Who is Wonho? Let’s Learn About the Beloved K-Pop Star

Wonho is a singer based in South Korea, represented by the Highline Entertainment company. He used to be a member of the KPop group Monsta X, which was created through a survival show called No.Mercy, from Mnet.

Wonho is known for being a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and has been since his time with Monsta X. Let’s get to know him a little more.

A quick bio of Wonho

Wonho was born as Lee Ho-seok on March 1, 1993. He is currently 29 years old. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, where he continues to live till this day. His height is 5’ 10” (1.77m.)

Wonho’s first music group was a project called Nu Boyz

Before he would officially debut with Monsta X, Wonho was the last member of a group called Nu Boyz. 

Nu Boyz was a project group and not an official group formed by Startship Entertainment in 2014. Jooheon, Shownu and #Gun were also a part of Nu Boyz. The four members of Nu Boyz would consistently upload various tracks to the YouTube channel of their management company. They also opened a show – the Starship X concert, on December 5, 2014.

 

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Later that year, Starship Entertainment, together with Mnet, would launch a program called No.Mercy. This program would be used to determine who would be joining the new Kpop group under Starship Entertainment, Monsta X.

Wonho, and two Nu Boyz team members Jooheon and Shownu would make it into Monsta X.

Wonho gained popularity in Monsta X

Monsta X was a hip-hop group, that came out with their first release in 2015, ‘Trespass’.

Wonho was one of the vocalists in the group, and he would contribute to the songwriting process as well. Wonho has appeared in various photoshoots for Monsta X, and has also partnered with various brands, in ad campaigns and through fashion magazines.

As a celebrity, Wonho is seen as someone who is focused on their fitness, and being healthy. During several interviews during his photoshoots, he would talk about how he leads a healthy lifestyle. He would talk about his healthy habits, and how exercising has benefitted him in his life. 

In 2018, Wonho partnered with the brand Under Armour, in order to promote a fit and active lifestyle. Again in 2019, he would appear in a photoshoot for Elle, as a part of their ‘Body Challenge’ campaign.

Wonho would not continue to be in Monsta X however. On the October 31, 2019, his company Starship Entertainment, announced that he would be leaving the Kpop group. 

This was due to the allegations of marijuana use that surfaced but have since been cleared. During his younger days, he allegedly used marijuana, which is illegal in South Korea. 

Following this allegation, he would embark on a solo career.

Wonho goes solo but isn’t lonely at the top

After his departure from Starship Entertainment, Wonho signed under the management of Highline Entertainment—a subsidiary of Starship. 

It was announced by his agency, he would be promoted as a solo artist going forward. Maverick also released a statement on the 6th of May, that they had signed a contract with Wonho, regarding managing his explosive international career.

Wonho doesn’t date based on gender

When it comes to his gender, Wonho identifies as a man. When it comes to his sexuality, Wonho has revealed that gender doesn’t matter to him—as long as they can cook a good ramen. He has not confirmed his sexuality, but has insinuated that he wouldn’t mind dating people of either gender. He has also allegedly dated a man before, but this has never been officially confirmed.

 

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In 2019, during a live stream, Wonho and Monsta X member Jooheon, were also seen providing encouragement to a gay fan. They were on VLive, where they were answering questions from fans. One particular question came from a gay fan, who spoke about how their parents did not accept their sexuality. The fan was asking for advice on how they can better cope with the lack of support they faced from their parents.

To this, Wonho that while it would be great to get parental support, since the fan did not feel supported, they would need to go head to head with their parents. Wonho asserted that he didn’t know how the fan’s parents would react, that the fan should still try to make their parents understand. He added that going head to head with the parents seemed inevitable, but the fan should try until their parents truly understood them. Jooheon added that doing the right thing in every situation was important.

Wrapping Up

Wonho is expected to start his military enlistment on the 5th of December, 2022. A singer, songwriter and music producer, Wonho has come a long way in his journey toward stardom. An LGBTQ+ supporter as well as a trans-inclusive person, Wonho has stressed that the gender of a person doesn’t really matter to him. To learn more about Wonho, as well as other LGBTQ supporters in entertainment, subscribe to the INTO newsletter today.