on September 23, followed by another two concerts at Yogibo Meta Valley in Osaka on September 28.[54]
On August 2, the band announced they would be holding their first outdoor solo concert 2024 Onewe Golden Festa : Onederland on August 24 and 25 at Olympic Park Waterfront Stage in Seoul, including special performances of new unreleased songs which have never been revealed before.[55] On August 21, Onewe announced they would be releasing their digital single album Off Road on September 4, containing the three songs revealed through the concert.[56]
On October 26, the band announced they would be holding their O! New E!volution IV concert at Yes24 Live Hall on November 30 and December 1, including new arrangements and unreleased songs fit for the year-end.[57] On December 16, Onewe announced their third special album Secret Santa, set to be released on December 23.[58]
Members
Current (active)
Yonghoon (용훈) – leader, main vocalist
Harin (하린) – drummer
Kanghyun (강현) – guitarist
Dongmyeong (동명) – keyboardist, vocalist
Giuk (기욱; formerly known as CyA (키아)) – bassist, rapper
^Lee, Han-lim (July 12, 2022). 그룹 원위, '군백기' 돌입...용훈 강현 연이어 현역 입대 [Group Onewe enters 'military flag'... Yonghoon and Kanghyun enlist in active duty one after another] (in Korean). The Fact. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022 – via Naver.
^Peaks on the Circle (formerly Gaon) Download Chart:
"Rain to Be": "Rain to Be". June 13–19, 2021. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
"Star": "Star". November 21–27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
"Universe_": "Universe_". January 2–8, 2022. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
"Beautiful Ashes": "Beautiful Ashes". April 14–20, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
"Off Road": "Beautiful Ashes". September 1–7, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
^ ab週間 CDシングルランキング 2019年06月17日付 [Weekly CD Single Ranking for June 17, 2019 - Reminisce About All]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 13, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
^Park, Jae-hwan (July 5, 2024). '지코의 아티스트' 선물처럼 찾아온 아티스트.. "이영지, 안신애, ONEWE(원위)" [Artists who came as a gift to 'Zico's Artist'.. "Lee Young-ji, Ahn Shin-ae, ONEWE"]. Kstar (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2024.