Wonpil explores new sound, creative direction in ‘Unpiltered’

Day6’s Wonpil’s new solo EP, “Unpiltered,” marks a clear shift in his musical direction, as he experiments with sounds he had long wanted to try.

His first solo EP, “Unpiltered” set to release at 6 p.m. Monday, marks his first solo release since 2022 LP “Pilmography.” While his previous work leaned more toward warmth and comfort, the new album reflects a broader and more experimental approach.

Musically, “Unpiltered” marks a shift not only in tone, but in process. Wonpil said he has always listened to a wide range of genres, and now he “wanted to bring to life sounds he had previously only imagined,” citing rhythmic pop and artists such as OneRepublic as the main inspiration behind his album.

A key part of that shift came through his reunion with JYP Entertainment’s in-house producer Lee Woo-min, also known as Collapsedone, for the first time in eight years. Lee worked on some of Day6’s best-known tracks, including debut track “Congratulations,” as well as “You Were Beautiful” and “Somehow.” For "Unpiltered," Lee assisted Wonpil in composing three out of seven songs, including lead track "Highs and Lows."

Reuniting with Lee for the first time in eight years, Wonpil said their strong creative chemistry was a key reason as to why he chose to collaborate with Lee again.

“I first met Woo-min before my debut, and when we worked on ‘Congratulations’ together, and I remember thinking at the time how remarkable our chemistry was that helped us work so well together,” said Wonpil. “That stayed with me up until now, and I wanted to work with someone who could translate my story into music in the way I envisioned.”

He added that despite the time apart, their dynamic felt unchanged.

“Even though we hadn’t worked together since 2018, it still felt the same,” he said. “It felt like meeting a comrade again after being apart for a long time.”

According to Wonpil, Lee was able to turn the sounds and textures he had only vaguely imagined into something concrete.

“I really like Woo-min’s sound, so I listened to his other works even when I wasn’t working with him,” Wonpil said. “For this album, I wanted to show a new side of myself, and I knew he would be the right person to help bring that to life.”

The result, he said, closely matched the sound and direction he had hoped to achieve.

Wonpil said even his Day6 bandmates responded strongly to the new musical direction. Bassist Young K and drummer Dowoon identified “Highs and Lows" as a strong candidate for the lead track early on, while guitarist Sungjin praised Wonpil for stepping outside his usual style.

Wonpil, however, said he believes there is still much work to be done and that he does not view the album as a final statement of his musical identity.

“I’m not completely satisfied with this album — in fact, I have never felt completely satisfied with my work,” he said. “I don’t think I should ever learn to be satisfied with my work and settle into one music style. I want to develop more from here and continue to try something new.”

Following the album’s release, Wonpil will continue Day6’s “The Decade” tour in Singapore, Tokyo, Macao, Busan and Kobe in Japan through June. He is also set to hold a three-day solo concert from May 1 to 3 at Jamsil Arena in southern Seoul.

For both the album and his concerts, Wonpil said he hopes to leave fans with one message above all: Neither Day6 nor he himself need to be confined to a single musical concept or style.

“I always want to do something that our fans, My Day, will enjoy — not just something that makes me look cool,” Wonpil said with a smile. “For this album, I hope they won’t worry too much about the struggles reflected in it, but see it as me trying something new.”